Could be Columnists

[Mizzougrad96]

I traded emails with a copy editor friend who works at a paper where one of the guys works.

"I said, 'Hey, did you hear (writer's name) was called one of the writers who could be a columnist by the great Dave Kindred?"

He responded. "We're thrilled because we've been hoping someone would hire him away for more than a decade and we're hoping this speeds that process along." He also reiterated that the writer in question is "without a doubt the worst non-preps writer on staff."

 

[Moderator1]

I must have stepped in something. Something stinks in here. Can't figure out what it might be.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I'm just thrilled that people seem to be in agreement on this one...

When it involves someone like Kindred, I just assumed everyone would be kissing the ground and thanking him for bestowing his greatness on 45 lucky soon to be columnists...

Glad people were able to see through it...

 

[Azrael]

?

 

[21]

?

This.

Not understanding the nastiness here at all.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

?

This.

Not understanding the nastiness here at all.

Because it's a half-ass attempt from someone we expect more from.

 

[Alma]

All right then. You put together a list. I'm glad Kindred did but if you feel you can do better, do it. And I know you pay attention to these things. Shoot, you can even seed them. 1 thru 32. 8 per region: West. East. Midwest. South. And let me spin it for you even further: Two from each region have to be from papers with less than 150,000 circulation.




?

This.

Not understanding the nastiness here at all.

Because it's a half-ass attempt from someone we expect more from.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I'm just pointing out that Niyo, Mellinger, Brewer, Gutierrez, ARE major columnists.

Branch, Maese and Skolnick have been columnists. I'm sure there are more on the list who have been as well..

About 10-12 names on the list fall into the "duh" category. You mean the beat writers at the WP, LAT and NYT can be columnists someday? What a reach... Hruby belongs in that group too... He was an ESPN page 2 columnist/writer. Bachman as well...

I love Kindred, but that list is a lazy effort.

 

[LongTimeListener]

I am going to write a column about Players Who Could Be NBA Point Guards Someday.

#1 will have to be Jeremy Lin.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I am going to write a column about Players Who Could Be NBA Point Guards Someday.

#1 will have to be Jeremy Lin.

Don't forget Chris Paul and Jason Kidd...

 

[onceuponaX]

I am going to write a column about Players Who Could Be NBA Point Guards Someday.

#1 will have to be Jeremy Lin.

Nice.

Also...let's see some birth certificates (some of those listed are more than a few months past 40).

 

[Alma]

All right then. You put together a list. I'm glad Kindred did but if you feel you can do better, do it. And I know you pay attention to these things. Shoot, you can even seed them. 1 thru 32. 8 per region: West. East. Midwest. South. And let me spin it for you even further: Two from each region have to be from papers with less than 150,000 circulation.




?

This.

Not understanding the nastiness here at all.

Because it's a half-ass attempt from someone we expect more from.

It's weird. I actually meant to write something, thought I did, and apparently didn't. Now it seems I thought it was half-assed, which I didn't.

What I meant to write was: Mizzou, since you read a lot and concern yourself with the best frequently - this is an observation, not a critique - why you don't you create a list? Top 32. 8 in each region: East, West, Midwest, South. And 2 from each region need to be from papers with less than 150,000 daily circ. So a non-top 50 paper. Then seed them, 1 to 32.

Call it a challenge. Let's see if you're up to it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_newspapers_in_the_United_States_by_circulation

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

Seems like an awful lot of work just to win a message board argument.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Alma,

So far, the only person who has been ripped by name on this thread is Kindred, and I'm going out on a limb and guessing that he can handle the criticism.

I would have been much better equipped to do this in 2008 when I still worked in journalism and was fresh off a round of APSE judging...

Now, aside from big-name columnists and beat writers, most of the people who I read on a regular basis are my friends, and some of those friends were on Kindred's list.

I have a couple issues with Kindred's list, but the majority of my problem with it is that he listed people who are already columnists, many who have been for a long, long time... That's proof that he put very little thought into the list.

I have a close friend who is listed, who told me, "It would have meant a lot more if he hadn't listed Mellinger, who is the lead columnist of one of the best papers in the country."

Since, I have been so critical of Kindred, I will also say that if I made a list, there would unquestionably be at least 20 names that would be repeated.

I just think there are several of those writers who were listed, who I doubt Kindred has ever read. If he had, he wouldn't be listing guys who have been major columnists for major papers for over a decade as "someone to watch" to become a columnist.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Seems like an awful lot of work just to win a message board argument.

This too...

 

[Alma]

Seems like an awful lot of work just to win a message board argument.

Oh, it's no argument to me. I suggested it to one in sincerity, and another the same. It's not some dare. But however you please it.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I am feeling a great deal of nostalgia reading Mizzou getting into a discussion about sports journalism and young f-ing studs.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I am feeling a great deal of nostalgia reading Mizzou getting into a discussion about sports journalism and young f-ing studs.

I don't know those guys anymore. One of the guys whose praises I was singing well over a decade ago was on Kindred's list. If you're under 25 and you don't cover the NFL or one of the handful of college teams that I cover on a regular basis, it's a safe bet I haven't heard of them. Most of the writers on Kindred's list fell into the 30-45 age range.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I am feeling a great deal of nostalgia reading Mizzou getting into a discussion about sports journalism and young f-ing studs.

I don't know those guys anymore. One of the guys whose praises I was singing well over a decade ago was on Kindred's list. If you're under 25 and you don't cover the NFL or one of the handful of college teams that I cover on a regular basis, it's a safe bet I haven't heard of them. Most of the writers on Kindred's list fell into the 30-45 age range.

I'm just fondly recalling the days when this site was about 90 percent journalism shop talk. It was awesome.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I fondly remember the days when the majority of the people on this site still had jobs in journalism...

Such is life...