Mariotti's latest.... wow

[Smasher_Sloan]

Sorry, but the argument over whether Mariotti should venture into the Sox clubhouse is at best a diversion and at worst, a smokescreen.

How many political pundits go to the White House before or after they rip the president? How many other columnists pay a visit before they criticize Ken Lay, or Madonna, or anyone? Why are sports columnists to be considered differently?

I hasten to point out that Mariotti's raison d'entre -- to provoke reaction -- has succeeded mightily, with the less sophisticated in the audience doing most of the heavy lifting.

If political pundits could wander into the White House, I imagine they would take advantage of the access and be even better at their jobs.

This argument is bull****. If you're a columnist, you want to get to know as much as you can about the people you write about. You want to see how they react after a game where they've been terrible. You want to see how they interact with teammates.

Or you can sit in your living room and call Frank Thomas "The Big Skirt," like some doofus who calls a talk show.

You want to provoke reaction? Write a column saying you don't think African-Americans are smart enough to be managers or quarterbacks or whatever. Lots of reaction, but it isn't exactly good journalism.

 

[goalmouth]

This argument is bull****. If you're a columnist, you want to get to know as much as you can about the people you write about. You want to see how they react after a game where they've been terrible. You want to see how they interact with teammates.

Sorry, Smasher, but I'm calling bull**** on your calling bull****. Opinion is in most cases -- though not always -- the good columnist's stock in trade. It's about finding an angle, offering a good take. What you describe is the reporter's job. Mariotti is not nor does he make the pretense to be a reporter. But I'll allow as to how there are good columnists who work both ways.

 

[da man]

This argument is bull****. If you're a columnist, you want to get to know as much as you can about the people you write about. You want to see how they react after a game where they've been terrible. You want to see how they interact with teammates.

Sorry, Smasher, but I'm calling bull**** on your calling bull****. Opinion is in most cases -- though not always -- the good columnist's stock in trade. It's about finding an angle, offering a good take. What you describe is the reporter's job. Mariotti is not nor does he make the pretense to be a reporter. But I'll allow as to how there are good columnists who work both ways.

The best columns are usually the best-reported columns. Not only are reporting and wrting columns not mutually exclusive, it's hard to be a great columnist without at least being a good reporter.

 

[cranberry]

This argument is bull****. If you're a columnist, you want to get to know as much as you can about the people you write about. You want to see how they react after a game where they've been terrible. You want to see how they interact with teammates.

Sorry, Smasher, but I'm calling bull**** on your calling bull****. Opinion is in most cases -- though not always -- the good columnist's stock in trade. It's about finding an angle, offering a good take. What you describe is the reporter's job. Mariotti is not nor does he make the pretense to be a reporter. But I'll allow as to how there are good columnists who work both ways.

So where exactly does a columnist acquire the knowledge and expertise that should be the basis for having a column if he doesn't go to the games and talk to the players and coaches?

 

[Chi City 81]

This argument is bull****. If you're a columnist, you want to get to know as much as you can about the people you write about. You want to see how they react after a game where they've been terrible. You want to see how they interact with teammates.

Sorry, Smasher, but I'm calling bull**** on your calling bull****. Opinion is in most cases -- though not always -- the good columnist's stock in trade. It's about finding an angle, offering a good take. What you describe is the reporter's job. Mariotti is not nor does he make the pretense to be a reporter. But I'll allow as to how there are good columnists who work both ways.

So where exactly does a columnist acquire the knowledge and expertise that should be the basis for having a column if he doesn't go to the games and talk to the players and coaches?

By sitting on your couch, watching TV and stealing quotes from your reporters' stories.

 

[TRS-80]

More from Jay this evening on Chicago Tonight, WTTW, the public station in town. I'd expect some warheads will be sent toward Telander/Morrissey/Ozzie/Reinsdorf/Hawk and maybe even his own bosses.

Agreed Telander's piece was well crafted, but not sure where Isaacson comes off firing on Mariotti. Wouldn't you have to file more than one feature a month to be able to criticize how someone else goes about his/her work?

 

[slappy4428]

More from Jay this evening on Chicago Tonight, WTTW, the public station in town. I'd expect some warheads will be sent toward Telander/Morrissey/Ozzie/Reinsdorf/Hawk and maybe even his own bosses.

Agreed Telander's piece was well crafted, but not sure where Isaacson comes off firing on Mariotti. Wouldn't you have to file more than one feature a month to be able to criticize how someone else goes about his/her work?

Did. She. Really?

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Love the sig, Slap.

Can't help it.

 

[Ace]

Wasn't that a blog?

 

[TRS-80]

And for those with interest who are not able to see Mariotti on "Chicago Tonight," word is he will also appear on CNBC's "The Big Idea" this evening at 9.

 

[slappy4428]

Love the sig, Slap.

Can't help it.

A little Google, a little photoshop, and you have a classic...
I thank you. Eddie thanks you and of course, Eddie's doll Wolfie thanks you...

 

[jgmacg]

And for those with interest who are not able to see Mariotti on "Chicago Tonight," word is he will also appear on CNBC's "The Big Idea" this evening at 9.

Thanks for stopping by, Jay. "Word is..."?

Oy.

 

[slappy4428]

And for those with interest who are not able to see Mariotti on "Chicago Tonight," word is he will also appear on CNBC's "The Big Idea" this evening at 9.

Of course, if anyone wants to post it to youtube....

 

[DyePack]

And for those with interest who are not able to see Mariotti on "Chicago Tonight," word is he will also appear on CNBC's "The Big Idea" this evening at 9.

What is this CNBC of which you speak?

 

[Starman]

What the hell does anybody in CANADA care about this??

 

[Ace]

And for those with interest who are not able to see Mariotti on "Chicago Tonight," word is he will also appear on CNBC's "The Big Idea" this evening at 9.

Hey, what's "The Big Idea?"

 

[Ben_Hecht]

A rumor, judging from the microscopic ratings . . .

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I have no animus towards anyone in this story. But this is a situation spiraliing way out of control, and this is when management earns the old paycheck by being the cooler heads that prevail. Does the Sun-Times have a sports editor, a managing editor, a publisher? It's well past time for all three people with those jobs to step in and end this before it gets worse.

 

[SF_Express]

Not sure how worse it can get, but truthfully, I also think it has come close to running its course.

I'm probably naive about this, of course.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

It's not going to die, because Mariotti's too much of a vagina to stop whining about it, and Ozzie's not going to call off the dogs. In a way, these guys were made for one another.