Mike Vaccaro Interview

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

Nice work by the Big Lead

http://thebiglead.com/?p=2091#more-2091

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

The Big Lead is nothing until it does one of those w/Cowherd.

 

[thebiglead]

Seems unlikely, but we will try.
Would you settle for Amanda?

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

How about Imus?

 

[shockey]

vac may be the best combo of talent/person i've come across in 27 years of sportswriting. he's simply the greatest. just wish he'd be working for a better rag. 8)

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Just finished reading that, very good stuff.

 

[imjustagirl2]

Holy Christ, that exchange with Steve Phillips just made Vaccaro my new hero.

 

[playthrough]

Great interview. Wow, talk about sticking perfectly-measured, even-keeled daggers into Mike Lupica.

 

[Minnesota4Ever]

This was an awesome interview. Loved the questions and answers. Well done by the questioner and Mike.

I enjoyed reading it.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

My favorite part:

My pal, George King, he was the best. After Game Four, he turned to me and said, “Ah, you’re fine.” After game Five he turned to me and said, “Ah, you’re still good.” After Game Six he turned to me and said, “Ah, you may have some troubles.” As for Game Seven, he didn’t wait for the end. Before Kevin Brown ever threw a pitch he turned to me and said, “Ah, you’re f***ed.”

I laughed out loud!

 

[Boom_70]

Great interview and great candor. There is not a better sports columnist currently in the NY market.

 

[write then drink]

great stuff

 

[Shaggy]

Well done, TBL. The Lupica barbs will sting because they're so honest.

 

[Double Down]

I ask this as a serious question: At some point, does Lupica ever respond to this stuff? I mean, if he's truly as thin-skinned as everyone says he is, when does finally flip out and do some interview where he unloads on the Whitlocks and Vaccaros and others who we feel have undressed him (or in Jason's words "Put a clown suit on him") publicly like this?

That said, another interesting, insightful interview. A few more requests for my TheBigLead dream wish list:

Selena Roberts
Sally Jenkins
Charlie Pierce
Mike Wilbon
Peter Richmond

 

[Shaggy]

Vacarro saying that "You're sportswriters, you're not the secretary of state" when it comes to the arrogance and egos of those in this business was hilarious. I hope some of you look at that and realize that he's talking about you.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

I ask this as a serious question: At some point, does Lupica ever respond to this stuff? I mean, if he's truly as thin-skinned as everyone says he is, when does finally flip out and do some interview where he unloads on the Whitlocks and Vaccaros and others who we feel have undressed him (or in Jason's words "Put a clown suit on him") publicly like this?

Publicly? Publicly? An interview with a blog so tiny that it admittedly stole copyright photos because it felt it was too small to be sued? What publicly? How many of Lupica's readers do you think witnessed this "undressing?"

Vaccaro's entitled to his opinion and he made a valid point about extra work diluting the sports column -- but the same could be said of a lot of people, and even before sports writers began stretching themselves thin as multimedia stars, it was the exception rather than the rule for sports columnists to maintain consistent excellence decade after decade.

And I'll state once more that as a former coworker of Lupica, I had zero bad experiences with him, nor did I personally witness anything beyond usual editing-process squabbles that occured just as frequently between desk people and preps writers, although of course I have heard the stories. Not saying they didn't happen, just that I never saw it, and for me, that's how I form my opinion about anyone.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Great kill-shot on Phillips the Smarm.

 

[JimmyOlson]

There were some classic anecdotes in that interview.

I'll add to the chorus. Vac's one of the best, and he's also one of the finest people you will ever, ever meet. There's no way I have half the career I've already been lucky enough to have in this business without his guidance - and I'm not the only one he's helped along the way.

 

[henryhenry]

Nice work by the Big Lead

http://thebiglead.com/?p=2091#more-2091

real nice.
an e-mail interview.
which is why there are no follow-up questions.
and by the way, there's no disclosure that it was done by e-mail.
the sophomoric blogger can't pick up a phone and do it the right way. afraid it might ruin his snark image.

 

[casty33]

I don't know enough about The Big Lead to make a comment on their work. But I can comment on Mr. Vaccaro and I agree with most of the opinions here that Mike is among the best sports columnists in the country. I had the pleasure of working with him briefly before he went to The Post and he was one of the nicer guys I met in this business. One quick story will tell you something about him.
When a very good guy named Joe Calabrese, who covered college sports for The Star-Ledger, unfortunately died at too young an age, Vaccaro wrote the obit in The Ledger and it was so well done and emotional, I was moved to say to Mike when I saw him in the office, "Please Mike, when I die, would you write the obit?"

Hey, I meant it.