Mone Davis - SI cover

[ringer]

Does the 13-year-old girl pitcher in the LLWS merit an SI cover?
Her team hasn't even won the title yet.

Just wondering what you guys think.

 

[Versatile]

"She hasn't even won the title yet" is a pretty terrible rationale. By the time Sports Illustrated can print after the championship, her 15 minutes will be up.

I can't stand the ESPN exploitation of youth tournament, but this story has more (particularly casual) reader interest than anything else right now, save Johnny Manziel. And the Browns-Redskins game happened as SI was heading to press.

 

[BTExpress]

This was 2 and a half years before she even turned pro.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I don't have a problem with it. There's a lot of interest there and gives them an excuse to do something other than a NFL or college football cover for the next several weeks.

 

[ringer]

Believe me, I love it whenever SI does a cover that features an athlete other than an NFL, MLB, NBA, or college player.

The criteria seem pretty random though.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

Believe me, I love it whenever SI does a cover that features an athlete other than an NFL, MLB, NBA, or college player.

The criteria seem pretty random though.

A lot of times, I agree. Here, I think there's enough interest to justify it. It's a big deal.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I think it's kind of mean to jinx a kid. Look what happened to Austin.

 

[DanOregon]

Their expanded use of regional covers bugs me more. Hell, they put Tony Mandarich on the cover.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I hate regional covers.

 

[SnarkShark]

Her name is Mo'ne.

 

[DanOregon]

 

[playthrough]

Their expanded use of regional covers bugs me more. Hell, they put Tony Mandarich on the cover.

SI did a great job in the 60th anniversary issue of poking fun at itself for Mandarich, Gary Nicklaus and a bunch of other cover-hype jobs that never panned out.

Got no problem with Davis on the cover.

 

[BDC99]

Mo'ne is a hell of a story and a hell of a kid. I'm glad she is being recognized as a role model for young girls, but it's a hell of a lot of pressure to put on a 13-year-old kid, no matter how mature she seems. And in the past few days, I have seen a pitcher crying on the mound and another kid overthrow first base on a routine play to let the winning run score. I don't know if I would advocate not showing the LLWS at all, but I think they are treating it way too much like a big event. I'm sure it fun for the kids, and they are resilient, but I wonder what the effects are. I know there are numerous stories of players who went on to pro careers, but seeing a kid **** up on nation TV is tough.

 

[Della9250]

She wasn't on my cover -- I got the Royals.

I agree with the post about regional covers. They suck. Pick one and everyone gets it.

 

[boundforboston]

Covering Little League or youth sports seems to be divisive among everyone here. But the New York Times has people writing about the LLWS, and I'm sure the Philly papers are playing up Mo'ne Davis pretty highly.

Cover Little League -- yay or nay?

 

[Boom_70]

A timely cover with all the racial strife we're seeing.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

Covering Little League or youth sports seems to be divisive among everyone here. But the New York Times has people writing about the LLWS, and I'm sure the Philly papers are playing up Mo'ne Davis pretty highly.

Cover Little League -- yay or nay?

Overwhelmingly nay, but the LLWS is something completely different. If your area has a team in the LLWS, they should have a writer or a stringer there.

 

[CD Boogie]

I don't understand the antipathy towards regional covers. A lot of times, particularly for previews of college football or the NFL, there's no clearly prevailing storyline nationwide. Of course it's a blatant bid to sell more copies, but who gets harmed by this?

The big story about Little League IMHO is the need to switch across the board to bigger fields. Either that or start drug testing the kids.

 

[Versatile]

A timely cover with all the racial strife we're seeing.

 

[DanOregon]

I don't understand the antipathy towards regional covers. A lot of times, particularly for previews of college football or the NFL, there's no clearly prevailing storyline nationwide. Of course it's a blatant bid to sell more copies, but who gets harmed by this?

The big story about Little League IMHO is the need to switch across the board to bigger fields. Either that or start drug testing the kids.

The previews I don't mind so much - especially when it comes to college stuff which tends to be regional in nature. And I guess I understand hockey as well - but either a story is of national interest and belongs in a national publication - or it doesn't. It just seems to dilute the impact of the story.