Nation of Islam shout-out to sj.com

[Killick]

Sorry if this is a db, but I didn't see it anywhere...
NOI interviews Scoop Jackson and SportsJournalists.com comes up.

2. We notice in the comments section, and have seen on threads on a message board called sportsjournalists.com, complaints that you are a poor writer. For example, in your most recent column, you capitalized the 'c'in the word 'common' at the end of the sentence. This was obviously done as a reference to the popular musician, Common. But a lot of folks that read your columns don't understand your references, assume you made a mistake, and label you ignorant. Do you get any pleasure (we do) from knowing that those critics are unknowingly, yet overtly displaying their own ignorance -clearly showing that you are writing on a higher plane than they are capable of understanding?

Full interview: http://nationofislamsportsblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/scoop-jackson-nois-interview.html

 

[slappy4428]

Um.. yeah it is. And -- surprise -- on the journalism board too...
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/45644/

 

[Trouser_Buddah]

UnCommonly good...

 

[Killick]

WTF does this have to do with journalism?
Scoop Jackson. Nope.
NOI. Nope.
SportsJournalists.com... uhhh....

My apologies.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

I'd be more impressed if we got a shout-out from the Nation of Domination. Though with the passing of Crush, I suppose we should allow a proper mourning period.

 

[Flash]

I don't read many of the Scoop threads ... I don't read his stuff, nor does it interest me.

But this:

Do you get any pleasure (we do) from knowing that those critics are unknowingly, yet overtly displaying their own ignorance -clearly showing that you are writing on a higher plane than they are capable of understanding?

is ass-kissery of the highest order. And sad, sad, sad.

Then bloggers wonder why journalists don't give them any 'cred.'

 

[alleyallen]

I don't know why ANY journalist would be willing or even proud to admit they're not good spellers. That's like saying they don't know the difference between an adverb and an adjective. At the core of good writing is the ability to show a mastery of the language.

Scoop, if so many people fail to get your reference, you definitely should be ashamed. Good writing should be more than Bill Simmons-esque pop references. Will anyone even remember "Common" in five or 10 years? Probably not. But they'll remember you as being unable to spell.

 

[Killick]

All: I know I'm a jagoff that started this db thread, but let's move it over to its real home.
Thnx.
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/45644/

 

[Chi City 81]

Will anyone even remember "Common" in five or 10 years? Probably not.

Just to quibble with this point, Alley, Common has been making great music since the early '90s, when he was known as Common Sense. Any hip-hop fan will remember Common in five or 10 years.

 

[Songbird]

Indeed, Good Doc. Common's new CD is a masterpiece, and the last of 12 songs, "Forever Begins," is one of my top 5 all time.

That said, I do believe now that SportsJournalists.com has arrived, Charlie Brown.

 

[Flash]

Will anyone even remember "Common" in five or 10 years? Probably not.

Just to quibble with this point, Alley, Common has been making great music since the early '90s, when he was known as Common Sense. Any hip-hop fan will remember Common in five or 10 years.

However black Scoop and his writing is, I have no idea who Common is and it renders the reference irrelevant to me.

 

[bigpern23]

The thing that pisses me off there is their assumption that none of his critics have ever heard of Common and, therefore, he is clearly writing "on a higher plane." It really read to me like a veiled way of saying, "Scoop, your critics are white and don't get your rap references."

I've seen Common in concert and would certainly get any reference to him made by Scoop. And, yet, Scoop still sucks. Not because of the occasional typo, as the interview makes it sound, but because he often makes inane points that are worded poorly and difficult to decipher sometimes.

Plus, he even admits in the interview, his stuff always comes with an agenda ("to do what's in the best interests of black people"). Now, that's not an inherently bad intention for a person to have, but for someone who calls himself a journalist, it is wrong.

 

[Songbird]

pern, where'd you see Common? How was the show?

I saw him in Albuquerque, with Gang Starr and Talib Kweli. So-so show all the way around.

 

[Trouser_Buddah]

Not only is suggesting that Scoop is writing on a higher plane ridiculous, offering him kudos for doing so is misguided.

As writers, we should be writing for our audience, not above it. I'm sure all of us could throw in a ton of $50 words that 90 percent of our readers wouldn't understand... if we did, I don't think we'd be lauded for it...

 

[Songbird]

I'm going to suggest that Scoop wrote that letter to himself under a fake name. No one is writing that kind of letter, saying he's writing for a higher plane. No one.

 

[bigpern23]

pern, where'd you see Common? How was the show?

I saw him in Albuquerque, with Gang Starr and Talib Kweli. So-so show all the way around.

Saw him in Providence around 2003 after Electric Circus came out, also with Gang Starr and Talib Kweli. Also a so-so show. Talib Kweli was the best part of the show, but he was the opening act and only performed maybe six songs.

I was actually quite disappointed with Common himself. I love his music, but it seemed like he talked an awful lot without performing his songs. Hard to remember, though. It wasn't a particularly memorable show.

I also find it interesting that Scoop made his Common reference when Common has a new album coming out and I've seen him appear on SportsCenter a number of times over the past couple weeks (presumably to promote it). I hope it was simply a case of Scoop having picked up the new CD and deciding to drop a reference rather than something that came from the business department.

EDIT: After a bit of research, I see that I saw the second show of that tour and you very likely saw the second to last one. Hopefully, it wasn't that lackluster at all the shows in between.

 

[Tom Petty]

well, i guess it's official. scoop is king.

 

[Flash]

I still don't know who Common is or about this hip-hop thing ...

 

[Flash]

On further review, I don't care. I believe we've discussed on the Journalism board before about using pop culture references that alienate the readership.

 

[Trouser_Buddah]

Maybe we can meet him during Scoop's coronation....