**** Schaap

[RazorShines]

Thanks jgmacg, I actually just PM'd alma to attribute. Schaap found his way into the ethics class because Albom was taken and, I think, there are at least some questions there. And they're not easy questions, like writing about an event as if you'd been there when you hadn't. In my opinion, the reality of ethics is that there are more questions than answers, and the questions are just as important as the answers, if not more. I think I'm starting to grasp this idea that the relationship, particularly in sports, between the journalist and the subject has evolved since Schaap's glory days. I may be way off base, but I think in a way we sort of long for the closeness that guys like Schaap had. When cliches didn't spew forth from backup defensive linemen at D-I AA universities. When athletes were people, and acknowledged journalists as the same. I don't know...

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

This is an interesting topic presented by the student and, as much as I liked what **** Schaap did, it raises questions of an ethical nature because he was a journalist and yet, co-authored books by athletes he covered. If we substitute the name **** Schaap and put in it's place Al Hirshberg, how does that affect the judgment of journalist vs. coauthor?

Thoughts?

Covered is sort of a precarious term here. He wasn't a beat writer. By this time he was an author, not to mention a city writer, magazine editor, etc. As he quoted Breslin, "This is what we do. We're not in the lawn tennis amateurs." or something like that. it's a great quote, whatever it was.
And his book is one big name-dropping event. But it works. He worked. His style worked beautifully. If he didn't pal around with Ali, he never would have gotten that wonderful story about Ali.

 

[Gold]

Cousin Jeffrey... good point, but it is all journalism. If someone was a columnist, where would that fit in the scheme of things.

As I said, it's not an easy line. I knew one managing editor who thought if you ever, ever in your life worked for a politician, that would disqualify you from writing for a newspaper on news side. That, of course, is ridiculous. Experience in politics would give the writer knowledge and if the writer is doing their job in a fair manner, the reader will benefit.

I think the ultimate test is how is the reader affected. If somebody wrote a book with an athlete or coach and that writer wouldn't write thing questioning the person or covered things up, the reader is being treated unfairly. In the case of Schaap, I feel like I got insights about people that I might not have received otherwise - so there is a good result.

 

[jason_whitlock]

I think Jason Whitlock knew **** Schaap really well, but I have no idea how to get ahold of him. He's not big on attention.

he keeps a very low profile. friends describe him as a "recluse."

 

[jgmacg]

I think Jason Whitlock knew **** Schaap really well, but I have no idea how to get ahold of him. He's not big on attention.

he keeps a very low profile. friends describe him as a "recluse."

I believe the man himself prefers "hermit," but no one has heard from him in so long there's no telling. He and J.D. Salinger may, in fact, be the same man. At least that's what Tom Pynchon told me.

 

[Football_Bat]

I think Jason Whitlock knew **** Schaap really well, but I have no idea how to get ahold of him. He's not big on attention.

Try a Ouija board.

 

[Columbo]

I liked the book he put out on himself before he died. I think it came out in 97 or 98. Lot of good stories in there.

Man, I read that, and to me it came off as much more ham-handedly loaded with look-at-me attitude than he EVER had while namedropping on his TV show.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Don't disagree with you, Mr. Falk, but to me, the book was, like, "This is who I am, and
this is how I like to operate, and I don't much care whether you like it or not."

Right out of the Bing Crosby / Dean Martin playbook.

Different strokes.

I couldn't stand the endless namedropping, either, and the guy was New York-centric
beyond reason, but some of the stories were great.

 

[Columbo]

Don't disagree with you, Mr. Falk, but to me, the book was, like, "This is who I am, and
this is how I like to operate, and I don't much care whether you like it or not."

Right out of the Bing Crosby / Dean Martin playbook.

Different strokes.

I couldn't stand the endless namedropping, either, and the guy was New York-centric
beyond reason, but some of the stories were great.

Don't get me wrong... I LOVED his namedropping as additive to his wonderful oral story-telling skills.

That BOOK, though.... just a little clumsily done for my taste.

 

[shockey]

one thing i could never get out of my head about schaap, this supposedly great reporter, was that he was sued for the magazine piece he did on a former yankee reliever who had a big drinking problem. problem was, the guy he interviewed and wrote about WAS AN IMPOSTER.

oops!!

sorry, that hurt his street cred with me.