Tommy Hanson in a coma

[novelist_wannabe]

No information about how he got there, but this is sobering.

Report: Former Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson in coma | www.ajc.com

 

[linotype]

Sounds like massive organ failure, which doesn't normally happen to 29-year-olds whose bodies are in major-league shape. I don't want to spread rumors or false information, but just from my reading of the tea leaves, it seems rather obvious what happened here.

 

[SnarkShark]

 

[KYSportsWriter]

Was just coming to post that.

RIP.

 

[jr/shotglass]

Horrible news. Good lord, he was one of the NL's top rookies just six years ago.

RIP.

 

[Tarheel316]

Incredibly sad news.

RIP

 

[Dick Whitman]

Damn. I had just looked him up on BR.com recently, just wondering whatever happened to him.

 

[trifectarich]

Massive organ failure at 29? Can't say I've heard of this before.

RIP.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Massive organ failure at 29? Can't say I've heard of this before.

RIP.

Oh, no, we all have. It usually goes by a different name, though.

 

[TyWebb]

Tragic. I interviewed him a couple of times and he was always very affable and good-natured. Dead before 30, with that much talent and promise. Truly a huge loss.

Like linotype, I don't like spreading rumors, but I personally witnessed him engaging in some untoward behavior in a bar in downtown Atlanta. That was years ago, however.

RIP

 

[Vombatus]

Sad. That time in Corvallis probably wasn't good for him.

 

[Moderator1]

 

[novelist_wannabe]

AJC story noting the overdose ...

Ex-Braves pitcher Hanson possibly overdosed, sheriff’s report...

 

[Moderator1]

Twitter was a mess on this last night, as you can imagine. His alleged friend was on Twitter claiming no drugs were involved. Somebody came back with this:

 

[Steak Snabler]

Good read here:

http://thelab.bleacherreport.com/shattered-dream/

 

[cranberry]

Good read here:

http://thelab.bleacherreport.com/shattered-dream/

Nice job. I've noticed Scott Miller has been doing longer pieces now for Bleacher Report. This kind of stuff is a good fit for him.

 

[old_tony]

No offense to Scott, who's a great writer and an even better person, but that story was just too long. I don't think I got anything out of the last 50 inches that I didn't get out of the first 50.

 

[Dick Whitman]

No offense to Scott, who's a great writer and an even better person, but that story was just too long. I don't think I got anything out of the last 50 inches that I didn't get out of the first 50.

He did a ton of reporting, obviously. Talked to a ton of people. Clearly worked his ass off. But waaaaaaay too many quotes - and a lot of them say the same things, essentially.

There was a lot of fat to trim, particularly the blow-by-blow of Hanson's career. Someone recently talked about needing "dramatic/narrative tension" to keep a story like this going. I'm not sure it's quite there.

Also, Kris Medlen seems like an outstanding guy.

And, finally, what does everyone think of the reporter acquiescing to calling the friend here, "Tattoo Man"? It's distracting, and also seems like a bit of a cop-out. ("Now I don't have to try to talk to him!")

 

[cranberry]

I agree with most of your points, DW, especially acquiescing on "Tattoo Man." I kept thinking the guy off way too easy. I wanted him put on the spot. But my overall thought is that, best I can tell, these have been Scott's first few attempts at features this long and he's demonstrating an ability here and I wanted to give him a shout out.

Is there a "dramatic/narrative tension" in this story? Nope. But he clearly demonstrates an ability to thoroughly report and carry a story through with the right tone. I'm not sure if they have very many, if any, quality editors at Bleacher Report, either, which probably means he was left on his own to get this right.

I'll keep reading his features, though.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I agree with most of your points, DW, especially acquiescing on "Tattoo Man." I kept thinking the guy off way too easy. I wanted him put on the spot. But my overall thought is that, best I can tell, these have been Scott's first few attempts at features this long and he's demonstrating an ability here and I wanted to give him a shout out.

Is there a "dramatic/narrative tension" in this story? Nope. But he clearly demonstrates an ability to thoroughly report and carry a story through with the right tone. I'm not sure if they have very many, if any, quality editors at Bleacher Report, either, which probably means he was left on his own to get this right.

I'll keep reading his features, though.

And I'm glad you posted it. I found out a lot about Tommy Hanson.

I see a guy report a story like that, and I really hope he gets an editor eventually able to get him from point Y to point Z in his development, essentially, because everything else seems to be there. The work ethic. Persistence. (Except regarding Tattoo Man.)