Comments on: Sports ‘journalism’: Top of the 9th? http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/ by Jeff Jarvis Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:52:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: The irrelevnacy of professional sports commentators « John Bracken http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-361967 The irrelevnacy of professional sports commentators « John Bracken Sat, 20 Oct 2007 17:11:53 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-361967 [...] Jeff Jarvis took a crack at this question last year: Sports is most vulnerable to online, which is up-to-the-minute, highly targeted, multimedia, interactive. Sports scores are a commodity. Columnists are expensive — and, according to my sports-fan friends, generally useless — and, besides, in forums and blogs today, everybody’s a columnist. [...] [...] Jeff Jarvis took a crack at this question last year: Sports is most vulnerable to online, which is up-to-the-minute, highly targeted, multimedia, interactive. Sports scores are a commodity. Columnists are expensive — and, according to my sports-fan friends, generally useless — and, besides, in forums and blogs today, everybody’s a columnist. [...]

]]> By: angeepu2 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-135401 angeepu2 Sun, 17 Sep 2006 18:57:36 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-135401 Regarding the previous comment, I agree that sports journalism is hardly in a decline. Yes, it may be true that sports segments on newscasts are becoming antiquated and unnecessary, but other media outlets are bursting at the seams with sports journalism. Similar to everything else in the world, the future of sports journalism is on the Internet. I believe the most revolutionary site is sportingo.com. The site is self-titled as a “Community and News for Sports Fans by Sports Fan.” The owners of the website allow writers to submit their opinions and articles which are then edited and published by professionals. People who know sports best can become journalists and have their voice heard. Currently the site centers on European soccer and tennis, but the concept of the site is certain to breakthrough to all sports and change the way we view sports journalism. So while we might be losing some varieties of sports journalism, the Internet is providing a forum in which all sports fans can help pick up the slack. Regarding the previous comment, I agree that sports journalism is hardly in a decline. Yes, it may be true that sports segments on newscasts are becoming antiquated and unnecessary, but other media outlets are bursting at the seams with sports journalism. Similar to everything else in the world, the future of sports journalism is on the Internet. I believe the most revolutionary site is sportingo.com. The site is self-titled as a “Community and News for Sports Fans by Sports Fan.” The owners of the website allow writers to submit their opinions and articles which are then edited and published by professionals. People who know sports best can become journalists and have their voice heard. Currently the site centers on European soccer and tennis, but the concept of the site is certain to breakthrough to all sports and change the way we view sports journalism. So while we might be losing some varieties of sports journalism, the Internet is providing a forum in which all sports fans can help pick up the slack.

]]> By: SFC B http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-116379 SFC B Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:44:27 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-116379 Jeff, I think you missed something else about sports coverage. If you're a expatriate fan of a team you need to go online for coverage. I'm a Houston Astros fan living in Phoenix, after 6 years in New England. The only way I could get Astros news was online. There's also a level of detail and professionalism that can be found online that you're never going to get with a local writer. A site like <a href="baseballprospectus.com" rel="nofollow">Baseball Prospectus</a> will do a level of analysis into the value of a stolen base that would make an MIT grad's eye spin. You're just not going to see that from your local columnist. And it's something which I, as a fan, will pay a good amount of money for. Jeff, I think you missed something else about sports coverage. If you’re a expatriate fan of a team you need to go online for coverage. I’m a Houston Astros fan living in Phoenix, after 6 years in New England. The only way I could get Astros news was online.

There’s also a level of detail and professionalism that can be found online that you’re never going to get with a local writer. A site like Baseball Prospectus will do a level of analysis into the value of a stolen base that would make an MIT grad’s eye spin. You’re just not going to see that from your local columnist. And it’s something which I, as a fan, will pay a good amount of money for.

]]> By: Calvinist http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-116349 Calvinist Thu, 24 Aug 2006 22:03:02 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-116349 I think you are underestimating the number of people who read a paper primarily for the sports section. I don't need to read the LA Times for its news, but I still read its sports section everyday online, as I don't live there anymore. Same with the SF Chronicle, my local paper. As better sports writing migrates online, it's another bad development for print papers. Dodger Thoughts, for example, is better written than the LA Times Dodger coverage. Forum Blue and Gold and True Hoop are at least as well written as the Times basketball coverage. I think you are underestimating the number of people who read a paper primarily for the sports section.

I don’t need to read the LA Times for its news, but I still read its sports section everyday online, as I don’t live there anymore. Same with the SF Chronicle, my local paper.

As better sports writing migrates online, it’s another bad development for print papers. Dodger Thoughts, for example, is better written than the LA Times Dodger coverage. Forum Blue and Gold and True Hoop are at least as well written as the Times basketball coverage.

]]> By: Toblerone2 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-116254 Toblerone2 Thu, 24 Aug 2006 16:51:58 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-116254 "...and, besides, in forums and blogs today, everybody’s a columnist..." Not only is everyone a columnist, everyone is an athlete, either virtual or real. Why read about or watch sports, when I can be setting my own records? Don't play real sports? That's what the Xbox is for!!! “…and, besides, in forums and blogs today, everybody’s a columnist…”

Not only is everyone a columnist, everyone is an athlete, either virtual or real. Why read about or watch sports, when I can be setting my own records? Don’t play real sports? That’s what the Xbox is for!!!

]]> By: Chris Anderson http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-116223 Chris Anderson Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:00:50 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-116223 Of course, if the New York Times and the Washington Post had done the same level of invesitgative journalism on Iraq as Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada did with Barry Bonds, we never would have gone to war. That reporting-- and the book that came out of it-- was one of the best investigative pieces I've ever read. Of course, if the New York Times and the Washington Post had done the same level of invesitgative journalism on Iraq as Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada did with Barry Bonds, we never would have gone to war. That reporting– and the book that came out of it– was one of the best investigative pieces I’ve ever read.

]]> By: Rich Banner http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-115967 Rich Banner Thu, 24 Aug 2006 01:50:40 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-115967 Sorry, but it’s a silly example, professional golfers are a pretty straight laced group of people. It’s just the nature of the sport and the people who play it at a professional level. John Daly was often in the news with his antics. But if you really want to get the down and dirty on professional golfers I would suggest the shocking new video “Golfers Gone Wild”. But it’s not for the feint of heart. By the way, it’s Bryant not Brian. Sorry, but it’s a silly example, professional golfers are a pretty straight laced group of people. It’s just the nature of the sport and the people who play it at a professional level. John Daly was often in the news with his antics. But if you really want to get the down and dirty on professional golfers I would suggest the shocking new video “Golfers Gone Wild”. But it’s not for the feint of heart.

By the way, it’s Bryant not Brian.

]]> By: Terry Heaton http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-115857 Terry Heaton Wed, 23 Aug 2006 20:39:15 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-115857 Sports journalism is most often an oxymoron. It's usually boosterism and free advertising for big businesses. Example: The PGA Tour's slogan is "These Guys Are Good." If that's the case then it's news when these guys are bad, yet that's very rarely the story. I love sports and think Brian Gumbel's program on HBO is the model for sports journalism. HBO doesn't give a crap if the NFL doesn't like what they say, but ESPN has proven -- by canceling the series "Playmakers" when the league complained -- that it does. The relationship between sports and the media is symbiotic, which is why the term "sports journalism" is problematic. Sports journalism is most often an oxymoron. It’s usually boosterism and free advertising for big businesses. Example: The PGA Tour’s slogan is “These Guys Are Good.” If that’s the case then it’s news when these guys are bad, yet that’s very rarely the story.

I love sports and think Brian Gumbel’s program on HBO is the model for sports journalism. HBO doesn’t give a crap if the NFL doesn’t like what they say, but ESPN has proven — by canceling the series “Playmakers” when the league complained — that it does.

The relationship between sports and the media is symbiotic, which is why the term “sports journalism” is problematic.

]]> By: Jersey Exile http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-115839 Jersey Exile Wed, 23 Aug 2006 19:48:20 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-115839 Bostondirtdogs.com is an interesting example of a "fan" sports news site whose enthusiastic and at-times bombastic coverage of the Boston Red Sox was coopted by the traditional media -- in 2004 the fansite was acquired by Boston.com, part of New York Times Digital, the digital business unit of The New York Times Company. I don't expect the old guard to shrivel up and fade away so much as get with the times and fuse with grass-roots fandom. But as for sports columnists being useless? From a town that is absolutely passionate/rabid/jihaderrific about its professional athletics, I see no evidence of this whatsoever. Whereas I'd rather get the play-by-play recap straight from the online gamecast, I very much look forward to the analysis from those professional experts you love to hate so much. Besides, sports columnists are slightly different from entertainment critics, insofar as they really do get levels of behind-the-scenes access that the average fan could only dream of. Part of the fun of reading these features is getting the insider's view. Bostondirtdogs.com is an interesting example of a “fan” sports news site whose enthusiastic and at-times bombastic coverage of the Boston Red Sox was coopted by the traditional media — in 2004 the fansite was acquired by Boston.com, part of New York Times Digital, the digital business unit of The New York Times Company. I don’t expect the old guard to shrivel up and fade away so much as get with the times and fuse with grass-roots fandom. But as for sports columnists being useless? From a town that is absolutely passionate/rabid/jihaderrific about its professional athletics, I see no evidence of this whatsoever. Whereas I’d rather get the play-by-play recap straight from the online gamecast, I very much look forward to the analysis from those professional experts you love to hate so much. Besides, sports columnists are slightly different from entertainment critics, insofar as they really do get levels of behind-the-scenes access that the average fan could only dream of. Part of the fun of reading these features is getting the insider’s view.

]]> By: ashok http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/23/sports-journalism-top-of-the-9th/#comment-115806 ashok Wed, 23 Aug 2006 17:54:42 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1938#comment-115806 If journalism is an act, there are remarkable journalists on the web regarding sports, journalists like Charley Rosen at FoxSports.com, who breaks down plays and players in details that teach me about how to understand the game as I read. Also, there's footballoutsiders.com, which does not dumb down analysis and discussion of the sport by any means. Exactly what sort of "sports journalism" is in decline, then? If journalism is an act, there are remarkable journalists on the web regarding sports, journalists like Charley Rosen at FoxSports.com, who breaks down plays and players in details that teach me about how to understand the game as I read.

Also, there’s footballoutsiders.com, which does not dumb down analysis and discussion of the sport by any means.

Exactly what sort of “sports journalism” is in decline, then?

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