“The lesson to learn might be that we screwed this thing up.”
Less than a year after leaving Sports Illustrated for the MLB/USA Today startup Sports on Earth, columnist Joe Posnanski is on the move again: He just agreed to a contract with NBC Sports.
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JoPo is becoming the Edwin Jackson of sports writing.
2. Eric Ferguson
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:02 PM (#4357750)
I've really never found a compelling reason to proactively visit Sports on Earth. I'd say this news is a net neutral.
3. ursus arctos
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:03 PM (#4357751)
It's as if he just can't settle down since he left the Kansas City Star; Sports on Earth seemed the perfect platform for him, and I wonder about its future following his departure (especially given opinions like 2).
4. Shock
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:03 PM (#4357753)
I was going to say octavio dotel. But he's better than these players.
Rickey?
And does this mean I have to update my damn podcast feed again?
Maybe he'll be the first move of many as NBC looks to fortify their NBCsports.com outlet, which is mostly a non-factor outside Pro Football Talk.
Is this true? I love the NBC Sports Talk app. It's quick hitters across sports on different topics and I find it very easy to use and informative. The baseball articles are usually as good as anything else I read and I like their soccer and hockey coverage.
7. Topher
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:08 PM (#4357758)
@2
When Posnanski switched, I updated my rss feed. Unless it is has changed, you couldn't subscribe to him -- it had to be to the entire site. I'd say the content is good, but nothing all that special. I do read content I wouldn't otherwise, but I probably only read about 15% from the other writers.
8. Topher
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:10 PM (#4357759)
I'm really curious what this new job is for Posnanski. He's a very good writer. He's a rather mediocre talking head. It would be a shame if this move involved more of the AV Joe instead of his written word.
9. Nasty Nate
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:13 PM (#4357762)
Best description I've heard of it is "Grantland without the pop culture stuff." Not sure where I heard/read that but it's pretty accurate. I agree with Topher, it's not great but it's not bad either. I'd say there is one column every day that I find interesting.
12. asinwreck
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:25 PM (#4357776)
Is the next step Current TV for the 43 seconds before it becomes Al Jazeera? Posnanski's trying to catch up to Keith Olbermann on the media merry-go-round.
My problem with Sports on Earth would be that I wouldn't check it for weeks at a time unless a Poz/Tanier link sent me there. When I was there, I tended to enjoy the stuff they had, though.
14. ursus arctos
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:37 PM (#4357786)
6, I share your positive view of certain elements of NBC SportsTalk, but I don't see how their "twelve posts a day" model would really work to Posnanski's strengths. It isn't really a long form friendly platform (particularly the app), and even Poz's blog posts tend toward the long form.
15. Gonfalon B.
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:41 PM (#4357793)
Is that one of the blandest, stupidest names around, or is it actually some sort of clever in-jokish reference that completely went by me? (I suppose neither scenario precludes the other.)
17. Mike Emeigh
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 05:44 PM (#4357797)
I have Grantland in my Reader. It seems like half the articles are pop culture.
23. Gonfalon B.
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 09:10 PM (#4357874)
Most of the time at Grantland seems to be spent brainstorming things that have 32 or more sub-things, so that they can do an imaginary bracketed knockout tournament of them.
24. DL from MN
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 09:18 PM (#4357878)
I also have never heard of Sports on Earth. I have heard of Grantland but only because their articles have been linked here.
25. DL from MN
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 09:19 PM (#4357879)
Is Gleeman still with NBC Sports?
26. Pops Freshenmeyer
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 09:37 PM (#4357888)
Is Gleeman still with NBC Sports?
He still does stuff for Rotoworld which is an NBC property.
I'm still, technically, with Designated Sitter; although I haven't posted anything in a while. When I do write, it's mainly been fiction and humor lately.
28. Mike Emeigh
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 09:43 PM (#4357893)
Is Gleeman still with NBC Sports?
Yes, he and Calcaterra both.
-- MWE
29. Eric Ferguson
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 09:51 PM (#4357899)
Grantland's also big on power rankings. So I put together my own Grantland power rankings:
1. Masked Man
2. Jonah Keri
3. Bill Simmons
4. Steven Hyden
5. Rembert Browne
[Gap]
6. Bill Barnwell
[Gap]
7. All the 20something writers who have basically the same style and write about basically the same stuff.
[Gap]
[Gap]
8. Charlie Pierce
9. Anyone with a beard.
10. Anyone who tries to make me read something about soccer or hockey.
30. Austin
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 10:01 PM (#4357908)
I think Rany should be on that list somewhere pretty high up, although he's a fairly infrequent contributor.
31. Eric Ferguson
Posted: January 29, 2013 at 10:14 PM (#4357920)
If he posted more frequently, I'd probably have Rany in the Barnwell tier. (Related: As a Royals fan, I got tired of keeping track of whether Rany was or was not writing about the Royals at any given time.)
If we're talking about their columnists right now, their basketball guys (in particular Zach Lowe, who is that rare columnist who mixes good stats analysis with scouting and high readability) are very good.
35. Craig Calcaterra
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 07:06 AM (#4358048)
Stuff:
Posnanski will be doing his normal thing for NBC. Long form stuff when he wants, some shorter bloggy things when he wants. He may do some video and TV, but he's being hired to be Joe Posnanski.
Gleeman and I are still at NBC. And re:#14, I resent the "twelve posts a day" thing. We do AT LEAST 25-30 most days. How dare you.
Oh, wait ... I see what you're saying now. Yes.
Seriously though: Posnanski is gonna be doing his same old thing. His stuff may show up on the various "Talk" blogs as is subject-appropriate, but if he wants to do 6,000 words on Biff Pocoroba or whatever, he's gonna do 6,000 words on Biff Pocoroba.
I find the Masked Man's "let me explain kayfabe for the eighteenth time, plus I'm not going to be funny at all" shtick among the worst at Grantland. The "Hollywood Prospectus" stuff, also very bad.
Brian Phillips is easily their best writer, and it's not close. I like Katie Baker and I wish her beat was anything other than hockey. I learn stuff when I read Zach Lowe, which is fun.
and even Poz's blog posts tend toward the long form.
I enjoy Poz's work as much as most anyone, but this is a euphemism at best. His posts "tend toward the long form" in much the same way that GRR Martin's descriptions of jellied eel "tend toward the long form." Joe wouldn't hurt for an editor with a scalpel, regularly applied.
38. Greg K
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 10:06 AM (#4358116)
GRR Martin's descriptions of jellied eel "tend toward the long form." Joe wouldn't hurt for an editor with a scalpel, regularly applied.
Speaking of which, the University of Regina is putting on "A Conference of Ice and Fire" starting February 9th if any of you happen to be vacationing in Saskatchewan this winter. I'm sadly several thousand miles away, but knowing the folks running it, it should be fun. The meals are going to be Westeros themed as well apparently.
In the past year, Posnanski has worked for Sports Illustrated, USA Today/MLB, the Paterno family, and now NBC Sports. That is a bit town bicycle-ish.
Sports on Earth is too blah. Grantland is way too full of itself. The Masked Man stuff used to be cute when it was a Deadspin Wrestler of the Week feature. Nostalgia and backstory is better than trying to treat pro wrasslin' somewhat seriously.
43. Gonfalon B.
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 11:33 AM (#4358203)
The best thing Grantland ran was Mark Harris' "Oscarmetrics" column in 2012. Harris has officially "recused" himself from writing about this year's Oscars because his husband wrote the screenplay to "Lincoln," and I certainly hope he's back doing it at Grantland or elsewhere in 2014.
Brian Phillips is easily their best writer, and it's not close.
It's weird, because I'm a huge football (and tennis!) fan and therefore should love Phillips and the thought he puts into his posts, but I don't know, I can't seem to enjoy him at all. Maybe it's because I come from a totally different place regarding my fandom (I've expounded at length somewhere on these boards about how I hate offensive play and love defence, for example) or because I intuitively compare everyone to Jonathan Wilson or something, but I'm not really a fan of Phillips'. I'm not sure exactly why.
45. Perry
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 11:39 AM (#4358211)
Brian Phillips is easily their best writer, and it's not close.
Sports on Earth is too blah. Grantland is way too full of itself.
So a by the numbers sports site is too blah, but a sports and culture site that tries to spice it up a little is too full of itself. You do realize that Goldilocks was a high-maintenance pain in the ass, right?
47. Ron J2
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 12:35 PM (#4358264)
#38 I trust they'll avoid a red wedding theme day. But just to be on the safe side I won't be attending
48. Mike Emeigh
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 01:26 PM (#4358314)
Speaking of which, the University of Regina is putting on "A Conference of Ice and Fire" starting February 9th if any of you happen to be vacationing in Saskatchewan this winter.
49. Toolsy McClutch
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 01:39 PM (#4358333)
Wow, this thread is gold to me.
First off, I'm flying to Regina tomorrow and had no plans, so I was excited about the Song of Fire and Ice conference. Unfortunately it appears I'm going to miss it by a week. Now I'm backing to drinking alone in my hotel room.
Secondly, Zach Lowe has quickly become my favourite hoops writer. He's got a good writing style, and his enjoyment of the game really comes though. I think he does an excellent job of communicating plays, I can visualize what he's writing about and I think that's pretty impressive.
What brings you to the Queen City during this delightful cold snap (-43 Celsius with the wind chill)?
edit: -45 F, for our American readers.
53. The Good Face
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 04:30 PM (#4358516)
I enjoy Zach Lowe's stuff; I don't actually know enough about basketball to know if he knows what he's talking about, but it feels truthy enough.
The guy who was responsible for the Derek Jeter diaries deserves a raise, that stuff was brilliant. Jonah Keri is solid. I used to like Simmons, but it feels like he's been mailing it in for a while now; like most writers, I suppose he eventually ran out of interesting things to say.
Otherwise, Grantland is pretty mediocre in my eyes. Some good stuff, some utter crap, lots of meh.
54. Eric Ferguson
Posted: January 30, 2013 at 07:13 PM (#4358652)
What bothers me the most about Grantland is that there is some stuff I really, really like and then there's some stuff that is just, "Hey, we watched TV and here's what we saw!" or "Hey, we read an article and here's what it said!" If they increased their quality/post ratio (QPR), I would be even more jealous than I already am. At its heart, it is (or should be) a venue for long-form sports non-fiction. At its best, it is.
(Obviously, I'd listen if they called, so a lot of this is just sour grapes.)
Reader Comments and Retorts
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1. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 29, 2013 at 04:59 PM (#4357745)Rickey?
And does this mean I have to update my damn podcast feed again?
The link just circles back to BTF.
From Awful Announcing;
Is this true? I love the NBC Sports Talk app. It's quick hitters across sports on different topics and I find it very easy to use and informative. The baseball articles are usually as good as anything else I read and I like their soccer and hockey coverage.
When Posnanski switched, I updated my rss feed. Unless it is has changed, you couldn't subscribe to him -- it had to be to the entire site. I'd say the content is good, but nothing all that special. I do read content I wouldn't otherwise, but I probably only read about 15% from the other writers.
Meant for this to be the link.
Best description I've heard of it is "Grantland without the pop culture stuff." Not sure where I heard/read that but it's pretty accurate. I agree with Topher, it's not great but it's not bad either. I'd say there is one column every day that I find interesting.
Is that one of the blandest, stupidest names around, or is it actually some sort of clever in-jokish reference that completely went by me? (I suppose neither scenario precludes the other.)
-- MWE
I have Grantland in my Reader. It seems like half the articles are pop culture.
He still does stuff for Rotoworld which is an NBC property.
Yes, he and Calcaterra both.
-- MWE
1. Masked Man
2. Jonah Keri
3. Bill Simmons
4. Steven Hyden
5. Rembert Browne
[Gap]
6. Bill Barnwell
[Gap]
7. All the 20something writers who have basically the same style and write about basically the same stuff.
[Gap]
[Gap]
8. Charlie Pierce
9. Anyone with a beard.
10. Anyone who tries to make me read something about soccer or hockey.
eta: and Brian Philips. Straight up sports bigot right there, dissing on soccer and hockey.
Posnanski will be doing his normal thing for NBC. Long form stuff when he wants, some shorter bloggy things when he wants. He may do some video and TV, but he's being hired to be Joe Posnanski.
Gleeman and I are still at NBC. And re:#14, I resent the "twelve posts a day" thing. We do AT LEAST 25-30 most days. How dare you.
Oh, wait ... I see what you're saying now. Yes.
Seriously though: Posnanski is gonna be doing his same old thing. His stuff may show up on the various "Talk" blogs as is subject-appropriate, but if he wants to do 6,000 words on Biff Pocoroba or whatever, he's gonna do 6,000 words on Biff Pocoroba.
Brian Phillips is easily their best writer, and it's not close. I like Katie Baker and I wish her beat was anything other than hockey. I learn stuff when I read Zach Lowe, which is fun.
I enjoy Poz's work as much as most anyone, but this is a euphemism at best. His posts "tend toward the long form" in much the same way that GRR Martin's descriptions of jellied eel "tend toward the long form." Joe wouldn't hurt for an editor with a scalpel, regularly applied.
Speaking of which, the University of Regina is putting on "A Conference of Ice and Fire" starting February 9th if any of you happen to be vacationing in Saskatchewan this winter. I'm sadly several thousand miles away, but knowing the folks running it, it should be fun. The meals are going to be Westeros themed as well apparently.
I was unaware that pillow contracts are given to sportswriters.
I can't even stand to watch soccer - why would I want to read about someone else watching it?
Craig, are you trying to say that you're a pederast and you need someone to make excuses for you?
Sports on Earth is too blah. Grantland is way too full of itself. The Masked Man stuff used to be cute when it was a Deadspin Wrestler of the Week feature. Nostalgia and backstory is better than trying to treat pro wrasslin' somewhat seriously.
It's weird, because I'm a huge football (and tennis!) fan and therefore should love Phillips and the thought he puts into his posts, but I don't know, I can't seem to enjoy him at all. Maybe it's because I come from a totally different place regarding my fandom (I've expounded at length somewhere on these boards about how I hate offensive play and love defence, for example) or because I intuitively compare everyone to Jonathan Wilson or something, but I'm not really a fan of Phillips'. I'm not sure exactly why.
Seconded.
So a by the numbers sports site is too blah, but a sports and culture site that tries to spice it up a little is too full of itself. You do realize that Goldilocks was a high-maintenance pain in the ass, right?
Watch out for Tractor Jack! (On second thought, it might still be too cold.)
-- MWE
First off, I'm flying to Regina tomorrow and had no plans, so I was excited about the Song of Fire and Ice conference. Unfortunately it appears I'm going to miss it by a week. Now I'm backing to drinking alone in my hotel room.
Secondly, Zach Lowe has quickly become my favourite hoops writer. He's got a good writing style, and his enjoyment of the game really comes though. I think he does an excellent job of communicating plays, I can visualize what he's writing about and I think that's pretty impressive.
Regrettably, the Mister High Standards username is already taken.
And PFT/Florio is a disaster. They routinely remove LOTS of comments. Anything that is the slightest bit critical or controversial, they remove.
What brings you to the Queen City during this delightful cold snap (-43 Celsius with the wind chill)?
edit: -45 F, for our American readers.
The guy who was responsible for the Derek Jeter diaries deserves a raise, that stuff was brilliant. Jonah Keri is solid. I used to like Simmons, but it feels like he's been mailing it in for a while now; like most writers, I suppose he eventually ran out of interesting things to say.
Otherwise, Grantland is pretty mediocre in my eyes. Some good stuff, some utter crap, lots of meh.
(Obviously, I'd listen if they called, so a lot of this is just sour grapes.)
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