Monday, October 22, 2007

PIERCE-ING INSIGHTS WORTH WAITING FOR

Charles P. Pierce shows why he's one of the best sportswriters around with his take for Slate on the Red Sox comeback in the American League playoffs.

Pierce's article went up around 12:15 Eastern on Monday, meaning he had time and space to ponder, ruminate and double-check his spelling. It just shows the limitations of morning newspapers again. Good journalism takes time. Anyone writing for the dead-tree medium who is on Pierce's level is going to chafe at having to pump out the copy with some tight turnarounds.

Related:
Manny Ramírez, as Himself: How Boston's Amazing Left Fielder Led The Red Sox To Another World Series (Charles P. Pierce, Slate)

2 comments:

Von Allan said...

Well, as much as I'd agree that it is a terrific article, I will disagree with the basic thesis that he had "time and space to ponder, ruminate and double-check his spelling." Or rather, that he used his time well. Why? Mainly due to this line:

"...and posing after mammoth home runs as though you'd come right off Stan Lee's drawing boards."

Ahem. Stan Lee's drawing boards? While Stan Lee's vision certainly played a large role in invigorating and redefining what comics could be, it was accomplished through his skills as a writer. Certainly not as an artist.

If Mr. Pierce had said "Jack Kirby's drawing boards" I'd agree in a heartbeat. As it stands, though, it would appear that he was attempting to use a nifty turn of phrase that could have used just a bit more thought.

Again, that's not to say it's not a hell of an article, though.

sager said...

Von,

Jack Kirby instead of Stan Lee.... I haven't seen a catch that good in October since Devon White in the '92 Series!

My knowledge of Stan Lee is limited to his cameo in Mallrats.