Every Sports Journalist’s Nightmare: A Blogging Baseball Player
Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy has always had an issue with Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling. I don’t know the root of his ill feelings but Shaughnessy now has a new reason to hate Schilling — Curt has blog!
Boston’s ultimate red sock (who can forget his 2004 bloody sock pitching appearance?) has started his own blog about baseball: 38pitches.com. An articulate, intelligent and sometimes outspoken individual, Schilling is the perfect professional athlete to give baseball fans an unprecedented look inside the game with a blog. This new venture has to be giving sports journalist’s nightmares. In the time that it takes to sign up for a blog at WordPress.com, Schilling has single handedly knocked sports journalists down to the same level as the average fan.
Think about it, as the saying goes “Opinions are like buttholes. everybody has one.” Sports journalists, to a certain, make their money writing about nothing more than their opinions. They write about a game they’re not playing, and in some cases a game they’ve never played. Take away their press-pass-privileged-access, and they’re just like you and me. Why would anyone want to read sideline-insight when you can get it straight from the horse’s mouth (a long standing preferred source)?
According to the Medfield Hometown Weekly, Shaughnessy dislikes Schilling’s blog because it breaks news, appears biased and speculative, and enables Schilling to exercise his “God-like” ego. I guess Shaughnessy doesn’t like baseball players encroaching on his turf. Faced with the new option to read Shaughnessy or read Schilling, I’m going with the real deal. Curt, welcome to the blog-o-sphere.
Barry’s 2-Cents:
Hard for me to comment about anything to do with professional sports when the only pro sports team we have in my state are the Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes. Of course, the Hurricanes are Stanley Cup Winners (2005-06 season). I will say that if I want the inside track on any story, I would prefer to get it from someone who has actually been on the track or at least inside the arena.
When working out at the local YMCA, I purposely select a cardio machine AWAY from ESPN or a station having the appearance of such. I am in complete awe at how quickly these athlete wannabees can fire off their comments in such robotic fashion. You have to wonder, “do they have any real understanding of what they’re talking about?” Did they actually research this on their own; get it from the local tavern; or is it all thanks to a large group of underpaid media interns and a teleprompter? My money is on the latter. With that said, I concur that the best source is from someone in the know and it sounds like Curt is that person. BLOG ON!
on April 2nd, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I’m not convinced a blogging baseball player will give us more than a sports writer, but I admit, I am more interested in what a “real” player has to say than some baseball-wanna-be-writer.
on April 5th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I haven’t checked out Curt’s blog yet. However, being a relatively new and informed Red Sox fan, perhaps I should. Maybe it will spur new enthusiasm into me. Just don’t feel connected to the “new” team this year, and haven’t had much “inside” reporting as to who’s who and what’s what. Will give Curt a shot - or would it be a ‘pitch’ - to get me back on the Red Sox track.
There’s nothing like chatting up the Red Sox game at a Starbucks while sipping on a lowfat grande chai tea latte. Oh, and don’t forget to shake some vanilla powder in it at the condiment counter. The Starbucks team is a consistent winner and cheaper than our local bagel shop!