Who’s your columnist #14
Your comment must be posted no later than 30 minutes before the Tuesday April 28 class.
You must include the URL of the column so that your classmates can read the column, too. Let me know if you have any questions.
This is the final columnist discussion of the semester.
April 21st, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Brendan Murphy
Communication 371-001
Sports Reporting/Klein
Who’s your columnist #14?
Michael Wilbon
Predictability.
In Wilbon’s most recent article, he highlights the undeniable predictability of the NBA playoffs. Granted, some of the lower seeds such as Philadelphia and Utah managed to pull first-round upsets, but let’s be serious…
The NBA playoffs more than likely will turn out just as Wilbon predicts, Lakers versus Cavaliers, Lebron versus Kobe.
Wilbon, however, does point out particular match ups that could throw off the obvious picks. Portland could cause problems for the Lakers after the second round with their arsenal of bigs, but quickly dismisses the unpredictable.
Article linked below:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041602420.html
April 26th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042204193.html
Mike Wise wrote his column this week on the Capitals’ playoff struggles.
On the second page of his column he use wonderful alliteration, when he says “frothing Philadelphia.” You almost stumble over yourself trying to say that. Great.
The cadence of Wise’s column this week is fantastic. I think it’s difficult to find columns that have good flow and I think it’s even more difficult to find people who appreciate well done cadence.
Wise also uses a line that Ovie said to a reporter to get the column started and came back to that quote at the end of the column, creating consistance in the column.
April 28th, 2009 at 3:56 am
🙁 Last post about Bill Simmons. *sniffle*
Anyway, in his most recent column, Simmons discusses why he believes that the ongoing Bulls-Celtics first-round playoffs series could be one for the ages.
He discusses 12 reasons why he believes it is a compelling matchup. The first reason he mentions is the history between the two teams. He makes the point that the Bulls and Celtics have combined to win 23 of the last 51 NBA titles.
The next thing Simmons mentions is the presence of a prodigy in the series. In this case, that is Derrick Rose. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and has really stepped up his game in this series.
So far, the series has lived up to Simmons’ hype. It currently stands at 2-2, and the last game saw a very exciting double overtime finish.
April 28th, 2009 at 11:06 am
This week, Harper discussed the embarrassment the Yankees undoubtedly felt after the Sox swept them in a three-game series. One of the key moments was when Ellsbury stole home to bring the score to 3-1 Red Sox. The column is pure opinion, which is actually surprising for Harper. Typically, he presents the facts first, giving the reader a chance to formulate his or her own opinion, before making his own case. Instead, Harper went through the most important or pivotal points within all three games and added his own commentary throughout.
His most recent column can be found at: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/04/26/2009-04-26_red_sox_steal_yankees_pride_in_emb.html
April 28th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Bob Ryan
“Rondo and Ellsbury: Double dose of talent and fair”
Ryan provides an interesting look at the similarities between two key players on two of main sports teams.
When Ellsbury stole home on Sunday night against the Yankees, it drew images of Rondo trying the same thing. Ryan brings about an different view on the two athletes, wondering how each would fare in different sports. Both share blazing speed, a youthful attitude, and simply a love for the game that you just can’t take away.
Ryan brings up examples of when Rondo played in an softball game and excelled at all positions, while Rondo once threw down a vicious dunk in the basketball gym in front of a crowd of admirers.
The only difference Ryan draws between the two is that Rondo consistently has the ball in his hands, allowing him to show his true ability on every play. On the other hand, Ellsbury has to reach base or get the ball hit to him for him to show what he’s all about.
Nonetheless, its positive to see that Ryan realizes the potential of both athletes to excel and continue the tradition of excellence in the Boston sports world.
Thanks Bob, pleasure to follow you all year.
PEACE
April 28th, 2009 at 11:31 am
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/04/28/double_dose_of_talent_and_flair/?page=2
April 28th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
RIck Reilly is working for ChaCha.
ChaCha is the Internet answering service. Have a question? Text it to 242242 and within approximately 5 minutes you will have your answer. For free.
To good to be true? It is. You need only pass a basic reading test to answer questions for ChaCha. And the answers are often wrong, as Reilly notes. It’s not a bad a story. A little oddball and nothing to do with sports, but still a good read.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4088415
April 28th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
After many weeks (and months) spent waiting for Andrew Bynum to return from his injuries, Bill Plaschke was ready to feel safe again amongst the crowd at Staples Center – a big, dependable center back in the ring.
But Plaschke only awards those who do their jobs, and Bynum’s performance this early postseason warranted no accolades according to the veteran.
Stumbling and hurting the Lakers as much as the Jazz, Bynum is making Plaschke concerned and confused.
Bring Odom back instead?
Let Bynum continue to play and get readjusted?
Don’t worry about it, my team has Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol?
What would YOU do?
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke-lakers28-2009apr28,0,5579869.column?page=2
April 28th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I thought Tom Verducci’s latest column was very interesting and well-researched, but I also thought that his story should have been written two months from now. Not right now.
The Headline: Will Dice-K suffer the same fate as past Japanese flameouts?
That caught my attention and some of the points he made may have substance. I just think that a coule of poor starts into the season shouldn’t have been enough to warrant an “is this the end of Dice K as we knew him” story, with April not even in the rearview mirror yet.
This paragraph describes part of the reason why Verducci thinks Boston is worried about their starter – who worked three long starts in the ‘WBC’ against the team’s wishes.
“What concerned the Red Sox even before those starts was that the club had no control over Matsuzaka’s training regimen. After throwing 408 innings and pitching deep into the postseason two straight years — when Boston wanted to give his body more recovery time, as Tampa Bay did with its starters coming off a long 2008 season — Matsuzaka reported not to Boston’s camp but to Japan’s WBC camp on Feb. 15. The club’s attempts to monitor his throwing program were futile, giving way to Japan’s national fervor to win another WBC.”
The full story can be found here:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/tom_verducci/04/21/dicek.injury/index.html
April 28th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
http://www.freep.com/article/20090428/SPORTS01/904280313/1048/SPORTS/Seems+Lions+stuck+to+the+plan
In this article, Cotsonika outlines all of the Detroit Lions wonderful draft picks. It is not in a traditional format. It has a big bold heading for each draft pick and then a brief description afterwards. The Lions will win the Superbowl next year.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
In Gary Parrish’s “Curry’s future’s bright; Davidson’s, not so much,” he discusses how the departure of Stephen Curry will hurt the Wildcats, but the young star will shine.
He gives his reasons, i.e. shooting, as to why he could be great.
How does Davidson stay in the national limelight? They went to the Elite Eight in 2008, Davidson was invited to participate in the Jimmy V Classic and was invited to participate in the Wooden Tradition.
Based on history, the luck is not on Davidson’s side, and they be in for a rough future, but hey any team can be successful, just ask them.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11668040