*It was fun while it lasted. I think most people are bummed more because the ride is over, not because we actually lost. And that's totally OK. In fact, that was the inevitable feeling.
*Can't say enough about Tim Howard. (And can't lament enough that missed shot by Wondo with just minutes to play in regulation.)
*The big question: What changes? I think our expectations for 2018 change -- we're now in the "quarterfinals or bust" tier, which is not necessarily ideal (see Spain, Italy, England).
*I'm not sure we see a surge in popularity of soccer in the US -- more people caring about MLS, more people caring about Premiership. Maybe more interest in USMNT games like the Gold Cup.
*This wasn't about soccer, per se. This was about socialization. Not in a "social media" sense -- in the sense that this had so many unique conditions that made this work as an "Everyone Cares" event:
(1) Total dominance of the sport -- no other sports on the radar... (2) uber coverage/access from ESPN... (3) it lent itself to social viewing: midday games... (4) soccer is super-easy to comprehend.
*The thing that made it so amazing -- the Togetherness -- is also what makes it unlikely to be either sustainable or something that advances the sport, itself, by a step function in the U.S.
*That doesn't diminish how amazing the past few weeks have been. Soccer snobs ("real" fans) might not like to hear it, but the non-fan Bandwagon is precisely why this was as huge as it was.
*The nation of bandwagoneers are the team to be celebrated, even if they don't pay attention for another four years.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
6/30 Monday Quickie
*I'm a huge fan and avid consumer of email newsletters. For most of this year, I've been thinking around the idea of starting one, largely to replace writing here (I'd republish everything here anyway).
*The reason it's on my mind is because the NYT's David Carr is a similar newsletter fan and wrote about it today. If you aren't familiar, you should give it a read.
*FWIW, here are a few on my list:
Daily
*Jason Hirschhorn's MediaREDEF (media + tech + pop culture)
*Quartz (media, technology, business)
*NiemanLab (media and news)
*Alexis Madrigal's "5 Things" (serendipity)
*SB Nation's "Good Morning, Let's Basketball" (NBA)
*The Wire (news-feature discovery)
*Product Hunt (start-up discovery)
*American Press Institute (media and news)
*StrictlyVC (venture capital deals)
*Dan Primack's Term Sheet (VC news)
*The Skimm (clever news digest)
*Skift (Not even for its news on the travel-industry but as a model for how email newsletters can work.)
The ones I open most frequently/reliably are the ones where I'm not already getting their links on Twitter. For example, I love REDEF and NiemanLab, but some days, I don't need to open them because they are two of the Twitter feeds I pay most close attention to. Madrigal's "5 Things" probably gets my most reliable daily open, because he doesn't necessarily tweet out those links.
Weekly
*Benedict Evans (mobile industry)
*Monday Note (media)
*TheWirecutter and TheSweetHome
Paid
*Joe Sheehan's Baseball Newsletter
(That last one should be interesting to anyone who aspires to turn an email newsletter into a paid-subscriber-based business, as Jason Hirschhorn does.)
*I wish very much that 10 years ago I had focused more on turning the Daily Quickie into a daily newsletter -- to be honest, the technology to do it has been less-than-easy. That includes MailChimp, which I looked into when Quickish launched. TinyLetter feels like the closest thing to frictionless.(It's worth noting that TinyLetter is a product of MailChimp -- a very smart little productization.)
*I know Hirschhorn's basic business model is to develop a couple of high-audience vertical newsletters, then sell subscriptions to get them, but I think his ultimate upside is opening REDEF's platform to let anyone create a paid-subscriber newsletter, then taking a percentage of that revenue.
*I know it'll seem derivative and herd-following, but don't be surprised if I spark up a daily email newsletter in the weeks after the July 4th weekend.
-- D.S.
*The reason it's on my mind is because the NYT's David Carr is a similar newsletter fan and wrote about it today. If you aren't familiar, you should give it a read.
*FWIW, here are a few on my list:
Daily
*Jason Hirschhorn's MediaREDEF (media + tech + pop culture)
*Quartz (media, technology, business)
*NiemanLab (media and news)
*Alexis Madrigal's "5 Things" (serendipity)
*SB Nation's "Good Morning, Let's Basketball" (NBA)
*The Wire (news-feature discovery)
*Product Hunt (start-up discovery)
*American Press Institute (media and news)
*StrictlyVC (venture capital deals)
*Dan Primack's Term Sheet (VC news)
*The Skimm (clever news digest)
*Skift (Not even for its news on the travel-industry but as a model for how email newsletters can work.)
The ones I open most frequently/reliably are the ones where I'm not already getting their links on Twitter. For example, I love REDEF and NiemanLab, but some days, I don't need to open them because they are two of the Twitter feeds I pay most close attention to. Madrigal's "5 Things" probably gets my most reliable daily open, because he doesn't necessarily tweet out those links.
Weekly
*Benedict Evans (mobile industry)
*Monday Note (media)
*TheWirecutter and TheSweetHome
Paid
*Joe Sheehan's Baseball Newsletter
(That last one should be interesting to anyone who aspires to turn an email newsletter into a paid-subscriber-based business, as Jason Hirschhorn does.)
*I wish very much that 10 years ago I had focused more on turning the Daily Quickie into a daily newsletter -- to be honest, the technology to do it has been less-than-easy. That includes MailChimp, which I looked into when Quickish launched. TinyLetter feels like the closest thing to frictionless.(It's worth noting that TinyLetter is a product of MailChimp -- a very smart little productization.)
*I know Hirschhorn's basic business model is to develop a couple of high-audience vertical newsletters, then sell subscriptions to get them, but I think his ultimate upside is opening REDEF's platform to let anyone create a paid-subscriber newsletter, then taking a percentage of that revenue.
*I know it'll seem derivative and herd-following, but don't be surprised if I spark up a daily email newsletter in the weeks after the July 4th weekend.
-- D.S.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
6/29 Sunday Quickie
*Impossible not to feel for fans of Chile. That was as loaded of a sports event as you'll ever watch.
*If Jason Kidd is a fool (and he is), then what does that make the Bucks for wanting to hire him?
*Guess Miami's Big Three is sticking together at a discount. More power to 'em.
-- D.S.
*If Jason Kidd is a fool (and he is), then what does that make the Bucks for wanting to hire him?
*Guess Miami's Big Three is sticking together at a discount. More power to 'em.
-- D.S.
Friday, June 27, 2014
6/27 Friday Draft Hangover Quickie
*It doesn't matter how the US advanced at the World Cup -- only that it advanced, period. There is no such thing as "backing in" or "too close for comfort." Just ask Spain or Italy or England.
*NBA Draft picks I liked:
- Nurkic and Harris to the Nuggets
- Embiid to the Sixers
- Vonleh and Hairston to the Hornets
- McGary to the Thunder
- Kyle Anderson to the Spurs
- McDermott to the Bulls
*NBA Draft picks I didn't like:
- Gordon to the Magic
- LaVine to the T'wolves
- Caboclo to the Raptors
- The Wizards selling their pick
- That no one drafted Patric Young
Fun weekend of World Cup knock-out games ahead.
-- D.S.
*NBA Draft picks I liked:
- Nurkic and Harris to the Nuggets
- Embiid to the Sixers
- Vonleh and Hairston to the Hornets
- McGary to the Thunder
- Kyle Anderson to the Spurs
- McDermott to the Bulls
*NBA Draft picks I didn't like:
- Gordon to the Magic
- LaVine to the T'wolves
- Caboclo to the Raptors
- The Wizards selling their pick
- That no one drafted Patric Young
Fun weekend of World Cup knock-out games ahead.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Thursday 6/26 USA! Draft Day! Quickie
*Typically, NBA Draft day would be one of my favorite days of the year. This year, it's eclipsed by today's US-Germany game, which will obliterate all known viewing records (especially streaming).
*Prediction: The US advances to the next round. That's all that matters, really. The "how" is kind of incidental -- would you really be THAT bummed if the US lost to Germany but still advanced?
*Personally, I think that the "collusion draw" is going to be the result -- even if no one ever admits to the "collusion" part. If you want a binary pick, I think we are more likely to lose than win.
*However! The conditions necessary for Portugal or Ghana to advance ahead of us if we don't win or draw are fairly severe -- it would take Portugal lighting up a Ghana in disarray... wait, what?
*Anyway, keep in mind the upshot: All that matters is advancing, full stop.
*Meanwhile, the NBA Draft! And every indication is that it could get kind of wild -- the Cavs could trade the top pick?! Where does Joel Embiid go?! Who do my Wizards draft at 46?!
*Restating from a few days ago: I'm very bullish on Dante Exum and not bullish at all about Jabari Parker.
*Yesterday's trade action was an appetizer -- Tyson Chandler back to Dallas prob'ly means the Mavs are making a serious run at Melo... and the Knicks are hitting the re-set button.
(Here's my Knicks theory: They are going to sign Pau Gasol, then use Pau to entice brother Marc to sign next summer.)
*And then the Rockets -- trying to clear cap space of their own for a run at Carmelo (or, less likely to work, LeBron) -- traded Asik to New Orleans. Houston gets more flexible; NOLA gets better.
*All that doesn't even consider Tim Lincecum's no-hitter, the second of his career. Hard to argue that Lincecum isn't the most fascinating pitcher of the post-Maddux/Clemens/Big Unit era.
*Prediction: The US advances to the next round. That's all that matters, really. The "how" is kind of incidental -- would you really be THAT bummed if the US lost to Germany but still advanced?
*Personally, I think that the "collusion draw" is going to be the result -- even if no one ever admits to the "collusion" part. If you want a binary pick, I think we are more likely to lose than win.
*However! The conditions necessary for Portugal or Ghana to advance ahead of us if we don't win or draw are fairly severe -- it would take Portugal lighting up a Ghana in disarray... wait, what?
*Anyway, keep in mind the upshot: All that matters is advancing, full stop.
*Meanwhile, the NBA Draft! And every indication is that it could get kind of wild -- the Cavs could trade the top pick?! Where does Joel Embiid go?! Who do my Wizards draft at 46?!
*Restating from a few days ago: I'm very bullish on Dante Exum and not bullish at all about Jabari Parker.
*Yesterday's trade action was an appetizer -- Tyson Chandler back to Dallas prob'ly means the Mavs are making a serious run at Melo... and the Knicks are hitting the re-set button.
(Here's my Knicks theory: They are going to sign Pau Gasol, then use Pau to entice brother Marc to sign next summer.)
*And then the Rockets -- trying to clear cap space of their own for a run at Carmelo (or, less likely to work, LeBron) -- traded Asik to New Orleans. Houston gets more flexible; NOLA gets better.
*All that doesn't even consider Tim Lincecum's no-hitter, the second of his career. Hard to argue that Lincecum isn't the most fascinating pitcher of the post-Maddux/Clemens/Big Unit era.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
6/24 Mexico Uruguay Italy Quickie
*Mexico's coach is so totally going to win the World Cup's "One Shining Moment" montage.
*Italy-Uruguay is going to be a phenomenal match today at noon.
*US hangover: My colleague Mike Foss thinks the US will beat Germany. I think that if they don't broker a draw, Germany wins 1-0, Portugal wins 4-2 and the US advances anyway, on goal differential.
*In every other year, I'm obsessed with the NBA Draft. This year, between the World Cup and the fact that my Wizards aren't in the first round, I'm slightly more passive.
But only slightly. I'm very high on Dante Exum, fairly high on Noah Vonleh and Gary Harris, still high on Joel Embiid, modestly bullish on Andrew Wiggins and not bullish at all on Jabari Parker.
*Carmelo will end up in... Chicago. (And if the Bulls can grab Afflalo from Orlando for a draft pick...whew.)
-- D.S.
*Italy-Uruguay is going to be a phenomenal match today at noon.
*US hangover: My colleague Mike Foss thinks the US will beat Germany. I think that if they don't broker a draw, Germany wins 1-0, Portugal wins 4-2 and the US advances anyway, on goal differential.
*In every other year, I'm obsessed with the NBA Draft. This year, between the World Cup and the fact that my Wizards aren't in the first round, I'm slightly more passive.
But only slightly. I'm very high on Dante Exum, fairly high on Noah Vonleh and Gary Harris, still high on Joel Embiid, modestly bullish on Andrew Wiggins and not bullish at all on Jabari Parker.
*Carmelo will end up in... Chicago. (And if the Bulls can grab Afflalo from Orlando for a draft pick...whew.)
-- D.S.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Monday 6/23 USMNT Gut-Punch Quickie
*It is a measure of how much soccer matters now in the U.S. that we all were so battered by last night's finish/result.
*It is OK -- even preferable -- to feel dejected (the last second!) or dissatisfied (Bradley!), as opposed to feeling nothing. (Obviously, it would have felt infinitely better to have won.)
*Rationally, I get the whole "If we were the team to tie it up 2-2 in the last second, this would be the greatest moment in US soccer history." I get that 4 points through 2 games is pretty good.
*But it's hard to get over the fact that the game and its impact -- the three points, the guaranteed spot in the knockout round -- were ours, right there.
*Looking ahead to the game with Germany, we have plenty of pathways to get through: Beat Germany, draw with Germany, if Ghana and Portugal tie, if we lose closely but Ghana only wins by a goal, if we lose closely but Portugal only wins by less than 3 goals.
*It does befuddle me a little why the US wouldn't collude with Germany to tie the game, guaranteeing that both teams go through.
*The goal of the group stage -- at least for the US -- is to get out of the group stage. Not to maximize our points. Not to win stylishly. To survive and advance.
*Teams take different approaches to games with the bigger picture in mind all the time -- they rest starters, they try less aggressive tactics.
*In short: They do things that decrease their chances of winning in the short term in order to maximize their chances of winning the larger prize. (Shorthand: You don't play to win the game; you play to win the title.)
*In that respect, it's not unreasonable to evaluate that "Golden Draw" option -- in the same way that yesterday's 2-2 was felt as a sort of loss, a draw on Thursday would be the sweetest of victories.
*It all comes back to this: That we can even feel this way at all -- the dejection, the hope, the bracket-bending scenarios -- is the best sign yet of the ascendance of the sport in the U.S.
-- D.S.
*It is OK -- even preferable -- to feel dejected (the last second!) or dissatisfied (Bradley!), as opposed to feeling nothing. (Obviously, it would have felt infinitely better to have won.)
*Rationally, I get the whole "If we were the team to tie it up 2-2 in the last second, this would be the greatest moment in US soccer history." I get that 4 points through 2 games is pretty good.
*But it's hard to get over the fact that the game and its impact -- the three points, the guaranteed spot in the knockout round -- were ours, right there.
*Looking ahead to the game with Germany, we have plenty of pathways to get through: Beat Germany, draw with Germany, if Ghana and Portugal tie, if we lose closely but Ghana only wins by a goal, if we lose closely but Portugal only wins by less than 3 goals.
*It does befuddle me a little why the US wouldn't collude with Germany to tie the game, guaranteeing that both teams go through.
*The goal of the group stage -- at least for the US -- is to get out of the group stage. Not to maximize our points. Not to win stylishly. To survive and advance.
*Teams take different approaches to games with the bigger picture in mind all the time -- they rest starters, they try less aggressive tactics.
*In short: They do things that decrease their chances of winning in the short term in order to maximize their chances of winning the larger prize. (Shorthand: You don't play to win the game; you play to win the title.)
*In that respect, it's not unreasonable to evaluate that "Golden Draw" option -- in the same way that yesterday's 2-2 was felt as a sort of loss, a draw on Thursday would be the sweetest of victories.
*It all comes back to this: That we can even feel this way at all -- the dejection, the hope, the bracket-bending scenarios -- is the best sign yet of the ascendance of the sport in the U.S.
-- D.S.
Friday, June 20, 2014
6/20 Friday/Weekend Quickie
*Uruguay-England was everything you could want a World Cup match to be: Epic stakes for both teams, huge moments for the biggest stars, dramatic victory (and equally dramatic defeat). Bravo.
*Today's Best: Italy-Costa Rica, with the winner advancing to the knockout round... Switzerland-France for supremacy of Group E... Honduras-Ecuador in a loser-is-out match.
*Joel Embiid's foot injury: I would still take him first overall, and sit him for the entire year, getting his body prepared for the rigors of a long, healthy NBA career.
Maybe the Cavs prioritize being 8th in the East in 2015 over having the center with the most potential since Tim Duncan for the 10-15 years after that, but I wouldn't.
(Now, it's possible that the Bucks and Sixers don't think they NEED him -- that John Henson or Nerlens Noel are their bets on the future in the post and Wiggins/Parker are more needed. Fine. But not Cleveland.)
*Kevin Love to Golden State for Klay Thompson et al? I get Thompson's star potential, but he goes from wide-open shots courtesy of Stephen Curry to being the focus of defenses.
(I'd take Boston's bevy of first-round picks -- hell, Minnesota could end up with Embiid at No. 6, which would be a franchise-changer -- plus Olynyk or Sullinger or both.)
*Mark Emmert vs. Ed O'Bannon: Needless to say, Emmert's argument fell so flat, it's time to start thinking about what NCAA 2.0 looks like.
-- D.S.
*Today's Best: Italy-Costa Rica, with the winner advancing to the knockout round... Switzerland-France for supremacy of Group E... Honduras-Ecuador in a loser-is-out match.
*Joel Embiid's foot injury: I would still take him first overall, and sit him for the entire year, getting his body prepared for the rigors of a long, healthy NBA career.
Maybe the Cavs prioritize being 8th in the East in 2015 over having the center with the most potential since Tim Duncan for the 10-15 years after that, but I wouldn't.
(Now, it's possible that the Bucks and Sixers don't think they NEED him -- that John Henson or Nerlens Noel are their bets on the future in the post and Wiggins/Parker are more needed. Fine. But not Cleveland.)
*Kevin Love to Golden State for Klay Thompson et al? I get Thompson's star potential, but he goes from wide-open shots courtesy of Stephen Curry to being the focus of defenses.
(I'd take Boston's bevy of first-round picks -- hell, Minnesota could end up with Embiid at No. 6, which would be a franchise-changer -- plus Olynyk or Sullinger or both.)
*Mark Emmert vs. Ed O'Bannon: Needless to say, Emmert's argument fell so flat, it's time to start thinking about what NCAA 2.0 looks like.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
6/19 Thursday No-No Quickie
*Clayton Kershaw throws 15K no-no: As good of a game as has ever been pitched (technically, by Game Score, the 2nd-best ever, but that's quibbling) for one of the few pitchers right now where you are watching and saying "Future Hall of Famer."
*Spain ousted from World Cup: THE headline so far -- the defending World Cup champs KO'ed earlier than any defending champ in WC history. (Meanwhile: Great scene-setting in Chile from Wright Thompson.) Oh, and Mexico-Croatia is pretty much a knockout-round play-in game.
*Today's Best: Uruguay-England at 3 ET is a knock-out game for the loser. Colombia-Ivory Coast at noon is a great way to start the day, between the two teams sitting atop Group C. (The other Group C game -- Japan-Greece -- is a knock-out game for the loser, also. Not quite as pressure-packed as Uruguay-England, of course, but still. Knock-out is knock-out.)
*Redskins lose trademark protection: At this point, the name-change is an inevitability, even if the timeline is in years, not months. The ruling is more symbolic than anything else, but yet another signal (perhaps the biggest yet) that the name can't stand.
-- D.S.
*Spain ousted from World Cup: THE headline so far -- the defending World Cup champs KO'ed earlier than any defending champ in WC history. (Meanwhile: Great scene-setting in Chile from Wright Thompson.) Oh, and Mexico-Croatia is pretty much a knockout-round play-in game.
*Today's Best: Uruguay-England at 3 ET is a knock-out game for the loser. Colombia-Ivory Coast at noon is a great way to start the day, between the two teams sitting atop Group C. (The other Group C game -- Japan-Greece -- is a knock-out game for the loser, also. Not quite as pressure-packed as Uruguay-England, of course, but still. Knock-out is knock-out.)
*Redskins lose trademark protection: At this point, the name-change is an inevitability, even if the timeline is in years, not months. The ruling is more symbolic than anything else, but yet another signal (perhaps the biggest yet) that the name can't stand.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
6/18 Wednesday Quickie
*Memo Ochoa is the MVP of the World Cup so far.
*Today's must-see game: Spain (in a must-win) vs. Chile at 3 ET.
*Should LeBron stay in Miami or leave? The answer is that he should stay in Miami if he had near-complete confidence the team can be constructed to remain a title contender. (Given that Wade is only going to decline further, he should not have that confidence and, thus, shouldn't stay. The problem: Where, exactly, could he go to satisfy that condition?)
*The Royals in 1st is the most delightful development of the MLB season.
*So many wonderful remembrances of Tony Gwynn. This one from his former bat boy, via Deadspin, is really amazing.
*The "Bitcoin Bowl" is absurd, even for bowl names and even for the bitcoin frenzy.
*So sad to hear of the passing of ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett. He was only 38. Terrible.
-- D.S.
*Today's must-see game: Spain (in a must-win) vs. Chile at 3 ET.
*Should LeBron stay in Miami or leave? The answer is that he should stay in Miami if he had near-complete confidence the team can be constructed to remain a title contender. (Given that Wade is only going to decline further, he should not have that confidence and, thus, shouldn't stay. The problem: Where, exactly, could he go to satisfy that condition?)
*The Royals in 1st is the most delightful development of the MLB season.
*So many wonderful remembrances of Tony Gwynn. This one from his former bat boy, via Deadspin, is really amazing.
*The "Bitcoin Bowl" is absurd, even for bowl names and even for the bitcoin frenzy.
*So sad to hear of the passing of ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett. He was only 38. Terrible.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
6/16 Duncan Dynasty Quickie
*"Spurs in 5" is my best prediction in a decade -- and almost makes up for picking "Lakers in 4" on Around The Horn 10 years ago.
*It is hard to argue that any franchise has had a better run since the 1960s Celtics than the Spurs from 1999-2014 (yes, that includes the Bulls from 91-98 or the mid-80s Lakers).
*It wasn't merely that the Spurs won their 5th title of the Duncan Era -- it was HOW they did it. They obliterated the Heat, as if Miami was a Lottery team. That is astonishing.
*Is there any reason to not install the Spurs as the favorite to win next year's title? (Better question: Talent aside, why doesn't EVERY coach study Pop's system for ways to adopt it?)
*Best thing I've read last night/this morning on the Spurs: ESPN.com's Kevin Arnovitz on how the Spurs' system works.
*Go go USA. (Prediction: Draw.)
-- D.S.
*It is hard to argue that any franchise has had a better run since the 1960s Celtics than the Spurs from 1999-2014 (yes, that includes the Bulls from 91-98 or the mid-80s Lakers).
*It wasn't merely that the Spurs won their 5th title of the Duncan Era -- it was HOW they did it. They obliterated the Heat, as if Miami was a Lottery team. That is astonishing.
*Is there any reason to not install the Spurs as the favorite to win next year's title? (Better question: Talent aside, why doesn't EVERY coach study Pop's system for ways to adopt it?)
*Best thing I've read last night/this morning on the Spurs: ESPN.com's Kevin Arnovitz on how the Spurs' system works.
*Go go USA. (Prediction: Draw.)
-- D.S.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Thinking of Ralph Wiley Today
Just tweeted this out, but collected them here:
*10 years ago today, the all-time great Ralph Wiley passed away. In the decade since, his voice and his brilliance have been so missed.
*I was lucky enough to hit in the early-00s Page 2 lineup where RW "bat cleanup" - being his colleague remains a personal/career high point.
*This is what I wrote in the wake of his passing.
*And if you haven't read Wiley's "Why Black People Tend to Shout" or "Serenity" yet, here's an Amazon link.
*In the meantime, enjoy Wiley's Page 2 archive. Here is a page of memories from colleagues.
*When I first launched the Quickie, I asked Ralph for any critiques. The last bit of his reply remains printed out and carried in my wallet:
"Feedback matters, but in the end, it's you against your standards ... if you hit that mark, you can live with what everybody else thinks."
*His final column carried this lead: "All a man's got is the integrity of his work." Ralph, you are so missed.
-- D.S.
Here is the full text of the first few items of that Daily Quickie column:
Two Words For You:
BATS. CLEANUP.
"Bats cleanup ... for Page 2."
That's the tagline phrase at the bottom of Ralph Wiley's Page 2 columns, and it was always the last thing I read after engulfing whatever his latest column was. It's his baseball metaphor, so I'll run with it:
The cleanup hitter is the heart of the order. Ralph brought the heart of Page 2. And its soul. Its brains and its brawn. Its conscience and consciousness.
The cleanup hitter brings the players in front of him home and sets the table for the ones behind him. With his unmatched combination of voice and insight, clarity and style, and -- most of all -- his passion, Ralph made Page 2, its contributors and its readers better.
(II.) HIS PAGE 2 WORK
When young writers ask me for advice about how to get better, I send them the link to Ralph Wiley's Page 2 archive.
When budding bar pundits want to talk ESPN.com or Page 2 with me, my litmus test is Ralph; similar to how my editor Kevin Jackson feels, if people don't see the genius, I have no interest or reason to keep talking with them.
See "Q It Up" for a link to his Page 2 Archive, which is worth book-marking and re-reading any time you want to read the best sports columnist -- online or off -- of the last four years.
(III.) HEAD TO HEAD
Ralph and I went head-to-head for Page 2 only once -- "head-to-head" is overstatement, actually:
He wrote a column on why the NBA is better than college hoops:
I came up with the bright idea to take him on with why college hoops is better than the NBA.
I guess I thought I was pretty smart ... maybe even knew my stuff ... R-Dub proceeded to file a "last-word" column, taking each of my arguments -- point by point -- and just crushing them.
It was, to say the least, an education. No, more like a K.O. But a badge of butt-kicking I continue to wear with pride.
(IV.) FROM COLLEAGUES
Passion ... generosity of spirit ... big-hearted... tried to make everything smarter... a giant in our industry... important.
From Bill Simmons to Mike Lupica, the way Ralph's colleagues described him is really just an inkling of the admiration and respect for a writer and man who was confident and passionate enough to return those feelings to all of us.
*10 years ago today, the all-time great Ralph Wiley passed away. In the decade since, his voice and his brilliance have been so missed.
*I was lucky enough to hit in the early-00s Page 2 lineup where RW "bat cleanup" - being his colleague remains a personal/career high point.
*This is what I wrote in the wake of his passing.
*And if you haven't read Wiley's "Why Black People Tend to Shout" or "Serenity" yet, here's an Amazon link.
*In the meantime, enjoy Wiley's Page 2 archive. Here is a page of memories from colleagues.
*When I first launched the Quickie, I asked Ralph for any critiques. The last bit of his reply remains printed out and carried in my wallet:
"Feedback matters, but in the end, it's you against your standards ... if you hit that mark, you can live with what everybody else thinks."
*His final column carried this lead: "All a man's got is the integrity of his work." Ralph, you are so missed.
-- D.S.
Here is the full text of the first few items of that Daily Quickie column:
Two Words For You:
BATS. CLEANUP.
"Bats cleanup ... for Page 2."
That's the tagline phrase at the bottom of Ralph Wiley's Page 2 columns, and it was always the last thing I read after engulfing whatever his latest column was. It's his baseball metaphor, so I'll run with it:
The cleanup hitter is the heart of the order. Ralph brought the heart of Page 2. And its soul. Its brains and its brawn. Its conscience and consciousness.
The cleanup hitter brings the players in front of him home and sets the table for the ones behind him. With his unmatched combination of voice and insight, clarity and style, and -- most of all -- his passion, Ralph made Page 2, its contributors and its readers better.
(II.) HIS PAGE 2 WORK
When young writers ask me for advice about how to get better, I send them the link to Ralph Wiley's Page 2 archive.
When budding bar pundits want to talk ESPN.com or Page 2 with me, my litmus test is Ralph; similar to how my editor Kevin Jackson feels, if people don't see the genius, I have no interest or reason to keep talking with them.
See "Q It Up" for a link to his Page 2 Archive, which is worth book-marking and re-reading any time you want to read the best sports columnist -- online or off -- of the last four years.
(III.) HEAD TO HEAD
Ralph and I went head-to-head for Page 2 only once -- "head-to-head" is overstatement, actually:
He wrote a column on why the NBA is better than college hoops:
I came up with the bright idea to take him on with why college hoops is better than the NBA.
I guess I thought I was pretty smart ... maybe even knew my stuff ... R-Dub proceeded to file a "last-word" column, taking each of my arguments -- point by point -- and just crushing them.
It was, to say the least, an education. No, more like a K.O. But a badge of butt-kicking I continue to wear with pride.
(IV.) FROM COLLEAGUES
Passion ... generosity of spirit ... big-hearted... tried to make everything smarter... a giant in our industry... important.
From Bill Simmons to Mike Lupica, the way Ralph's colleagues described him is really just an inkling of the admiration and respect for a writer and man who was confident and passionate enough to return those feelings to all of us.
6/13 Father's Day Weekend Quickie
*"Spurs in 5" might turn out to be my best prediction in years. It almost makes up for my "Lakers in 4" that I spouted on Around The Horn the day the 2004 Finals started.
*The past two games should end any discussion that the NBA's post-Jordan time period since 1999 should be known as anything but the "Spurs dynasty" or the "Duncan dynasty."
*Brazil's tepid start: That iffy call by the ref in the box is a nice foreshadowing for the rest of the tourney.
*Today's must-see: Spain vs. Netherlands at 3 pm ET. Quality you would see in a World Cup semifinal. Both will likely advance, but the battle for "B1" likely pivots on the result of today's game.
*Happy Father's Day to all the dads -- including my own dad. I'll stick with what I said last year: I'm not close to being the dad that I aspire to be, but I'll keep working at it.
-- D.S.
*The past two games should end any discussion that the NBA's post-Jordan time period since 1999 should be known as anything but the "Spurs dynasty" or the "Duncan dynasty."
*Brazil's tepid start: That iffy call by the ref in the box is a nice foreshadowing for the rest of the tourney.
*Today's must-see: Spain vs. Netherlands at 3 pm ET. Quality you would see in a World Cup semifinal. Both will likely advance, but the battle for "B1" likely pivots on the result of today's game.
*Happy Father's Day to all the dads -- including my own dad. I'll stick with what I said last year: I'm not close to being the dad that I aspire to be, but I'll keep working at it.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
6/12 World Cup Quickie
*I definitely classify as someone who isn't as much of a soccer buff as I should be, but someone who really gets into the World Cup. Really looking forward to the next month of daily games to watch.
*I'm going Occam's Razor here and picking Brazil to win it all, over Uruguay in the finals -- which would, partly, exorcise the ghosts of 1950.
*Other semifinalists: Germany (which will lose to Brazil after some highly suspicious refereeing) and Argentina (which will lose to Uruguay in an epic semifinal battle).
*Other quarterfinalists: Spain (which will lose to Uruguay), Colombia (which will notably beat England in the knockout round), Switzerland (the Swiss!) and Belgium (bandwagon!)
*Eight other teams making it to the knockout round: Croatia (A), Netherlands (B), Greece (C), England (D), Ecuador (E), Bosnia (F), Portugal (G), Russia (H).
*Of course, that means I am predicting that the US will NOT make it out of the group stage -- if they were in another group, very possible.
*But I'll certainly be rooting for the Yanks to beat Ghana and somehow tie Portugal (before the inevitable loss to Germany), sneaking into 2nd place in the group.
Enjoy the tournament!
-- D.S.
*I'm going Occam's Razor here and picking Brazil to win it all, over Uruguay in the finals -- which would, partly, exorcise the ghosts of 1950.
*Other semifinalists: Germany (which will lose to Brazil after some highly suspicious refereeing) and Argentina (which will lose to Uruguay in an epic semifinal battle).
*Other quarterfinalists: Spain (which will lose to Uruguay), Colombia (which will notably beat England in the knockout round), Switzerland (the Swiss!) and Belgium (bandwagon!)
*Eight other teams making it to the knockout round: Croatia (A), Netherlands (B), Greece (C), England (D), Ecuador (E), Bosnia (F), Portugal (G), Russia (H).
*Of course, that means I am predicting that the US will NOT make it out of the group stage -- if they were in another group, very possible.
*But I'll certainly be rooting for the Yanks to beat Ghana and somehow tie Portugal (before the inevitable loss to Germany), sneaking into 2nd place in the group.
Enjoy the tournament!
-- D.S.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
6/11 Spurs Quickie
*That Spurs 1st quarter was among the most effective quarters of basketball you'll ever see.
*This Cespedes throw from the deep outfield (after bobbling away the ball!) to home plate is one of the greatest throws you will ever see.
*This Deadspin piece by Greg Howard about my one-time Page 2 colleague Jason Whitlock is one of the greatest pieces of media reporting and analysis you will ever see.
*World Cup: This piece by Grantland's Brian Phillips -- "The Soul of Brazilian Soccer" -- is one of the best pieces of soccer writing you'll get this month -- or any.
Can't wait for the World Cup to start tomorrow.
-- D.S.
*This Cespedes throw from the deep outfield (after bobbling away the ball!) to home plate is one of the greatest throws you will ever see.
*This Deadspin piece by Greg Howard about my one-time Page 2 colleague Jason Whitlock is one of the greatest pieces of media reporting and analysis you will ever see.
*World Cup: This piece by Grantland's Brian Phillips -- "The Soul of Brazilian Soccer" -- is one of the best pieces of soccer writing you'll get this month -- or any.
Can't wait for the World Cup to start tomorrow.
-- D.S.
Monday, June 09, 2014
Must-See: The John Oliver Video About FIFA
This segment from John Oliver about FIFA is as good as everyone is saying today:
And then there's this one -- sort of affirming Oliver's final point -- from Nike:
-- D.S.
And then there's this one -- sort of affirming Oliver's final point -- from Nike:
-- D.S.
6/9 Monday LeBron Quickie
*OK, so maybe "Spurs in 5" was misguided. Game 2 was the difference between "no LeBron in the final 2 minutes" of Game 1 and "Yes, lots of LeBron in the final 2 minutes."
(And that pass into the corner to Bosh for the game-winning 3? Go figure: The same "right basketball play" he was pilloried for when Bosh missed the shot against Indy.)
*California Chrome denied: It's easy to feel for Chrome's owner, but he managed to rip/steal the storyline from his horse, with his griping.(And that pass into the corner to Bosh for the game-winning 3? Go figure: The same "right basketball play" he was pilloried for when Bosh missed the shot against Indy.)
Friday, June 06, 2014
6/6 Friday The Cramp Game Quickie
*It is absurd to ding LeBron in the least for cramping up last night. (But it is shocking that it happened.)
*It was absolutely compelling to watch him sit on the sidelines. There was zero schadenfreude (maybe from others, but not from me).
*Unlike LeBron, the conditions in the arena were pathetic and worthy of our mockery. The Spurs should be embarrassed.
*With a full-strength LeBron -- which I'm sure we'll see in Games 2-Whatever -- I'm not sure the Spurs win that game. Nevertheless: 1-0.
*Will California Chrome win the Triple Crown? Prediction: Yes.
-- D.S.
*It was absolutely compelling to watch him sit on the sidelines. There was zero schadenfreude (maybe from others, but not from me).
*Unlike LeBron, the conditions in the arena were pathetic and worthy of our mockery. The Spurs should be embarrassed.
*With a full-strength LeBron -- which I'm sure we'll see in Games 2-Whatever -- I'm not sure the Spurs win that game. Nevertheless: 1-0.
*Will California Chrome win the Triple Crown? Prediction: Yes.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 05, 2014
6/5 Thursday NBA Finals Quickie
*Spurs in 5.
*Lots of great World Cup ads already released, and this one by Beats might be the best yet:
*OK, maybe Rangers in 7 wasn't the best pick -- but I stand by it!
-- D.S.
*Lots of great World Cup ads already released, and this one by Beats might be the best yet:
*OK, maybe Rangers in 7 wasn't the best pick -- but I stand by it!
-- D.S.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
