Draft

Like all forms of media, the landscape of sports writing has changed drastically as technology has advanced. What was once just a short segment on the evening news has evolved into twenty-four hour live coverage and analysis. TV stations like ESPN demonstrate the almost insatiable desire that Americans have for sports. ESPN has managed to turn even the most mundane of events, such as a game of rock, paper, scissors, into an epic competition. One of the new frontiers that are just starting to be explored in the word of sports writing is the Internet. It has opened the door for greater freedom and opportunity than most traditional mediums. With the Internet allowing for practically anyone to post their opinion for all to see, suddenly sports writing is no longer restricted to the big newspaper and magazine publications. More importantly, those who are writing are no longer solely professional journalists. With the traditional restrictions of who is reporting on sports lifted, the restrictions of how it is reported have also loosened. The simple formula of using first hand quotes from the players and teams, followed by short analysis is no longer the only manner that sports news is presented. As a result the sports writing world has opened up its doors not only to the athletes that it covers, but also the fans that follow it.

One of the new rules of sports journalism is that having writing experience is no longer a necessity. Looking at three of the most popular sports blogs on the web it is apparent that professional journalists do not write them. Major league pitcher Curt Schilling, NBA player Paul Shirley, and sports fan Bill Simmons all have very popular web sites where they write about the world of sports. The reason that these blogs are so successful is because of the knowledge that each of the authors possess. David Weinberger states that, “Knowledge on the Web is a social activity. It is what happens when people say things that matter to them, others reply, and a conversation ensues (Weinberger).” In each of the blogs the author uses their specific knowledge to tackle issues surrounding sports. Schilling and Shirley use their experience and exclusive knowledge as world-class athletes to give a new perspective to their writing, while Bill uses his experience as die hard sports fan to relate his readers. There is no better example of the social aspect of knowledge of the web the Simmons’ Mail Bag. In his monthly Mail Bag Simmons’ answers his reader’s questions on a variety of topics from player’s uniforms, to what happened on MTV’s Real World last week. By examining one question from his Mail Bag it is easy to see Simmons’ role as author. A reader asks, “Can we start calling Kevin Durant "The Durantula?" He's big, he's dangerous and even a little spidery at times (ESPN.com).” The reader is suggesting an idea when it comes to the nickname of an up and coming young player. While this has very little to do with his on the field play, it is part of the culture that surrounds the sport, which is one of Simmons’ main focuses. The manner of the question suggests that the reader is looking for Simmons’ approval of the nickname, or at least wants to get his opinion before starting to use it. This speaks to the amount of respect the readers have for Simmons’ opinion. Because it is known that he is an expert in pop culture and sports, his verdict on the matter can be crucial to its popularity. Even in Bill’s response you can see the power that he holds with his readers. “I'm vetoing that one. Sounds like a failed WWF character from the late '80s (ESPN.com).” While he is certainly using the term “veto” in a jesting manner, it is more accurate than he probably is aware of. By attacking the nickname he is almost surely eliminating it from future appearance in the website, and possibly also from his reader’s vocabulary.

On his own blog www.38pitches.com Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling gives readers the inside scoop when it comes to Red Sox baseball. Curt does his own version of the Mail Bag where he answers questions from his readers. Unlike on Simmons’ website where the questions can range from movies, to TV, to music, on Curt’s website the questions are almost exclusively baseball related. Curt is not known for his movie reviews or his social commentary, people visit his site because they want insight into the mind of a major league pitcher, and how the world of sports works from the inside. Curt is able to provide insight into things that only professional athletes would be able to answer. One reader asks, “How important is a players number to him? Why 38 (38pitches.com)?” While other writers could speculate the significance of uniform numbers, Curt is able to answer from his first hand experience of having a number, and from all of the contact he has had with other players. Just as the readers do not ask Curt for his approval of a new nickname, they would no ask Simmons’ what the significance of an athlete’s number is.

While Paul Shirley does not answer reader’s questions explicitly, there is little doubt that their curiosity is satisfied after reading his blog. Although a bench player that hardly plays, Shirley gives insight into the life of an NBA player. To most people the life of an NBA player is something so far removed from their situation that they cannot really relate to it. Shirley however, is able to give the feeling that he is an average Joe tagging along and living with these larger than life figures. When reading Curt Schilling’s blog you get a sense that he is an integral part of the team that is usually right in the middle of the action. With Shirley it feels almost as if he is separate from the team, but for some reason he has been given complete and total access to the team. In his blog he writes, “I wonder sometimes if my teammates get bored on the court. At times it seems that the game almost comes so easily to some of them that they forget to concentrate and subconsciously allow the opponent back in the game just so they can have some competition (NBA.com).” Shirley makes sure to separate himself from his teammates. Since he gets hardly any playing time, he cannot say for sure how his teammates cope with trying to maintain focus and intensity over long periods of time. While a journalist could make the same claim as Shirley after watching a Phoenix Sun’s game, it would not carry the same weight. Shirley is a more credible source when it comes to the psyche of the team because not only does he get to observe the team more than anyone else, but also because he has a personal relationship with those on the team. When Shirley makes a personal statement about Steve Nash or other players on the team, the reader’s are more likely to believe it than if another reporter had written it. While a reporter can ask Steve Nash about his wife, they are probably receiving a rehearsed or censored answer because Nash knows what he says will be published. Shirley however, can find out how Nash truly feels in a casual conversation because the two men are peers.