Turn It Up/Turn It Down: A Weekly Review of the Media

Week of July 7–12

Every week I write a media column, giving the good, the bad, and the ugly of the week in media.  Print, radio, internet, and television are all considered.  Enjoy—and as always, feel free to comment and nominate your favorites too.

The Good

Rick Morrisey (Chicago Tribune)

I’m no Morrisey fan, but his column on Monday was a great one.  He conducted an email experiment to see if Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen really does respond to his e-mails.  Morrisey made several attempts, failing in most of them, but eventually getting a successful response from Guillen.  The best part was the time of Guillen’s response—90 minutes before a game!

NFL.com

This week, NFL.com ran a five-part series focused on how rookies are required to adapt to the pro game.  Everything from dealing with the media, being able to market yourself, dealing with off the field issues, and managing finances was covered in the series.  Knowing how valuable each section is to the development of each rookie, I find it hard to believe Cedric Benson ever attended one of these classes.

Jayson Stark (ESPN.com)

Every Thursday, Stark writer a lengthy column covering all of the latest trade rumors and news in the world of baseball.  This week's “Rumblings and Grumblings” was focused on ways to improve the All-Star Game.  Among the many suggestions:  Cut the Home Run Derby from three rounds to two while voting in the participants; have a separate vote for utility players and middle inning relief pitchers; extend the All Star break from four days into an entire week.  Stark also wrote on Saturday all of his choices for the half-season awards.

Richard Justice (Houston Chronicle)

This extremely interesting column is designed for the die-hard baseball fan.  Justice goes into detail about what it takes to be a professional scout, and the daily rigors of travel and accommodations each one faces.  What type of salary does a scout who has discovered talent like Hunter Pence and Roy Oswalt make a year?  Try $50,000.  No wonder most of them are so lonely and have a diet consisting of Burger King Whoppers.

The Bad 

Buster Olney (ESPN.com)

Mr. Olney is my favorite reporter in the world, and this is his first and hopefully only appearance in the “bad” section.  On Tuesday, Buster wrote in his famous blog, “The Cubs probably don't have the talent to meet the asking price Oakland would attach to Rich Harden.”  Literally ten hours later, Harden was a Chicago Cub.  Being the professional he is, Buster wrote later that night in regards to his earlier statement, “Rhymes with ‘Dewey Defeats Truman,’ given the timing of the Harden deal.”

The Ugly

All NFL reporters, columnists, and talk show hosts (Their Media Outlets)

Prepare for non-stop Brett Favre coverage.  If your local team lacks a quarterback, don’t be surprised when you open the paper, turn on the radio, or power up the television to find Brett Favre in your hometown teams jersey.  With Favre formerly requesting his release on Friday, the media everywhere will have countless “sources” and “rumors” of where Favre’s next destination will be.  Remember, you’ve been warned….

*Notes* 

Dan Patrick and Keith Olberman are together again.  Patrick will join his old friend on NBC’s Football Night in America every Sunday night

ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons is taking the next ten weeks off to write his second book.  Simmons will return to the web just before Week 1 of the NFL season.  His weekly podcasts will continue to be recorded throughout the absence.