One of my favorite aphorisms about journalism is that it’s the first rough draft of history. True enough. Sometimes, though, it proves to be the only history, especially for local news of lesser import. And as for those stories that have follow-ups over time, the term “rough draft” may suggest that debut stories have a […]
Category Archives: Journalism
To honor a life, it is essential to get the details right–and to do it well. And, you only get one crack at it.
Social justice warriors can be their own worst enemy, especially when they resort to crying wolf all too quickly.
Kobe Bryant’s shocking death yesterday hit me on an unexpected level. When my son broke the news to me, my heart sank. Horrible, sad, tragic…what are the words? There are no words; there are too many words. It was a moment that smacked me up-side my entire being, soul and body. I realize I am […]
Two weeks ago, when I sang the praises of Melissa Isaacson’s “State,” I foreshadowed a return to my sports writing roots as I chronicle my daughter’s cross-country team’s postseason efforts. Having transitioned some 13 years ago from a long career in journalism to public relations and other forms of communication, I call these “random acts of […]
One of life’s recurring pleasures is coming upon a book I wasn’t looking for—then being powerless to look away. Three weeks ago, with a few minutes to spare before heading to a nearby meeting, that scene played out at a local library. There, prominently displayed along with other new releases, was a book whose cover […]
A few weeks ago, a funny thought occurred to me: maybe President Trump is the perfect leader for our times. Now, don’t get me wrong–I don’t mean funny in the “ha-ha” sense, since the closest Trump’s administration can be linked to humor is that it has been one protracted punch line in an utterly, outrageously cosmic […]
What? Who? When? Where? Why? How? In simple terms, those questions drive story-telling. Beyond the “what?”–which obviously covers a lot of essential ground–the most vital question to answer is “why?” Tackling the “why” of something that has happened or is happening requires expertise and insight and nuance and, yes, even sticking out your neck with […]
The brilliantly stupid film Zoolander…ESPN’s Mike Greenberg…and the topic of vandalism—all make cameos in a sprawling chat that I had last week with Mark Bazer of The Interview Show. As I mentioned to Mark in my opening remarks, he was on my list of candidates in part because he has blazed the trail so well for interview shows […]
In my 40-plus years as a basketball player, coach, referee and all-around zealot, I have found that there’s no reliable metric when off-the-charts talent meets out-of-your-mind poor judgment. A standout player can make what appears to be the worst decision, and somehow make it right. This is especially true when that out-sized talent is rivaled […]