Well that didn't take long did it? For three days straight, Shaughnessy has been dancing on the grave of the Yankees. 24 hours and one loss later, the immortal Mr Sample Size of One concludes that the sky is in fact falling. Doesn't beat around the bush either for that is a direct quote
Never mind the Yankees are still a good team. Shank needed a story line. Never mind the Red Sox took 2 of 3. Shank needed a story line. Never mind Lester pitched great. Shank needed a story line. Never mind that Beckett's injury did not occur at Yankees Stadium and has been a concern for awhile now. Shank needed a story line.
Perhaps this is what a columnist is supposed to do. Make bold proclamations. It's "Good versus evil". The issues are black and white. My issue with Shaughnessy is that he turns on a dime and bounds from one extreme to another all in 24 hours. In some cases, it is warranted...consider the extremes of the Patriots last season pre and post Super Bowl. Yet, here we have one regular season loss and Shaughnessy spectacularly blows it out of proportion.
I suppose it is all relative however. I was blown away by the venom with which Jay Mariotti's colleagues wrote about him. As much as I think Shaughnessy is a lazy writer who shills for attention, he comes nowhere close to what we are reading from Chicago. God forbid he makes his way to Boston. Is there already a Jay Mariotti Watch?
18 comments:
The reason why Shaughnessy doesn't (yet) garner the same amount of hate as Mariotti has to do with exposure. Mariotti first works in a bigger city. Second, he's 'out there' more...happily taking 'paid-for' gigs on ESPN game shows. Of course, these are trumped by his outright boorishness as a professional AND as a person. It's kinda tough to accomplish both, but he has managed to. Now Shaughnessy is getting 'out there' more. He has to. His own ship is sinking, and no amount of bloviating from OB will change that set of facts. So Shaughnessy HAS to get on NESN and ESPN in order to plug himself as 'more than just a Boston newspaper media hack.' Problem is, he has a face made for milk cartons...not TV. In this rapidly-changing world of sports media, the 'bitter-haters' like Mariotti and Shaughnessy are finding a tough go of it. This is all good.
Chris
Appreciate the post but I disagree with one of your points. You say he has a face for milk cartons. Those mil carton faces are of people who have been kidnapped, right? Who in their right mind would kidnap Shank?
Dave
Yep...lousy metaphor on my part. I look at Shaughnessy's face and I quite frankly know what it's made for. If you're in sports media, and Rome is burning down all around you, what are your options? Especially when the 'good ones' have already been scooped up by those 'evil Internet' people like Yahoo! and espn.com. And it is humorous to see these know-it-alls refer to it as the 'internet' rather than the 'Internet.' Grammatically, it's a proper term. But why would media types care about grammar when there are so many narratives to launch and anger-filled volleys to lob?
Dan does have a face for radio...
In other news today, the sky did indeed stop falling...confounding Dan Shaughnessy and Chicken Little at the same time. Boston beat Chicago, 8-0.
The point was the Sawx couldn't get out of the last series at Yankee Stadium without, if not a defeat, then hearing at a post-game news conference the less than encouraging news about the ace who gave up 4 runs in 30 innings while winning 4 playoff games en route to the 2007 World Series.
For those of you still struggling with reading comprehension, it had nothing to do with where the injury occurred, nor did it have anything to do with the third game loss portending a sudden Yankee turnaround, not is it bounding from one extreme to another. It was a reference to the irony that even in these best-of Red Sox/Yankee times, they can't get out of Yankee Stadium without a discouraging word.
It was an apt observation, it is indisputable that the Red Sox face a very tough task in the playoffs without Beckett.
For those of you still struggling with reading comprehension,
Arrogance and condescension being critical and substantive debating techniques...
...it had nothing to do with where the injury occurred, nor did it have anything to do with the third game loss portending a sudden Yankee turnaround, not is it bounding from one extreme to another. It was a reference to the irony that even in these best-of Red Sox/Yankee times, they can't get out of Yankee Stadium without a discouraging word.
Seems to me Dave's simply making a different point than Shank is. You should reconsider the notion about who suffers the reading comprehension thingy, 'cause it ain't Dave.
It was an apt observation, it is indisputable that the Red Sox face a very tough task in the playoffs without Beckett.
It is also indisputable that you excel at leaving out important facts that invalidate your arguments. Don't even try telling me you didn't see that one.
OB,
Does the Globe send out a talking points memo each morning so that you can defend Shank? You have a great ability to tell us what Shank meant, even though it was in no way apparent from what he actually wrote.
Also, I asked you a question a few posts ago. How does Bob Ryan being told to write up Celtics games from the radio compare with the crap Shank spews out?
Also, I asked you a question a few posts ago. How does Bob Ryan being told to write up Celtics games from the radio compare with the crap Shank spews out?
I think there was a play about that, Waiting for Godot or somethin'? Guess you won't be holding your breath waiting for an answer...
Roger: I think the word "sainted" explains it all. The quest to slam Shaughnessy (basically for failing to fall into line and luv, luv, luv our beloved heroes) means he'll be ripped for offenses that are of a similar category as those blithely ignored among others.
Meanwhile one who complains of ad hominem argument and "arrogance and condescension" writes that someone "has a face for radio."
And you wonder why I don't take this journalism criticism seriously
`Roger: I think the word "sainted" explains it all.
It explains nothing. Please expand on that point. This is a surprising lack of verbosity on your end.
The quest to slam Shaughnessy (basically for failing to fall into line and luv, luv, luv our beloved heroes)
Shank gets ragged on here because he SUCKS. That's the long & short of it. Dig?
...means he'll be ripped for offenses that are of a similar category as those blithely ignored among others.
I like shitting on everyone, especially you. Do you like the sorta chocolate soft-serve while I'm haunching on your face before the bowel drop?
I sent the following e-mail snippet to someone today (sorta unedited):
I've hated that cocksucker (Shank - ed) ever since he interviewed Wade Boggs (1994 or 1995). At that point I was buying the Globe, keeping the Sports section and throwing the rest of it in the garbage barrel. Shank asked him about his reading habits (probably wanted Wade to tell him how freakin' wonderful the Boston Globe is). He responds by saying 'I listen to Rush Limbaugh' Shank, dripping with OB-like condescension, says 'Yooou listen to Rush Limbaugh?' I stopped buying the Globe altogether from that day forward and I've been listening to Rush ever since (If Shank hates him, Rush must be pretty cool!).
Would you like to explain why I should not rip Shank, given that snippet?
Meanwhile one who complains of ad hominem argument and "arrogance and condescension" writes that someone "has a face for radio."
OB, you are the complete embodiment of 'arrogance and condescension' on this board. Perhaps I'm a bit mean spirited with certain arguments, but you fail to address the following question :am I wrong?
And you wonder why I don't take this journalism criticism seriously
Check this out - some freaking busybodies in my neighborhood are doing this block party thing this upcoming Saturday. I'm telling a neighbor I'm gonna wear just my jockstrap and run up & down the street with a bottle of Jack Daniels while I'm yelling out lyrics to this song<'a>Helter Skelter.
OB,
“The phrase, "The sky is falling," has passed into the English language as a common idiom indicating a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is imminent.”
It seems like TypoMan isn’t checking his sources.
“…indicating a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is imminent ….”
So the Idiot announces his true calling .... hysterical and mistaken.
g
Meanwhile, the Sox are manhandling a tough opponent, getting great production from the kids; why isn't our award-winning columnist analyzing and providing context for this series? Is it because he doesn't have a well-worn list of great Red Sox/White Sox moments to cut and paste into an article?
OB
Why do you persist with this luv, luv, luv crap? Seriously, it has nothing to do with it. Shaughnessy has a replica of Fenway in his back yard - kind of gives me a sense he is a fan through and through. Despite that apparent connection with us common folks, I still think the guy stinks. We have detailed it repeatedly here--and it has nothing to do with this luv/luv/luv crap you spew. Yes, I am a fan of Bob Ryan because I think he is a very capable writer who does not fall prey to these 180 degree turn abouts; does not make it personal and who is not the lazy schlep that Shaughnessy has become.
You do remind me a lot of Shaughnessy in this regard -- you seem to have these preconceived notions (i.e., this whole pathetic luv/luv/luv thing) that you perceive to be gospel. You then proceed to shoehorn everything you see into this belief even if it simply does not fit. Shaughnessy does this often...like he did in his most recent piece.
As for your other points, if Shaughnessy's column was more nuanced then I would agree with you but when he declares that the sky is falling (not to mention the other emotionally charged language he tosses in) after one loss , that is simply pathetic. Pathetic but so reflective of Shaughnessy's shtick
Maybe I should leave out the machete when Ima doin' the jockstrap / Jack Daniels jaunt next week?
Can Brucie explain / deplore my lack of luv, luv, luv for my neighbours? Maybe I need the pink hat to round out the wardrobe...
And you wonder why I don't take this journalism criticism seriously.
Yet you're back for more...
"haunching on your face before the bowel drop"
'Nuff said.
OB:
"Sawx."
Fucking awesome! Never gets old, dude! Absolutely laugh-out loud funny!
Your pal,
Timmy
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