Washington Sports

Glenn Stout is the series editor for The Best American Sports Writing series.

In 2004 Glenn Stout made Richard Ben Cramer editor for that year.

What Glenn Stout had to say about the sports writers.

• “Sports writers have never had a higher profile”
• The big money that is coming into sports these days helped spawn things like cable channels, Internet sites, and all sports radio, there has been a lot of spill-over for those who write about sports for a living
• There may not be more jobs or more markets but there is unquestionably more opportunity to become famous and make money.

Glenn Stout on the new age of sports journalism.

• “Many of today’s best-known sports writers are not celebrated for the quality of the work on the page, but for the volume of their words spoken on the airwaves.

In today’s day and age there are so many ways to get your thoughts on the airwaves.

• Twitter
• Blogs
• Facebook
• Myspace
• Radio
• Internet
• Podcasts
• Television

How Glenn Stout feels about the new form of sports journalism.

• “They may have become famous and they may have become rich, but very few have become better writers.”

Glenn Stout on being the series editor of the Best American Sports Writing series.

• Every season he reads every issue of hundreds of sports and general interest magazines in search of writing that might merit inclusion in The Best American Sports Writing.
• He also contacts the sports editors of some three hundred newspapers and request their submissions.
• He also encourages writers, readers, and all other interested parties to send him stories they have written or read in the past year that they would like to see reprinted in the series.

Glenn Stout on his choice for editor of the 2004 edition.

• “Richard Ben Cramer approached his duties this year with enthusiasm, and the result is a volume of which we are both justifiably proud.”

Jeff Zillgitt met with my sports journalism class on Tuesday, March 29.

Jeff Zillgitt is an NBA beat reporter for USA Today.

Jeff Zillgitt on Frank DeFord

• When he was around 20 years old he would spend hours reading Frank DeFord’s stories.  Most other people his age were out partying and socializing but Jeff could not tare himself away from the pages.
• He wanted to write just like Frank DeFord.

• “Your not going to be as good as your favorite writer” Jeff Stated.  “Just because your not gonna be frank doesn’t mean you wont find your place, it is up to you to find your place.”

• He fond out what he could do well and It is possible frank couldn’t write about the NBA.   In Jeff’s job he has to turn out copy all the time.   Frank would sometimes spend a couple months on his stories.   Also Frank didn’t have to worry about twitter or some on-line blog.

A New Age in Journalism

• College students today are in the heart of the new age of journalism
• “I’m fairly chained to my phone, the digital age has made things very accessible.  I tweet from my phone and my e-mail is on my phone, it gets to be a little much.” Says Jeff.
• You don’t want to miss a story, your gonna get beat you might not break every story but you don’t want to miss a story.
• It never hurts to use the phone and call some people, it is a good way to gain some credibility.

The Best American Sports Writing 2004

Episode 2: Misery Has More Company

By: Bob Ryan

” Would it spoil some vast eternal plan if the Red Sox could win one?”   This is the last sentence of the story.   You can only imagine what this story is about.   The only way you did not hear about this story is if you were living under a rock in the early 2000’s.

Yes, i am talking about the Boston Red Sox victory over the New York Yankees in the World Series.   I did have to figure this out considering that the author never did specify throughout the whole story.   It was an easy task to do but if you were living under a rock than sorry you will not understand what is being said in this story.

The mood of the story was very nastalgic.   I could tell that Bob Ryan is a big baseball fan and an even bigger Red Sox fan.   His note taking during the last game of the series was very thorough.  The game he was describing was an extremely exciting game.   The winner of this game was to go to the World Series.   Bob Ryan was sure that if the Red Sox did win that they would surely win the whole thing.

In actuality that is what happened.   I enjoyed the sense of disappointment in all Red Sox fans.   He did a good job painting a picture of failure in big games in Boston.   He said they were always in the big games but they were never drinking champagne.   However, in the game he wrote about they did.

Mike Wise is a journalists, a sports radio announcer, and a jack of all trades.   I sat down with him last Thursday at WJFK studios in Fairfax, VA.   The discussion we had resignated in my head for a while after words.

The most important thing that i took away from the meeting was a story he told.   He was watching the Arsenial Hall show while sitting on his couch.   Eddie Murphy was a featured guest on the show.   Hall asked Murphy, “What was your back-up plan if you didn’t succeed in comedy.”   Eddie replied, “Back-up plan? I never had a back-up plan, as far as I am concerned a back-up plan is setting yourself up for failure.   You do what you have a passion to do, and you just do it.”

That resignated with me because i have never looked at my life that way.   My whole life i was striving for greatness but at the same time i was constructing a back-up plan in case i failed.   I suppose if i put the energy that was used to create my back-up plan into my dreams that i may be closer.  Lucky for me i am still young and have plenty of time to achieve greatness.   However, after hearing this i have stopped thinking about playing if safe and creating a back-up plan.

Another story that Mike Wise told was about his experiences with Shaquille O’Neil.   Because he focused on his dream of writing he placed himself among a distingueshed group of writers.   In fact, Shaq had asked him to write a book with him.   When the book was finished Shaq took him on a hunting trip in his helicopter.   They had a great time and Mike had a hell of an experience.

I wish some day i could tell a story that is remotely close to this one.   The meeting was very eye-opening and inspirational.   The main thing i took away from this meeting is to go a hundred percent into your dreams.

The Best American Sports Writing 2004

Episode 1: Making a Play for Players

By: Lisa Olson

Apparently women will do anything these days to obtain fame.   The story starts out by describing two typical professional sports player hunters.   It seems as if one of the women is involved with a highly respected sports figure.   She is now well off.   She walks around the streets all day spending her man’s money.   Mostly she was spending money on herself.   Self-image seemed to be a major concern for these women.

The other women was not as well off as the first one.   In fact, she is in a huge amount of debt.   She works hard and tries to make a good amount of money.   This seems pretty average, but it’s not.   On the inside that women is still looking to find an athlete at any means nessesary.   Her friend funds her and allows her to be in a position to catch an unsuspecting athlete.

What these women are doing is highly unethical.   They know how to put themselves in positions of power.   All they have to do is use sex.   Of course, this can sometimes be a dangerous thing.   There is the possibility of being caught, catching a disease, getting pregnant, and in some cases things can get violent.

But how can you blame them.   Today the media focuses soo much attention on athletes that people will do anything just to see them.   Athletes have become some of the most desired people.   They make a lot of money, are in pretty good shape, and have access to a life of fame.

The fame is really what most of the women want.   They see that by using an athlete they can get plugged into a different social class.   A social class they may not be able to enter without giving themselves to an athlete.

Pro-Bowl Quarterback Carson Palmer has openly expressed negative emotions toward the Cincinnati Bengals.   Cincinnati was an organization where Palmer thrived in the past.   Perhaps this unfortunate turn in Cincinnati could be the answer to Washington’s Quarterback problem.

The Washington Redskins currently don’t have a clear path to look down as far as their Quarterback situation is concerned.   Currently they still have Donovan McNabb under contract.   However, the redskins stand to lose money by keeping him around.   Obviosly, they are going to get rid of him.   He gave the redskins an average run through the NFL season and left most redskin fans battered.   Of course, benching him four games before the end of the season probably wasn’t the best course of action.  They should have let him try to finish out the season.   Who knows he may have gotten the hang of the offense a little better and blown the boards up.

Any way, the redskins have a major problem on their hands now with Donovan Mcnabb.   It must be taken care of before the organization plans on rebuilding.   Also they still have Albert Haynesworth under contract and they need to get rid of him.

Albert Haynesworth has been nothing but a team cohesion killer.   His self-envolvement has brought a negative light to the good redskins name.   He got his payday so now he doesn’t care.   That is partly the redskins fault.   Why are they throwing money around like that on a player who thinks he can get away with kicking a player with his helmet off.

Now he did show signs of a good football player while in Washington, but it was always followed by a pathetic attempt to pretend to try hard.   This was followed by him going straight to one knee and an oxygen tank.   It is as if he has lost all drive to play football at a high level.   I think i know where his head is at though.   Surrounded by hundred dollar bills and off-road vehicles.   Why would he need to win a superbowl ring when he could just buy a hundred.   There may be a great football player somewhere in him but i don’t think it will ever come out in Washington.   And thats why it would be better for both parties to split ways.

Since Carson Palmer still has a high market value it is going to be hard to trade Donovan straight up for him.   But, if they throw Haynesworth in the mix then suddenly the trade is looking more attractive.   After all Cincinnati can handle a hand full super stars without completely crumbling.   In fact, if that trade does go through i feel like both teams will have better records than last season.   So why not?

As a Redskins fan i am worried about the state of the Quarteback position in Washington. We have too many options open right now to not see advances in the upcoming seasons.

One of those options is we stay with Rex Grossman at quarterback until he disappoints the redskins fans or hopefully retires as a redskin.  And when i say retire i say it with the best possible intentions.   I would want nothing more than for Rex Grossman to go down as an all-time redskin great and when many super bowls here, in Washington. After all he did take the Chicago Bears to a super bowl and they almost upset the Indiannapolis Colts.

Back to reality, I do realize that this is probably not a safe bet to make considering most fans in Washington want to see Rex go.   He started in the last four games of the redskins season last year and in a couple of those games he put up some really good numbers.   However, turnovers seemed to pouring out of him left and right in other games.   Either way, every game Rex played in the redskins were fighting and competing for the win.

Rex should stay in Washington.   In fact, he should start next season for the redskins.   He has drive and he knows what it takes to make it to the super bowl; a quality that most redskins have not even touched.   Don’t forget about the Shanahan boys on the side-lines calling the plays.   Those boys seem to favor Rex over any other quarterback on the team.   They like his aggresion and his ability to move down the field with his arm.   I also like those abilities of Rex however, i feel his most desirable ability is his quick release.   He reminds me of Drew Brees when he passes those quick slants.

The redskins need to atleast give Rex one more year in a burgandy and gold uniform before they let him go.   If they are planning on picking up a Quartback in the 2011 draft than they could use Rex to teach the rookie the new system.   If Rex begins to struggle than maybe we could put in the rookie and give him a chance to take control of the team.

The draft is getting closer and closer with each passing day.   And in about a month the redskins will have the number ten draft pick.   After this we will know what player we have selected.   If the redskins do draft a Quarterback then the above plan would make perfect sense.   And if the redskins draft someone like Cam Newton i believe he will be ready to get on the playing field sooner than we thought.

If your reading this blog than your probably a redskins fan. If that is the case then you probably thrive on watching the Dallas Cowboys stumble. Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant was ejected from an Dallas shopping mall after a dispute over dropping pants.

Bryant and three of his companions rolled up to the mall wearing their pants way too low.

A police statement on Tuesday says officers working off-duty on Saturday as security at NorthPark Center encountered Bryant and three companions.

According to the statement, when the officers asked the four to pull up their trousers, Bryant launched into a storm of profanity that prompted the officers to escort the four from the mall.

Police say Bryant refused to leave, however, until his “representative” could arrive and he parked in a fire lane until a friend arrived and persuaded him to leave.

No charge was filed. Bryant’s agent, Eugene Parker, declined to comment. The Dallas Cowboys did not respond to requests for comment.

The game was an exciting nail-bitter all the way to the end but the real story took place in the stands.

The day was September 6^th, 2010.    I awake much earlier than I normally do.   The day started for me at 7:30 am.   I was scheduled to meet some of my friends at the local Harris Teeter grocery store where a 70 foot RV would take us to Fed Ex field in Landover, Md.   When I arrived at the grocery store I met up with ten of my close friends that I have known for many years.   Four of them went to Virginia Tech and were very excited to go to Fed Ex field and see their number 10 football team play number 3 Boise State.   The other six of us had attended different colleges and weren’t huge VT fans but we went for the good times.

On the way to Fed Ex field we had a great time in my buddies 70 foot RV.   The RV was equipped with five flat screen T.V.’S, a bathroom, 3 beds, a full kitchen, and two couches.   And how could I forget the full bar.   It took us about an hour to finally reach our destination.   We parked next to other RV’S and made friends very fast.   We hung out around the RV for a couple of hours until it was time to go into the game.   My buddy Tyler had told me that he had our tickets in his pocket, so obviously I trusted that they would still be there.   All ten of us walked to the stadium and were ready to go in.   When we got to the gate I asked Tyler if he had our tickets and when he reached into his pocket they weren’t there.   He had lost them at some point in the day.   So as we watched our other friends enter the stadium we had to figure out a way in.   Since all of our friends had club level seats we knew we had to find a scalper with club level seats for sale.   We spent about 30 minutes looking for club level tickets but we had no luck.   Unfortunately all we could find were 30 dollar upper level seats.   So we bought them off of what seemed to be a trustworthy scalper.

The tickets we had got us into the stadium.   When we arrived at our seats we noticed that there were two people sitting in them.   I asked the people to show me their tickets and so they did.   When I looked at their tickets I was in shock.   Our tickets and their tickets were exactly the same.   We had bought counterfeit tickets.   After much dispute we finally went to customer service where many of the employees were reluctant to give us different seats.   Finally, they gave us two more tickets right around the previous seats.   When we got to those seats there was a giant pole in front of them.   After contemplation I decided it wouldn’t hurt to go back and ask for different seats.   When we went back to customer service a nice lady reached into a manila envelope and pulled out two tickets and said, “I hope these tickets work out better than the last ones”.   To my amazement when I looked down I noticed that she had given us club level seats.

We rode the escalator all the way to the club level and met up with our friends after a huge ordeal.   When we got to the club level we were greeted with many beverages.   Even though Virginia Tech lost we still managed to salvage a great time out of the whole situation.   On our walk back to the RV Tyler had to stop at the Porto potty because he had one too many beverages.   As I was waiting outside I noticed on the ground near a trash can what seemed to be a very familiar envelope.   When I opened the envelope I saw our two club level seats.   I told Tyler and he said they must have fallen out when he threw a can away.

ASHBURN, Va – The Briar Woods Falcons were fresh off a win and ready for action.   Then they ran into the Potomac Falls Panthers.

Luke Mihailovich had 19 points and led the Panthers to an 86-61 win.

Zach Curran hit two 3-pointers and supplied the Panthers with 13 points.

Myles Tate led the Falcons with 25 points.   The Falcons were able to hold on to an 11 point deficit at half-time.   But after coming out of the locker room flat they found themselves trying to catch-up the rest of the game.   The surging Panthers never panicked and showed poise by draining basket after basket.

“They do not miss shots.” Briar Woods head coach Michael Benson said.   “They do not make a lot of mistakes.”

Corey Faciane finished the game with a total of 12 points, all of which were 3-pointers.   Yves Kouame also tried to fend off the panthers by providing the Falcons with two 3-pointers and 12 points.

“Potomac Falls is just a very very good team right now.   They’re playing at the top of their game.   We ran into a train tonight.   They are a very smart experienced team.”   Head coach Michael Benson said.   “Teams get better during the season and individuals get better in the off-season.”

This game sends the Briar Woods Boys Basketball team to the off-season.