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.