2437 replies to this topic

[NatetheGreat]

It was good, but also kind of disconcerting. Like I was watching the distilled essence of what the Sports Guy ethos is. His entire schtick from day one was to simulate the perspective of the dude in the man cave with his pals. First print, then radio, now live video. We may have seen his evolutionary peak. And if not, what's the next step to close the gap further?

 

Sports Guy literally comes to your house and chills on your couch, awkwardly refuses to take the hint when it's time to leave

[Clears Cleaver]

I thought the entire thing was fun and entertaining. Jalen is great. Its clear hes a bright guy whom everyone respects. And house and rembertt seem like legitimately good guys who don't kiss bill's ass. good repartee between them all. I think it gets better if they had some cameos or guests.

[Number45forever]

Is there somewhere I can sign a petition to have Simmons and Bob Ryan do a weekly or bi-weekly podcast just telling basketball stories?  The last couple times he's had Ryan on have been so great.  The passion they both have for the game, and the depth of knowledge they both have, it's just a perfect match.  Bill Russell and Larry Bird stories alone would be fine for me.

[The Social Chair]

100% agree. Bill breifly mentioned Ryan writing for Grantland when he's done with his book. I know I'd love to see him write lengthy NBA pieces for the site.

[Papelbon's Poutine]

I'd love to read Ryan talking about all the stories he couldn't write about for the Globe. Stuff like the quote Pierce referred to in his story about the Phoenix. I bet he has hundreds of similar stuff. 

[jose melendez]

What is Simmons refering to here

 

"Q: What would be the most devastating PED story ever? Wouldn't it have to be the Miracle on Ice team? Would this destroy the Internet completely along with all semblance of American pride? I can't think of anything worse possibly happening in the sports world.

—Jeff Kelly, Phoenixville, PA

SG: I can think of one thing worse involving the Miracle on Ice team …"

 

Did something actually happen, or there's just one worse thing that could happen?

[kenneycb]

His next response was about Kim Jong-Un winning the auction for the Eruzione jersey and then subsequently burning it on live TV, which is the one worse thing.

Edited by kenneycb, 10 April 2013 - 12:53 PM.

[jose melendez]

Thanks.

[Dehere]

^{Did Simmons write something on the marathon bombing and I just missed it?}

[kenneycb]

He mentioned it briefly in the first part of the first trade value column.

[ifmanis5]

^{Did Simmons write something on the marathon bombing and I just missed it?}

I think he mentioned in a podcast that he just couldn't bring himself to write about it because it was too emotional etc.

[Dehere]

Thanks. I guess I'm not sure what to make of that.

 

Selfishly, I'm interested in reading a Simmons essay on the bombing and the manhunt, and it seems a little weak for a prominent writer with very strong ties to Boston to not write anything on this subject and claim it's just too emotional. Was the whole experience any more emotional for Simmons than it was for Charlie Pierce or Leigh Montville?

 

At the same time, I guess his current role doesn't literally obligate him to write anything on this story - although there have to be many readers who were looking for something more from Simmons over the last two weeks. And on some level it probably is better to write nothing at all than to write something trite or substandard if you feel you're not up to producing really good work. Or maybe he was personally affected in some way we don't know about that other media members with Boston connections were not.

 

It's just....surprising to see Simmons go almost totally silent on the biggest Boston news event of our lifetime, and one with explicit relevance to sports.

[Spud]

I was also surprised that Simmons didn't write anything for Grantland.  But Charlie Pierce more than made up for Simmons' absence.  The stuff in Charlie's Esquire blog was terrific and timely.

Edited by Spud, 29 April 2013 - 11:23 AM.

[drleather2001]

Thanks. I guess I'm not sure what to make of that.

 

Selfishly, I'm interested in reading a Simmons essay on the bombing and the manhunt, and it seems a little weak for a prominent writer with very strong ties to Boston to not write anything on this subject and claim it's just too emotional. Was the whole experience any more emotional for Simmons than it was for Charlie Pierce or Leigh Montville?

 

At the same time, I guess his current role doesn't literally obligate him to write anything on this story - although there have to be many readers who were looking for something more from Simmons over the last two weeks. And on some level it probably is better to write nothing at all than to write something trite or substandard if you feel you're not up to producing really good work. Or maybe he was personally affected in some way we don't know about that other media members with Boston connections were not.

 

It's just....surprising to see Simmons go almost totally silent on the biggest Boston news event of our lifetime, and one with explicit relevance to sports.

 

Winners want the ball.   He should have written something.  The rest is bullshit. 

[Mystic Merlin]

I think he mentioned in a podcast that he just couldn't bring himself to write about it because it was too emotional etc.

 

Holy cop out Batman.

[Dehere]

Winners want the ball.   He should have written something.  The rest is bullshit. 

 

Yeah, I'm tip-toeing around it because I think you want to give people some benefit of the doubt in what was an extremely emotional set of circumstances, but it's hard to understand how Simmons could not have written anything substantial on this.

[dirtynine]

I kind of think he knew anything he wrote would suffer in comparison to others, especially others writing at Grantland itself.  I'm betting he'll do something in a few weeks/months when he has no "competition" - a retro diary of the week or something like that. 

[Shelterdog]

I think he mentioned in a podcast that he just couldn't bring himself to write about it because it was too emotional etc.

 

Also that he couldn't figure out how to write about it because the only things he could thing about were the personal connection to the marathon but he didn't want to write a column that was all about him in a time like this.

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

Also that he couldn't figure out how to write about it because the only things he could thing about were the personal connection to the marathon but he didn't want to write a column that was all about him in a time like this.

 

Two things, one snarky the other not so much:

 

1. Why would this be any different than 99% of columns?

2. Writing is difficult. Writing about something like this is very difficult, the great stories shine through (Pierce, for one) and the others fall to the side. It's a little disappointing that Simmons didn't write anything, especially since he used to write about the Marathon every year. And saying that he couldn't it because it "was too emotional" is a big cop-out. He should have put forth something.

[Shelterdog]

Two things, one snarky the other not so much:

 

1. Why would this be any different than 99% of columns?

2. Writing is difficult. Writing about something like this is very difficult, the great stories shine through (Pierce, for one) and the others fall to the side. It's a little disappointing that Simmons didn't write anything, especially since he used to write about the Marathon every year. And saying that he couldn't it because it "was too emotional" is a big cop-out. He should have put forth something.

 

Agreed on both fronts. I'm not defending him. Frankly it amuses me that an event has to be this monumental for him to realize that every column shouldn't be about the world viewed through sports guy's world.

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

The thing is, it's okay if it's viewed through the Sports Guy prism. In his piece, Charlie Pierce talked about himself a lot; about how he'd get hammered at his favorite bar (I thought it was Daisy's, but I don't think it is) and watch the marathon. It's no shame for Simmons to talk about going to the marathon with his dad or his buddies or whomever. As long as it's not a Peter King-esque piece about himself, it's perfectly fine to use himself as a conduit.

 

For a person who made his bones as the BOSTON Sports Guy, this should have been right in his wheelhouse. I can't believe he whiffed on it and gave such a lousy excuse.

[SydneySox]

I'm glad he didn't write anything. I actually think it showed some level of awareness.

 

I know he once... once... wrote something emotionally strong - about the death of his dog. It was a really strong piece.

 

But I dreaded looking at Grantland and seeing his name under a 'I used to go here and I remember going there' piece with some poor literary device grafted on. He didn't write it so it's unfair to put that on him but the way he writes these days I expected nothing but the worst.

 

Worse would then have been if his piece became some shining beacon of Bostoninitude for the Grantland masses.

 

I want to hope he knew his limitations and in that land of hope I actually gained respect for him for restraining himself.

 

edit: left out a word here or

Edited by SydneySox, 30 April 2013 - 12:55 AM.

[SydneySox]

For a person who made his bones as the BOSTON Sports Guy, this should have been right in his wheelhouse. I can't believe he whiffed on it and gave such a lousy excuse.

 

 

I don't think he whiffed as much as took a called strike on the outside corner.

[drleather2001]

I don't think he whiffed as much as took a called strike on the outside corner.

 

Or pulled himself out of Game 6 because he couldn't, or wouldn't, face the pressure.

[Drocca]

I agree with Syd in that I'm glad he didn't write it. He may have even had the self-awareness to know that this wasn't 'his' story to write. The marathon and holiday are extremely local events (people outside of New England really know nothing of the holiday). Simmons may still be a fan's voice for the Pats, Celtics and Red Sox but he is not the voice of Boston anymore and has not been for some time. He has been in L.A. working a succesful media empire for a long time now. He still roots for the teams and of course that will always be his hometown; but I don't think he would have added anything and he may have known that.

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

I think that you and Syd are letting him off the hook way too easy. Is my life ruinedbecause I didn't get Simmons' take? No, of course not and you guys are right, there's probably a better chance that he'd screw this up rather than write something thought-provoking or interesting.

 

But in the larger context that's a bit of a problem for Simmons, don't you think? His readers don't have any confidence in him.

[Papelbon's Poutine]

He could at least finish the friggin trade value column.

[SydneySox]

I think that you and Syd are letting him off the hook way too easy. Is my life ruinedbecause I didn't get Simmons' take? No, of course not and you guys are right, there's probably a better chance that he'd screw this up rather than write something thought-provoking or interesting.

 

But in the larger context that's a bit of a problem for Simmons, don't you think? His readers don't have any confidence in him.

 

I'm not letting him off the hook only because he fell off the hook a long, long time ago. This image would have seen him desperately and pathetically trying to climb back onto the hook as everyone watched with growing parts horror and pity.

 

He had the sense to stay on the ground, leaving the hook to others. I like that better.

[Dalton Jones]

Self-preservation. He knows he doesn't have the chops to write about this story, a story that doesn't lend itself to pop culture references from his staple of late 80's-early 90's TV. What has 90210 have to do with the murder of innocents? I give him credit. He's built his empire by consistently giving space/voice to talented writers and producers and film makers to express their talent. In this regard he seems to have no ego despite his thin skin regarding criticism. He and Pierce had a dispute some years ago centering around Bill's shallow appreciation of, I think, the civil rights movement and Muhammad Ali's place in it, and yet he had the good sense to hire Pierce shortly after that to write some columns for Grantland.

[nattysez]

As someone who's from the Boston area and has lived in California as long as Simmons, I'll say this -- I don't think I'd ever presume to be able to capture the emotion of the town after being away for so long. 

 

On the one hand, you could argue that a talented writer should be able to put something together about what it's like to see something like that happen to your hometown from 3,000 miles away.  On the other hand, I think it's valid for someone like Simmons to say "the only angle I've got is entirely about my own emotions, so I'm going to leave this for someone else to write." I think it's commendable, to be honest.  

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

As someone who's from the Boston area and has lived in California as long as Simmons, I'll say this -- I don't think I'd ever presume to be able to capture the emotion of the town after being away for so long. 

 

Like I said before, and this is pretty much it for me on this topic, you guys are giving him way too much credit. He always tries to capture the emotion of the Boston fan. He does it every single week in his NFL picks column. It's always under the guise of, "I have some friends back home who say" or something along those lines. There are countless examples in this very thread of us saying, "WTF is he talking about? No one feels this way." 

 

I'm not sure that Simmons gained some sort of perspective/maturity in the last month where he doesn't feel he has the chops to cover something like this. Simmons has never wanted for confidence in his writing. I'm not sure why this would be any different. 

[johnmd20]

Simmons wrote a strong column after September 11th despite not being in or living in New York City. But that was when he was a writer. Now he's got plenty of other things going on. I am very surprised he didn't try to write a column, that used to be in his wheelhouse, but like the unhinged Austrian said, "Simmons fell off the hook a long time ago."

[Spacemans Bong]

Charlie Pierce could be living on frigging Mars and I would trust him to capture the spirit of the city better than Simmons could. That's a testament to Charlie's chops as a writer and his passionate love for the city of Boston. Simmons loves being from Boston, but Pierce is almost Joycean in his ability to convey a city in his writing. That takes a real love of place and Simmons has never really brought that to his writing.

[Rocco Graziosa]

Anything Simmons writes at this point is almost overkill.  95% of the stuff he writes about I've already heard him talk about on his ESPN NBA show or his podcast.  Kind of kills the originality and freshness of anything he writes about. 

 

By the way, the stuff he's doing in that podcast studio is fantastic.  The podcasts themselves are great, but some of the other stuff is pretty good too.  He has a fantastic rapport with Jalen Rose, and the stuff they did on during the tournament was really good. 

[Rocco Graziosa]

By the way, when all is said and done, I think the contributions to sports entertainment that Simmons is going to be most remembered for is going to be the creator of Grantland and his 30 for 30 series.  I also think he'll be doing that podcast long after he's writing regularly.

Edited by Rocco Graziosa, 01 May 2013 - 07:53 AM.

[DrewDawg]

Next month he'll do a retro-diary of it where he'll mention that Reddit thread and say he always thought the guy in the white cap looked sketchy.

[ifmanis5]

Billy Boy is posting a 2-part NBA mailbag today but still hasn't done part 3 of the Trade Value column? I don't even.

[LMontro]