Before I say anything, I urge you to take a look at this link:
The Ringmaster Rolls On
That is today's (January 17th) E-Ticket on espn.com. E-Ticket is pretty much an article that is written for print for ESPN The Magazine, but they end up featuring on their website. They only do it every so often, but it usually is an article that evokes some sort of strong feeling, whether it be controversy, hate, love, or anything in between. I want people to read this article because when I read it for the first time today, it reminded me why I wanted to get into sports writing as part of my future career (hopefully). Discard the fact that the article is about Victor Conte, the mastermind of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Op (or BALCO as it's known in the sporting community), who almost single-handedly killed the game of Baseball. I want you to look at the article not only for the content, but also for the writing. The way that Patrick Hruby has captured the range of emotions from this man, the man who made Marion Jones the toast of her country at the Sydney Olympics and then ultimately lead her running into prison, is absolutely amazing. As previously mentioned, I desperately want to be involved in sports journalism once I get out of college and get on with life, and although Hruby may not be as recognized as other writers in the sports world, I can only hope that one day I can crank out an article that captivates someone as Hruby's did to me.
What made this article jump out at me was the way it was conveyed: It had the reporting aspect, the personal aspect, and the short quips that make a story worth reading. He did a great job of making it non-partial too; whether you love Conte or hate him, this article appealed to all. I've always had a split opinion on Conte. From a Baseball fans stand point, he is someone that I loathe and wish would have never gotten in the way of something that didn't need fixing. From a personal stand point, I think he's a genius. A college dropout who doesn't even have a degree started up a business that eventually gained the trust of athletes such as Barry Bonds, Marion Jones, and Bill Romanowski. He is a quick thinker and knows how to say what he needs to, and that's a very admirable quality for a person. Any journalist could go in, speak with Conte, take down a few quotes from him, and fill in the rest later. But Hruby takes the quotes, organizes them perfectly, and parlays the words into pages of brilliant and entertaining reporting. Conte should be thanking Hruby for this article; I have to admit, when I read the article, it really made me think long and hard about what I think of Conte, and for reasons I can't explain, I'm starting forgive him for what he did to Americas game.
Patrick Hruby's article made me remember why I want to get into the business of sports journalism, and I thank him for that. I read sports stories every day, and some catch my eye, others I'll skim through and I won't think about them a second time. I can't help but think that if this story had come out even as recent as a year ago what my reaction would have been. I feel like I would have taken it the wrong way and been fuming at Hruby for putting Conte in somewhat of a "good light." But after reading and re-reading this article many times, it is obvious to me that this is what I want to do, and I can only hope that one day I can write a story as powerful as Hruby did.
The Ringmaster Rolls On
That is today's (January 17th) E-Ticket on espn.com. E-Ticket is pretty much an article that is written for print for ESPN The Magazine, but they end up featuring on their website. They only do it every so often, but it usually is an article that evokes some sort of strong feeling, whether it be controversy, hate, love, or anything in between. I want people to read this article because when I read it for the first time today, it reminded me why I wanted to get into sports writing as part of my future career (hopefully). Discard the fact that the article is about Victor Conte, the mastermind of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Op (or BALCO as it's known in the sporting community), who almost single-handedly killed the game of Baseball. I want you to look at the article not only for the content, but also for the writing. The way that Patrick Hruby has captured the range of emotions from this man, the man who made Marion Jones the toast of her country at the Sydney Olympics and then ultimately lead her running into prison, is absolutely amazing. As previously mentioned, I desperately want to be involved in sports journalism once I get out of college and get on with life, and although Hruby may not be as recognized as other writers in the sports world, I can only hope that one day I can crank out an article that captivates someone as Hruby's did to me.
What made this article jump out at me was the way it was conveyed: It had the reporting aspect, the personal aspect, and the short quips that make a story worth reading. He did a great job of making it non-partial too; whether you love Conte or hate him, this article appealed to all. I've always had a split opinion on Conte. From a Baseball fans stand point, he is someone that I loathe and wish would have never gotten in the way of something that didn't need fixing. From a personal stand point, I think he's a genius. A college dropout who doesn't even have a degree started up a business that eventually gained the trust of athletes such as Barry Bonds, Marion Jones, and Bill Romanowski. He is a quick thinker and knows how to say what he needs to, and that's a very admirable quality for a person. Any journalist could go in, speak with Conte, take down a few quotes from him, and fill in the rest later. But Hruby takes the quotes, organizes them perfectly, and parlays the words into pages of brilliant and entertaining reporting. Conte should be thanking Hruby for this article; I have to admit, when I read the article, it really made me think long and hard about what I think of Conte, and for reasons I can't explain, I'm starting forgive him for what he did to Americas game.
Patrick Hruby's article made me remember why I want to get into the business of sports journalism, and I thank him for that. I read sports stories every day, and some catch my eye, others I'll skim through and I won't think about them a second time. I can't help but think that if this story had come out even as recent as a year ago what my reaction would have been. I feel like I would have taken it the wrong way and been fuming at Hruby for putting Conte in somewhat of a "good light." But after reading and re-reading this article many times, it is obvious to me that this is what I want to do, and I can only hope that one day I can write a story as powerful as Hruby did.
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