ATD #9 Sign-up and Preliminary Discussion

[Evil Sather]

Where the hell are my Dead Hookers?

 

[VanIslander]

Where the hell are my Dead Hookers?

it seemed like you were joking

What city? Amsterdam? Bangkok? L.A.? Atlantic City? Mississauga?

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Where the hell are my Dead Hookers?

The last words of many a convict.

 

[VanIslander]

 

[Evil Sather]

I'll think I'll go for the Kootenay Ice. Sounds a little dirty.

 

[VanIslander]

I'll think I'll go for the Kootenay Ice. Sounds a little dirty.

Makes me think about beer.

 

[Hedberg]

My team will be the Victoria Salmon Kings.

I'm looking forward to this draft

 

[MXD]

Open hostility? I am a hockey writer. This is what was stated from cottonking.

"Writers suck. You don't know their voice or their face -- just their typewriter."

Damn right I'm going to get hostile. A significant part of my life is devoted to writing about hockey.

Guess what, cottonking? The hockey writer is the one who still has to work the hardest. The hockey writer is the one who is at practice every day. He's the one who, in the case of the daily papers, has to work until very late at night, crafting a story for the next day's paper. The play-by-play guy works hard, don't get me wrong (I don't want mullin all over me for this post). But usually it's the beat reporter for the radio or TV station who covers the practices, and goes into the locker rooms to gather the quotes after the game. (A little different for a guy like mullin, who has to call the game and get the post-game feedback). But the radio and TV people usually just have to get a few quotes, a few sound bytes, or video clips, for the post-game show that night. If you want real insight, real in-depth coverage for the game, the hockey writers are still your best bet.

I knew who the beat writers for the papers in Vancouver were back when I was 10, long before I ever gained an interest in becoming a hockey writer.

Jim Coleman (the man who introduced many a B.C. fan to hockey and sports history), Red Fischer and Milt Dunnell are more than deserving of having their names on our championships.

Les paroles s'envolent, les écrits restent...

Surely there's an english equivalence for this, which roughly means

You can say dumb things (and get away with it), but you cannot write dumb things (and get away with it)

 

[nik jr]

i will represent

LADA TOGLIATTI

 

[shawnmullin]

Open hostility? I am a hockey writer. This is what was stated from cottonking.

"Writers suck. You don't know their voice or their face -- just their typewriter."

Damn right I'm going to get hostile. A significant part of my life is devoted to writing about hockey.

Guess what, cottonking? The hockey writer is the one who still has to work the hardest. The hockey writer is the one who is at practice every day. He's the one who, in the case of the daily papers, has to work until very late at night, crafting a story for the next day's paper. The play-by-play guy works hard, don't get me wrong (I don't want mullin all over me for this post). But usually it's the beat reporter for the radio or TV station who covers the practices, and goes into the locker rooms to gather the quotes after the game. (A little different for a guy like mullin, who has to call the game and get the post-game feedback). But the radio and TV people usually just have to get a few quotes, a few sound bytes, or video clips, for the post-game show that night. If you want real insight, real in-depth coverage for the game, the hockey writers are still your best bet.

I knew who the beat writers for the papers in Vancouver were back when I was 10, long before I ever gained an interest in becoming a hockey writer.

Jim Coleman (the man who introduced many a B.C. fan to hockey and sports history), Red Fischer and Milt Dunnell are more than deserving of having their names on our championships.

We all work hard in different ways. Mind you, I have no idea what it would be like to only be a play by play guy. Currently I'm usually also the colour man (at the same time), the host, a nightly talk show host and the sports news director of a radio station *laugh* so it's hard to imagine how life would be if I were just doing play by play.

I've always believed that writers and broadcasters were complimentary rather than in competition. We provide different things and I always read the local writers.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

it seemed like you were joking

What city? Amsterdam? Bangkok? L.A.? Atlantic City? Mississauga?

Port Coquitlam would be in bad taste....

 

[VanIslander]

Port Coquitlam would be in bad taste....

as would be the Abbotsford Pig Farmers

 

[Say Hey Kid]

I suggest enabling these 2 options during the draft for easier communication:

Receive Email Notification of New Private Messages

Show New Private Message Notification Pop-up

 

[VanIslander]

Receive Email Notification of New Private Messages

Some of us come here more often than we check our emails. Can I get Private Message Notification of New Emails?

Show New Private Message Notification Pop-up

Enabled.

Let's add the behavioral function: PM the next g.m. after you've made your pick.

 

[ck26]

I'll think I'll go for the Kootenay Ice. Sounds a little dirty.

A little?

Open hostility? I am a hockey writer. This is what was stated from cottonking.

"Writers suck. You don't know their voice or their face -- just their typewriter."

Damn right I'm going to get hostile. A significant part of my life is devoted to writing about hockey.

Guess what, cottonking? The hockey writer is the one who still has to work the hardest. The hockey writer is the one who is at practice every day. He's the one who, in the case of the daily papers, has to work until very late at night, crafting a story for the next day's paper. The play-by-play guy works hard, don't get me wrong (I don't want mullin all over me for this post). But usually it's the beat reporter for the radio or TV station who covers the practices, and goes into the locker rooms to gather the quotes after the game. (A little different for a guy like mullin, who has to call the game and get the post-game feedback). But the radio and TV people usually just have to get a few quotes, a few sound bytes, or video clips, for the post-game show that night. If you want real insight, real in-depth coverage for the game, the hockey writers are still your best bet.

I knew who the beat writers for the papers in Vancouver were back when I was 10, long before I ever gained an interest in becoming a hockey writer.

Jim Coleman (the man who introduced many a B.C. fan to hockey and sports history), Red Fischer and Milt Dunnell are more than deserving of having their names on our championships.

I had a feeling that was going to offend ... I apologize for that, because it wasn't my intent. I'm not saying Coleman, Fischer and Dunnell aren't deserving, aren't big parts of history, I was just throwing out more radio / TV broadcast names to go along with Lecavalier. If we wanted to go all-broadcast, there are plenty of more great names.

Newspapers and magazines are old media. The internet killed them as a source of "news" ... magazines are evolving / have evolved into a source of critical analysis ... of experts and opinions, not "news." Using a weekly sports magazine to learn about what's happened is woefully slow ... by the time they're in print, more stuff has happened.

Live broadcasts don't have that problem. Mike Heika, Ralph Strangis and Daryl Reaugh all watch the same Stars games ... Strangis gives me the facts immediately, Razor gives me opinions a minute later, then I go and buy a copy of the Dallas Morning News the next day to read Hike's opinion and his accounting-in-retrospect of the facts.

The broadcast is better at conveying the facts -- it's faster. No disputing that.

The problem with the newspaper is that it is not always the best source of "perspective" and "expert analysis" and everything else you'd want in a slower source. Is Heika good? Yeah, generally. But so is [[any number of rival websites]] and so is Stars99Lobo37 and so is GLU.

What makes Heika (or any team's "official beat writer") better? Access I guess ... he goes (or has a guy go) into the locker room ... he gets to interview the players ... he goes to the morning skate. But that's because he has the job of Dallas Stars Beat Writer for the DMN, not because he's the smartest hockey guy in Dallas. That access helps Heika and his paper break a story ... Heika is often "first to prin", but then what? Once the news is out there, Heika's opinion isn't any better than anyone else's just because he's the official beat writer.

20 years ago, the beat writer was the end-all-be-all of sports ... he and the TV news guy WAS opinion. But I like things now ... 10 minutes after Brad Richards is a Dallas Star, there are already 30 posts in the Trade News thread sizing it up from both teams sides.

The obvious problem with the internet is credibility, but that's not unique to the web. When the Stars were paying Bill Guerin $9m a year to do pretty much nothing, our best hockey brain in Dallas -- Bob Sturm on 1310AM The Ticket -- was rarely critical of Guerin's play because Guerin was a regular guest on the show. We don't get a lot of BC Junior Hockey coverage here, but I don't imagine shawnmullin is really vocal in his criticism of the 17-year olds, even on nights they stink. Everybody knows the reasoning and everybody "gets it" ... as long as you have your Bilros Filter or your Location: Ontario Filter fully activated, the internet is just as credible IMO.

Obviously writing stick and puck is a desirable service, because otherwise you wouldn't be drawing a salary to do it, but I think the "prestige" of being "the official beat writer" for an NHL team (or any major pro sports team) isn't what it was.

Every great moment in Stars history, TV commentary is part of the soundtrack. I've already forgotten what the Dallas Morning News said the next day, but I will never forget the sound of Ralph Strangis's whiny, nasal voice screaming "The Stars win the Stanley Cup! The Stars win the Stanley Cup!" while Modano and Hull exchanged bear hugs, and, two months prior, while Jeremy Roenick put his jaw back into place, "Derian Hatcher just got his pound of flesh!" TV is right there in the moment, experiencing the emotion right along with the viewers ... when Daryl Reaugh said an OT playoff loss to Vancouver felt like, "a rusty skate boot to the testicles," he was right ... it did ... and in that moment, Razor's commentary was perfect. There's nothing you can write the next morning to match the emotion.

 

[VanIslander]

we need exactly one more team to make an even 32 team, 8 teams per division

let's hope a veteran ATDer reconsiders and joins

 

[shawnmullin]

Internet didn't kill newspapers. Every new media takes some of the power away from old media, but it hasn't destroyed any of them. Television was going to destroy radio for years and years. It didn't destroy it, it just changed what people relied on radio for. There was a time radio was your home entertainment in the living room, car, etc. Now it's mostly for entertainment and local information while you're in your car.

There was a time the newspaper was your only news source. Then it became your only detailed news source while radio was more "as it happens." Now the internet has more immediacy, but the newspaper is still a more credible and professional voice. I have to tell you I miss having the Ottawa Citizen on my kitchen table every morning. Those beat reporters DO have more sources than your average internet guy. They get a scoop or a little detail on something that happened in the game that no one else could get.

They also have far more room to criticize than a play by play voice has. I do try to be fair and critical when it's called for, but if I really destroy someone I have to take the bus with that kid. It's expected I'll be "supportive" whereas that isn't really expected from the newspaper.

The internet? Drives me crazy sometimes how there's no accountability and it can be so disconnected. They'll rip a guy but not try to find out what might be wrong. If I know a guy is playing hurt, I'm not going to call him out for effort level... but I'm also not going to put a target on his shoulder by telling everyone what's wrong. So the internet guy can say "boy that ****er is lazy out there right now" and really not have a clue.

There are people in the media with no clue as well, but the best radio or newspaper guys are worlds better as a source on your favourite team than a message board.

The internet is more professional than it was, but it doesn't have the power or credibility of the print media yet. Not even close. And you don't have the internet in your hands.

Anyway, as I said, I think we can all compliment each other. I know I see the internet as a compliment to my broadcasting. That's why I maintain a Smoke Eaters blog.

 

[Pwnasaurus]

we need exactly one more team to make an even 32 team, 8 teams per division

let's hope a veteran ATDer reconsiders and joins

I'll do it, I just saw yr PM today. I need something to offset my upcoming wedding and the resulting stress.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

I'll do it, I just saw yr PM today. I need something to offset my upcoming wedding and the resulting stress.

Awesome. That's 32. Barring anything unforseen we're set. Any other vets have had ample time to sign up so lets go with teh GMs we have.

 

[Pwnasaurus]

Kansas City Scouts = team name

Also, if anyone who is new (maybe someone participating in the top 100 voting) wants to be a co-GM I would be willing to take one on

 

[Pwnasaurus]

Please add JimEIV as my co-GM, he shares the same "values" that I do for building a team in this format.

Ty.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Please add JimEIV as my co-GM, he shares the same "values" that I do for building a team in this format. Ty.

"Man crushes are ok.." All players must be cute.

 

[Pwnasaurus]

"Man crushes are ok.." All players must be cute.

I will not shy away from Eddie Shore.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

I will not shy away from Eddie Shore.

That would make a great mantra. Eddie is scary looking. I saw Billy Packer last night and he's got some kind of scars and/or age spots on his bald dome that are truly frightening!

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Of course. Just call me Commander Modesty.

It would be nice to win 1 series. Receiving a compliment from your Co-GM recognizing all your hard work and thinking is pretty great though!