Players love him, fans love him and other journalists love him. Its not that all the old-timers are badits more that its bad that there are so many old-timers. Great stuff. Tight end Aaron Hernandez offered this enlightening bit of pablum: Weve still got one more to go to get to the big dance, so weve got to keep playing and come to play next week. And defensive standout Vince Wilfork was captured saying, Its sweet playing in the AFC Championship. Another big shocker. While the CEO composed his concession speech in executive Box L-1, Kevin Millar drew a leadoff walk against Mariano Rivera and was called back to the bench for a pinch runner. Secondly, McDonough. And I write for a living. Plus her basketball writing was the best. In a perfect storm of Boston Sports, he made his big splash just as Fred Lyn,n Jim Rice and the rest of the 75 cast were making theirs, just as a young TV-38 gambled on putting on 80 games instead of the dozen that the VHF stations would show, just as a then-fresh Dick Stockton was giving a slightly cynical air to play by play. Somewhere, I still have a yellowed copy of the last column he wrote for the Globe before he left for S.I. As I stood beside him on that February night, it occurred to me: This guy might be pretty special. Twenty five years ago I would have said Shaughnessy 3 but hes been so wrapped up in himself the last decade or so its Ryan. The first is that he knows what he is talking about. While these types of stories have the capacity to be poeticGammonss lyrical piece after Game 6 of the 1975 World Series is considered the modern standardtodays versions rarely rise to such levels and, in the end, just end up rehashing hours-old events (as if the highlights werent immediately available online). The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. #ada-button-frame { McDonough and Gammons for super inside knowledge. ET ON CNBC AND PEACOCK. Weaknesses: Leans towards the traditionalist, and apart from his periodic video work has shown little inclination to evolve his approach. He knows everything there is to know about the Giants and tweets about them constantly. You are basically obligated to follow him if you're an NFL fan. Weaknesses: His diverse responsibilities have led to an inevitable decline in production. Excellent radio voice, as well. He is hilarious and absolutely needs to be followed for his unique take on situations. Analysis is frequently emotionally driven. Senior staff writer and columnist Kevin Paul Dupont. His pen dripped blood, more often than not Ted Williams blood. Jim Trotter is what I like to call a serial tweeter. The phenomenon of reporters seeking revenge on players through the pen is hardly new, especially in Boston. Strengths: With MLB resources behind him, enjoys a substantial multimedia advantage over his peers, if not a similar local relevance and immediacy. None with more panache than Brady. If a team nicknamed the Patsies for most of my life could, then why not the Red Sox . 36, NBC SPORTS CONTINUES COVERAGE OF HORSE RACINGS 1/ST RACING TOUR FROM GULFSTREAM PARK AND SANTA ANITA PARK THIS SATURDAY LIVE AT 4 P.M. Jason La Canfora is as honest as they come as a writer and he doesn't lose any of that honesty on Twitter. Whats equally apparent is that his former ties rub some fans the wrong way. Strengths: An original innovator in the Boston media landscape, brought an evolved approach to the market, properly leveraging his access to provide differentiated coverage. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. As the public relations man for the NFL, McCarthy is an elite source for the most secretive information. While that type of honesty is certainly refreshing, if you cry easily, you may want to stay away from his tweets. I really need more suggestions, in fact. Robert Bob P. Ryan is an American sportswriter, born on the 21st day of February in the year 1946. As a young reporter at the Des Moines Register (I was raised a Red Sox fan in Iowa by my Malden-born and Manchester, Conn.-raised father), I had access to the sports wire services. While Dan Wetzel covers every sport for Yahoo! Austen Lake did pretty well after joinging the sports beat from being a straight type columnists. I never really considered McDonough a columnist, but more of an information guy. a scout for the Pirates, and don gillis had a sports discussion program on whdh, 850 on your dial, called the voice of sports. While Jay Glazer has moved more towards the MMA side of the world, he is still one of the top reporters in the business. But the Celtics took care of the Pistons in six, setting up a showdown with their rivals, the Kobe Bryant led-Lakers. I think he is worthy of the best. He was said to be the basketball guru in America and also was recognized as 'the quintessential American sportswriter.' He started his career as a sports intern with 'The Globe'. He was very, very good, and he never brought an agenda with him. Besides, how can you not recognize a guy as cool as this: http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2008/08/infamous-moments-mcdonough-punches-out-clayborn. He deserved world wide aclaim Incredibly, it happened. What more could you ask? As great as Ryan is, Montville was better. He was middleweight champion of the world after stopping Englishman Alan Minter on cuts with a TKO at 1:45 of the third round at Wembley Arena. The playoff run was tougher than the teams 66 regular-season wins might have suggested. He also covers NASCAR for the paper. Beat writers may blog, chat, and utilize social media now, but after games, theyre still churning out the same kinds of vanilla recaps that have long been a newspaper staple. The hated Yankees had destroyed the Red Sox, 19-8, in Game 3 Saturday and it was pretty clear the Bombers were going to sweep the Sox in 04. Few people provide quality draft content on Twitter like Josh Norris. Courtside sat 29-year-old fledgling sportswriter Dan Shaughnessy. Prior to assuming the B's beat, Shinzawa was the lead college hockey writer . The Boston Globe / Chad Finn / Jul 18 "Greg Bedard, who covered the Patriots and the NFL for the Globe from 2010 until leaving for Sports Illustrated's Peter King-helmed Monday Morning Quarterback site in 2013, is launching his own independent site, four months after he was caught in the most recent layoff maelstrom at SI." Andrew Brandt has been around the NFL for quite some time. WEEI.coms Alex Speier, who specializes in incorporating advanced stats into articles meant for the average fanand who is therefore one of the citys few inventive sportswriterstold me that everything has changed now that readers no longer depend on print for all their news. The 2004 Red Sox never lost another game. I would no doubt vote Haggerty, Haggerty and then Haggerty. There is one thing you should know. Theres no question. Then, after carefully making a point to praise the work of his own baseball writers, he added, Its like in sportsyoure going to lose some games. Although his staff has shrunk overall in recent years, Sullivan has increased the number of reporters on the marquee Patriots and Red Sox beats from two to three each. [5] Thats what I planned to say if I got the chance to meet him at the Hot Stove, Cold Beer event in April. As a result, the list of young, talented sports reporters who have moved on from Boston media grows longer every year: There's the NHL executive Chris Snow (the Globe ), the NFL Network's Ian. And its not just the citys core sports personalities that havent changed much. is quite exciting to keep tabs on. This search result is here to prevent scraping, On the Market: A Rustic-Chic Home on a Ski Trail in Vermont, On the Market: A Newly Built Farmhouse in Concord, Silver Dove Afternoon Tea Opens in Downtown Boston, The Real, Essential Backstory of the MLK Statue The Embrace', Widowmaker Brewing to Expand from Braintree to Brighton in 2023, What the Boston Athenaeum's $17 Million Renovation Looks Like, Careers and Internships at Boston Magazine. But sad to say, the quality of the current scribes is uneven. But the least I would expect from a sportswriter, particularly in an age where the commentary is growing more sophisticated at an accelerating rate, would be some basic logic to offset the emotionally driven opinions. Find breaking sports news on baseball, football, basketball, hockey . When the team added stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to go along with Paul Pierce before the 2007-08 season, there was suddenly hope to hang up banner No. While he retweets quite a bit, Caplan also does a good job at providing depth into team situations and team needs. Jackie McMillan The Lady has her stuff together, especially on that basketball court..Hail Jackie, just keep it going girl! After the game, George Steinbrenner appeared in the Red Sox clubhouse. Just a name that probably should be on the list for some consideration, Jackie MacMullan(sp?). Bill Simmons, the ESPN media mogul and star columnist, has often complained that he never felt like he, or any young, aspiring writer, had a fair chance to break into covering Boston sports. When the team added stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to go along with Paul Pierce before the 2007-08 season, there was suddenly hope to hang up banner No. Dont know if I could pick a third, but if I had to, it would be Egan or Ryan. Jim McBride Retweeted. In case it wasnt already apparent, this is a focus on Boston market writers. I do think Borges boxing writing deserves a nod, as was said above, but even in that I dont think hes risen to the same heights that those three have hit. Tim Horgan is without question the greatest sportswriter of all time. I fondly remember the Will McDounough Sunday column. Remains rational and grounded, which history and his peers tell us is difficult. But thats probably as it should be, and the relevant point is that hes not afraid of numbers, or of learning more about them. Back then, the paper had a must-read sports section featuring, among others, Peter Gammons, who pioneered the baseball notes column; Bob Ryan, whose knowledge of the Celtics playbook rivaled that of the teams head coach; the late Will McDonough, an NFL insider from Southie who was one of the first print reporters to appear regularly on television; Leigh Montville, a wordsmith who eventually moved on to Sports Illustrated; and Jackie MacMullan, a pioneering female columnist and feature writer whos still one of the greats. Erudite, clinical, and with a wide range of interests beyond baseball, which he wasnt afraid to bring to the column. During the 30s, 40s and 50s no true Boston Sports fan went to bed before reading The Colonel Now there was a stylist. Ray Fitzgerald (just gave my copy of his terrific Champions Remembered to my twelve-year-old nephew). A note on bias: I lean towards statistics, clearly, but not exclusively. We got beat, he told me. The first two rounds were a slog, with Boston struggling to win each in seven games against the Hawks and the LeBron James-led Cavaliers, respectively. I maneuvered my way onto the field, 20 feet from Tom Brady, who, hands atop his head, looked incredulous as confetti fluttered onto his jersey. Boston Globe sports writer and reporter Nick Cafardo passed away at the age of 62. He also mentioned Ray Fitzgerald (I think) holding up a note in the press box during the 8th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, with two men on and two outs and the pitchers spot due up, that had the words Bernie Carbo scribbled on it, and then he said both of them nodded at each other from across the room. There aren't many journalists out there who can do as much as Bucky Brooks. For instance, after the Patriots earned a spot in the AFC Championship game by beating the Houston Texans in January, the Herald dutifully recapped the series of events in the game, sprinkling in quotes like Tom Brady saying afterward, Im tired, man. (One would think so!) For my part, Ive always appreciated the measured tone which hasnt, for the most part, been impacted by the impatience and urgency of Red Sox Nation. The good old days are gone as far as Boston columnists are concerned. Weaknesses: Perfectly embodies and argues the voice of the angry talk show caller. He continued to write columns for The Evening Globe, then the Boston Globe, until 1998. Bob Ryan The next bearer of Ray Fitzgerald's mantle. (LogOut/ I covered every postseason game. I meant that some of YOU (meaning the readers) might not think he deserves to be considered. Baseball could not, would not be the same w/o PG's insights and observations sending lots of warm wishes for MANY more years of PG's vision, intutiion and knowledge! Over the next nine years, each team was crowned champion. It makes no difference whether I'm on there or smashed up against the windshield of a car. As I stood beside him on that February night, it occurred to me: Barrier-breaking journalist Lesley Visser is seen covering Patriots training camp in 1976, her first year on the beat. The list of potential names is impressive, but who is the best of the best? Tom Palmer, a former editor and reporter at The Boston Globe, said the arguments against objectivity "were dead wrong back then and I believe are dead wrong even more so today." Kayana. The Celtics proud franchise was in the midst of an NBA championship drought. Will McDonough and I flew with the team and often played racquetball with the players. He was one of the best baseball writers on the Herald. The Yankee ties which may well have abated, as I havent followed him for some months can be grating. It all came together. Shalise Manza Young: Yahoo Sports columnist/former Boston Globe Patriots beat writer Two Writers Slinging Yang 01:06:43 Play Audio Add to Playlist Share Report On the highs and lows of Belichick, Brady and the dynastic Patriots; on whether columnists ever need to admit they were wrong; on the ills of social media and the future of the industry He was almost elected Commissioner of Basketball for crying out loud. Diversity of responsibilities writer, radio host, etc have negatively impacted his quality of coverage. With apologies to Ray Fitzgerald, whom I am too young to have read. This would help eliminate the legions of nitwits and cowards who shred anything and everything in their path while hiding in their mothers basements. He was the first Boston sports columnist that I truely adored, and the Globe has been the same since he left. Will McD gets the nod here. Were just here to play a hockey game, Mike Eruzione said. The Celtics proud franchise was in the midst of an NBA championship drought. Whether its been in print or as a guest on WEEI and such, McAdam has exuded calm in a sea of irrationality. As an aside, Massarotti in the past has requested that critics not hide behind anonymity: Somewhere along the line, someone needs to devise a system in which people who post comments on the internet are required to provide their real names and, perhaps, places of employment. Good or bad, it doesnt matter, he wrote on his website, Boston Sports Media Watch. Minutes earlier, I had stood in the back row of the Superdome as the St. Louis Rams roared back from a 17-3 deficit to tie the game. We're talking about one of the best in the business. I have little patience, however, for those overtly displaying hostility towards numbers or the sabermetric side of the game. Reporters will almost universally argue that it does, but what they typically dont address is how much of the need to report it is driven by frustration with or dislike for the player at issue. It sounds absurd looking back, it was! That type of information is priceless to true NFL fans. Seriously, move onto the next slide already. Send me an email. He is loaded with information in every facet of the game and shares it willingly on Twitter. Was Leigh Montville the first person to refer to Bob Irsay as Tiger? Strengths: Tomase shows some creativity, rather than just rehashing news that has already been covered by one of the dozen other media members in market. It's great to watch a tactician go to work on a team he loves, and the breaking news and insight that Volin gives is awesome. On the plus side, hes got excellent context for the market, having covered it for so long. Will McDonough, a former Boston Globe columnist of 44 years, was the only Globe sportswriter to be nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The difference between the two approaches was night and day. We won, but you didnt lose, Steinbrenner told the Boston players. I still miss his Sunday column. Both funny concepts that were brilliantly executed. But in 1976, at 10-3, they had already clinched a playoff spot and were headed to Tampa Bay for the final regular season game. One thing worth noting that Ive always appreciated from Edes has been his respect for the privacy of the players. 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On the eve of the game, we sat on the beach and Russ played songs hed learned growing up in Hawaii. National writers (Law, Olney, etc) are excluded from this ranking, though I may do a similar national list at a later date. Bowen tweeted what a stiff arm from Williams felt like. Jerry Remy hit a rope in his direction; Burleson respected Piniellas baseball guile and held at second, minimizing the damage. With that context, herewith are the rankings. I once interviewed him for my high school newspaper, in about 1966. very nice guy. Winning titles was nothing new for John Havlicek and Don Nelson, but for Cowens, veteran rebound ace Paul Silas, and young backcourt stars Jo Jo White and Don Chaney, it would be a career first. His connections were solid. Not to mention comprehensible. I have a certain bias (or lack of perspective, I guess) as my family has been Globe subscribers for generations, so the only time I read other papers regularly was when I delivered them. Michael Lombardi is one of the most well known NFL sportswriters there are. While Brian McCarthy isn't technically a sportswriter, he definitely acts like one on Twitter. I know tennis was his main thing, and Ive never been a big tennis fan, but he certainly had the longevity, wrote engagingly about his love, and became a nationally-known figure. As a Boston Globe staff writer for almost 20 years, Shira reported on all four major Boston professional teams, the NBA Finals, the World Series, the Olympics and the Boston Marathon. During the 70s, Leigh Montville wrote a weekly pro football picks column on Fridays in the Globe. In that year, Sabathia threw 40 and a third more innings than Beckett with a better ERA and a better strikeout to walk ratio. Always. Sat morning Globe was a must read because of his Sports Page 1 columns on the left. Oh, FWIW, I couldnt stand Ernie Roberts. Hes better than that, I believe, regardless of what Okajima did or did not do. Im not naive enough to expect something erudite and grounded to ever sell well on a volume basis; Mencken, better than any of us perhaps, understood this. was discovered last seen in the May 21 2021 at the Crosswords With Friends Crossword. Definitely worthy of the list. Longtime Boston Globe baseball writer has died after collapsing at the Red Sox's spring training ballpark. Enter a Crossword Clue Sort by Length High School Sports Writer (Former Employee) - Boston, MA - September 20, 2018. What makes him so enjoyable to follow is the way he interacts with his fans. She's covered the New England Patriots, the Boston Celtics. Loved the fact that he could really master the but, after all, its just a game air without getting pompous about it (Hello to the Toy Department referencers out there!). Can still picture his bespectacled visage in the upper left-hand corner of his column. Michael Silverman is an American journalist and sports business reporter. I covered every postseason game. He's a highly respected journalist. Nor that they would not build relationships with fans of same. A fellow Boston Globe writer named John Powers once noticed that Ryan didn't include many quotes in his game stories. Likewise, a bit more depth of metrics in the Buchholz vs Wakefield decision would have benefited his analysis. There has to be a willingness to put yourself out there and make statements without knowing what youre talking about, Rich Levine, an online columnist for CSNNE, told me. If you're an NFL fan, here are 50 sportswriters that you simply must follow on Twitter. Weaknesses: Occasionally gets bogged down in metrics, losing the forest for the trees. I found this out when my mom tweeted the other day that it was time to clean up my room before dinner. TV, radio, and the Internet all have a big presence in the media landscape. Check it out. One of the best things I've seen on Twitter happened by Bowen after Ricky Williams retired. he used write lists, very funny and informative. Peter Gammons isnt officially ranked here, because that exercise would be pointless.