Who do you guys like to read and who do you not like? My top 3 Bill Simmons(espn) : i know hes not solely an nfl writer but i had to put him on the list. The fact that he writes with the passion of a true sports fan really helps you relate to the story. I hate pretty much all Boston teams but I love reading the rollercoaster ride he goes on rooting for them. On top of that he knows his stuff too. Clarke judge(cbssports): I like the insight he brings to the table. I feel like he's always objective and I thoroughly enjoy his " judgements" and "peek at the week" columns during the season. Jason Whitlock (fox sports) : his columns are very entertaining and he tackles a lot of the tough subjects. Throws in some humor and I can't remember reading a column of his I didn't like. Honorable mention Adam Schefter (espn) : the most trusted name in the NFL rumor mill. He's on top of every story and his word is golden. Recently started reading his ten spot column and now I check it out every week. My bottom 3 Rich cimini(espn ny): he is the last guy to know anything that's going on with the jets (see rev is holdout) and most of what he writes is pure speculation. Just this past week he says unlikely revis plays (based on nothing) and we all know how that turned out. He's way too opinionated and often blindly looks at things from one angle. John Clayton (espn) : I've never read anything from this guy that has given me any additional insight into the game. His first and ten and last call columns are little summaries of what everyone already knows about each game. Pete prisco (cbssports) : I can't pinpoint this one but I can't read what this guy writes. He makes wrong predictions all the time, which we all do, but he does it with this arrogance behind him. I feel like he doesn't know as much as he thinks. I will say he has gotten better and at least will own up to his bad predictions but still doesn't make the cut in my book.
I stopped reading at Bill Simmons. Are you fucked?! That guy offers NOTHING of substance, and that's besides the fact that he's a complete Boston homer. He's a Pats troll with connections to ESPN who has been given a blog. His stupidity shakes the very foundation of the Earth.
Interestingly enough, two of your favorites are two of my least: Simmons and Whitlock, and both for being irredeemable racists. The latter in print, the former in life.
Yea Whitlock and Simmons are definitely two of my least favorite sports writers. I just hate that attitude where writers try to make opinions seem like fact because it is what they believe.
Cimini is just depressing. It almost appears that he hates the Jets. He is also usually wrong a lot. Didn't he say that we could "take it to the bank" that none of the core 4 would be signed before the season started? I actually like reading Manish's articles. He seems to break things down and takes the time to make his own comments, not just cut and paste crap from other articles (Cimini). I especially like his good, bad, ugly commentary each week. Any article that contains the word "bleacherreport.com" in the address gets immediately ignored by me.
I like Simmons, he's funny even though I hate his teams. I think Whitlock get's branded a racist by all races which means he's down the middle. I think Whitlock does a great job and I enjoy reading his articles.
I'm pretty much convinced anyone with a keyboard and a rudimentary grasp of the English language can submit articles for that site. What a piece of garbage. I could scribble better than most of those so-called articles.
Like the one where he bashed American basketball fans saying that the reason people weren't rooting for the US Olympic Basketball team because the team was mostly black? I mean... it does make sense. Most basketball fans do tend to root against teams that have a lot of black players. No wonder the Pacers have such a huge fan base. Oh... none of that's true? My mistake.
Simmons article on moss a few weeks back was great. He's the hot chick you enjoy the ride with but never commit to. And the bomb moss almost caught in the super bowl I had totally forgot about. Watching the replay made me realize how close that was. That's what moss brings to the table he can strike at any time from anywhere. The article really brought that out.
You're Best list is the opposite for me. If you put them all on a shit list I would agree with you. Simmons is a hack writes for not only ESPN, but Page 2, which is the the People Magazine of sports. I know they come from the same source but ESPN and the ESPNs tabloid gayness is a double whammy of hack proportions. Clark Judge knows less than I do, and he has contacts in the NFL to get his insight. Whitlock is a good writer, but his opinions are meh. You're bottom 3 are a joke. I agree.
Here are real writers/analysts. Gil Brandt - godfather of the NFL Steve Wyche - good enough for this list. Manish Mehta - has done a damn good job in the time he's had here. KC Joyner - gives a different angle to the game whether you agree with his opinions or not he writes well. That's a good list to get started.
1. Adam Schein is sort of the excitable dork from middle school that's just too pathetic to not like. He uses cliches constantly but I still somehow enjoy his writings. 2. Whitlock is always an interesting read although if you follow him closely enough he contradicts himself fairly often. 3. Bill Simmons because he's a fantastic writer. You ask any newspaper columnist and they will say that he's the model sports writer.
Gil Brandt is outstanding. I love listening to him on Late Hits, too, although Moving the Chains is probably my favorite NFL show. I don't know why Pat Kirwan's articles don't more frequently match up with his radio work.
If Simmons is the model sports writer, then America is going to become absolutely ignorant when it comes to sports. Simmons is not a fantastic writer. His populist appeal comes from the same source as the Blue Collar Comedy Tour: stupid people like to laugh about shit they know, shit they've seen, and shit they're comfortable with. Oh my God! He compared the Patriots to the Karate Kid! SOOOOO HILARIOUS! Like I said, it has populist appeal, but it's terrible writing and only thinly masks a complete ineptitude when it comes to sports. It's the gossip page of ESPN.com. The fact that he is who he is away from the keyboard just makes it worse.
You know this guy personally? It seems at the very least you have some personal connection. I can not stand his sports schtick but I thought his articles on gambling and movies/tv shows was pretty funny. Overall, I barely read him.
Sadly I don't have sirius NFL radio. I just started listening to Rich Eisen's podcast recently. Its very good.
