Padding the Stats: Finding an Identity

[Dean Smith]

13 hours ago, Jacob Padilla said:

 

I'm a journalist. I'm not going to be donating money to anyone. I like watching my favorite teams on TV and occasionally in person when I get the chance.

I realize even before I write this that you will not agree with my point, and likely most on the board as well. If you want to keep things light, don't read this and carry on with your day. You have been warned. 

 

No one enjoys sports more than I and there are some truly great things that happen in sports but we are talking about human interest stories at best.  There is no one who encapsulates this sense of over-importance of sport in American society then Skip Bayles. We are talking about people that are really good at playing kid's games.

 

I sometimes fall in this camp but as a society we ignore the real ills we face in this world and focus on people playing games. I also admit that I turn to sports (and this board) at time to distract me and let me forget for awhile the more serious things that are happening out there. All of that are truly useful things at times. We all need somewhere to escape. 

 

But your use of the term "journalist" rings of this self-importance. There are some really good sports writers, but that's what they are, writers about people playing games.

 

Your use of the word in conjunction with an organization that carries the name of a university fight song devalues journalism and the importance in a democratic society of good journalism. This in an age where their reputation has been unfairly impugned by both sides of the spectrum for their own personal gain and  lumped in with people that lie for a living for profit and power.  I've never read anything you have written - yet. You might be a wonderful sports writer but that doesn't make you a journalist. 

 

I apologize to those who will feel this entry harms the tone of the board (I told you not to read this) and to those who will find it's tone hypocritical. As I stated earlier, I love sports but I think we alll (myself as well) need to realize that our opinions on sports and in reality the sports themselves,  in the big picture, is not that important after all. 

 

(Yes, even yours nustudent) 

[Jacob Padilla]

8 minutes ago, Dean Smith said:

I realize even before I write this that you will not agree with my point, and likely most on the board as well. If you want to keep things light, don't read this and carry on with your day. You have been warned. 

 

No one enjoys sports more than I and there are some truly great things that happen in sports but we are talking about human interest stories at best.  There is no one who encapsulates this sense of over-importance of sport in American society then Skip Bayles. We are talking about people that are really good at playing kid's games.

 

I sometimes fall in this camp but as a society we ignore the real ills we face in this world and focus on people playing games. I also admit that I turn to sports (and this board) at time to distract me and let me forget for awhile the more serious things that are happening out there. All of that are truly useful things at times. We all need somewhere to escape. 

 

But your use of the term "journalist" rings of this self-importance. There are some really good sports writers, but that's what they are, writers about people playing games.

 

Your use of the word in conjunction with an organization that carries the name of a university fight song devalues journalism and the importance in a democratic society of good journalism. This in an age where their reputation has been unfairly impugned by both sides of the spectrum for their own personal gain and  lumped in with people that lie for a living for profit and power.  I've never read anything you have written - yet. You might be a wonderful sports writer but that doesn't make you a journalist. 

 

I apologize to those who will feel this entry harms the tone of the board (I told you not to read this) and to those who will find it's tone hypocritical. As I stated earlier, I love sports but I think we alll (myself as well) need to realize that our opinions on sports and in reality the sports themselves,  in the big picture, is not that important after all. 

 

(Yes, even yours nustudent) 

 

The journalist point there was more a crack at how much money I make than anything. A couple years out of college, I'm not really in position to donate to anybody.

[Thattimeofyear4]

This is going to sound like a no brainer given the woes on the defensive end this season, but I feel like defensive schematics may be in for complete and total overhaul. With the roster we're gonna have next year, I think we could be in zone quite a bit. A good bit of length and athleticism quite different from years past

I hope your right on this one

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

[basketballjones]

5 hours ago, Dean Smith said:

I realize even before I write this that you will not agree with my point, and likely most on the board as well. If you want to keep things light, don't read this and carry on with your day. You have been warned. 

 

No one enjoys sports more than I and there are some truly great things that happen in sports but we are talking about human interest stories at best.  There is no one who encapsulates this sense of over-importance of sport in American society then Skip Bayles. We are talking about people that are really good at playing kid's games.

 

I sometimes fall in this camp but as a society we ignore the real ills we face in this world and focus on people playing games. I also admit that I turn to sports (and this board) at time to distract me and let me forget for awhile the more serious things that are happening out there. All of that are truly useful things at times. We all need somewhere to escape. 

 

But your use of the term "journalist" rings of this self-importance. There are some really good sports writers, but that's what they are, writers about people playing games.

 

Your use of the word in conjunction with an organization that carries the name of a university fight song devalues journalism and the importance in a democratic society of good journalism. This in an age where their reputation has been unfairly impugned by both sides of the spectrum for their own personal gain and  lumped in with people that lie for a living for profit and power.  I've never read anything you have written - yet. You might be a wonderful sports writer but that doesn't make you a journalist. 

 

I apologize to those who will feel this entry harms the tone of the board (I told you not to read this) and to those who will find it's tone hypocritical. As I stated earlier, I love sports but I think we alll (myself as well) need to realize that our opinions on sports and in reality the sports themselves,  in the big picture, is not that important after all. 

 

(Yes, even yours nustudent) 

Dang, Dean - you alright? 

[cipsucks]

14 hours ago, Dean Smith said:

 

 

No one enjoys sports more than I and there are some truly great things that happen in sports but we are talking about human interest stories at best.  There is no one who encapsulates this sense of over-importance of sport in American society then Skip Bayles. We are talking about people that are really good at playing kid's games.

 

I sometimes fall in this camp but as a society we ignore the real ills we face in this world and focus on people playing games. I also admit that I turn to sports (and this board) at time to distract me and let me forget for awhile the more serious things that are happening out there. All of that are truly useful things at times. We all need somewhere to escape. 

 

But your use of the term "journalist" rings of this self-importance. There are some really good sports writers, but that's what they are, writers about people playing games.

 

 

Wow.  You've decided someone who covers human interest stories isn't a "journalist".  To me, that rings of self-importance.

[jimmykc]

Dean: You need to rethink or re-spin your post. David Halberstam, Roger Angell, Frank Deford and hundreds of other writers who have written about "people playing games" might find your comments ludicrous if not downright insulting. I sort of see your point, but to denigrate an entire profession because of some bad examples is unfair. Remember, when it comes right down to it we all play games and anyone who writes well about human nature, whether on the playing field, the battlefield or in daily life, does us all a service.And now I shall get down from my own self important soapbox.