Sports media, MKG, and Larry Sanders, While We’re Waiting

Happy Tuesday WFNY!

So what is the role of media in sports today? The concept of sports journalism was born purely out of necessity. Before the days of cable packages and Sunday Ticket, League Pass, and Extra Innings, people weren’t able to watch every second of every play of their favorite teams. This issue was magnified for those who grew up the fan of one team and moved to another city. Their only real way of staying in touch with their teams was through sports journalism.

Indeed, it’s hard to believe or remember today, but box scores and statistics used to fill the pages of newspapers. As someone who grew up without cable and thus without ESPN, nor did we have internet until I was in high school, I used to think sports writers were the best thing on earth. They served as my eyes, ears, and nose. They described the sports I loved to me.

It’s a lot different today. These days, it seems like sports writers are bored. They write thankless recaps for the ever declining number of people who consume sports through sports writing. They chase the teams around the country to provide an archaic service. In many ways, their job seems more like professional groupie than professional journalist.

Of course, I’m painting with a broad brush here. Of course there are still amazing journalists in sports. Every Monday WFNY’s Scott Sargent gives us an incredible list of phenomenal stories being told. This is the kind of stuff you get nowhere else. This is providing a real service to sports fans. But in general, the sports media of today is in a strange place.

I bring all of this up because of the recent Kevin Durant “incident”. Over All-Star weekend, the usually mild mannered Durant snapped at the media when he was asked, again, about his feelings about Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks.

On Saturday, he took things a step further when asked about rampant speculation surrounding Thunder coach Scott Brooks’ job security.

“You guys really don’t know (expletive),” Durant told reporters in his final interview session before Sunday’s All-Star Game.

Durant was later asked what stories he would like the media to focus on more.

“To be honest, man, I’m only here talking to y’all because I have to,” Durant said. “So I really don’t care. Y’all not my friends. You’re going to write what you want to write. You’re going to love us one day and hate us the next. That’s a part of it. So I just learn how to deal with y’all.”

It’s been a frustrating season for Durant. The Thunder have been dealing with crippling injury after injury (Durant himself missed most of the first half of the season), and now Durant is being asked tirelessly about his feelings about his coach. So it’s easy to understand Durant finally just having enough of it and lashing out. He didn’t cross any lines, he didn’t make any personal attacks. So it shouldn’t be a big deal.

But it seems like it is. People have been talking about this in all corners of the sports media world. And that’s when it hit me just how different sports media is today. And I wonder how much of it is necessary.

This might seem a little odd coming from someone who started a sports website, but to me, it actually makes perfect sense. I started my first sports blog as a reaction to the sports media. I despised what sports media had become. Everything was static and stale. Everyone was just passing along information, but nobody was dissecting the information. I wanted not so much to pass along news bites, but instead I wanted to examine the news bites and try to figure out what it means and whether it is good for the teams I love.

And that’s sort of the climate in which WFNY and so many other of the incredible sports sites out there were born. We’ve all been trying to find our own niche from day one. So few of the sites I read today would be meddling in trying to figure out what Kevin Durant thinks about the speculation about his coach’s job performance and security. Instead, they would try to tell us whether Brooks is doing a good job or not, and what areas the team might need to improve in.

Which isn’t to say beat reporters aren’t needed. Being around the teams gives them a level of access to dig up breaking news, rumors, and insights into the franchises and front offices. All of that stuff is good. But why must we continue to subject ourselves to this idea that listening to athletes answer generic questions from reporters with generic responses is somehow a thing we need in our lives?

Sports media is different today. The climate is ever changing, and the places that cover sports are constantly trying to change with it. WFNY is no different. We continuously struggle with ideas of how to grow while staying true to ourselves but also adapting to the times. It’s a never-ending balance and struggle. And I would never say WFNY is above anyone else, particularly those who are paid to travel and cover teams on a day-to-day basis. What I am saying, though, is that it might be time to re-examine the necessity of the kind of coverage that leads to the media asking inane questions and then playing the victim card when the athlete responds harshly.

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Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the one who got away

It’s no secret how badly I wanted Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to be a Cavaliers. MKG is the caliber of person and the kind of player that I thought could bring some instant leadership and stability to the Cavaliers. His career hasn’t gotten off to the kind of start that I thought it could and would, and the Hornets are one of the more disappointing teams this season, coming off their impressive playoff-bound season of a year ago. But still, MKG remains one of my favorite people in the NBA. So it’s no surprise how much I loved this video piece that SB Nation did on the origins of MKG. Check it out.

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Is Larry Sanders worth checking out?

Larry Sanders, the troubled young C for the Milwaukee Bucks, is rumored to be leaving the Bucks soon. After facing two drug related suspensions in one year, it appears Milwaukee is seeking a buyout.

Sanders is 26 years old and is one of the better defensive big men in the game. When he plays. In 2013 he signed a four year, $44 million deal with the Bucks and looked like he had a promising career ahead of him. Instead, he’s been constantly injured and/or suspended. He played in just 23 games last season and has only appeared in 27 games this season.

But once his buyout becomes final, he will be available. And the Cleveland Cavaliers could desperately use some frontcourt depth. Sanders would be an ideal fit. But is he worth it? And can the Cavaliers even get him?

Those are tough questions. I think he’s definitely worth it. I know the Cavaliers are playing well now and the chemistry is going great and introducing a player who hasn’t been able to stay on the court in recent years is a gamble. But I don’t think it’s a huge gamble. If Sanders isn’t able to focus on getting his affairs in order and playing basketball, the Cavaliers really aren’t in any different situation than they already currently are. But the upside of Sanders playing and finding a role on this team is huge.

Signing Sanders may be the tricky part. Sam Amico recently reported that the Cavaliers were keeping a close eye on the situation:

Two Cavs items: 1. Told plenty of interest in Brendan Haywood's contract; 2. Cavs keeping close eye on Larry Sanders/Bucks situation.

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) February 16, 2015

But the Cavaliers are already well over the salary cap, which limits the exceptions available to them to sign Sanders. How big of a pay cut will Sanders have to take to come to Cleveland? And will other teams show interest in Sanders and thus drive up the price tag? I don’t know the answers to these, but this is definitely something to watch. Sanders getting himself straightened out and playing basketball for Cleveland could be a great thing for both sides.

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New Album of the Week

Edit: I jumped the gun on this a bit. For some reason I thought it came out today, but it actually doesn’t come out until next Tuesday. Oops. Regardless, I’m leaving it here. It’s still worth checking out. 

One of my favorite “metal” bands today is Torche. I put metal in quotation marks not because I doubt the sincerity of the genre title, but because I think Torche is more than just a metal band. Coming from Miami, Florida, Torche sounds unlike any other band I’ve ever heard. They take traditional stoner metal riffs, but they twist them into these super catchy songs with almost a pop tilt to them. Some metal fans might find this approach to be sacrilege, but I think it’s nothing but great. Some songs are massive anthems, some are more droning journeys. But all of it is excellent. Today Torche has a new album, and it is arguably their strongest and most artistic album to date. The album is called “Restarter“, and I hope some of you enjoy it!

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That’s been my time. Have a great week, and I’ll talk to everyone again next Tuesday!