Tag Archives: ESPN

Q/A with ‘Benji’ directors: New 30 for 30 has dramatic interview with Wilson’s killer; powerful message about youth violence

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What did I just see?

While watching a screening of ESPN’s new 30 for 30 Benji (Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET), I nearly fell out of my seat about 2/3s into the film.

The documentary recalls the tragic story of Ben Wilson, the No. 1 ranked high school player in the country who was shot down outside his Chicago high school prior to the start of the 1984 season. A 6-8 guard, Wilson drew comparisons to Magic Johnson.

It was a senseless act of violence that rocked Chicago and became a huge national story (opening from the film, below). More than 10,000 people attended Wilson’s funeral.

I covered the story for the Chicago Tribune. While the film was powerful and extremely moving, much of the content was familiar territory for me.

And then appeared the last person I expected to see.

Suddenly, there was Billy Moore, the high school boy who killed Ben Wilson. The kid who broke so many hearts and caused so much pain.

I had to do a double-take. Was it really him? Why was Moore dressed in civilian clothes? Was Moore speaking from prison?

It turns out Moore served 20 years in prison and now works as a youth counselor. He even was cited in a White House ceremony in 2009 as an example of rehabilitation.

In the film, Moore tells his version of what happened on that tragic day. He claims it was an altercation that got out of hand and that Wilson was more of the protagonist.

Whatever, Moore had a gun and used it to kill an innocent person.

Moore said he regrets what happened and how he wasn’t that kind of person. Clearly, he has turned his life around.

Yet I couldn’t help feel the anger about the life Ben Wilson never got to live. I’m sure many people will feel the same way watching the film tonight.

I had a chance to talk with Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, co-directors of the film. Simmons grew up on those rough Chicago streets and was 13 when Wilson died.

I wanted to know about the film, but first I had to ask him about the interview with Moore.

Here’s my Q/A:

How did you land that interview with Moore?

Simmons: One of Ben’s friends, Mike Walton, knew somebody who knew Billy. Billy called and said OK.

Really, one of Wilson’s best friends helped set you up with the interview?

Simmons: Yes, they understand what happened. They forgave him.

(Note: I am told Wilson’s friends hugged him after a screening in Chicago.)

How did the interview go?

Simmons: We just related. We’re both from the streets of Chicago. There’s a certain way you move around. He felt comfortable because of the things I went through.

Did you feel any anger in talking to Moore? What he did devastated the lives of a lot of people.

Simmons: I didn’t feel any anger towards him. He never wanted to shoot anybody. He destroyed his life. He said, ‘That wasn’t me.’

I know people who have been shot. I know people who actually have shot people.

When I was that age, we had guns. You felt like you needed one. You felt safe with it. I thought it was natural. This is what it was like in the inner-city. You’ve got to protect yourself.

I understand that could have been me.

It’s been 28 years since Wilson died. Why does his story still resonate today?

Simmons: It hit me a like a family member. I used to sneak in to watch him play. He was this great basketball player who was going to make it.

This was like Superman getting shot. ‘Wait a minute, This isn’t supposed to happen.’

When it happened, everyone came together. He actually changed lives in 1984. For this film, we thought we could bring that same kind of peace by telling his story.

How good was he? Has his legend been exaggerated in death?

Simmons: Everyone said he was Magic Johnson with a jump shot.

Ozah: The one thing that seemed constant from talking to everyone was how good he was. The kid was something special.

Wilson’s girlfriend and mother of his son and his son weren’t in the film. Why?

Ozah: We had some ups and downs with them. The final decision was they didn’t want to do it.

What do you hope people take from this film?

Ozah: I hope these young kids who are carrying guns look at the consequences of what could happen. Hopefully, they’ll step back and see that it isn’t cool.

Simmons: Usually you hear about the person who got killed. You don’t usually hear from the person (who committed the murder). What did he go through? What did he put his family through?

That’s why it was so important to have him in the story. Billy is the one who is going to reach those kids. He’s going to be the one who has the impact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q/A with Mike Tirico: On busy schedule; critics of Gruden; overrated impact of announcers

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I tell Mike Tirico he needs to work harder.

“Joe Buck is working two games in one day,” I said. “What’s wrong with you? You’re slacking off.”

Tirico laughed. “I sent Joe a text. I told him it must have been awesome to have been a part of that,” Tirico said.

Seriously, Tirico doesn’t have to take a back seat to anyone with his schedule. Actually, October is a slow month for him. He only has Monday Night Football as far as play-by-play is concerned.

Starting in November, he will pick up weekly NBA games. His calendar includes Big Ten college basketball games in the winter and three of the four golf majors in the spring and summer. He also does weekly radio shows and podcasts for ESPN.

For all I know, Tirico calls sandlot games in his spare time.

Tirico and Jon Gruden are in Chicago tonight for the Bears-Detroit Lions game. Here’s my Q/A.

You don’t have one month during the year when you’re not working a significant event for ESPN. Why do you take on such a busy schedule?

My schedule can be a challenge. I have an extremely understanding family and wonderful people who facilitate things for me.

I grew up in New York when Marv Albert was doing Rangers and Knicks game, doing sports on Ch. 4 at 6 and 11, and he was NBC’s guy for boxing on the weekends. I went to Syracuse because of Marv Albert, Bob Costas, Dick Stockton. I wanted to be like those guys, and that meant you just couldn’t say, ‘Oh, this is too much.’

Listen, we’re not digging ditches. We’re talking about sports. Even though you’re drained at the end of the day, it’s not that hard. It’s a pretty good job.

This is the first time you’re working with a two-man booth for Monday Night Football. What has that been like for you?

The most significant part of my job is to get the most out of an analyst–make them relevant. It’s much easier to do it with one person compared to two. I love Jaws (Ron Jaworski). We text all the time.

But the difference with two people is that it is more of a conversation. I can carry on a dialogue easier than trying to deal with a third person. I can ask a second or third question.

What is it like to work with Jon Gruden?Jon is the best prepared of any analyst I’ve ever worked with. I truly understand why he’s been so successful. When we meet with coaches (prior to a telecast), they have so much respect for his knowledge and ability. He’s on the cutting edge of what’s going on.

When you see his preparation, it helps you to understand why good coaches and bad coaches make such a difference in the NFL. When you watch our games and listen to the things Jon says before they happen, it’s incredible.

I bristle at all the people who say Jon is too positive and never gets negative. If they don’t think Jon doesn’t point out mistakes, then they aren’t listening to the game.

Does Jon go to a different level of appreciation about the ability of guys? Absolutely, because he’s coached players. He knows what it takes to be Peyton Manning and what he does out there. Not to get on my soap box, but we’ve turned into a miserable society if we can’t enjoy being around the best in the world.

If you watch a game, Jon will say why a guy is doing that and why a guy is not doing that. When people say Jon’s not critical, I call those people lazy. They need to listen closely to the game.

I’ll get ripped for saying that, but that’s good.

You’re in your seventh year calling Monday Night Football. How have you evolved as an announcer?

I’m sure your 100th column was better than your first. I go back and watch every game. I’m always looking to get better.

However, I always say nobody watches for the announcers. They watch for a good game. If they really watch for the announcers, then on Sunday, the networks should put their best announcers on their worst game.

If Fox put their No. 7 crew on the Giants-49ers game, it wouldn’t change the rating for that game. All we can do is hopefully enhance the experience.

Let’s go back to the end of the Seattle-Green Bay game. How did that play unfold for you?

You start with the fact Seattle had a chance to beat Green Bay. Then the play happened. First, you’re amazed that the ball didn’t hit the ground. Now all my attention goes to the officials and I see nothing.

Then they make two different calls. Wait, what you got here?

Looking back, I’m glad about two things. When I made the call, I used the word ‘simaltaneous.’ Ultimately, that’s the rule they were looking at. I’m glad I used the correct word.

Second, I’m glad after the fire bomb hit, there was the reality that this was the most significant faux pas of the replacement officials. We said it was going to put pressure on the league to make a change. And it did.

Do you really call sandlot games in your spare time?

No, c’mon. Going to the Tigers game tonight (Tirico, who lives in the Detroit area, was going to game 4 of the ALCS). I’m glad it’s one of the one sports I don’t cover. I’ve never taken a credential to a baseball game. I have a partial season ticket, and it’s the one sport where I can truly be a fan. It’s so much fun to be there with the family.

I love waiting in line for the concessions, sitting in the stands. It makes you appreciate the people who fill the stadiums. It helps you be connected to the consumer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New 30 for 30 on Ben Wilson recalls memories of surreal night in Rockford

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The upcoming 30 for 30 documentary on Ben Wilson brings me back to a horrible night in 1984.

The powerful film (ESPN, Tuesday, 8 p.m.) tells the tragic story of a Chicago phenom, who was ranked as the top high school recruit in the country. A 6-8 guard, Wilson was drawing comparisons to Magic Johnson as he was about to begin his senior season at Simeon High School.

Then it all ended when Wilson was shot down in a senseless act of violence. His death rocked Chicago and became a national story.

Here’s a link to the trailer.

I wasn’t much older than Wilson, having just turned 25. I was looking forward to covering Wilson during my first year on the boy’s basketball beat for the Chicago Tribune. I never got to see him play.

Wilson died on Friday morning. Simeon made the decision it still would play that night against Evanston in a game at Rockford. I was assigned to cover that game. Of course, there would be no game detail in my story.

My friend and former colleague, K.C. Johnson, now the Bulls beat writer for the Tribune, also was there that night as a player for Evanston. He appears in the film.

I just remember the whole evening being surreal. There was the scene of the players coming out to the court just hours after their good friend was slain. Nobody knew how to react. Then during the moment of silence for Wilson, there was the unforgettable image of Simeon coach Bob Hambric, who rarely showed emotion, wiping a tear away from his eye. That picture ran across the entire country.

Everything else was a blur. I didn’t have time to write a conventional story. I quickly pieced the story from one deadline to the next.

Coming off Simeon’s victory for their friend, my story began: “The healing process has begun for the Simeon basketball team.”

It probably was a bit too optimistic. Simeon had many painful days ahead.

I didn’t know it back then, but the Tribune editors submitted my story from that night into the Associated Press Sports Editors contest. I won second for best news story.

The award helped my career. The following year, I was assigned to be one of the beat writers for the 1985 Bears.

My family and friends were excited about the award. They framed the story along with the blurb about my second-place finish in the APSE contest.

I had it on my wall for a while, but then took it down. The story was about a young boy dying. I just saw sadness every time I looked at it.

Looking back, I wasn’t out to win an award during that night in Rockford. I did what I had do. Like everyone else, I wish I was just there to cover a normal basketball game.

I would have given anything to have seen Wilson flying across the floor, making us wonder if he was another Magic Johnson.

Tuesday: I speak to the directors of the film and discuss the stunning interview that occurs at the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My First Job: Gottlieb predicts Patriots doomed with Brady at QB; Set to debut new CBS Sports Network show Monday

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Doug Gottlieb is ready to roll on his new gig with CBS. Monday, he will debut a new show, Lead Off, on CBS Sports Network. Airing at Midnight ET, the nightly program will focus on the next day’s conversation in sports (Details below).

Also, Gottlieb soon will have an afternoon show on the new CBS Sports Radio Network and he will be part of CBS’ NCAA tournament coverage.

Now that he has reached the top, it seems to be a good time to reflect on how he got started. Gottlieb has come a long way since his days as a guard at Oklahoma State. Even back then, he was thinking about a career in broadcasting.

In the latest edition of My First Job, Gottlieb recalls his first jobs in the business and how he was just slightly off on his first prediction about a back up quarterback named Tom Brady.

*******

When I was in school, I did some guest-hosting with Jim Traber in Oklahoma City. Then when I got out, I filled him for him. I got $100 per show, and $200 for a remote.

Also, I went on Jim Rome’s show as his college basketball analyst. Todd Wright at ESPN always had me on his all-night show.

My first show for ESPN Radio was filling in for Todd. They wanted him to go to Bristol the first week after 9/11. He wouldn’t go on a plane, so they asked me.

I watched all the (NFL) games on that Sunday. Drew Bledsoe got hurt that day. I said, ‘That’s it. The Patriots are finished. They can’t win with a quarterback who never played before.’ I had never heard of Tom Brady. So much for that prediction.

After I was done playing, ESPN called and asked if I wanted to do an audition. My first game was with Dave Revsine. It was Colorado-UNC Charlotte. We thought we killed it. We emptied our notebooks and gave everything we had.

When we got back, (a top executive) said, “You guys were horrible. You talked too much. You talked over each other.”

OK, that’s a nice start.

I eventually got on TV at ESPNNews. Then I did some stuff at ESPNU. I did a month of shows I believe nobody ever saw. Literally, there was one show where the lights went out on camera. But we kept going with the lights off. It was a memorable night, to say the least.

******

Here are the details of Gottlieb’s new show from CBS:

CBS Sports Network’s new live, late night show, LEAD OFF, which will air weekdays from 12:00-1:00 AM, ET, debuts Monday, Oct. 22. The show has added Allie LaForce as co-host, teaming with Doug Gottlieb. LEAD OFF will feature commentary and debate on the top stories and news with a focus on the next day’s conversation.

Gottlieb and LaForce will lead off together this week as contributors on ROME, which airs on CBS Sports Network from 6:00-6:30 PM, ET.

LaForce previously worked for Fox 8 News inCleveland,Ohioas a sports anchor, as well as a color analyst and sideline reporter for the regional sports network SportsTimeOhio. She also has been a studio host covering the Mid-American Conference and various high school championships.

LaForce graduated magna cum laude from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She was a member of theOhioUniversitywomen’s basketball team for two years, before leaving to start her broadcasting career. In 2005, LaForce was named Miss Teen USA, the first winner from the state of Ohio.

LEAD OFF will provide perspective on the sports news of the day, advancing the storylines fans will be discussing in the morning. The show will serve as the first opportunity for sports fans to discuss and debate, ‘What’s next?’, while featuring a mix of live guests, highlights, energetic debate and commentary from Gottlieb, LaForce and others, reacting to the biggest stories and events of the day, with a targeted focus on the hot topics and tomorrow’s headlines.

LEAD OFF will be produced by dick clark productions, and originate from CBS Sports Network’s Orange County, California-based studio.

 

 

Simmons, Rose part of revamped ESPN NBA Countdown

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Bill Simmons’ dream continues to get better. The NBA junkie now will be talking hoops with Magic Johnson as part of ESPN’s revamped NBA Countdown.

In are Simmons and Jalen Rose. Out are Jon Barry and Chris Broussard. Remaining are Johnson and Michael Wilbon.

ESPN felt like the show needed some tweaks. Simmons, who has his hands on pretty much everything at ESPN, obviously is seen as an upgrade with his unique perspective.

Thanks to the magic of video, here are Simmons and Rose talking about being “teammates.”

For those who prefer reading, here are some quotes:

“I think the four of us will be able to have good conversations,” Simmons said. “We’re all going to say what we’re thinking. I’m better playing off other people and I think Jalen is the same way and I know Magic is the same way — all four of us can do that. At the same time we want the show to have a level of sophistication.”

Mark Gross, ESPN senior vice-president and executive producer for content said:

“The unique, diverse perspectives of our new commentator team fit perfectly with the show’s free-flowing format. Bill brings a deep knowledge of the league past and present, an entertaining style and an ability to articulate his inventive thoughts from a fan’s point of view. Jalen’s lengthy playing experience and his strong, informed opinions will give fans great insight into how and why things happen on the court. They join a team that includes one of the greatest players of all time and one of our most versatile and engaging commentators.”

 

35 years ago: How too much wine nearly cost Skip Bayless scoop on Joe Namath retiring

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Skip Bayless has a tremendous story about Joe Namath’s retirement. When we worked at the Chicago Tribune, I was like a kid, asking him to retell it like some favorite old tale.

Well, it just so happens that Namath played his last game 35 years ago this week. As this classic Monday Night Football video below shows, he was dreadful, throwing four interceptions in the Rams’ loss to the Bears.

To mark the occasion, I thought it was a good time to share Bayless’ story. Here’s Skip:

*******

I did sidebars (for the Los Angeles Times) on their game-days. We had a mutual friend. He put in a good word for me with Namath.

Namath hated the media. He was at war with the New York media and soon was at war with the LA media. He wouldn’t talk with anybody. He’d do a brief post-game. He’d hang his head, barely speak.

After the first exhibition game, I went to him. I said, “Joe, Skip Bayless.” He immediately lit up. “Joel told me,” he said.

So I hit it off with him. During the year, I’d get little scoops nobody else could get.

It ended very badly for him. Both of his knees were shot. He played only four games and lost his job to Pat Haden and Ron Jaworski. Their season ended very badly with a home playoff loss in the rain to Minnesota.

On Monday, I was sent to the Rams facility just to do a wrap-up. I walked in the lockerroom and it was mostly empty except for Namath. He was cleaning out his locker. I walked over, and I said, “You look like you’re leaving.”

He said, “I’m retiring. I’m done, man.”

I said, “Can I write it?”

He said, “Sure. You can have it.”

I said, “Can you talk about it now?”

He said, “I’m busy. Let’s meet in a couple hours. We’re having a little party (at some bar).” It was a California fern bar.

I run to the phone. I called my boss. I was like a son to him. He said, “This is huge. They are holding Page 1 for you.”

I show up and they’re already rolling. He’s got a bunch of friends I’ve never seen before. They were really close. They weren’t football people. They were already into their cups.

He had saved me a seat right next to him. He said, “What are you drinking?”

Quick back story: I came from a double alcoholic background. Both of my parents were wrecks. My grandparents were wrecks. My mother’s brother died of cirrhosis of the liver. My whole family was riddled with alcohol.

I had been told I had a genetic predisposition to alcohol. I’m obsessive compulsive. So I always avoid alcohol.

I just got married to my high school sweetheart. I was in a business fueled by alcohol. She always said, “If you have to, just order a red wine. Take a couple of sips and you’ll be OK.”

I start to nervously sip the red wine and try to take notes. I sipped through a whole glass of wine. The waitress immediately put down a second glass. I had no conscious thought of any danger.

Finally, I said, ‘Joe, I’ve got to run.’ As we stood up to shake hands–and I am not exaggerating one bit–I fell backwards into a man seated next to me. And then I fell on the floor.

Joe Namath stood over me and looked me right in the eye, and said, “Son, you’re drunk.”

I said, “No, I’m not.”

He said, “What do you plan to do?

I said, “I plan to go write my story.”

He said, “Are you going to drive?”

I said, ‘Yes.”

He said, “No, you can’t drive.”

He helped me to my feet. I felt my way out of the bar and called my boss. He knew I had issues with alcohol. I said, “Bill, you won’t believe this, but I’m drunk.”

I quickly told him the story. He did not chuckle.

OK, what are we going to do? I was in no condition to write anything. He asked, “What are the odds the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner has this story?”

I said, “I had no hint at all, but Joe despises everyone but me.”

“What if we hold the story?” he said.

I said, “I’ll give you 99.9 percent chance it’ll survive.”

He said, “OK, let’s hold it for a day.”

Sure enough, Joe didn’t say anything. And the next day, we had our story.

 

 

Can he do Berman? ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown signs on Caliendo

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Frank Caliendo wasn’t on the NFL sidelines for long. I would love to see him do Ditka in front of Ditka.

From ESPN:

With a single move, ESPN has added more than 100 new voices to its roster.

Comedian and impressionist Frank Caliendo is joining ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown as a contributor.

His first appearance is this Sunday, Oct. 14 (10 a.m. ET) when he joins Chris Berman and company at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn.

“As a sports fan, ESPN has always been the place to be,” Caliendo said. “This network is why I graduated (from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) with a broadcasting degree in the first place — and now I finally get to use my degree!”

Caliendo will make a handful of other appearances on the three-hour pregame show during the regular season and playoffs, primarily in taped comedy segments.

“We have always admired Frank’s comedy, impressions and his NFL-centric humor,” said  ESPN’s Seth Markman, senior coordinating producer who oversees the network’s NFL studio shows. “He’s been working on some new material in anticipation of this opportunity which promises to be a great addition to Countdown and to our overall NFL presentation on ESPN.”

 

5-0 Notre Dame has NBC smiling; Herbstreit says Irish will be in BCS conversation

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Is it time to starting sipping that Irish Kool-Aid? You bet if you’re a TV executive at NBC and ESPN.

A 5-0 start has ratings soaring for Notre Dame’s games on NBC. And with the Irish suddenly relevant, ESPN isn’t wasting any time.The network is hustling Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and the rest of the GameDay crew to South Bend Saturday.

Herbstreit can’t believe it has been seven years since GameDay did a show from Notre Dame.

“It’s been way, way too long since we’ve been there,” Herbstreit said.

NBC also is bulking up. For the first time, NBC Sports’ college football studio show featuring Liam McHugh, Doug Flutie and Hines Ward will go on the road and broadcast on-site from Notre Dame Stadium. Prior to the game, a special NFL Films- produced behind-the-scenes look at Notre Dame Football, Onward Notre Dame: South Bend to Soldier Field, will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

With all the pregame build-up, NBC should generate another strong rating for the Irish’s game against Stanford.

Through three games, NBC’s rating is up 45% vs. last year (4.2 million vs. 2.9 million). Primetime coverage of the Miami-Notre Dame from Soldier Field last Saturday night was watched by 3.7 million viewers, up 131% vs. last year’s third game on NBC (Air Force, 1.6 million) and up 76% vs. last year’s second Notre Dame primetime game on NBC (Maryland at FedExField, 2.1 million).

All in all, it’s a huge jump from what NBC faced last fall. Home games against Air Force and Navy only generated a 1.1 rating, a record low for Irish games on the network.

How long has Notre Dame been a relative non-factor? Saturday’s trip will mark GameDay’s first to the Domers since Charlie Weis’ first year in 2005. That’s incredible considering the Irish’s stature in college football.

Naturally, Herbstreit is excited about returning to South Bend.

“It’s awesome,” Herbstreit said. “Any time, Notre Dame is up there in the rankings, it’s good for the sport. They are a polarizing team. You either love them or hate them. For us, for people who love the sport, when you have teams like Notre Dame and USC, Texas, the high profile schools out there that have great years, it makes it a lot of fun.

“Selfishly, to have GameDay back in South Bend, it’s great. It’s nice to see that they have a high-profile game at home. It’ll add to the atmosphere on Saturday. They are very deserving.”

I know it’s early, but I asked Herbstreit if Irish fans can start dreaming about a BCS bowl?

“They took the nation by storm (with the win over Michigan State),” Herbstreit said. “A lot of people walked away from that game saying, ‘Notre Dame is one of the top defenses in the country.’ To follow it up with the way they corraled Denard Robinson, and the way they played against Miami…Their front seven might be playing as well as anyone in the country.

“Without a doubt they will be in discussion for the BCS. Brian Kelly, though, will be the first one to tell you there’s still a long way to go. When you look at who they still have to play, beginning with Stanford….They’re on the road against Oklahoma and USC. Their fans are pointing to those games as three of the most challenging. If they’re able to get able through Stanford, it’s time to start bracing yourself if you’re a Notre Dame fan. Then you’re just a couple games away.”

Of course, it all could slip away with a loss to Stanford Saturday. But who wants to ruin a good story on Wednesday?

Keep sipping that Kool-Aid.

 

 

 

New 30 for 30: Ben Johnson’s tarnished gold in Seoul; Newsday’s Best remembers ‘strange day’

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Another promising 30 for 30 on tap for tonight (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET). It’ll be interesting to hear Ben Johnson’s version.

From ESPN:

ESPN Films’ 30 for 30, presented by Buick Verano, will premiere 9.79*on ESPN/ESPN HD on Tuesday, October 9, at 8 p.m. ET.  A selection at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, 9.79* is directed by Daniel Gordon and examines the unforgettable showdown between Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis in the men’s 100m final at the 1988 Olympic games as well as the steroids scandal that followed.  Grantland.com will debut two features related to 9.79* including a Bill Simmons’ “The B.S. Report” podcast with Malcolm Gladwell, and a first-hand account of the event by Grantland writer Charlie Pierce who attended the race in Seoul.  The trailer for 9.79* can be viewed at the newly redesigned 30 for 30 site (espn.com/30for30/).

******
Also, Newsday’s Neil Best writes about the strange day he had following Johnson in the aftermath of the scandal.

He writes:

I was assigned to meet his plane at LaGuardia, which I did, along with many other journalists. I then was assigned to follow him to JFK for his flight home to Canada, which I did, along with many other journalists. At JFK we weren’t sure whether he was going home to suburban Toronto or first flying to Montreal. The two departing gates were next to each other, and the flight times were within a few minutes of each other.
Some reporters guessed one, some the other. I followed most of the Canadian journalists and guessed Toronto and had no idea whether I was right until I was seated and the plane was about to pull away from the gate. At the last possible minute, Johnson came on board, accompanied by security guards, and sat in the front row.

When we arrived in Toronto, the customs agent inquired as to my purpose in visiting Canada. “I’m following Ben Johnson,” I said. “How long do you expect to be here?” he said. “I’m not sure; maybe 10 or 15 minutes,” I said.

Q/A with Sports on Earth execs: Why it isn’t Grantland; Luring Posnanski from SI as signature hire

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Sports on Earth is another Grantland, right?

Like Grantland, SOE features a daily offering of select stories by top writers. It has a similar look. Grantland has Bill Simmons; Sports on Earth has Joe Posnanski. Both are the endless salad bowl when it comes to going long, longer, longest.

Yet Sports on Earth isn’t Grantland.

A veteran scribe put it to me this way: “The Grantland writer will write about his experience getting to the game. The Sports on Earth writer will write on the game.”

OK, that may be stretching it a bit when it comes to Grantland. The site does have quality writing about sports. But it also veers in pop culture and other areas that go beyond the arena.

Sunday, Grantland’s main headlines included posts on Adele, Tim Burton and Liam Neeson. All three couldn’t have been worse Sunday than my fantasy quarterback Cam Newton (you were horrible, Cam), but that’s about it when it comes to sports parallels.

Sports on Earth is just about sports. It will write on Coco Crisp (also had a rough day) getting a poor break on a ball as opposed to Breaking Bad.

SOE, a joint venture between USA Today Sports and MLB Advanced Media, debuted in August. The site features Posnanski, the headliner lured over from Sports Illustrated, Tommy Tomlinson, Gwen Knapp, Dave Kindred, Leigh Montville, Will Leitch, Shaun Powell, Chuck Culpepper, among many others.

With that kind of lineup, the content couldn’t help but be strong. But will it make for a successful site?

And looking to the future, has Sports on Earth secured the domain name for Sports on Mars?

I did a Q/A with SOE general manager Steve Madden and editor Larry Burke.

How did it happen that USA Today and MLB joined forces here?

Steve Madden: The idea for a sports site, and not just a sports site, but one very specific to the best writers on all kinds of sports news, is something that had been discussed on (MLB Advanced Media CEO) Bob Bowman and (MLB.com editor) Dinn Mann. It had percolated along here for a while.

The way the world works, Bob Bowman got to know Tom Beusse (president of USA Today Sports Media Group) because their sons go to school together. They started to kick around ways to work together. It seemed to make sense. BAM has this new technology and USA Today has been aggressive about building a sports destination. It seemed like a good idea to work together to do it.

How do you explain this site?

Larry Burke: I say it is built around great writing. Columns and quick analysis. We do some deeper dives. We’ll do some enterprise writing, like the piece Selena Roberts did on Floyd Landis and Lance Armstrong.

We look at it as the idea of less being more. We all aspire to be a news site per se; a place where you come to check scores or headlines. We want to be on the news without a lot of clutter. You’ll find 5, 6, 7 things to read each day, and it’s easy to navigate through it.

We’ll have some surprises. As you develop a relationship with the site, you’ll say, ‘There’s something I didn’t expect to see. I’ll give it a shot because I like what I saw last time.’

You talk about clutter. Is there a feeling that some of these sites are too overwhelming and people stay away? Is this the counter to that idea?

Madden: I’m not sure that’s a counter to that idea. We don’t think people will say, ‘I’m just going to go there and not go to other sports sites.’ It’s just that a lot of sites are a mile wide and in some spots, an inch deep. We think there’s a real value proposition to providing a lot of focus on sports and the sports of the day.

Voices seems to be a key word There are so many voices out there. Talk about the important of having good voices that people want to read.

Burke: The phrase we kicked around a lot was ‘great writing with a point of view.’ Joe brings that unique voice. We looked for writers who didn’t have that quote-unquote take, but were able to step back and look at things in interesting, smart and sometimes different ways. When you’re writing on pieces in the news, there are a lot of choices. We know people have choices. Why would they come to us? How do we get our place in the universe? The bar is set high.

Joe Posnanski had a good job at SI. You must have done a good sales job to get him to come over.

Madden: The only other sales job I did better was on my wife. It wasn’t so much that I needed a big name. I wanted a name people would recognize because of the quality of his work. That’s why Joe has a following. Joe’s work is emblematic of what the best sportswriting can be. It is insightful, analytical. It’s really well done. He makes an emotional connection that’s really, really important. How can you go wrong? The other writers who have come along are also like that.

(Steve was told) Joe’s piece on Steve Sabol was the single best thing he read on that topic. That’s our goal, to deliver the single best piece on that topic. If that’s the goal, then you need to hire people like Joe Posnanski.

What’s your response when people say you want to be another Grantland?

Burke: It seems to come up a lot more outside these walls than inside. I can see why. Structurally, Grantland is a site about great writing existing in a larger entity: ESPN.com. In a simplistic way, you can say we’re the Grantland of USA Today.

I never thought of it that way. I don’t think anyone here did. I personally feel the writing at Grantland is terrific. I feel there are a number of sites and publications that are doing great work. We’re not trying to knock anyone out of the way. We’re trying to pull up a seat at the table. Everyone here felt that there was a place for something like this.

Grantland does more with pop culture.

Madden: There are a couple of differences. They have the latitude to write about pop culture. We decided one of the things that makes us different is that we focus just on sports. Second part of it is the newsiness. Writing off news is pretty important to us.

What are the goals here? What’s reasonable to expect in this market?

Madden: We’ve only just started. One of the things I’m pleased about is the average time spent on the site. It’s 7 1/2 minutes. Because of the way we designed this thing, the central experience is about reading. Now we have an engagement story to tell, which is great.

The other encouraging metric is direct load. People like what they see and they’ve bookmarked it. They’re coming back daily. Those numbers are pointing in the right direction.