Will Leitch annoints the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan (above) as today’s subject of “Why Your Hometown Columnist Sucks”, a curious conceit given that a) a columnist in Leitch’s actual hometown would find his or herself writing for something closer to The Springfield Shopper than the Boston Globe and b) Ryan has forgotten more about sports than Leitch will ever know.
Actually, the same could be said of Karen Ann Quinlan. Who would probably make for a more likeable TV personality than Bob Ryan. But regardless, Ryan’s work for the Globe, while occasionally out to lunch, is relatively reasoned, thoughtful stuff compared to the regular offerings of a more self-obsessed colleague.
I think you have been a little unfair in some of your criticism of deadspin…but, his piece on bob ryan shows how ignorant he is. Personally, I think it is safe to say that Bob Ryan is one of the top-10 BEST sportswriters in america. Who gives a shit about his criticism of Mrs. Kidd….so it wasn’t pc, it was true.
CD,
please, if you’d like to defend Mr. Leitch’s ethical lapses, jaundiced worldview or sub must-see TV sense of humor, go right ahead. I’m all ears. And unlike Will’s comments section, this forum is wide open to those who think I’m wrong (until they really get on my nerves, at least)
Bob’s comments about Jason’s better half were shall we say “inappropriate” (ie. stupid). But Will was meant to be (I thought) covering “your hometown columnist”, not “which writer turned ESPN starlet lost his shit on tv”. Another Ryan detractor wrote to Will’s treasure trove of love letters today, saying that if it weren’t for “Around The Horn” and “PTI”, nobody would know who these dudes are.
Nobody other than the people who’ve been reading their actual columns in the newspaper, that is.