Here's this blog's resolution for 2008: PV will not read a single column by Jim Souhan or Tom Powers (I thought of including Patrick Reusse, but I'm slightly warming to him). I realize that neither Souhan nor Powers have ever provided any relevant insights on the Vikings in their columns; they've just annoyed me with their insults and hapless attempts at humor. They are not good writers, and I would like to try make 2008 Souhan and Powers free.
This will negatively affect those readers who enjoy the Bad Sportswriting tag at this blog. I'm sorry that in 2008 I won't be there to help you lambaste these awful writers. But there are plenty of other bad sportswriters out there, and we'll continue to write scathing critiques of their works; Souhan and Powers have just annoyed me enough that I'm not going to bother with them anymore.
Links
Moderately Cerebral Bias points out the generational nature in ESPN-backlash: ESPN likely targets teenagers, and if you don't like ESPN anymore, it's probably not because ESPN started sucking, but because you grew up.
The Star Tribune reports that Viking players support Tarvaris Jackson returning as the starting QB.
The Pioneer Press notes the four areas the Vikings must work to improve in the offseason (the first three areas include some form of the word "pass").
Let me ask this to Cleveland Browns fans: would you rather be 10-6 and get whooped in the first round of the playoffs, or would you rather be 10-6 and miss the playoffs? Either way, a 10 win season is an accomplishment and a major sign of progress (it's the Browns' best record since returning in 1999). It's alright, thenaturalmevs: you're watching a team on the rise.
The Boston Celtics have played 30 games and the Minnesota Timberwolves have played 31 games. The Celtics have won 27 and the Timberwolves have won 4. They've got Randy Moss and Kevin Garnett: there's a reason Minnesota fans are much more bitter about the overall Boston sports success than anybody else.
At Epic Carnival, DMtShooter tells you what NFL storylines you're going to be tired of this NFL offseason (if you're not already).
I might continue with more links, but I have to go Magic Bullet some smoothies. More links another time, suckers.
This is distressing! Bashing Souhan is one of the ways I get through my sports day...seriously, boycotting him will only convince Captain Clueless that he's a good writer, instead of a pathetic hack. Keep bashing Souhan! Don't let him escape!
ReplyDeleteSouhan and Powers have never been anything other than awful. Reusse is a wise-ass and sometimes pointlessly contrarian, but he has a genuinely analytical approach to writing about athletic performance. This is most evident regarding the sport he is most familiar with, baseball, but he has legitimate insights regarding football and other sports as well. I always appreciated that, when other hacks were writing the typical cliches about Denny Green's playoff record, only Reusse, who was no kiss-up to Green, recognized how damnably difficult it is to be better than .500 in the NFL almost every year.
ReplyDeleteReusse is not a hack in the vein of Powers or Souhan.
Reusse bothers me most when he makes overt attempts to insult and antagonize Viking fans (a trait for Powers, too); still, I recognize that Reusse can offer insights and a unique perspective. Souhan and Powers just don't do that.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's really no reason to show restraint when criticizing Souhan or Powers, considering how vicious they can each be in ripping their targets. I'm just trying to remove a few cheap annoyances from my life, and there are plenty of other places to read about the Vikes.