When did Jason Quick remember how to write?

That Columbian article about Patty Mills must've kicked Quick in the ass to become a decent journalist again:

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/02/gerald_wallace_new_blazer_know.html

A perfect introduction to a man who will fit right in with the mindset and character of this team and this city.

 

Despite all shit he gets Quick is a pretty damn good writer, especially when he does these minibiographies

 

Quick has always been good writing "feel-good" pieces. He just tends (and I'm totally underselling this) to exaggerate things that aren't very major or relevant.

 

For example, Damon.

 

He wants to be a feature writer. He doesn't want to write straight news stories. He's done it for too long.

 

Quick can write. He's just a melodrama queen who plays favorites, and isn't the best basketball mind in the business. And since the hatchet job the Oregonian did on the Blazers last decade, he seems to have been ostracized from any real inside information.

Good write up on Wallace. He is going to be a fan favorite, and positive press like this will help a lot.

 

I have no problem with Quick as a writer. He has awesome access to the day to day workings of the Blazers. I have a problem with him portraying himself as an "inside source" as he tries to speculate or break news.

 

Hey, he was right on that the Blazers were going to stand pat at the trade deadline. Got to give him credit.

 

Can anyone quote the stylistically original parts of the article that you are all praising? The twists of phrasing, the symbolisms, the words that can be interpreted in different ways by different readers? What the hell are you talking about? Have you ever read good writing?

 

He is convinced he has a future as an FBI agent, and is enraptured by any crime/mystery television show.

Does he watch Bones?

 

Not amazing writing, but he did pick an interesting article on a very relevant topic.

Much better than his last week taking his best guesses at what Rich Cho is thinking.

 

If he does, he'll probably find you creepy and maybe somewhat frightening

 

If he's into mysteries, he should watch Oden's knee heal.

 

No, he can be a good writer when he chooses to be. Same with Crapzano. But the idea those two idiots have about being sensational media stars prevents them from showcasing their writing gifts very often. Instead, they peek thru blinds, play both sides of the fence, lie... until their schtick starts to wear badly and they get back on track for a short while. It's a shame to waste all that talent. But such is the Portland media.

 

Can you show us any examples of this talent? We all need to become better writers on this board. Apparently my mother jlprk, who was a newspaper reporter and then with Time Magazine until she got married and retired at 25, didn't teach me to recognize good writing, so please point it out. Then I can imitate that quality Oregonian elegance.

 

Well, it isn't Dickens. When you are talking about sports "journalism," you are talking about a very low bar, indeed.

 

Well, I don't have specific articles saved, but I do recall an article wrote by Canzano about the head replay football official when Oklahoma played at Oregon that was extremely well written. He does those types of articles a few times per year.

As to Quick, this article on Wallace is an example of what he does every year or so.

 

Journalism needs two main talents. No Oregonian sports writer is anything special at 1) writing. And their mole teeth are surprisingly dull at 2) digging out sources. They are consistently scooped by the national guys, even for Blazer trade news.

Half the people on this board could write the following, if motivated by a paycheck.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonianextra/2009/04/john_canzanos_awardwinning_spo.html

 

Make that 95% of the people on this board. I spent 30 seconds looking through that garbage, and that's all I can stand. I feel like I ran into the city dump to look around, inhaled, and ran out fast. I'm not going back in there!

 

Maybe 2 or 3 could from S2. Certainly not me, but there are a few. It is interesting to note that many of the best writers around the country now started with their own blog or something like that. I 'blog hop' often and find some remarkably talented people. Here's an example:

http://affirmationtwo.blogspot.com/

She went from starting a blog out of therapy years ago to one who now showcases enormous talent in both writing and drawing.