Friday, January 09, 2004

The Big Time

I glanced at the Post-Gazette this morning before leaving for school, just long enough to be pleased by the announcement that the paper has appointed a California expatriate as its new sports editor. Welcome to Jerry Micco and his family!

Unfortunately for Jerry, while he's taking a professional step up from a decent suburban paper to a big-city paper, he's taking a sports culture step down. The San Francisco Bay Area isn't a sports-obsessed region, but it has a big-city sports attitude. Criticize the Niners, Raiders, Giants, or A's? They can take it; their fans can take it; the teams will (try, at least, to) prove it on the field. Pittsburgh loves its sports teams, but it has a small-town attitude. Exhibit A: Next to the story about Jerry Micco's appointment was this foolishness, the Penguins complaining that the Pirates ran a radio ad suggesting that Pittsburghers are looking forward to warm weather and blue skies--that is, baseball weather. Someone involved with writing or approving the ad may actually lose his job over this! Note to Penguins and their fans: grow up and stop whining. You don't want criticism of the team--even implied, indirect, and probably unintended criticism? Behave like you don't care--and win some games. As the great San Francisco radio newsman Wes "Scoop" Nisker says over and over again: If you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own.

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