**For the third year in a row I’m doing a live blog for the first few days of the NCAA Tournament for my newspaper. (I know, it’s stealing money. Shhhhh.) But this year it’ll be 11 percent cooler, because it’s going to be an interactive blog. Sort of like a chatroom, really (remember those?) So if you’re “out sick” watching the tournament (cough cough) or want to stop in for a few minutes at work, please come yell at me, or give me your thoughts on the games, or whatever, by clicking here starting at 12:15 p.m.
Every month or two Esquire magazine reminds of why I automatically re-up when my subscription is about to lapse. It’s home to some extraordinary writing. Like this piece by the very talented Mike Sager, who writes a searingly-great profile of Ray Towler, a man who was wrongly convicted of sexually molesting an 11-year-old girl in 1982, and spent nearly 30 years in prison before DNA evidence finally cleared him.
It burns me to no end that so many innocent people spend so much time in prison, because of our flawed criminal justice system. But it heartens me that Ray Towler, a man who has every right to be bitter at the world, is not. Sager beautifully tells the story of how this man survived life behind bars, and how appreciative he is of life now.
Take 15 minutes and read it, and marvel at the strength of the human spirit. It’s a fantastic article.
**I have no idea what to make of this story. A writer for the Associated Press in Minnesota named Jon Krawczynski was covering a Minnesota Timberwolves game recently, and on Twitter he reported that he heard an NBA referee, Bill Spooner, talking to a complaining Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis about a foul call. As Rambis moaned about the call, Spooner allegedly said that he’d “get it back” for Rambis later. Meaning, he’d give Rambis’ team a foul call later in the game to even things out.
Krawczynski Tweeted what he said he heard. Spooner found out about it, denies that he ever said such a thing to Rambis, and is now suing Krawczynski for defamation, claiming his reputation has been damaged.
My head spins from this. Was it wrong for the writer to write what he heard? I don’t think so. Should the ref be suing? Doesn’t seem so. But then again, a ref’s reputation is a huge part of his career, and especially in the NBA (remember Tim Donaghy?), even the whiff of crookedness (“Hey coach, I’ll make it up to you later.”) can be damaging. So part of me thinks Spooner has a right to be angry.
I have no idea which way I come down on this one. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Think the inventors of Twitter ever thought this would be a problem?
**Finally, since it’s the start of March Madness, two treats for hoops fans. First, some beautiful person has put together every “One Shining Moment” from 1997-2010 on one site. Yes, I’ve already watched them all at least once.
And second, because CBS announcer Gus Johnson might be THE best thing about the NCAA Tournament, I give you the best of Gus: (The Gonzaga-UCLA stuff about 1:15 in is my favorite part. And if anyone can tell me if that’s any kind of an English word Gus yells at 2:21, you’re a better man than me).
Wide World of Stuff 