So, why should I care about sports news?

About five years ago, I wrote an opinion of Sports Illustrated which was -- in retrospect -- idiotic. Sure, I gave the magazine high marks and all, but complained about a some trivial nonsense here and there. Well, I've deleted that opinion (Epinion?) and hope this one is a bit more valid.

Let me kind of put things in perspective. I'm a newspaper journalist (for the most part) with a law degree. A few years ago, I was a budding journalist with a lot of tendencies of a first-year law student. Frankly, the worst person in the world to ask for a legal opinion is a first-year law student because they tend to have enough knowledge to, as the saying goes, make them dangerous. Similarly, young journalists ought not comment on magazines, newspapers and the like. They don't know what the hell they're talking about, typically.

These days, I hope I've matured somewhat in my outlook. I've been writing for awhile now and even freelance for a couple of regional magazines and just entered into an agreement to write for a national one (all trade publications for the trucking industry, by the way). What I've learned through the years is this -- if I could write half as well as the fellows who grace the pages of Sports Illustrated, I'd have a hell of a lot more money than I do now.

Sports is an odd thing. On the surface, it appears to be a monumental waste of time. We Americans get wrapped up in events which might not seem to matter much in the scheme of things. We're talking about people playing mere games, after all, so what does it matter if the NHL misses a season, or baseball players are caught in the middle of steroids scandals or etc.?

Actually, all that stuff means a hell of a lot to more people than we might like to think. And, the writers at Sports Illustrated reach that audience extremely well. Moreover, they are downright brilliant at raising the questions which sports fans have surrounding events of the day and addressing them.

Take, for example, the latest issue of the magazine (the March 28, 2005, edition). Gary Smith did an outstanding job of addressing the steroids scandal which is swirling around baseball right now, but in a format that is perfect for a weekly magazine. At this point, we all know the controversy surrounding Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in their pursuit of home run records. The facts have been reported, and reported again.

Smith, however, approached the subject matter differently. We know what the facts are, of course, but what do they mean to the game and society as a whole? He established himself as a sports fan who was present in 1998 at games when Sosa and McGwire were competing to set home run records. Smith addressed the general mood of the fans that summer -- heroes were made back then, and it appeared that Americans were finally willing to let go of the grudge they'd held since a season was shortened a few years prior when the players' union and team owners couldn't come to terms on salaries.

Smith then fast-forwarded to hearings before Congress in which Sosa and McGwire skirted questions about steroid use. Smith then spent the rest of the article quoting fans and how they felt about the summer of 1998 in light of allegations of steroid use, as well as Bonds' pursuit of Hank Aaron's lifetime record. It winds up being a very personal and eye-opening article, which raises questions about the declining morals of society as a whole and prods the reader into wondering what's next for baseball.

Want to know why this scandal is important? Smith laid out the reasons better than anyone else has. Similarly, Rick Reilly did the same thing in his column, pointing to his friendship with McGwire and staing an entire generation of youth need to hear the truth from the former Cardinals slugger. Reilly points out his son is a baseball player and is watching his friends get larger through the use of steroids-like substances. People like Reilly's son, the author writes, need to hear McGwire admit the truth and explain the dangers of using drugs to get an edge on the competition.

I realize those are but two examples of articles from one issue, but the writers in Sports Illustrated manage to document -- time and time again -- just why news from the sports page is important. But, more than that, they have the skill (and access) to rather fill in for fans in pursuing dreams. Let me explain that, too. In the March 14, 2005, issue, Tom Verducci wrote about his experiences as a Toronto Blue Jay. Verducci, by no doubt taking advantage of Sports Illutrated's mighty influence, arranged to wear a Toronto uniform for five days and go through a training camp session with the Blue Jays. That experience included batting practice, team meetings and a scrimmage game -- Blue Jays against Blue Jays.

Verducci's writing really puts the reader in the shoes of the author -- to a degree -- and answers a lot of questions a fan might have about what it's like to be a player in the MLB. Brilliant stuff, all the way around, and only the kind of thing a good writer able to tap into the resources Sports Illustrated has built up over the years could do.

I know those are but two examples, but they rather explain the kind of writing subscribers expect from Sports Illustrated. I've been a subscriber for years, and I'm sure that will continue. The local sports pages and wire stories from the Associated Press can give me facts and information, but no organization can explain why those things matter better than Sports Illustrated. Every sports fan needs a subscription to this magazine.

Big ol' update

It's been brought to my attention I haven't mentioned the regular features in this magazine. So, that I'll do. In additon to the top-notch writing, you get some fantastic photographs in this magazine. As much as we lads with a pen would like to believe otherwise, a solid set of photographs can really draw the reader into a story. The folks at Sports Illustrated are second-to-none in that regard. You want some close-up shots? You've got them in spades. How about some highly-emotional shots of the sports figures we follow? You've got that, too (witness a stoic Mark McGwire sitting in front of Congress and trying to weasel out of steroids accusations). How about some action shots? I wouldn't be surprised if Sports Illustrated photographers didn't wind up in the hospital from time to time for getting to close to muscled-up athletes in the middle of games. And, let's not forget the "vault" of photos Sports Illustrated has available. You can see the likes of Babe Ruth smacking home runs out of the park regularly, of Terry Bradshaw back when he was an amazing quarterback and not some goof on television commercials and etc. In other words, you get fantastic current stuff, and legendary images from the rich history of sports here. Great stuff.

Similarly, the graphics are great, too. Let's say, for example, you've got a story about batting averages. Just expect to find something in there listing the top lifetime batting averages recorded in Major League Baseball or something along those lines. Graphic arts have come a long, long way over the past couple of decades, and Sports Illustrated has certainly kept up with the times. We all know that facts, figures and random bits of information are very important in the world of sports coverage. This magazine conveys that data, when relevant, in a very accessible way.

Also, there's the letters to the editor section. Yes, this is a minor thing, but quite important. I have already mentioned how the writers at Sports Illustrated seem to tap into what what sports fans are thinking (or, ought to be thinking) about events of the day. The Letters section is the place for readers to write in and tell us what they, indeed, think about this, that or the other. Very informative, for the most part, particularly since you can find some irate sports figures writing in from time to time.

Finally, there's Rick Reilly. He's a regular columnist who will sometimes make me gag with his left-leaning views, but there are times he's right on the money with his critiques. Regardless, he's constantly entertaining and, at least, backs up what he says.