(Massimo Bottura of MasterClass, operates Osteria Francescana, the top-rated restaurant in the world... on the emotion of craft.)
How does the journalist navigate the search for Bob Woodward's "best version of the truth" without becoming persona non grata? Athletes, coaches, and fans struggle to handle the truth.
The beat writer walked into the locker room before a game where the star was downing a shot of Jack Daniels. The writer said nothing. The player volunteered, "I'm never talking to you again." He never wrote the story. (Names withheld.)
Good journalists find the story and engage the reader. When a story gets traction, so much the better. But where are the lines writers can't cross...family problems, alcohol and substance use, mental health? Wins and losses expose out our best and our worst. Who decides?
Mets' skipper Mickey Callaway got into a shouting match with Newsday reporter Tim Healey who repeatedly questioned his strategy. The reporter walked away saying, "see you tomorrow," some inferring that he meant Callaway would be fired overnight. That prompted an outburst from Callaway. Who's the Healey in your city?
Separating fact from opinion takes work. We're wired to accept new information as truth. Stop and think.
We prejudge truth sourced from influencers. If an athlete supports a political figure, then she's a hero. But if she criticizes her, then "stay in your lane," stick to dribbling. Authenticity, logic, and critical thinking become captive to bias. Freedom of speech is judged through the intellectual eye of the beholder.
Or it's personal. The journalist holds a grudge against the athlete. The athlete wasn't at the beck and call of the journalist, so the scribe pens a hatchet job. It happens. "He said, he said." To paraphrase Chuck Daly, "Beware those who buy ink by the barrel."
What about fairness to the athlete, coach, or upper management? We sacrifice fairness on the altar of expedience. Not everyone traffics in fairness...truth become fraud and a genius gets exposed as a menace.
What is the evidence? We decide using different inputs. We err because of sample size, mean reversion, recency bias, confirmation bias, or randomness. High-priced executives negotiate the worst contracts in sports history and draft based on hope.
Refine our reading palate. Because people play, describe, and write about sports, content will be flawed. Reject easy adoption of false truths and easy solutions to complex problems.
Lagniappe: Small-sided games foster creativity and more touches.
Lagniappe 2: Master chef Bottura says, "the chef is using knowledge and technique to let the ingredient (player) express himself...the solution for your problem is in simplicity." He adds, "remember, obsession about quality." Basketball is our art.Coaches: If I was coaching, I’d implement Olympic 3x3 as part of my summer program: 1. It’s a fast- paced conditioner. Game rarely stops. 2. Great for developing quick reaction in 2 & 3-man plays. 3. It’s skill developer w/everyone handling ball. It’s how we all learned to play! https://t.co/KVSUgEQ4sI— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) June 24, 2019
Massimo Bottura, "spin painted" beet with multiple velvety sauces (roasted red pepper, roasted yellow pepper, chlorophyll, roasted potato) and balsamic vinegar
