I Don't Need My Sports Illustrated, I Need News
The Sporting News
I dumped Sports Illustrated months ago for the newspaper-turned-magazine The Sporting News. Time was that TSN meant ten day old boxscores, briefings from the best beat writers in baseball and year round coverage of America's pastime. Other were sports covered, of course, at least the major ones, but The Sporting News meant that you were a serious fan of the sport. With 24 hour media barraging fans, the type of person who once read TSN now probably reads Baseball America.
News, columns and features still make up the brunt up The Sporting News' coverage. There is also much more coverage of sports beyond the big four, especially golf and NASCAR. TSN essentially became Sports Illustrated without as many pretty pictures. And while SI still holds the lead in many people's opinion regarding investigative reporting, The Sporting News is certainly its equal in covering the players and teams - all of them, from every major sport.
Still The Best Columns In Sports Journalism
Other publications have fine columnists, but the mix at TSN is excellent. Ken Rosenthal covers baseball as well as anyone writing today, Dave Kindred writes like a less acerbic Rick Reilly and the anonymous Fly, whose Caught On The Fly column has appeared for years is wickedly funny while stabbing from the shadows.The magazine also does a superb job in arranging for other columnists. Former Congressman and football player J.C. Watts regularly pens a column, as does relief pitcher Todd Jones. The look inside Jones' dugout and perceptions of a skilled communicator with a sports background makes these two columns special reads.
These columns are organized into the various sections. Kindred gets the back page, The Fly is up front and the others are grouped with their respective sports. One thing that has not changed over the years is the incredibly detailed look at every team in every major sport during every issue. Need to know the Anaheim Angels' plans for a utility infielder just called up? What about a defensive end nursing a sprained ankle a continent away or a point guard who is having clubhouse troubles? That level of detail pops up in every issue. Only professionals or the true sports fanatic will devour, much less grasp the significance of each news item, but their regular availability frees readers from searching the web or tuning 24/7 to ESPN.
But What About Features?
The Sporting News does not publish the in-depth features that make Sports Illustrated successful. There are certainly articles chock-full of analysis, but they are shorter, punchier pieces than SI publishes. One notable exception was this summer's in-depth look at Questech, baseball's controversial computerized umpire review program. TSN not only covered the story better than any media I saw, but the statistical analysis that remains the magazine's forte was particularly useful in explaining why this program was so controversial and how umpires had already changed their game calling in parks where Questech was installed.
Fantasy sports have also become a major focus at The Sporting News, especially baseball and football. Guest columnists, year-round coverage and more analysis than Davey Johnson's computer files are crammed into each issue. The preseason coverage for both sports is also exceptionally well regarded. The owners in my fantasy baseball league, in operation for almost twenty years, religiously rely on TSN's values and predictions. (Note to any league members reading this: yes, I do use that information to drive up prices on draft day).
The Bottom Line, Renewal Cards and All
I can live without the features, but the sports fan who follows more than a single team or sport is well advised to subscribe to The Sporting News. Yes, you can find most of the information yourself, but isn't it easier to receive everything bundled in one magazine in your mailbox every Friday?
Five Things To Remember From This Review
1. The Sporting News is no longer a newspaper, but now
a glossy magazine.
2. Every team in every major sport is covered weekly.
3. Fantasy sports also receive a ton of coverage.
4. The columnists are even better than Sports
Illustrated's columnists.
5. Don't count the magazine out of the investigative business. You don't need to see a picture of Peyton Manning and his dog. You need to know how Peyton's dogs are holding up if his offensive line crumbles the week before.
