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Taking Aim At The Delicate Genius
by IwoCPO on 01/12/09 at 04:35 PM ET
Comments (14)
Those of you who may be new to the ever-evolving A2Y scene may not recognize the glossary entry, “The Delicate Genius.” Like everything else in the glossary, that phrase is one of my favorites. Don’t bother clicking because I’m gonna show you what it says anyway. I’m that kind of guy, and we have a point to make. Oh yes we do.
He wrote with true sorrow about the playoff loss to Edmonton after the “Goose Loonies” incident. He was a Wing fan’s columnist. But over the years, Mitch found other interests...radio, tv, fiction (both in the papers and out) and the Wings fell by the wayside. Oh, Mitch shows up at the Joe now and then. When? October and April. No time for Detroit hockey during the regular season. Nope. Mitch is all about the beginning and the end. Unfortunately, like so many mediocre writers, he’s forgotten the middle. But when the time comes to rip the Wings, with very little knowledge of the team or organization....there he is, The Delicate Genius.
Yep. That’s our entry. And we stuck with our anti-Mitch stance for nearly three years. Right up until last week. I caved. Mitch wrote about Detroit with that old Albom angst. You’ve read the SI article by now. And after ripping him for so long...this.
Really good stuff from Albom.
I frigging caved and gave the DG an A2Y endorsement. On the surface? Well deserved. But after a few days, doubt started to seep in a bit.
First, I saw this from Malik...and I cringed a bit because he was right.
George makes a great point that Albom writes a spectacular article, but one that totally ignores what the present-day Wings have accomplished.
But there’s more to the Detroit sports scene, circa 2008, than disappointment. There’s a little tiny part of town that says, “Meh, 29-7-and-5, not a bad first half, but it could be better,” and nobody bats an eyelash as seven Canadians, seven Swedes, four Americans, two Slovaks, a Czech, and a Russian (and a Finn!), under the guidance of an athlete-turned-scholar from Saskatchewan, not only hold up an amazing standard of sporting excellence, but also challenge themselves to get better each and every time they lace up their skates.
I’m gonna give George a pass for using the word “meh”. I frigging hate it George, almost as much as I despise the word “snark”. But...because you and I share an affinity for the greatest actor of our generation, Jack Black, I’m letting you slide. Plus you’re right about the Albom column.
I was even more convinced of that when I saw the cheese-factor 10 way the Free Press intro’d the piece on loan from Sports Illustrated. Check this out and try not to throw up in your mouth a little bit:
Mitch Albom’s article in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated is part pride and catharsis.
Ick.
When Sports Illustrated asked him whether anybody still cared about Detroit, Free Press columnist Mitch Albom knew what he needed to do.
Take a break from his holiday vacation. Write a personal defense of his city and his state.
Ok. Now that’s not a bit much?
Leave it to the Free Press and leave it to Albom to take a good thing and turn it into a dramatic production. Well, somebody noticed. And his name is Joel Thurtell.
Guess where Joel worked for 23 years?
The Detroit Free Press. Oh. It’s on now.
Hey, if Mitch can get away with fiction-as-journalism, why can’t I?
Here’s my fake interview with Pseudo-Mitch Albom.
Joelontheroad: Hi, Mitch. Nice to meet you, at last. I worked at the Free Press 23 years, but I only saw you in the building once and never actually met you. When I did see you, it was at a staff meeting where you were talking to us about what it’s like to be a famous writer.
Pseudo-Mitch: You never met me because I don’t work at the Free Press, Joel. Didn’t you know that? I don’t work AT the paper. Newsrooms are terrible places to do any creative writing. Editors are there. Plus I have a busy schedule giving talks and promoting books and such things. An office is no place for a writer, Joel.
Now. Relax. Thurtell isn’t claiming Mitch made this one up. All he’s getting at is that our Delicate Genius, while writing with true sorrow about the plight of Detroit, really has no frigging clue what the city’s like because...well, he’s never in the damn place anyway.
You need to read the rest of the blog entry from Thurtell. At the very least, it’s funny. A bit deeper and it’s a semi-serious poke at the DG.
Bottom line: Albom’s article was some quality stuff. But credibility’s a funny thing. Kinda slippery when you lose it once.
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Comments
How did I miss that “blue light” crap the first time around? That’s pathetic, even for Mitchy the Troll.
Anyone else see Mitch explaining the article and whining to Charlie Rose about how much Detroit gets picked on? Doesn’t whining inherently contradict the entire theme of the article: that Detroiters are tough, no matter what is thrown at them?
http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/9910
Posted by Mike from Chicago on 01/12/09 at 05:31 PM ET
My sincere apologies, Chief...I shall refrain from “snark” and “meh” whenever possible from now on 
Seriously, Mitch wrote a great article, but you do have to question whether he actually follows any Detroit sport that doesn’t involve the Lions anymore, and...Mitch goes on Charlie Rose. Mitch writes another book that makes its way onto “Oprah’s Book Club’s” list. Mitch hosts his radio show on WJR and discusses Detroit politics, state, national, and world news, and pontificates upon this and that to an ever-growing audience.
But Mitch attending an actual sporting event? That doesn’t happen very much anymore. Albom is an astute “opinion page” columnist, he has a great affinity for discussing the human condition as it pertains to those who face immense challenges in life, and he does a solid job discussing the ways in which people deal with death and loss, usually of the senseless kind, but he just...he’s not a sportswriter anymore, and when he dips his toes into the testosterone pool, he increasingly relies upon his stellar past experiences as a sportswriter-turned-nationally-syndicated columnist than he does present interaction with Detroit’s sporting heart.
Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 01/12/09 at 06:14 PM ET
Hi, one of the newbs you previously mentioned. Having read the Glossary a couple of times, the first time out of morbid curiosity, the second to see if there was an entry for the one and only DC (had to figure that one out on my own and a perfect fit I might add).
I guess I’ll introduce myself:
The name’s Ron
I’m a Michigan transplant from about as far in the state as you can get from D-town.
I’ve been a Wings fan since I was three years old after I visited the American Hockey Hall of Fame (you know the place in the so called “State of Hockey") and my Pops bought me a Red Wings triangle pennant.
I now live in New England and work at Ty Conklin’s Alma Mater. He was the only Goalie to captain the team in it’s existence. Time to laugh at me. I graduated from Dallas Drake’s Alma Mater
I must say that the DG article touched a few strings as I have family in the Detroit area. I caught the flashing blue light reference the first time I read it. I took it as a reference to the big ‘ol Mart of K being they got their start in Detroit. Who knows. I did see Albom on NSCSPN (Not So Complete Sports Programming Network) yesterday. Not impressed.
Sorry to say, but I loathe Jack Black. I thought his best performance was in the Jackal when Bruce Willis blew his arm off with that badass remote 50 cal.
With that. Blog on bitches and always.....
Let’s Go Red Wings… brah.
Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Earth. on 01/12/09 at 06:59 PM ET
“Sorry to say, but I loathe Jack Black.”
You , sir, are an astute judge of talent, or lack thereof, and a friend of mine. Welcome.
Posted by dougie on 01/12/09 at 07:17 PM ET
Gotta agree with BeanLand and Dougie. Jack Black is awful. His high water mark was in “Airborne” playing Augie the dufus buddy goalie. Every role since has been the same. But at least he was in a rollerblading/hockey movie, so he’s got that going for him.
Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Sunny SoCal on 01/12/09 at 07:26 PM ET
BeanLand Fails. Dougie Fails. Cap’n Dennis Fails.
Jack Black is awesome. Tenacious D? Awesome.
Except School of Rock. Jesus.
He even made a John Cusack film rock. That’s how much he rocks.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/12/09 at 07:35 PM ET
Some other minor quibbles about the Albom article: Sweetest Day? Really? I don’t know when Sweetest Day is, nor anyone who celebrates it, but I guess you can celebrate it if you’re a “delicate genius”. And...punchki donuts? Really? Mitch, please, it’s paczki, with a squiggly thing hanging from the a. Really.
Posted by cephalopod from Chicago, on the poop deck, not over it yet on 01/12/09 at 08:08 PM ET
Regardless of Mitch’s lack of current attendance at Detroit sporting events ; the article , is a compelling read. Being born in Hockeytown and working at GM for a few years in the 80’s ,I understand the plight of the current situation in Detroit. Mitch is defending OUR town!! He’s right the national media needs to get off the people of Detroit’s back. Mitch is right we’re survivors too!! I give him creedo’s for standing up for US!! At least it’s in a National media outlet for the people of America to read and take heed, Mitch is right whats happened in Detroit/Michigan is coming to the rest of America. I hope the rest of America has Faith like the GOOD people of Detroit. Thanks Mitch........ 
rayzredwing
Posted by rayzredwing on 01/12/09 at 09:29 PM ET
In other words, Albom has been hanging out with Rick Reilly too much.
Posted by clemshady from Greenwood, SC on 01/12/09 at 10:21 PM ET
Being born in Hockeytown and working at GM for a few years in the 80’s ,I understand the plight of the current situation in Detroit. Mitch is defending OUR town!!
So, you’ve already forgotten when he crossed the picket lines during the newspaper strikes?
Plus, he’s a *#$%@& hack.
Posted by alexcutter on 01/13/09 at 01:41 PM ET
I briefly scanned through the DG’s article whilst in the waiting room of my Wife’s surgeon. I tend to agree with George. Had the article appeared in Time or Life magazine, I would gladly uphold it as a really good example of journalism. I thought DG portrayed an intimate picture of D town and its fanbase, and produced a very compelling simile between the two. I liked the article, and was impressed with DG taking issue with his media brethern.
Being that the article was in SI, however, places the article periously close to the realm of “sports” journalism. The “19” are all too familiar with DG’s conspicious absence in relation to any sort of in-depth and personal observations of the Motor City sports teams.
Mitch is a highly accomplished writer who has long since bid adieu to being a “sports writer” who regularly covered the local teams in-person. I for one, miss that type of coverage.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 01/13/09 at 04:22 PM ET
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I think your Bottom Line summary is spot on.
Also, this remains uncorrected in the SI version:
Hate to slag on a typo, but how can you even pretend to care about hockey and mess that up?
Posted by CP on 01/12/09 at 05:02 PM ET