Sports Writer Rick Reilly Names Wright Thompson the Future of Sports Writing
Sports writer Rick Reilly sat down with Ron Bennington to tape an episode of Ron Bennington Interviews this week to talk about his new book, “Tiger, Meet My Sister… And Other Things I Probably Shouldn’t Have Said.” Reilly talked with Bennington about the state of sports journalism today, and how the media has covered the Donald Sterling incident, and Michael Sam’s press coverage.
Reilly also talked about why he’s retiring from sports writing next month to pursue other interests. “I’ve been doing it since I was 19,” he said. “There’s only seven sports columns in the world and I’ve done them all.” Looking for new challenges, he plans write about things other than sports, maybe even write a movie. His decision was no doubt also influenced by the generational changes taking place in sports journalism. Nowadays, he noted, writers have to work much faster, leaving very little time to get to really know their subject. “Greg Doyle on CBS.com– it seems like he’s got something every day. Well if you’re writing every day, sorry, you have to hurry them through,” he said. In contrast, he pointed to writers like Gary Smith who would spend three months on a piece, and call 100 people as sources. The prominence of instant platforms like twitter have forced the speed issue even further.
Everything gets broken on twitter now. And you know why? Cause if i’m sitting in a press row with you, and you see something that you know is going to be news in 3 minutes, you’re not going to have time to go to your editor, you just tweet it out. It’s very dangerous because a lot of times you have it wrong. its a different world. I’m not saying its a worse world, i’m just ready to move on and let the young guys have it.
And Reilly isn’t kidding about moving on. To mark the progression, he started his new book with his own obituary, which he wrote himself. He’s really leaving, he’s ready to pass the torch along, and yes, there’s someone writing today who he sees as the next Rick Reilly in sports writing– ESPN’s Wright Thompson who he says “writes like an angel”.
That guy can really write. And he does long pieces like I did, I think, at his age. And those take a bit out of you, but he’s doing em. And he’s just— he just lives to write. All he wants to talk about is writing, and words and scenes, and he wants to drink wine, and talk some more about it. I don’t think there’s ever going be anybody like Jim Murray, and he was my hero. And I’m proud to go in the hall of fame on June 9th and join that list of great great writers. I’m not saying I’m part of them but I will go in on June 9th. That will be the last column I write that day on ESPN.com. And then I fully expect Wright Thompson to be in there too someday.
The interview with Rick Reilly will air this Sunday night on Ron Bennington Interviews, which airs on SiriusXM’s Stars Too at 6pm. It will also be available OnDemand after Sunday night. Ron Bennington hosts Ron Bennington Interviews, a weekly interview show where Ron sits down with some of the greatest creative minds of our time. You can also hear Bennington weekdays on The Ron and Fez Show from noon to 3pm et on SiriusXM’s Raw Dog Comedy Hits 99.
