Hi all
I am attempting to start writing as a bit of a hobby (kind of newspaper column-style) and was wondering if you kind guys and girls would mind reading what I have done and provide me a critique. It has always been my dream to be a sportswriter (well a writer of any decription), so here goes.....it is 1 page of a 2 1/2 page column. Thanks!
Whilst opinions are indeed like a***holes (everyone has one), I could hardly declare myself an expert on Space travel simply by viewing footage of the 1969 Moon landing any sooner than I could inform 3-time Olympic swimming Gold Medallist Stephanie Rice of the reasons why she has “failed†in London simply because I shower in water each day. Yet, on literally a minute-by-minute basis, spiteful, hurtful and uneducated personal criticism is directed at athletes such as Rice and so many others.
In some instances this behaviour is merely exhibited in the “Gossip†pages of national newspapers – I write merely, as it is my view that “Gossip columnists†and “Dole bludgers†are not too far removed. On 2nd August 2012 The Daily Telegraph printed a nonsensical “Gossip†piece on Stephanie Rice which began with the line: “Now that the pesky business of competing is out of the way, Stephanie Rice can now get down to the serious business of partyingâ€. How f*****g dismissive of a person and their achievements do you want to be? Gossip columnists feed on the perceived failings and character flaws of others and as such in effect don’t really matter – except for the fact that their readership inexplicably numbers in the thousands. The only answer is to constantly challenge and question what is presented in front of you –write to the Editor, use online “feedback†options, use social media. Do not, however, simply accept the dross!
However, there surprisingly exists a person more unpleasant than the Gossip columnist – it is the anonymous, cowardly internet user who is identified only by his or her “usernameâ€. I am often reminded of a comment attributed to the forthright former Australian cricket captain (of whom I am an unashamed fan) Ian Chappell, who when asked if a particularly controversial quote could be printed, replied: “Mate, if I don’t want to be quoted I won’t f*****g say itâ€. Isn’t that just the best attitude? Brave and bold! People who have walked the walk are entitled to talk the talk – and they will more often than not attribute their own name to a comment.
Not so, the “keyboard heroâ€. The keyboard hero, who on one hand is so lacking in bravery that he or she will not even use their own name when brutally vilifying and critiquing the “failures†of others, is on the other hand a self-appointed expert on the subject and person in question…..despite not having achieved…well…anything noteworthy themselves! Yet this same person will lurk in internet forums, salivating at the chance to inform another hard-working, dedicated professional that they are “softâ€, a “loserâ€, “gutlessâ€, “weakâ€, a “spudâ€, “overpaid†(jealous much?) – or in some cases that they should simply “FOAD†(which means, incredibly, f**k off and die).
I am attempting to start writing as a bit of a hobby (kind of newspaper column-style) and was wondering if you kind guys and girls would mind reading what I have done and provide me a critique. It has always been my dream to be a sportswriter (well a writer of any decription), so here goes.....it is 1 page of a 2 1/2 page column. Thanks!
KEYBOARD HEROES
As I type this opening paragraph, it is perhaps timely that the first week of the 2012 London Olympic Games is (mercifully) fast approaching its conclusion. Regrettably, these Games have done nothing but confirm to me that “old†Australians are now outnumbered by the ever-increasing assortment of “new†Australians – jealous, sniping, sycophantic, underachieving, spineless, hypocritical, lazy critics who have neither the dedication nor ability to accomplish anything noteworthy themselves in the sporting arena. Whilst opinions are indeed like a***holes (everyone has one), I could hardly declare myself an expert on Space travel simply by viewing footage of the 1969 Moon landing any sooner than I could inform 3-time Olympic swimming Gold Medallist Stephanie Rice of the reasons why she has “failed†in London simply because I shower in water each day. Yet, on literally a minute-by-minute basis, spiteful, hurtful and uneducated personal criticism is directed at athletes such as Rice and so many others.
In some instances this behaviour is merely exhibited in the “Gossip†pages of national newspapers – I write merely, as it is my view that “Gossip columnists†and “Dole bludgers†are not too far removed. On 2nd August 2012 The Daily Telegraph printed a nonsensical “Gossip†piece on Stephanie Rice which began with the line: “Now that the pesky business of competing is out of the way, Stephanie Rice can now get down to the serious business of partyingâ€. How f*****g dismissive of a person and their achievements do you want to be? Gossip columnists feed on the perceived failings and character flaws of others and as such in effect don’t really matter – except for the fact that their readership inexplicably numbers in the thousands. The only answer is to constantly challenge and question what is presented in front of you –write to the Editor, use online “feedback†options, use social media. Do not, however, simply accept the dross!
However, there surprisingly exists a person more unpleasant than the Gossip columnist – it is the anonymous, cowardly internet user who is identified only by his or her “usernameâ€. I am often reminded of a comment attributed to the forthright former Australian cricket captain (of whom I am an unashamed fan) Ian Chappell, who when asked if a particularly controversial quote could be printed, replied: “Mate, if I don’t want to be quoted I won’t f*****g say itâ€. Isn’t that just the best attitude? Brave and bold! People who have walked the walk are entitled to talk the talk – and they will more often than not attribute their own name to a comment.
Not so, the “keyboard heroâ€. The keyboard hero, who on one hand is so lacking in bravery that he or she will not even use their own name when brutally vilifying and critiquing the “failures†of others, is on the other hand a self-appointed expert on the subject and person in question…..despite not having achieved…well…anything noteworthy themselves! Yet this same person will lurk in internet forums, salivating at the chance to inform another hard-working, dedicated professional that they are “softâ€, a “loserâ€, “gutlessâ€, “weakâ€, a “spudâ€, “overpaid†(jealous much?) – or in some cases that they should simply “FOAD†(which means, incredibly, f**k off and die).
