The Agony of Defeat

Roone Arledge died today at the age of 71. He virtually invented televised sports and from there went on to build a world-class television news operation at ABC. I didn't know him, but my cousin, James Walker, worked for him at ABC News. And James would, from time to time, regale me with Arledge lore.

The Roone Arledge story that is lasered into my brain involves a couple of camera crews returning from the Gulf War. As is always the case in stories like this, they flew into JFK late in the evening. It was cold and rainy and utterly bleak. I don't think there is anything more depressing than waiting at JFK Baggage Claim at midnight on a miserable night. And these guys had risked their lives covering the war, only to learn that much of what they had filmed never aired.

And who was there to meet them? Roone Arledge, who thanked them for their hard work.

You can read more about Arledge's passing today by clicking here.

An Excellent Blog

David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, has an excellent web-log which you would be well-advised to bookmark (or put on your "favorites" list). In his posts today, he references the work of David Warren, whose knowledge of the Islamic world makes his newspaper columns especially interesting. I urge you to read Warren's speech on the coming Islamic implosion, which you can do by clicking here.

Call It Journalism

Gerald Boyd has issued a memo on behalf of his boss Howell Raines addressing the controversy over the New York Times's ridiculously overblown coverage of the alleged membership controversy at Augusta National. It really has to be read to be believed.

Rolling on a River

President Bush campaigned in Louisiana yesterday and the overnight tracking polls ticked up for Suzanne Terrell, the Republican challenger to incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu (D). My friends down there tell me that Terrell can now be considered a favorite to win the run-off election this Saturday, 8 December. If Terrell does indeed defeat Landrieu, Senator John Breaux's life in the minority party will be a whole lot more painful.

Geezer Patrol

Geezer poster boy Don Hewitt, who is holding his desk hostage at CBS News, was on Larry King Live Monday. It's been a while since Ellisblog issued a "geezer alert" regarding old fogies who refuse to make way for new talent.

Hewitt's performance on Larry King Live will long be remembered for its Nixonian bathos. It was, by turns, whiney, grandiose, narcissistic, self-pitying, full of false bravado, a masterpiece of faux insult and outrage. Here's a taste of what he told Mr. King (another Geezer Poster Boy who should have been shelved years ago):

"Well, I still intend to die at my desk. I never said where that desk was. I would like it to be at CBS. I think it will be at CBS. If it's somewhere else, it will make me very unhappy, and I would like to believe it will make them very unhappy.

I think the problem, Larry, is not that they are unaware that "60 Minutes" was the only newscast in history to ever become the most watched broadcast in America four times, was in the top 10 10 more years than "I Love Lucy" was, made this company a couple of billion dollars, and I know that they're not unaware that we are not the ordinary, run-of-the-mill, everyday television show. I think the problem is that they don't know that I'm not the ordinary, run-of-the-mill, everyday 80-year-old."

Hewitt manages to accomplish the impossible feat of making one feel sorry for CBS management.

Truth and Leadership

Jack Connors, the chairman of Hill, Holliday, Boston's leading advertising agency, was interviewed recently for the NBC Nightly News regarding the scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church. Mr. Connors has long been extraordinarily generous to Catholic charities and has been supportive of the Church in countless other ways.

Mr. Connors said that Boston Catholics look to the Archdiocese for two things; "leadership and truth." What they've found is the antithesis of both. Cardinal Law's disgrace is now complete. That he hasn't resigned is yet more evidence that he is incapable of leadership.

CBW

Throughout the 1990s, following the defection of Ken Alibek to the United States and his subsequent debriefing, American intelligence officers grew more and more concerned that genetically altered smallpox would be transported from the former Soviet Union to Iraq. The ABC News Investigative Unit has more on this story today and you can read it by clicking here.

Front Page News

After 25 years as a member at Augusta National, former CBS Chairman Tom Wyman has resigned in protest. He thought about it for 24.9 years and decided enough was enough. Following is the letter I wrote to Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson upon hearing the news of Mr. Wyman's letter of resignation:

Dear Mr. Blowfish:

I think you're a great man. A really, really great man, taking a really, really courageous stand on an important issue of principle. If I was a member at Augusta National, I would support your courageous stance 1000 percent. Yessir. I'd be right there with you, unlike those 75 weasels who Weasel Wyman indicated were plotting against you.

Of course, Mr. Blowfish, I can't support you because I am not (yet) a member. But if I was a member -- if you were to make me a member -- I would support you. And I would consider it an honor to be a member of Augusta National, unlike the Weasels and that cranky bastard and his posse on 43rd Street.

Maybe what I should do is come down there and we could play a little golf. This weekend works for me as does the weekend after that and the weekend after that. Looking a bit further down the road, any weekend in the calendar years 2003 through 2023 works for me. You just let me know what works for you.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Warnest Regards -- JE/je

Poking the Rhino

Ernie Els shot the lights out at the Nedbank Challenge in Sun City, South Africa this past weekend and ended up winning the tournament by 8 strokes. He shot 63 on the final day, birdie-ing seven of the last ten holes. The Associated Press reports that following his runaway win, Els "pronounced himself ready to challenge Tiger Woods" for the number one ranking in professional golf, although the accompanying story contains no direct quote regarding any "challenge."

In the immortal words of the fomer tour caddie Kevin Ceconi, "now is not a good time to poke the rhino." In fact, never is a good time to poke Tiger Woods.

Strategery at The New York Times

Seth Mnookin reports on the growing distress inside the New York Times over the direction of the paper. People who work there are concerned that Uber-editor Howell Raines is driving the bus off a cliff. I've made the same argument myself.

But there is an alternative view, first espoused to me by an equities analyst at Smith Barney. He said (and I'm paraphrasing here): Yes, Raines is making the paper more ideological and yes the paper's "news" has become considerably more opinionated, but no, that doesn't mean it's bad business. There are probably 3 million people who really and truly believe that the election was "stolen" from Al Gore. If you sing to this choir, as the New York Times now does, chances are that ever greater numbers of them will become subscribers (people read the news and views that reinforce their own opinions). So Raines may be damaging the brand, as Ellisblog asserts, but he's growing circulation while he does. And so long as he continues to grow the circ, his strategy will continue to enjoy the support of the Sulzbergers and The Street.