Deadspin recently fell victim to a reactionist corporate purge of “speaking truth to power” when their parent company G/O Media tried to implement a “stick to sports” policy.
That implementation included firing interim editor in chief, Barry Petchesky after he refused the new course of action for the website. In response, Deadspin writers began to resign in mass with the last remaining journalist from a staff of more than 20 — Dave McKenna — giving his resignation Friday.
Diana Moskovitz — a senior editor — however, was the last of this group of staffers standing after turning in a two-week notice with today technically standing as her last day. As her final act, she penned one last entry entitled Was Deadspin A Good Sports Blog? A Very Short Debate. It’s content consisted of only one word, “yes”.
As far as the future of Deadspin, G/O Media bosses have said the blog isn’t dead but the essence of it certainly seems to be.
🤪 JuSt StIcK tO sPoRtS
Whether Deadspin was a “good sports blog” isn’t the question that needs to be made here. But on that note, Deadspin wasn’t perfect, it had its issues from time-to-time but the question posed by Moskovitz obviously isn’t the point in the grand scheme of things. What she, Dave McKenna, and the rest of the staffers bit the bullet for is the debate that needs to be had.
Should websites like Deadspin or even this one just “stick to sports”.
First, I’ll make mention that just sticking to sports was never Deadspin’s MO and it certainly isn’t ours. However, as far as the former Gawker property goes their popularity over the years could arguably be attributed to their “not just sports” stance which is the exact opposite mainstream corporate bitches like ESPN take.
Beyond Deadspin though the notion that any sports website should “just stick to sports” sends the wrong cultural message in a time when “speaking truth to power” is ever so important.
When it comes to athletes, “sticking to sports” presents an underlying message that athletes aren’t human or don’t have the capability to venture outside their realm of dribbling a basketball or throwing a football.
Not only that, “sticking to sports” negates the advances in a culture that sports has provided and continues to provide to this day.
Sticking to a certain “role” would have meant that Jackie Robinson probably would have never have broken the color barrier in Major League Baseball. It also probably would have meant that Muhamad Ali would have never have taken a stand against an unjust war in Vietnam or John Carlos and Tommie Smith making a statement against racial inequality in the United States. “Sticking to Sports” I’m sure probably would have also meant that Magic Johnson would have never have gotten the opportunity to help dispell the fallacies surrounding HIV and AIDS early in his diagnosis.
Generally speaking though, the inherent, organic nature of sports should further dispell not only delusions surrounding the “stick to sports” mentality but also expose the irony with the asinine statement itself.
Sports and athletes help to break down gender norms such as helping to promote strong, fierce women or granting men the allowance to cry tears of joy or breakdown in the agony of defeat. Not to mention for as much as conservatives want to bitch and complain about athletes making statements during the National Anthem, the National Anthem in and of itself offers fans and athletes alike the grandiose stage to express “pride” for their country.
It’s probably also important to mention that professional and some cases amateur leagues around the country have taken upon themselves to offer up rewards to athletes who work to make their communities a better place. It seems incredibly hypocritical to backstep on that with some reactionary statement.
📰 The Media’s Role
So where do websites like Deadspin or even The Majors fit into this?
Well, it’s really quite simple. If you’re going out of your way to “stick to sports” then you’re helping promote the mentality that athletes are mindless robots that are only capable of dribbling a basketball or throwing a football. Furthermore, not only is it the media’s responsibility to report on this but also expand on it.
Like athletes, sportswriters shouldn’t be subjected to just boxscores and game recaps. Especially not when sports offer (as previously mentioned) so much more than just the game itself.
In reality, athletes and sportswriters validate those ever so important expanded roles of “speaking truth to power”.
For that, The Majors Sports Network stands in solidarity with Deadspin employees who are taking a stand against corporate powerhouses looking to trample expressiveness and cultural advancement.
