The Boston factor versues the lazy journalist factor

Thought this paragraph in a piece by ESPNs Howard Bryant, about Randy Moss, was very interesting.

And then, there is the Boston factor. Moss has been in New England just long enough for his monument to begin to show some signs of wear. He doesn't play the hero game management likes to play with its players or the public-relations game with the press. He does not often speak to the media, in victory or defeat, which puts him in vulnerable territory the millisecond his skills show even the slightest erosion, as Jim Rice, Ramirez and every other emotionally distant star -- in Boston or otherwise -- eventually found out. That makes him the player to watch on the Patriots because of his oversized impact on the team's success.

In it, Bryant opens the paragraph with a dramatic statement;
‘’ And then, there is the Boston factor.’’

This clearly implies he is about to drop some sort of dramatic evidence regarding Boston, possibly drag up some sort of article of interest regarding the City and its athletes. In particular the City and its athletes of colour. Instead, the paragraph just meanders along to a completely indecisive conclusion, shipwrecking itself on this complete non-entity of a statement;
‘’… Ramirez and every other emotionally distant star -- in Boston or otherwise -- eventually found out.’’

Wait a second Howard, weren’t you going to drop some serious slant on playing in Boston on us? Your opening statement sure seems to imply that; ‘’ And then, there is the Boston factor.’’?! And yet, nothing. You big tease you! Instead you leave us with ‘’ in Boston or otherwise’’.

So why start the paragraph with the dramatic ‘’ And then, there is the Boston factor.’’ Howard? Is there something you want to say, but for some reason you won’t just come out and say it?

Bryant then finishes up his piece, which tells us absolutely nothing new about the whole Randy Moss situation, with this;

‘’Boston can be rough on a player, especially one it becomes convinced has stopped caring. But Moss has not publicly embarrassed himself or the organization. He alone is not the problem with the Patriots.’’

Boston can be rough on a player? Really? Dustin Pedroia looks like he is having a terrible time. Paul Pierce can hardly wait to get out of the place – oh no, wait, Pierce has become a part of the City since his rookie season in ’99. David Ortiz looks pretty much at home in Boston. Wes Welker doesn’t seem to absolutely hate playing in Boston.

Bryant has twice, in the same piece, taken a very thinly veiled jab at the city of Boston, and both times offered no evidence or anything of substance to back up his ugly, lazy suggestions.

You stay Classy, Howard Bryant.




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