National Media's Coverage of Pirates = Boring

Chase d'Arnaud's hustle play in Monday night's ballgame won the Pirates the ballgame... and just one blog post even touched on it. That's just one of the many topics to talk about when it comes to the Bucs.

The Pirates need to make a trade.

The Pirates aren't that good.

More fans are coming to PNC Park.

More Pirates merchandise is selling.

The Pirates are in first place.

If you've read an article about the Pittsburgh Pirates lately, there's a great chance that one of these things listed above is what you've read about.



I spent two hours scouring numerous websites, ESPN.com, CBSSports.com, FoxSports.com, NBC Sports.com, just to name a few. Other local websites and other blogs gave me the same results. While it's interesting to watch the Pirates, it's boring as hell to read about them.

Article after article, the theme remains the same: The Pirates sucked, they got good, now they sell more crap, how long will their success last? If I read one more article on the Pirates, I might start rooting against them just so I won't read about them anymore.

Ok. So that last sentence is an exaggeration, but seriously, we get it already. Come up with something new to talk about. Instead of shunning the team's success as a passing storm, embrace it. Explore the possibilities that acquiring a Carlos Beltran caliber player may entail. Or do a feature on potential Cy Young winner Jeff Karstens. Heck, interview the Pirate Parrot just to change it up a little.

I've waited so long to read all about my Buccos in the headlines of every major source. For what? So I could read all of the features by copycat writers who have never actually turned on a Pirates game, but feel the need to tell me that the Pirates attendance is up. No shit, Sherlock. Or maybe they'll tell me that Alex Presley and his .350 average just won't cut it. At least it wasn't about Lyle Overbay again...

I've created my own blog with the intention of giving great writers' their due, while writing original works myself. I doubt anyone would log on here to read a game recap that they can get literally anywhere else on the web. Just because you work for a name brand, doesn't mean you should be able to get away with boring people half to death.

So, for all of those who I have called out (and that's just about every writer out there, professional or otherwise), why not tune into Root Sports tonight when the Battlin' Bucs take on the Red Stockings of Cincinnati and see if you can't find something else to write about. Because this team is a walking storyline and if you can't see that, then you're missing out on all of the fun.


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