Deadspin editor eats too many figs on date with Cohn
I wrote a mini-review of Linda Cohn's new book, "Cohn-Head" in my Friday newspaper column.
Click below for quotes from Coram's own that didn't make it into the paper.
Alas, I spoke to Linda on the phone, not thinking to ask her out on a date, as Deadspin editor A.J. Daulerio did.
Mr. Daulerio is more open than his predecessor, Will Leitch, to working with p.r. types and actually interviewing people, which can be both good and bad. In this case, it's a little of both.
Parents should be advised this link contains R-rated language, as well as an unfortunate turn of events toward the end, in which after wondering why Cohn would write about something as personal as her divorce, A.J. shares something even more personal about himself. Oy.
Linda Cohn on whether she purposely didn't mention Newfield High by name in the book: "No. I'm a rookie at this. You just miss things. You'd think think the copy editor would have said the same thing you did to me."
On maintaining her enthusiasm as a fan: "A lot of people in our business become jaded, and no longer are the little boy or girl drawing their favorite team logo in their notebook. I never lost that."
On her reaction to athletes early in her career being upset with the notion of women journalists in the locker room: "I see things big picture, so I tend to say, wait a minute. If I was a professional athlete and I’m in that locker room, my sacred clubhouse, and see a woman come in, I thought to myself, how would I think and would I give that woman the benefit of the doubt first? Many did, but there will always be a few that didn’t. I try to put myself in their shoes."
On whether growing up in the New York area makes it more likely to become a sports journalism professional: "I think that has a lot to do with it. Growing up in the Northeast, passion is the important word here."
On her soon-to-be-ex-husband Stew's reaction to the book: "Stew and I get along great. I'm very fortunate. We put our children first. Not only has he read the manuscript and final book, I talk with him a lot about it. There is no person on this planet that knows me better than Stew." (They have a 17-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son.)
On encouraging young women to pursue their dreams: "A big part of my life and what I want to do is spread the word, do speaking engagements. It's important to get the word out there that anything is possible."
On whether she gets back to her hometown much: "I have not seen Coram in quite some time."
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Comments (1)
The Deadspin article is a great example of the type of reporting you get on a blog, compared to the sometimes old, stale reporting you get from conventional sports reporters. It's not better or worse, but it's another "take".