Give Me Five Minutes to Bitch and Moan, and Then We’ll Get Back to Fun…

(Un)happy Tuesday to you all…

So part of my Weekend of a Million Errands was to jet by my local Barnes & Noble. First, there is the weekly exercise of facing a copy of Cinderella out (and perhaps moving one to the front). But this is also the time of year I like to check out the hoops preseason mags. First out: Lindy’s.

We’ve discussed the declining value of first many times. My reasoning is that technology is changing the way in which people obtain their information. People increasingly find what they need from the Net, and its distributed nature adds value to quality, not speed. Go get what you want because it will be there. A shallow effort in the name of speed is actually worse than being third.

To use our pursuits as the example, how much value is there, really, in being the first to print the predicted order of finish in the CAA? To name TJ Carter to the all conference team? No, the value resides in the ability to tell people one thing they don’t know, or give a piece of analysis that makes you think. (You know, like Dean Keener pointing out that JMU had zero senior scholarship players two of the past three years, or that Joe Posey was awfully impressive on the team’s recent trip to Spain.)

Depth.

That is why it’s all the more disturbing–yet fun–to pick apart publications like Lindy’s:

I never knew that William & Mary hired Jeff Shaver as its head coach. I wonder if he’s related to Tony?

Vladie Kools is in my top three favorite players in the conference, but first team all conference over Frank Elegar?

It has been how many years since Towson dropped “State” from its name?

[EDIT] First, it is very ironic–when I took the time to read what I wrote–that I was unable to spell “scholarship” on the first pass. Second, I ended the piece a bit choppy.

The point I was trying to make is that if you want to be first, fine. Go ahead and be first.  I can look past the lack of information because I understand these things are tough enough, much less trying to put it together in late June.

But you have to get a coach’s name correct. And make up for the lack of depth by giving me something unexpected. There is nothing unexpected in there.

~ by mglitos on September 4, 2007.