An Open Letter to Ryan Davis of Seahawks.net

by John Morgan on Jul 13, 2007 12:11 PM PDT

I run across a lot of dross sifting through the local media looking for Seahawks info, but would like to think that I've shown a decent amount of restraint in not calling out every piece of claptrap, work of pseudo-analysis or self-serving screed I've encountered, but this has to be read to be believed.

This is a letter I've written and sent to the story's writer, Ryan Davis. If his piece made you embarrassed to be a Northwest sports' fan like it did me, I encourage you to write your own.

Dear Ryan Davis,
After aloofly proclaiming yourself to be one of "the 1% that actually understand such things" you completely missed the concept of Karma. The pretentiousness of your theme, distilling a sacred religious belief held by over a billion people into pop-mysticism, is only outstripped by the arrogance and vociferousness of your prose.
This article is whiny and self-serving and by being whiny and self-serving embodies the worst stereotypes of Seattle sports fans. Do you really feel like you, as a sports fan, as a Seattle sports fan who in the past 10 years has enjoyed 13 playoff appearances by its 3 major franchises, a 116 win team, not to mention a Super Bowl berth, that you are the victim of some curse? Some cosmic force blighting Seattle sports?
The pure spectacle of your first 550 words, in which you unabashedly pronounce among your many achievements that:

A combination of luck, intellect, savvy, charm, grace, and whatever you want to call it, has provided me a blessed life. I've always been able to overachieve or succeed despite the obstacles laid before me

Compelled me to finish this 2,600+ word slog, this "article". The audacity of the whining, bitching and belly-aching is stomach turning. Clearly, you've lost all sight of how amazingly fortunate you are to even have the luxury to care this much about sports. I could go line by line examining how infuriating almost every word of this piece is, how, when you write:

Like all things Seattle sports, you sat helpless and frustrated, begging for an answer to "why?"

You give credence to every accusation that Seattle sports fans are disloyal, reactionary and above all, entitled. But I'd be remiss to spend so much time on something so trifling.
Suffice to say, it is galling that the site you write for, Seahawks.net, as part of the Scout.com ring of sites, expects payment for the majority of its content. If this article is any indication, I'd be more inclined to pay you to stop writing, Mr. Davis, than to support you continuing to misrepresent every Seattle sports fan like you have done so enthusiastically in this piece.
Sincerely,
John Morgan

[Update 7-14-2007 1:29:16] Despite what I might have implied, opinion pieces do not make up a part of Seahawks.net's premium content. I do not personally subscribe to the site's premium content and cannot attest to its quality, but Seahawks.net's editor, Doug Farrar, is a frequent contributor to Football Outsiders, and a person whose work I respect.

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Well played, sir

Although I'm not sure how you expect him to be able to sit down and write a response with your foot up his ass like that.

The Daily Norseman - SBN's Vikings Blog
Where stupidity is the only bannable offense.

by GonzoDN @ Field Gulls on Jul 13, 2007 1:24 PM PDT reply actions

hahaha

V. 1.0, mutherf***er, know what I'm sayin'?

by Scruffy Lefty on Jul 13, 2007 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Eeek.

Jeez. Ain't it fun when writers twist in their personal issues into a broader subject, like the journo/blogger world was their own personal Coldstone Creamery?

That was the most egregious exploitation of a larger topic for personal ego-stoking since this movie. I'm amazed Scout.com let it stay up there. Very shoddy stuff.

And he doesn't understand karma, either: "Karma comes in two denominations; positive or negative." First of all, that's improper use of the semicolon. Second of all, despite the now-accepted tendency of the Western World to simplify such Eastern concepts, karma is a bit more complicated than "I do good, I will get good." There is no causality in his long-winded piece. Nobody did anything wrong. What he's describing is bad luck -- and since every sports team in the world has been a victim of bad luck, why write about it?

Karma and home-team pride -- or lack thereof -- are mutually exclusive. They have nothing whatsoever to do with one another.

This guy needs some good old-fashioned Bukowski-style waterlogging. Or a prolonged vacation in the poorest part of Thailand. There are kids there who would LOVE to be self-absorbed, unemployed sportswriters! The Children's Fund can only do so much, y'know.

--Shrug

by Shrug on Jul 13, 2007 3:24 PM PDT reply actions

Well, here I am...

I did a search by name, finding that 3 other articles of mine were linked to this site - yet now - this one has deemed me unworthy altogether?

The point wasn't to clearly define karma, or how it's affected the Seattle sports fan. The effect was to play the part of the whiny sports fan and spur debate.

And you're incorrect, I'm not a sports-writer...not in the slightest. Most, if not all of my articles, incorporate personal experiences. And, for the most part, that's been accepted and garnered me separation from most sports geeks and respect from others for honesty.

This article was to be self-serving and relay an underlying theme. If you didn't get it - then so be it.

by Ryan Davis on Jul 13, 2007 9:27 PM PDT reply actions

Well you earned some respect from me

just by coming here and defending yourself

V. 1.0, mutherf***er, know what I'm sayin'?

by Scruffy Lefty on Jul 13, 2007 9:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh, I'm not afraid.

First of all, I'm not a "real" sports writer or writer. I offer my unusual take on things to be a change of pace to the site.

That being said, I'd challenge anyone to find a more fair and balanced review of the Darrl Jackson trade than what I offered here http://seahawks.scout.com/2/642801.html.

Second, I would challange anyone to find anything wrong with my personal and sports inter-weaving I've done in the below two examples.

http://seahawks.scout.com/2/647850.html

http://seahawks.scout.com/2/593377.html.

Others may offer their insight with facts the stole from Football Outsiders, or others to back up their claims. Besides, was my recent article (meant to be ironic and acting as an portrayal) anymore irresponsible than this one?

http://www.fieldgulls.com/story/2007/7/10/04046/7088#readmore

by Ryan Davis on Jul 13, 2007 10:16 PM PDT reply actions

ouch

someone just got Morgan'd.

Josh Brown is better than you.

by MFAN on Jul 13, 2007 11:52 PM PDT reply actions

I got Morgan'd?

And yet Mr. Morgan, I have at least 125% more readers than you. And you've also advertised my Warrick, Krieg and Boulware/Marshall articles on this site.

And now, I know you're just ignorant with your retort. My articles, including the ones I listed above, are excercises in humility not arrogance.

But hey, look tough in front of your 6 readers.

by Ryan Davis on Jul 13, 2007 11:57 PM PDT reply actions

sorry, I meant that Morgan'd thing as a joke

not to be taken seriously.

Josh Brown is better than you.

by MFAN on Jul 14, 2007 12:00 AM PDT up reply actions

Humility?

I would seriously love an explanation of this.

Ryan Davis: "Women, money, professional accolades, charm, guile have all come as naturally to me as breathing."

by John Morgan on Jul 14, 2007 12:05 AM PDT up reply actions

I guess the key to sports writing...

Is borrowing stats from footballoutsiders.com, or coming up with unclever conversations Jerramy Stevens may have had. If anyoen on here wants a real, sincere, non-stat, true fan perspective on Stevens - see here - http://seahawks.scout.com/2/627871.html.

Or, the crap I already posted from the man who "Morgan'd" peeps.

by Ryan Davis on Jul 14, 2007 12:06 AM PDT reply actions

Humility...

Read here, Stupid.

http://seahawks.scout.com/2/593377.html

by Ryan Davis on Jul 14, 2007 12:08 AM PDT reply actions

That's not humility, that's confession.

I wrote something very similar to that when I was in high school, because, like you, I know drug addiction, I know a broken home. It was not an act of humility when I did it, it was an act of confession, and it didn't serve to humble me, it served to lionize me as a survivor to my readership.

Ok, let's knock this down a notch, because, frankly, I think this conversation is belittling us both.

I disagree with what you said, I don't like your voice as a writer and am pretty sure we wouldn't get along if we met. Fine.

I shouldn't have attacked you personally and for that I feel stupid and immature. I don't plan on continuing this into the night--I feel rather embarrassed that instead of simply ignoring you, something I know I should have done then, something I will do going forward, I played into your game. I reacted, and by doing so debased myself. I'm inclined to delete the whole thread, but must be accountable for what I said and its consequences.

I'm not replying beyond this, if you wish to, have at it. I'll be happy to be writing Seahawks again in the morning. Stick around, I think you just tripled my readership.

Ryan Davis: "Women, money, professional accolades, charm, guile have all come as naturally to me as breathing."

by John Morgan on Jul 14, 2007 12:42 AM PDT up reply actions