Comments (0) Best Sportswriter - 2008
The Betting Fool
Even before readers began to read his first column a decade ago, the Chronicle's Betting Fool scored major points with his moniker. It was an explicit acknowledgement of the simple truth that few newspapers and no TV network that broadcasts sports will admit: Many Americans watch sports because they have money riding on the outcome. Why else would the average Joe tune in for Texas versus Austin Peay in a first-round NCAA tournament game, or endure the tedious inanity of a typical Super Bowl? As for his prose, the wry, caustic Fool has the good sense not to take himself seriously. He doesn't pretend to be an expert or an insider, but a fan with the ability to see past wishful thinking, happy-face clichés and shameless hype. Above all, the Fool recognizes that sports is the ultimate trivial pursuit.
