Category Archives: Sportswriting: Leads

Sports leads should offer context, introduce storylines

Posted on April 30, 2016 by

Like a talented leadoff hitter, leads set the table for a game story or preview. They put the story in play in a reader’s mind, meaning, to continue the metaphor, that the writer might eventually score by compelling people to read on. Too many leads … Continue reading →

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Pitfalls to avoid when writing sports leads

Posted on November 4, 2014 by

I originally published this on Indiana University’s National Sports Journalism Center website in October 2011. Sportswriters don’t just recount statistics or game results. They tell stories. That means they need to introduce themes and conflicts as early as possible in the … Continue reading →

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Grantland Rice would be kinda proud

Posted on February 9, 2012 by

The Duke Chronicle called it “The Miracle on Franklin Street.” The Daily Tar Heel lamentably wrote that the final shot ‘froze’ the Smith Center. The Raleigh News & Observercharacterized the finish as the ‘craziest’ in Duke and North Carolina’s 233-gamehistory. … Continue reading →

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