New John U. Bacon interview at National Review

Submitted by Section 1 on

John J. Miller interviews John U.Bacon at NationalReview.com:

LINK

One of the best interviews yet on the current book tour.  9:38 in length.

John J. Miller of the National Review is a Michigan grad, the former editor in chief of the Michigan Review, and past director of the journalism program at Hillsdale College.  Nice little nine-minute overview of the book.

MGoBoard

Rabbit21

September 25th, 2013 at 9:11 AM ^

The problem is that the MGoBoard won't behave and it's because politics brings up a lot of emotion.  We already insult each other enough over disagreement about the teams performance from week to week, why bring politics into the mix?

Joined: 11/12/2009

MGoPoints: 30303

MGlobules

September 25th, 2013 at 9:58 AM ^

and the mods mishandled "politics" from the start, never developing a good definition of what/what not, tossing out some things while letting other (often reactionary) stuff go. Politics and sports are a natural, and the conversation here is often denatured by the heavy hand and uncertainty. It really would be possible to create a space, set the parameters, etcetera, and could be productive. 

Happily, the stupid-sexist stuff has all but disappeared. . .  

EDIT: For me as a lifelong Res College political progressive who thinks that old-school political-conservative thinking is in many ways worn out, there are an increasing number of points of intersection with a certain kind of non-nativist conservative thought: grounds, I believe, for a discussion. The fact that Bacon, who I tend to read as a liberal, finds a home for at least some of his ideas at National Review. . . 

Joined: 11/17/2008

MGoPoints: 47541

jmblue

September 25th, 2013 at 11:04 AM ^

I don't see why a sports message board needs a space for political discussion.  Politics tends to be a toxic subject.  There are many, many political forums to visit on the internet.If there's one that you really love, I suppose you could add a link to it in your signature or something to invite people to go there.  I don't see why you need to bring the discussion here though.

 

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102734

MGlobules

September 25th, 2013 at 1:07 PM ^

in the context of MICHIGAN sports, over and over as we've all seen. I'm saying that if carefully defined and moderated thoughtful discussion on ANY subject should be tolerated. It really is possible to discern an abusive argument from a thoughtful one that has a political character or nuances. 

BTW--can't edit anymore, but meant to write "liberal-conservative" above, suggesting that these two ways of thinking, and characterizing everything, have become pretty ingrown and tired. 

Joined: 11/17/2008

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Bando Calrissian

September 25th, 2013 at 9:42 AM ^

Pro tip: the more you bring up (totally unprompted) the fact that you're constantly baiting the no-politics rule, the more likely it is a thread is going to devolve into the same old stuff. If you don't want to be kryptonite, don't continuosly and smugly remind people you're kryptonite.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68117

MGoShoe

September 25th, 2013 at 10:22 AM ^

...as playful banter, not an attack on your political beliefs.

I say to you all, if Section 1 and I can have a joke together about magazines that espouse different political points of view, we all can successfully coexist within these digital walls. 

Joined: 04/23/2009

MGoPoints: 20734

Section 1

September 25th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^

Of course I took no offense. Almost goes without saying. At the same time, if you initiated a thread about the very interesting debate between Jon Chait and Matthew Iglesias, it might well provoke a worthwhile discussion but if I posted it, it wouldn't last 30 minutes.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 16535

ProfMurdoc

September 25th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^

No polo; I take as a testament to UMich.

Along with the E3W, the three major student-run papers on campus (sorry, 'Gargoyle'?) have developed great talents in many areas of the press.

Bacon can get quality interviews and articles that reach the WSJ, Times, NR, etc. in part because of accomplished Michigan grads. 

It's not just turf donations and the Biz School. Go Blue.

Joined: 08/31/2008

MGoPoints: 443

UMgradMSUdad

September 25th, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^

The point he makes about college football having a different fanbase than professional football is definitely true in my case (he discusses this from about 1:20-2:30).  He says, "those who love college football love college football."  Then he adds a bit later, "The closer it [college football] gets to the NFL, the less appealing it is to those who prefer college football" is also something that definitely fits in my case. I'm not going to pretend that there aren't problems in college football and that in many ways it's not already tainted by money.  But I do think college football is close to a tipping point, where a lot of fans are so disgusted with the chase for dollars by ADs, the way television contracts dictate when games will be played, and the way recruiting has become an industry unto itself, that there is a very real possibility of a steep decline in interest from fans if college football continues on its current trajectory. 

Joined: 07/02/2011

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Big Blue Ball

September 26th, 2013 at 11:09 AM ^

I have been attending M games for over 25 years now, and love it.  My wife had to be talked into her first game with me 20 years back andnow picks the 6 or more games she wants in thespring.  Yet you cant pay me to go to a Lions game.

BUT, lately, with the $75 a ticket, and $50 to park, for opponents like Akron and Appy St.......maybe my coach and 6 Dirty Bastards is an acceptable way to watch. 

If the scoreboard starts telling me when to yell, or which donut/bagel/coffee to chear for in some imaginary race.......the line will have been crossed.

Joined: 11/11/2012

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