Rambling Rhodes

Olympic Advice

To: National Media Organizations

From: Me, The World's Foremost ThunderJournalist

Allow me to first preface this by saying I've been guilty in the past of relying on hokey turns of phrase in my writing, and particularly when conjuring headlines (which is one of the more challenging journalistic writing exercises, in my opinion).

Thankfully, with the Olympics in full swing and the Republican and Democratic national conventions looming large on the horizon, we've mercifully been spared another round of "Pain at the Pump" headlines, so that's been nice. I'm not foolish enough to think they'll never return, but a respite is a respite.

However, your coverage of the Olympics has produced a bumper crop of headline groaners, to say nothing of an over-reliance on time worn cliches. For example, when two or more women in an event happen to win gold medals, calling them "Golden Girls" in a headline is, well, pretty retarded, as are similar permutations on the "gold" theme, such as "Golden Moment," "Golden Performance" or "Going for the Gold." I will accept "Michelob Golden Light Draft," but only during commerical breaks.

Which brings me to your latest egregious annoyance:

Okay, we get it. . . the guy's last name is "Bolt," and he's a fast runner but. . . really? REALLY? That didn't strike you as maybe, JUST MAYBE, a bit too much of a low hanging fruit? At some point, I'd expect an editor to look at it and say "Nahhhh, that's a bit too easy. And maybe a little annoying." But, there it is.

*sigh*

Posted by Ryan at August 20, 2008 02:14 PM | TrackBack