Help Me Replace Grantland
November 12, 2015 7:53 AM Subscribe
What should I be reading to replace Grantland?
I loved reading Grantland. I have a general knowledge and interest in most major sports (baseball, hockey, football, tennis, etc) and a definite interest in weird niche sports (rowing, artistic gymnastics, international long-distance running, etc). I like pop culture. I like smart commentary, interesting perspectives, and viewing sports in their broader societal context. Grantland was the first, and to this point only, sports website I consistently read. Things like the features on Serena Williams, Sean McIndoe's hockey writing, the pop culture pieces, etc were some of the things I loved about Grantland.
What should I read to replace Grantland? Where can I find smart sports writing that is more than a recitation of stats? Are there authors or columns to seek out? Other websites? I prefer sites with a broad range of sports, rather than a site that focuses on just, say, one NHL team, but if there are some great ones of those out there, let me know.
I loved reading Grantland. I have a general knowledge and interest in most major sports (baseball, hockey, football, tennis, etc) and a definite interest in weird niche sports (rowing, artistic gymnastics, international long-distance running, etc). I like pop culture. I like smart commentary, interesting perspectives, and viewing sports in their broader societal context. Grantland was the first, and to this point only, sports website I consistently read. Things like the features on Serena Williams, Sean McIndoe's hockey writing, the pop culture pieces, etc were some of the things I loved about Grantland.
What should I read to replace Grantland? Where can I find smart sports writing that is more than a recitation of stats? Are there authors or columns to seek out? Other websites? I prefer sites with a broad range of sports, rather than a site that focuses on just, say, one NHL team, but if there are some great ones of those out there, let me know.
Can you stand Gawker Media? There's still Deadspin.
If you like Bill Simmons specifically he seems to be pulling a bunch of the Grantland people along with him over to HBO, where he will have a talk show.
He also relaunched his podcast, The Bill Simmons Show, and it's already the top sports podcast on iTunes.
I saw a reddit thread looking for Grantland replacements and two suggestions there were The Big Lead and Sports On Earth.
posted by Wretch729 at 8:09 AM on November 12, 2015
If you like Bill Simmons specifically he seems to be pulling a bunch of the Grantland people along with him over to HBO, where he will have a talk show.
He also relaunched his podcast, The Bill Simmons Show, and it's already the top sports podcast on iTunes.
I saw a reddit thread looking for Grantland replacements and two suggestions there were The Big Lead and Sports On Earth.
posted by Wretch729 at 8:09 AM on November 12, 2015
.
The signal to noise ratio is a lot different, but SBNation often has good stuff.
posted by General Malaise at 8:19 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
The signal to noise ratio is a lot different, but SBNation often has good stuff.
posted by General Malaise at 8:19 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'll nominate The Blizzard for long form soccer.
And I can't fathom being a Grantland fan and not reading EDSBS unless you actively dislike college football.
posted by JPD at 8:30 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
And I can't fathom being a Grantland fan and not reading EDSBS unless you actively dislike college football.
posted by JPD at 8:30 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
Dave Zirin (Edge of Sports), does a lot of thinking about the meaning of sports in our culture.
posted by Octaviuz at 10:40 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Octaviuz at 10:40 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Stefan Fatsis's books are awesome, and you can sample his POV on the weekly (Monday) podcast "Hang Up and Listen." He sometimes has written pieces for Slate, too: http://www.slate.com/authors.stefan_fatsis.html
Zirin is good, too.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:59 PM on November 12, 2015
Zirin is good, too.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:59 PM on November 12, 2015
The problem is signal-to-noise ratio. When Grantland published something, you knew it was worth reading. When Deadspin or SB Nation publishes something, it's hit or miss. But when they hit, it's up there with Grantland.
For general stuff, I like the various Pro _____ Talk blogs on NBC Sports. Yahoo! Sports also runs some reasonably good blogs.
Grantland did a lot of cool stuff with advanced stats, and so I'm probably going to go to the source for that stuff in the future: War on Ice, Baseball Prospectus, Football Outsiders, etc. is 82Games still around? FiveThirtyEight is ok.
For the pop culture/sports mix, TMZ Sports does a pretty good job.
The thing I liked about Grantland was the long form stuff. I've found the best place for that is non-sports publications. The New York Times, Slate, the Atlantic, the New Republic all run pretty good sports stories, although not as frequent.
And of course, I'm anxiously awaiting whatever Simmons does next.
posted by kevinbelt at 3:38 PM on November 12, 2015
For general stuff, I like the various Pro _____ Talk blogs on NBC Sports. Yahoo! Sports also runs some reasonably good blogs.
Grantland did a lot of cool stuff with advanced stats, and so I'm probably going to go to the source for that stuff in the future: War on Ice, Baseball Prospectus, Football Outsiders, etc. is 82Games still around? FiveThirtyEight is ok.
For the pop culture/sports mix, TMZ Sports does a pretty good job.
The thing I liked about Grantland was the long form stuff. I've found the best place for that is non-sports publications. The New York Times, Slate, the Atlantic, the New Republic all run pretty good sports stories, although not as frequent.
And of course, I'm anxiously awaiting whatever Simmons does next.
posted by kevinbelt at 3:38 PM on November 12, 2015
No love for Sports Illustrated?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:22 PM on November 12, 2015
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:22 PM on November 12, 2015
Longreads has a sports category that might be useful.
As does Longform.
posted by SisterHavana at 6:55 PM on November 12, 2015
As does Longform.
posted by SisterHavana at 6:55 PM on November 12, 2015
I'm not sure this is helpful, but I'm convinced that it is actually the correct answer. There is absolutely nothing like Grantland out there. It was a remarkable website, done more or less as a vanity project that was entirely one guy's vision with a carefully selected roster of writers and there simply isn't anything of comparable quality. Football Outsiders does some of what Barnwell did in terms of analysis, but the writing is, um, uneven. Deadspin drops a good essay maybe once a week in the midst of a hundred craptastic articles.
posted by Lame_username at 4:58 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by Lame_username at 4:58 AM on November 13, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by dpx.mfx at 8:05 AM on November 12, 2015