If I'm pissing off the (really) old guard, I must be doing something right

Back in early January, I wrote a piece about the Detroit News columnist Jerry Green, who had mentioned TWFE in his column (My saying "he only writes about dead people"), but didn't attribute where it came from.

As is my wont, I wrote several hundred words worth of old people jokes, while reminding the MSM in general the last thing I'd ever call myself is a journalist. I'm not fair and balanced, I'm entirely biased and partial. I'm just a fan of Detroit sports who happens to have bully pulpit, and willing to use it to call out the local MSM.

Well, 3 whole months months later, while doing a Google search, Jerry found my post. He wasn't at all happy, and decided to let me know of his displeasure. His reply arrived via email over the weekend. How do I know it was from him? It was from a personal AOL email address, and we all know AOL is the refuge of the computer illiterate, and the aged.

When I told my best friend about Jerry's pissy message, he said, "You gotta blog about it!" So I am...

Here's what Jerry had to say about my post...

I just read your memo to me, Big Al. I gave you too much credit for wanting to be a journalist. Sorry about that.

And I had to read the entire memo to learn that you did have a last night, just like the rest of us.

If you had the guts of a Drew Sharp or a Jay Mariotti, you'd top your blog with your full name.

I congratulate you for being over 40. Were you talking asge or IQ?

It is true that I am a senior. And it is true that I am technically retired. It also is true that The News kept me on to write once a week on line and that I am a curmudgeon and I write about a lot of dead people.
That is known as history.

I'm thrilled to be told that you actually do read books -- or at least that somebody reads them to you.

Oh, and some more truthes -- Millen was not the first to screw up the Lions. Fontes was not the first lousy coach that the Lions had (although he did manage to reach the playoffs and even win one). The Lions have been screwed up ever since Russ Thomas became their general manager -- and I pretty much made a career out of criticizing Russ Thomas.
Then the grandpas of today's bloggers called me negative.
It so happens that I was a curmudegon then, too.
But at least I had the guts to put my whole name on top of the articles.


Last truth: I have actually looked at TWFE twice now, both times when I checked Google.

And thanks for letting me know that Denny's has an early bird special. I presume that is a dining adventure for you.

Feel free to respond to this email.

J F G

As you can see, Jerry's not all that happy with me, essentially calling me a cowardly moron who thinks Denny's is the be all, end all. (I'll admit "Moons over my Hammy" is a delicacy!)

In response to the rest of the vitriolic message, if it made Jerry feel a little better venting his spleen, giving me a dose of my own medicine, I'm cool with that. He has every right. Being called out comes with the territory. Hell, I've been called an idiot several times over by readers of TWFE. If write something stupid, you all are the first to let me know, as I should be.

I did have to laugh when Drew Sharp and Jay Mariotti are described as "courageous." I'm thrilled I'm nowhere near as "courageous" as those two. I'd never be able to live with myself if I wrote outrageous tripe only designed to piss readers off with contrarian opinion. God forbid I ever become like them.

It's a silly comparison anyway, as it's well known that Mariotti never goes into locker rooms. He rarely, if ever, faces the people he bashes in his columns. (As much as I don't care for his columns, to Sharp's credit, he's no Mariotti, facing those he rips) To be fair, I don't either, but it's not in the blogger job description. On the flip, I'm easy enough to find. Jerry managed to do so.

As for putting my full name on the TWFE masthead, so to speak? I'll admit, he has a point. I'm quite aware it's long been a bone of contention in regard to bloggers, as seen by the recent coming out by the no longer anonymous writers of Fire Joe Morgan and The Big Lead.

Unlike those great blogs, I've never been cloaked in anonymity. I've mentioned my full name in past TWFE posts, it's in all my email correspondence and posted on my other blog, SideLion Report. Anyway, my last name is now in the "Who's behind the scenes" area of TWFE. I hope that makes everyone happy.

As for Jerry listing off his credentials as a muck raker who ticked off our grandfathers? No wonder my grandfather Pippi was so cranky! And I always thought it was me and my long hair. I'm glad we cleared that up...

I've never claimed I was a heroic brain surgeon or even a crusading journalist. Far from it. I'm just a smart ass who answers to no one other than the readers of my blogs. I'm not constrained by editors, deadlines, language restrictions or even good taste. I couldn't write any other way.

I figure I must be doing something right if dedicated bloggers like myself are pissing off the old guard journalists and columnists. It's a brave new world, the old guard best get used to it.