Questions for Discussion

  1. In the time when Grantland Rice wrote, the only people reading his recap who had actually seen the game were those in attendance, unlike today when fans can watch a game on television, listen to it on the radio, stream it on the Internet, or follow it on their phones. How do you think this difference in the sports fan’s experience has affected sportswriting? How did Rice make the game come alive for his readers?

    Question

    WvD/qlpt4lzzWb4zUwGWBQhKPjtDvqj8sRamu7J1DAyqPwYZ7lQ7Wr5WbEA=
    Chapter 9 - The Four Horsemen - Questions for Discussion: In the time when Grantland Rice wrote, the only people reading his recap who had actually seen the game were those in attendance, unlike today when fans can watch a game on television, listen to it on the radio, stream it on the Internet, or follow it on their phones. How do you think this difference in the sports fan’s experience has affected sportswriting? How did Rice make the game come alive for his readers?
  2. Can you discern a bias? Does Rice seem to favor one team over the other? If so, how can you tell? If not, how does he maintain his neutrality?

    Question

    WvD/qlpt4lzzWb4zUwGWBQhKPjtDvqj8sRamu7J1DAyqPwYZ7lQ7Wr5WbEA=
    Chapter 9 - The Four Horsemen - Questions for Discussion: Can you discern a bias? Does Rice seem to favor one team over the other? If so, how can you tell? If not, how does he maintain his neutrality?
  3. While most readers consider “The Four Horsemen” an example of great sportswriting, it has also been roundly criticized. What faults can you find in Rice’s writing?

    Question

    WvD/qlpt4lzzWb4zUwGWBQhKPjtDvqj8sRamu7J1DAyqPwYZ7lQ7Wr5WbEA=
    Chapter 9 - The Four Horsemen - Questions for Discussion: While most readers consider “The Four Horsemen” an example of great sportswriting, it has also been roundly criticized. What faults can you find in Rice’s writing?
  4. Rice has been compared to epic poets such as Homer for the way he created myths out of the events and athletes he reported on. What do you think Rice would have thought of today’s sports media with their close scrutiny of athletes, both on the field and off?

    Question

    WvD/qlpt4lzzWb4zUwGWBQhKPjtDvqj8sRamu7J1DAyqPwYZ7lQ7Wr5WbEA=
    Chapter 9 - The Four Horsemen - Questions for Discussion: Rice has been compared to epic poets such as Homer for the way he created myths out of the events and athletes he reported on. What do you think Rice would have thought of today’s sports media with their close scrutiny of athletes, both on the field and off?
  5. Rice’s lede (the first paragraph of a news article) gave the four Notre Dame football stars—none of whom weighed more than 162 pounds or stood taller than six feet—the name the Four Horsemen, but it was a clever student publicity man (who later became the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune) who posed the four players on horses and created the legend. Analyze the photo on the facing page, and consider how it compares to the instant and ever-changing images of players and games we see today.

    Question

    WvD/qlpt4lzzWb4zUwGWBQhKPjtDvqj8sRamu7J1DAyqPwYZ7lQ7Wr5WbEA=
    Chapter 9 - The Four Horsemen - Questions for Discussion: Rice’s lede (the first paragraph of a news article) gave the four Notre Dame football stars—none of whom weighed more than 162 pounds or stood taller than six feet—the name the Four Horsemen, but it was a clever student publicity man (who later became the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune) who posed the four players on horses and created the legend. Analyze the photo on the facing page, and consider how it compares to the instant and ever-changing images of players and games we see today.
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