November 11, 2004
Apparently, America's Best Sports Columnist has better things to do than answer my mail.
And all of the sudden, I'm thinking that folksy good-guy image that the Kansas City Star's Joe Posnanski has generated for himself -- well, it's nothing more than a facade. A sham folks, and a darned shame.
If you haven't been paying attention to me -- and Lord knows, Joe Posnanski, America's Best Sports Columnist, hasn't -- let me bring you up to speed:
¢ In February 2003, I started this blog, Cup O'Joel.
¢ Last week -- though he may have started it sooner -- Posnanski, America's Best Sports Columnist, printed a column in the Star's metro section.
The name: A Cup of Joe.
(Striking similarities, doncha think?)
¢ Friday, I challenged Posnanski to admit that I, Joel Mathis, NOT America's Best Sports Columnist, had beaten him to the balding-beardy-coffee-drinking-column-with-a-coffee-pun schtick, as least as far as the Topeka-Lawrence-Kansas City metropolitan area was concerned.
(Though I freely admit he probably is just as uncreative as I am in the creation of coffee puns ... no doubt Joe Posnanski, America's Best Sports Columnist, came upon the name honestly and freely)
Today, I'm saddened to say I received no reply.
Granted, he might have been irked by my pointing out how he tends to write somewhat sugary columns about dying sports fans. But he corrected me this week with a column about Derrick Thomas -- a DEAD ATHLETE, not a dying fan, who died five years ago; clearly this was breaking news that needed fresh analysis. So I retract my implication that Jo Po tries just a little too hard to tug the heartstrings of his readers. He is, after all, America's Best Sports Columnist.
But:
Clearly, we can't have a column and blog so similarly named. What happens if I start losing readers to Joe Posnanski, America's Best Sports Columnist, because folks became confused?
So I'm renaming the blog.
Cup O' Posnanski.
That oughta do it.
Comments
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MAMAT (anonymous) says...
Seriously here, you may want to contact the paper's copy right/trade mark lawyer (a very specialized field of law). I don't know if he (Mike Merriam) is "up" on this area of law, or will care on your behalf, but I do know enough to know that if you do not assert your "rights" in time, you will lose them (the claim). As an example, that is why anytime anyone gets even mildly close to using Bill Gate's many trademarked names, his lawyers land on the poor sap like a flock of geese on one poor June bug.... You lose what you won't defend....
November 11, 2004 at 7:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
1981 (Jason Barr) says...
Just get one of those handy "cease and desist" letters sent over to his office or his boss. That seems to be the way these things are handles in 04. I really don't know how you obtain one of these letters but I assume a lawyer is involved.
November 12, 2004 at 10:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Joel (Joel Mathis) says...
Nah, no lawyers -- I don't make any money off this gig, unlike America's Best Sports Columnist, so I'm not going to spend any money.
BUT:
Did you see "A Cup of Joe" ran again in this morning's Star? And what was it about?
A dying Kansas Citian.
You know, I was joking with my initial jab about how Posnanski tends to write about dying sports fans, but Good Gosh -- this is the third sports or metro column he's done in the last MONTH about dead or dying people.
So in addition to my renamed blog, I hereby announce what should become -- if my premonition is correct -- a running feature:
The Joe Posnanski Death Watch.
Anytime Joe Po writes about somebody with terminal illness, who's dead -- or hell, who's suffering from the mumps and got a good-charactered athlete to raise her spirits, I'm going to point it out. And keep a running tab.
Sometimes these things are like shooting fish in a barrel.
November 12, 2004 at 10:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CafeSiren (anonymous) says...
I don't read the sports page, so I wouldn't know good sports writing if it smacked me in the face with a baseball then interviewed me in my hospital bed as I lay dying, but...
...but I am a researcher, and I see that it was two years ago that JP was the AP's "America's Best Sports Columnist." Last year, he was in a three-way tie for third. To be sure, these are accomplishments to be proud of, but for the sake of accuracy, JP should provide the date of his award.
(Yeah, yeah, I know...I'm snarky.)
November 12, 2004 at 12:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
balance71 (anonymous) says...
"Cup o' Joel" is SO much more clever than "Cup o' Joe." That single L makes all the difference. Plus you actually drink coffee. Lots of it.
My question is this: Why are all these sports fans dying? And why is Posnanski always there?
November 12, 2004 at 1:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wilson (Wilson Miner) says...
Joel, are you counting on the assumption that Joe starts his day not only with a hot cup of murky newsroom coffee but also by googling the phrase "america's best sports columnist"?
November 12, 2004 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
leslie (Leslie vonHolten) says...
I suggest you send an email w/ a link to this blog to Hearne Christopher Jr. Surely America's Greatest This Guy Makes a Living Doing This? Columnist will be eager to mention your plight in bold type in the KC Star.
November 12, 2004 at 2:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
monkeywrench (Tim vonHolten) says...
i applaud your decision to avoid the involvement of lawyers. i'm hoping this means you'll be seeking out the only truly honorable course of action: the smackdown. bring me the head of america's best sports columnist. by the way (that's btw to you blog fans), how do you judge the "best" columnist in a category in which not one single interesting word has ever been written? just curious.
November 12, 2004 at 3:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Fowler (anonymous) says...
Be careful Joel. They don't call him Joe Paws for nothin'. Check out the size of his mitts. He might clobber you.
http://www.kansascity.com/images/kans...
November 12, 2004 at 4:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Joel (Joel Mathis) says...
Holy Cow! Dem's some HUGE hands!
I immediately retract everything I've said. Joe Posnanski is the kindest, warmest, gentlest human being I've ever known.
November 12, 2004 at 4:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
godjilla (Jill Ensley) says...
JoePo's gonna manhandle you.
November 13, 2004 at 10:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )