Pioneer+JG

Pioneer by John McPhee Joanne Goodall

__ A Response __ This, as far as I can remember, is the first sports related article I have ever read. I am not a huge sports fan, therefore, I rarely read the sports section of my paper. I don’t even read the sports section of The Aquinian to learn more about STU sports.

So, to carry on, I liked the piece but it didn’t have the bells and whistles that I would expect from McPhee. It wasn’t descriptive. Its structure wasn’t as “complicated” or “literary” like his earlier pieces. This piece, well, read just like an actual sports column (or something I would expect one to sound like). The only major differences are a few “out of place” which he uses to explain the game and the lacrosse players. However, they are not plentiful and not really “out there” like the normal McPhee.

The first story he uses that doesn’t exactly tie into the game of lacrosse itself is about the doors of the stadium and how, if you are not careful, the strong winds can slam the door so hard it would break your arm. This may not tie directly into lacrosse or the players but it does describe the stadium which they are playing their championship game in. The championship game in this article is the actual news peg so I can see why a journalist might include this small detail. Most reporters might not add it but it still makes sense if anyone did it, therefore, it’s not the normal “out there, non-related stories” that McPhee adds in the article.

Another story McPhee adds is more like his “out-there” stories but not in a really weird way. It’s hard to explain, really. It makes sense to why McPhee would add it because it does tie into the context of the story, however, most journalists would not add this tidbit making the story a “John McPhee” thing. Make any sense? Anyways, the story involves the Spanish civil war, where a general of the army takes the son of his opposing army’s head general. He tells his opponents that if they did not surrender they would kill the boy. Over the phone, the general tells his son to ask God for forgiveness and to die as a hero. I can see why McPhee would add this story because playing a championship lacrosse match would be like going to battle and giving it all you have. These lacrosse players fought for victory- not to surrender without a good fight. Most journalists would compare a sports game to war or a battle but wouldn’t include a “full side story” to the article.

But when you take these side stories out, the article sounds almost like any other sports reporter’s work. I’m somewhat surprised with this article! Where is the John McPhee I know!? I absolutely loved his last article, The Patch and would have loved it if he would have carried on with emotional stories like it in the future- not a sports game!