Rise and Scribe: Literary X’s And O’s Featuring Stories From Michael Paterniti And Jonathan Abrams

Dec 26, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Mike Miller (18) reacts after he made a three pointer against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic 98-89. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Rise and Scribe is back, with a twist! Today, I’m joined by Steve McPherson of Rolling Stone, Grantland, and good ol’ Hardwood Paroxysm, for a literary x’s and o’s podcast. Steve and I each chose a story — one sports-related, one non-sports — and analyzed them from a writing standpoint. Our first story (my choice) is called “The Man Who Sailed His House,” by Michael Paterniti of GQ. Here’s an excerpt:

And that’s when you know you’ve been caught out, that you’ve squandered what time you had, that you must trust this house of concrete you’ve built to stand up to the sea. Your wife joins you on the second-floor terrace, reporting that she, too, saw the neighbor’s house wash away. “We should run,” she says, but you say, “It’s too late.” And then: “We’ll be fine.” Her arms circle your waist and lock there, while you stand stock-straight, gazing at the mountain, without daring to look back at the sea. These will be your last words to her—We’ll be fine. And you’ve already departed your body when everything seems to break beneath your feet and a roaring force crashes over you.

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/201110/hiromitsu-shinkawa-japan-tsunami-rescue-story

Paterniti tells the story of Hiromitsu, and his days lost at sea, floating on his roof after a tsunami. Steve and I talk about Paterniti’s bold choice of writing the entire story in second person, if that gamble paid off, and how much research went into making this piece.

We then move on to Steve’s selection: “Everybody Loves Mike,” by Jonathan Abrams of Grantland. Here’s an excerpt:

Early in the season, Miller’s sacrifices have been obvious. He’s been a fringe player in Blatt’s rotation, averaging 1.6 points in about 12 minutes per game. He’s recorded DNP–Coach’s Decision stat lines in three of his last four games. “You don’t win championships in November and December,” Miller recently said in response to questions about being stuck on Cleveland’s bench. “So you keep focusing on what we’re doing. Our team is getting better, which is great … Sometimes your job is different. Leadership doesn’t show sometimes, but you can tell when it happens.” And in classic Miller fashion, he rose from the bench in the second half of Tuesday’s victory over the Bucks, after not playing in the first 30-plus minutes of the game, and made several key plays to help bring Cleveland back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit. Likewise, Miller won’t be surprised if the Cavaliers call on him to play the familiar role of late-season savior with a playoff game on the line and the need for someone to hit big shots. “I’m not concerned about makes or misses [in December],” he said. “I’m concerned about makes or misses when they count — and I like my chances.”

http://grantland.com/features/everybody-loves-mike-miller-nba-cleveland-cavaliers-lebron-james-memphis-grizzlies-orlando-magic-tracy-mcgrady/

The story, which reveals both Mike Miller’s journey to the NBA, and, perhaps more importantly, how well liked he is around the league, is a master class in profile writing. Steve and I discuss Abrams’ ability to get the perfect quotes, how he gets out of the way of the story, and the unique structure used throughout.

If you like the podcast, won’t you kindly leave us a review on iTunes? http://goo.gl/fjGWeq.

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