Fire Joe Morgan
Encyclopedia
Fire Joe Morgan was a sports journalism
criticism blog
which focused primarily on baseball
. It was updated regularly from 2005 through 2008. Although sports commentator Joe Morgan
was often criticized, the site did not target him exclusively, but rather criticized anything the writers considered to be ignorant journalism as a whole. The blog's slogan was "Where Bad Sports Journalism Comes To Die."
The website officially announced its discontinuation in November 2008. Although the website is no longer updated, its archives are still available at firejoemorgan.com. The blog had what was to be a one-day reprise on September 16, 2009, when Deadspin
invited the authors to guest post. The authors guest posted again on Deadspin on September 22, 2010.
, one of the founders, was to "make each other laugh." The website championed the statistical analysis of baseball in the tradition of Bill James
, often using sabermetrics
to support its arguments. Sports writers who published works misstating the concepts of the book Moneyball were a common target. The blog quickly grew in popularity, and was featured in an SI.com
piece within its first year of existence. The site's authors initially kept their identities hidden using the pseudonyms Ken Tremendous, Junior, and Dak, but in February 2008 revealed themselves to be TV writers Michael Schur
, Alan Yang
, and Dave King respectively. The three met as staff members of the Harvard Lampoon
and Schur and Yang both write for the television show Parks & Recreation. As of season 4, Dave King also works for Parks & Recreation. King is also a writer for Comedy Central's Workaholics.
and MetsBlog in the contest. Former Deadspin editor Will Leitch
himself called Schur "one of his favorite sports bloggers."
Several major newspapers and magazines, including New York Times
, The Boston Globe
and New York Magazine reported on the site's closing. Sports Illustrated
named Fire Joe Morgan one of the five most influential sports blogs of the decade in December 2009.
Sports journalism
Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and events.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports...
criticism blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
which focused primarily on baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. It was updated regularly from 2005 through 2008. Although sports commentator Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
was often criticized, the site did not target him exclusively, but rather criticized anything the writers considered to be ignorant journalism as a whole. The blog's slogan was "Where Bad Sports Journalism Comes To Die."
The website officially announced its discontinuation in November 2008. Although the website is no longer updated, its archives are still available at firejoemorgan.com. The blog had what was to be a one-day reprise on September 16, 2009, when Deadspin
Deadspin
Deadspin is a sports website owned by Gawker Media and was launched in September 2005. As of February 2010, the site had attracted over 462 million unique visitors and about 573 million page views....
invited the authors to guest post. The authors guest posted again on Deadspin on September 22, 2010.
Background
The website was founded by a group of friends in April 2005. Its sole purpose, according to Michael SchurMichael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer and writer, best known for his work on the NBC comedy series The Office and Parks and Recreation, the latter of which he co-created along with Greg Daniels...
, one of the founders, was to "make each other laugh." The website championed the statistical analysis of baseball in the tradition of Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
, often using sabermetrics
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
to support its arguments. Sports writers who published works misstating the concepts of the book Moneyball were a common target. The blog quickly grew in popularity, and was featured in an SI.com
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
piece within its first year of existence. The site's authors initially kept their identities hidden using the pseudonyms Ken Tremendous, Junior, and Dak, but in February 2008 revealed themselves to be TV writers Michael Schur
Michael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer and writer, best known for his work on the NBC comedy series The Office and Parks and Recreation, the latter of which he co-created along with Greg Daniels...
, Alan Yang
Alan Yang
Alan Yang is an American screenwriter for the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.-Career:His previous credits include the Carson Daly's Late Night Show and South Park. In 2009, he was named by Variety magazine as one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". He currently has three screenplays in development,"...
, and Dave King respectively. The three met as staff members of the Harvard Lampoon
Harvard Lampoon
The Harvard Lampoon is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.-Overview:Published since 1876, The Harvard Lampoon is the world's longest continually published humor magazine. It is also the second longest-running English-language humor...
and Schur and Yang both write for the television show Parks & Recreation. As of season 4, Dave King also works for Parks & Recreation. King is also a writer for Comedy Central's Workaholics.
Mainstream recognition
From 2006 on, the website grew in popularity to the point where its name could be seen in newspaper sports sections and heard on the air during sports radio broadcasts. In 2007, users of the site bustedcoverage.com voted Fire Joe Morgan the best sports blog of the year, beating sites including DeadspinDeadspin
Deadspin is a sports website owned by Gawker Media and was launched in September 2005. As of February 2010, the site had attracted over 462 million unique visitors and about 573 million page views....
and MetsBlog in the contest. Former Deadspin editor Will Leitch
Will Leitch
William F. Leitch is a writer based in New York City and the founding editor of the Gawker Media sports blog Deadspin...
himself called Schur "one of his favorite sports bloggers."
Several major newspapers and magazines, including New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
and New York Magazine reported on the site's closing. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
named Fire Joe Morgan one of the five most influential sports blogs of the decade in December 2009.