After a 4 hour car ride home from Greencastle, Indiana (Population: do cows count?) I came home and glanced over my favorite part of Sunday: The Chicago Tribune Sports Section. I usually read the first couple articles, and then, le piece de resistance, the back page. This is the page where the writers analyze a player, a controversy, and in this case, a game. This week was all about the Eagles vs. Bears. The title was: Bandwagon runs off road by Mike Downey.
Downey starts with a quote from a Chicago Bear after their first win: "No more room on the bandwagon"..."Don't you try to get on it now!". He then talks about how the Bears lost their next two in embarrassing fashions. He ends with: "They had better get off the bandwagon rushing. And passing". This obvious form of humor draws the reader in, almost inviting them in the jeering of the home team (a pretty good feat for a writer in a sea of die-hard Bears fanatics). He does this by 1. establishing Logos, and 2. by gently letting the reader know his status as a sports columnist and a comedian (Ethos). He gets the first done in the fourth paragraph, by stating the fact that the Eagles have allowed 50 points in the last 3 games (41 of those have been scored by one team). By adding this fact, he is saying: "if better teams can't score on them, what makes you think the 1-2 Bears can?".
Finally, he gets the reader on his side by being a likable guy, and at the same time, being a professional. I stated before, he uses humor to draw the reader in, and then "convert" them to his point of view. On the other hand, he shows us his professionalism by adding the other Chicago Tribune Sports Writers predictions of the game. All of them said the Eagles would win. This somewhat small piece of the article subconsciously lets the readers know that he is right and the legions of Bears fans are wrong. He does a fantastic job in swaying the reader and gently telling us who's boss. Job well done, Mr. Downey. I've jumped off.
(Links to Logler vary)
3 comments:
I can definately relate to this post, as a Bears fan. Mike Downey is a one of my favortite sports writer, and I find this article commical. Luckily the Bears did beat the Eagles (last sunday) and went on to beat the Lions (this sunday). This article definately appeals to the ethos of the reader, because it shows the moral character of Mike Downey. I don't necesarilly agree with the quote, because I feel that there are never enough fans. I also find this post funny, because Chip, you are a huge Packers fan. Maybe even you will jump on the Bears bandwaggon eventually, Chip.
i don't think that will be anytime soon, but thanks for responding.
Get back on the bandwagon, Chip! And thanks for letting me know I'm likable.
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