<pre>I'm finding it hard these days not to think about writers. Not just because I spend the beginning and ends of months figuring out how to pay LA scribes to make my community magazine, New Angeles. </pre><pre>I think, why do I have facial hair? Why, because probably all men would, were they free of corporate influence. Shaving’s for the system. Fuck
shaving.

But I earn part of my living by thinking about organized sport, which is
about the system as much as it’s about human drama. The two are very much
equals.

Like, watching the nation try to come to terms with Randy Moss as one of
its greatest athletes ever is like watching Jay-Z go corporate or a late-season episode of The Wire: riveting drama. These are the stories of our times. Drama needs a system
like a system needs drama. A corporation is merely a framework without
people. And vice versa. The Cincinnati Bengals prove the pitfals of anarchy year-in, year-out.

The Bengals. Jeebus. Ordinarily I opt away from watching junk football. But, you know,
sometimes I gotta be on my Buckeye shit. Other than that trip, I want my
sports as fine as my food. </pre><pre>This is easy as an L.A. writer. I've got a lot of time to watch hot college football. The best ever I think.

It’s amazing these days to be following local sports in general. What with your
Matt Logans, Rick Neuheisels, Phil Jacksons, Joe Torres and Pete Carrolls.
Oh, and did I mention Tim Floyd and Ben Howland? (Know what you're sayin': Dunleavy's nice, but I it's criminal how he's underused Corey Maggette.) I don’t know that there’s
been a hotter collection of coaches in any city, ever.

This run is way better thank when I was a kid following the Cleveland Cavaliers — during the Ted Stepien years — or the
Indians or the pre-Sam Rutigliano Browns.

In some part I credit the warm coaching environment to the absence of an
NFL franchise and the top-down thinking that’s inherently part of hosting a
team. Sports ain’t ever gonna be the only show in this town. So,
motherfuckers gotta work. And grow. You know?

And it’s a great time to be just thinking about them. It’s a great time to
be a real writer. You totally get to keep the beard.

</pre>