Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. Robert Ford

I had the privilege yesterday of meeting Bob Ford. Bob is a sports columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer and a damn good one at that. He is a perfect example of how an exceptional writer can transcend the sports he writes about. He's not an imposing figure, in fact you would pass him on the street and never take notice. He's an everyday guy who shares something that so many of us are guilty of: being fans of the game. Starting off beat writing for the local teams, he has earned the top prestige a writer can achieve at a paper, the title of columnist. He is responsible for printing such articles including the infamous and controversial Charles Barkley article where Barkley was quoted as saying after a tough loss, "This is the kind of game that makes you wanna go home and beat your wife." While Bob admitted it came in the heat of the moment after a difficult defeat, he even offered Sir Charles an opportunity to take it back. When the 76ers forward, refused, Bob did what any journalist would, print the story.

As he spoke, I was enamored with his candidness as he revealed cycling was his favorite sport and how his dream is to cover an athletic contest in Palio, Italy where members of each village race horses among other contests for bragging rights and village supremacy. I asked him several questions regarding journalism as a business and he was brutally honest in his responses. He joked at how some people read his work and say, "Well that story wrote itself." He said he can't wait for the day when he can turn his laptop on, step back and say, "have at it". No story writes itself and Bob is tremendous at what he does because he takes the time and pays attention to every detail as he compiles others' thoughts as well as his own in an effort to entertain some of the most brutal fans in sports. Let's face it, the city of Philadelphia is rarely forgiving and Mr. Ford has managed to win over this fickle crowd with the gift he was given. My conversation with Bob had a powerful impact on my dreams and desires to be a sports writer and I thank him for taking the time to spread his wisdom on me. I encourage everyone to read Bob's column in the Philadelphia Inquirer and also at http://go.philly.com/bobford