REPORTING FROM THE JOCK-OSPHERE:
BLOGGER CLARITY CONTEST!

by Ryan Corazza and Evan Bartsch

June 23rd, 2008

Getty Images

Madden Nation: Where journalism happens.

With the dawn of jock-blogging, no longer do we only have stats and head-to-head matchups in which to gauge who is best among athletes. No friends—we now have their blogs. Using the Flesch reading ease score (higher score = more clear and concise writing) we've pitted blogger vs. blogger in a battle of words. Read on as they do battle with the keyboard. It's a blog off.

Mark Cuban vs. Curt Schilling: Battle of the Blowhards

These two are the most oft-quoted in mainstream rags and for good reason: they tend to speak their minds, sometimes at the risk of offending others. Controversy swirls around them. So who maintains the more literate blog?

Cuban Sample Post: Hulu is Kicking Youtube's Ass

Quick Hit: "It is coming up on 2 years post my declaration that only a moron would buy Youtube and that Google was crazy for actually going through with it."

Schilling Sample Post: There's Some Pitching Going On

Quick Hit: "Great starting pitching wins games, except, when the other teams starting pitchers are matching your guys…"

Cuban's Flesch reading ease score: 72.7

Schilling's Flesch reading ease score: 89

Winner: Schilling

A guy that parades around online as Scythehands Voxslayer already has a lot of experience with Web battling, no?

Marshawn Lynch vs. Rod Benson: Battle of the Funny Men

Marshawn Lynch might not always voice it on his blog, but the dude has some serious comedy chops. But can he take down Boom Tho! himself?

Lynch Sample Post: WASSUP WIT IT

Quick Hit: u kno 07 was a tough yr to swallow...........we didnt make it 2 the playoffs, but its coo tho cause it give me more reasons to work harder this off season...

Benson Sample Post: Too Much Rod Benson: Moms, Shirts and Masks

Quick Hit: "I have three weeks to get ready for my mini-camp with the San Antonio Spurs. What does getting ready entail? It means that I have practice twice a day, five days a week, with weights in between."

Lynch's Flesch reading ease score: 74.3

Benson's Flesch reading ease score: 83.1

Winner: Benson

Considering Lynch hasn't written one complete sentence on his blog, this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

Tiger Woods vs. Roger Federer: Which Champion's Blog Will Be 'The Best a Man Can Get'?

Tiger may be done for the year on the fairways with his season-ending knee injury, but I wouldn't count him out in the blogosphere, even against tennis overlord Roger Federer.

Tiger Sample Post: Can I Go Undefeated?

Quick Hit: "I have been asked whether I think I can go undefeated this year. I pointed out that when I was 11, I went 36-0, so I've already had a perfect season."

Federer Sample Post: Finishing off a Year

Quick Hit: "It is always terrific to be able to round off the year with a victory in the Masters—above all because you know that afterwards you can enjoy a fully-deserved holiday."

Tiger's Flesch reading ease score: 88.6

Federer's Flesch reading ease score: 69.3

Winner: Tiger

Tiger wins in a landslide. Rock beats scissors, paper beats rock, but Tiger beats Swiss.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Bill Russell: Blog Battle of the Big Men

The sheer number of championships, MVP hardware and all-league accolades between these two NBA Legends boggles the mind. It also makes us hesitant to name a winner. So we'll let the software do it.

Kareem Sample Post: Remembering the Rivalry

Quick Hit: "A lot of years have passed since the classic Laker-Celtic Finals matchups of the '80s...It was an intense rivalry, but basketball is a brotherhood."

Russell Sample Post: Don't Question my Knowledge

Quick Hit: "I know probably as much as anybody on the planet about playoff basketball."

Kareem's Flesch reading ease score: 81.8

Russell's Flesch reading ease score: 87.2

Winner: Russell

Russell, the 11-time NBA Champ edges Kareem the 6-time NBA Champ, proving that games can be won on paper after all.