JJ Redick, the Lakers, Woj/Shams and the monopoly on breaking news

This last week gave a pretty exhausting look into how news works in a world where reporters are part of the story.

“You were never going to get credit for it but people will remember.”

I spent Thursday afternoon talking to people in the know about what this last week has been like. Of all the texts I received, that one will probably stick with me the longest. This is what it’s like to operate in a world where two people in particular get to decide what reality is.

In all honesty, I wasn’t going to write about this. Yes, this week was insanely stressful and I learned a whole bunch about myself and this world I’m trying to exist in, but I don’t matter. I shouldn’t anyway, but that’s not how this works anymore.

Once news “broke” that JJ Redick would be coaching the Los Angeles Lakers, I was told to run a victory lap. It all feels so silly. No one honestly cares about that, right? I hate running.

But it does matter. We’re so tribal at this point that we stan reporters. Readers want to be rewarded for backing the right one. So here we are. I guess I do need to write this, because I wouldn’t be anyone without your support. Let’s enjoy that dub together.