“What’s Rant Sports?” someone asked me recently.
Um, I’m not sure.
“You’re not sure?” he said.
Nope.
“That’s weird,” he said. “Because you write for it.”
Um … no I don’t.
“Yeah, you do.”
So I looked. And, indeed, Jeff Pearlman writes for Rant Sports. Why, Jeff Pearlman writes A LOT for Rant Sports. Which is great and wonderful and cool, and I hope he’s getting paid big chunks of change.
Only it’s not me. It’s this guy. Jeff Pearlman. A different Jeff Pearlman.
We’ve had exchanges a few times—always pleasant. He seems like both a nice guy and an excellent writer. And yet … I kinda hate sharing my byline. I do. Especially since we’re both sports guys writing at the same time. We also, oddly, live about 20 miles apart. I don’t want people thinking he’s me, just as I’m sure he doesn’t want people thinking I’m him. A guy works hard for his name, and hard for his byline. It’s years of sweat and practice and dedication and devotion to the gig. I’m certainly not the world’s only Jeff Pearlman, but I’ve always been the only sports-writing Jeff Pearlman. No longer.
One of my closest friends is Michael Lewis—a fine scribe who, ahem, isn’t the Michael Lewis. And it’s weird. Maybe just for my pal. But still, kinda strange. Two Michael Lewis characters. Both in sports journalism.
Anyhow, I wish nothing but success to my brother of name. However, Jeff, if you’d like to switch your byline to Jeffrey Pearlman or Jeffie Pearlman or Herm Winningham III, well, I’ve got a $5 note with your name on it.
