As if you needed another reminder that we do things differently around these parts, meaning on teh intertubes, I submit to you the coverage of LeBron James’ decision to sign with Miami.
Mainstream media has the basketball and social aspects blanketed.
How good will Miami be next season with three all-stars? How badly is James’ image tarnished after the media circus? How angry are spurned Cleveland fans and especially the Cavaliers’ majority owner, Dan Gilbert, who penned a scathing letter aimed at James right after his defection?
Bloggers know their audience because their coverage has focused on one thing mainstream media has missed.
Dan Gilbert (or his webmaster) used Comic Sans. Don’t believe me, check it.
Oh the horror.
Even weirder, Gilbert always uses Comic Sans in his communications.
For the uninitiated, Comic Sans is reviled by font geeks, web designers, pretty much everyone who cares about looks. There’s a site dedicated to banning the font, natch. Their collective heads have likely exploded, since Gilbert’s letter has yet to make an appearance on the site.
In case you missed it, I submit the coverage I’ve seen so far in my reader.
In true geeky fashion, Dan Gilbert now has a fake Twitter account (@DanGilbertCavs) for his rants in all caps and Comic Sans, h/t Jason Grisby (@grigs) for this find.
Only a matter of time before it hits Techmeme and Digg, and of course, I’m adding to the coverage.
Incidentally, Gilbert has probably angered grammar nazis too by quoting himself, using all caps and bunches of “air quotes”.
Anyway, funny to me for a number of reasons, so there you go.
Find the comments.
As I noted in Facebook's Comic Sans Appreciation Society page, a tool itself (such as Comic Sans) should not be held responsible for the way in which people (such as Dan Gilbert) use the tool. Although it appears that much of the hatred of the font (at least according to this article) is based upon misuse of the font.
However, I can't help but wonder if some of the hatred is due to the name that was given to the font. If it had been named, say, “Hand Sans,” would people object to its use in funeral notices?
P.S. Gilbert's words will haunt him a year from now, even if the Heat don't make the Finals. I don't see Cleveland making the Finals any time soon. And I also have to wonder how many people will want to work for Gilbert if that's the way he treats his employees. I suspect that a rookie basketball player, faced with the choice of working for Dan Gilbert or Donald Sterling, will instead opt for a Wal-Mart job.
I'm dimly aware of the font hatred for Comic Sans, which is aptly named. I don't think its name would matter though, since some fonts just don't look right for certain tasks, e.g. funeral notices.
I just love that bloggers grabbed that minute detail and ran with it, very nerdy.
I'm pretty sure Gilbert's words will haunt him much sooner than a year from now 🙂 Talk about an unprofessional response. Your point about future employees is a good one too. The whole spectacle makes me embarrassed for everyone involved.
Oh, and did you see that Gilbert (who owns Fathead) lowered the price of LeBron's image from $100 to $17.41? Coincidentally the same year Benedict Arnold was born? H/t to ESPN for that one.
Wow, issues dude, you has them.
Gilbert has also started a sweet new blog:
http://dangilbert.wordpress.com/
Awesome. I especially like the t-shirt.