Mariano Rivera dominates the newsstand like it's a left-handed hitter
Today's tabloids, Sept. 20, 2011.
7:01 am Sep. 20, 2011
Each day, the New York tabloids vie to sell readers at the newsstands on outrageous headlines, dramatic photography, and, occasionally, great reporting. Who is today's winner?
Daily News: Sometimes I give the News a hard time for failing to commit. Then they do this: The front page on the newsstand this morning looks like it's facing sideways until you realize it's because the front and back page together are a double-truck poster with a portrait orientation. (Click here to see the whole thing.)
Mariano Rivera is therefore practically actual size: It's a giant portrait of him, standing in the middle of Yankee Stadium, on the occasion of his breaking Trevor Hoffman's record for career saves. "602" reads enormous knockout-white text with a drop-shadow next to his smiling face. With his mitt on his left hand he seems to be pointing into the crowd, and then there's that ear-to-ear grin. Near the bottom: "Mo breaks save record, pitches way into history." The remainder of the page, a thin strip along the bottom—informs us that there will be a special commemorative pullout about Rivera's accomplishment tomorrow.
The New York Post: The Post also covers the Mo story, more traditionally, with what loos like a little more than a vertical half-page photo of Rivera. "Mo Town!" reads the main hed. "Mariano breaks save record."
But for the real main hed on the front one must look as always at what the heavy black type says, and that appears in the box along the righthand margin. "IN A TIX FIX" reads the he'd; "17 scandal cops facing indict today." It seems the Post has learned … that today is the day the Bronx grand jury is making its decision? Is it just me or does this seem just a little too anticipatory to be interesting? Also, "IN A TIX FIX" just doesn't work for me. They might not be "IN A TIX FIX." We'll find out … later today.
Observations: It almost seems unfair to compare the two covers today given the News' stunt, but then stunts are what this game is all about, in a way. I think the News may soon have to worry about making the double-truck poster on the outside a little too commonplace. But meanwhile, the Post, which always has the capacity to win with a pun or a picture, didn't pull it out today.
Winner: Daily News.
