Pablo Torre Finds Out The Fax and the Furious: How One Screeching Machine Upended Sports — and Society as We Knew It
4 snips
Mar 27, 2025 In this discussion, J.A. Adande, a Hall-of-Fame sportswriter and head of Northwestern's sports journalism program, reflects on the nostalgia and significance of the fax machine in sports. They share personal stories from the 90s, illustrating how this quirky technology shaped communication and sports culture. The conversation nostalgically races through Michael Jordan’s legendary faxed comeback and humorously contrasts the past with today’s instant communication methods, making it a captivating exploration of how far we've come.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Snowstorm Fax
- J.A. Adande needed to file a story by a 10:30 deadline, but a snowstorm in NYC made finding a phone jack difficult.
- He eventually found one in a Chinese restaurant, convincing the owner to let him use it.
Dream Team Fax
- While in Monte Carlo covering the Dream Team, J.A. Adande had to fax a credential request to the Miami Herald.
- He got credentialed, covered the team, and faxed his story from a hotel in Lyon, only to find out later that it wasn't published due to space constraints.
Coppola Fax
- Working as a temp, J.A. Adande worked with a fax machine, sending and receiving faxes for talent agents.
- He witnessed an angry exchange between Francis Ford Coppola and his agent, highlighting the lack of privacy with faxes.
