Scoop Jackson (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Scoop Jackson
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Jackson with Team USA at the World Basketball Festival, 2014.
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| Born |
Robert Jackson
November 23, 1963 |
| Education | Xavier University of Louisiana (BA) Howard University (MA) |
| Occupation | Sports/Cultural Journalist, Critic |
| Years active | 1986-present |
| Spouse(s) | Tracy Jackson |
| Children | 2 |
Robert "Scoop" Jackson (born November 23, 1963) is a well-known American sports journalist. He also writes books and shares his thoughts on culture. Currently, he writes for ESPN.com, a popular sports website.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Scoop Jackson was born and grew up in Chicago, a big city in Illinois. He still lives there with his wife, Tracy, and their two sons. He was born on November 23, 1963. The day after he was born, U.S. President John F. Kennedy passed away. His uncle joked that Robert "scooped" Kennedy by being born and making headlines. That's how he got his nickname, "Scoop."
He went to Luther High School South in Chicago. After high school, he studied at Xavier University of Louisiana. Later, he earned a Master of Arts degree from Howard University. He was a top student there, making the National Dean's List in 1990-1991. His father was also a writer for a newspaper called the Rocky Mountain News in Denver.
Scoop Jackson's Career
Scoop Jackson started his career as a freelance writer. This means he wrote articles for different places without working for just one company. His articles have appeared in many famous publications. These include USA Today, the Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune. He also wrote for magazines like The Source and Vibe.
Writing About Sports and Culture
Scoop Jackson has written about basketball and hip hop for over 25 years. He has been an executive editor for SLAM Magazine and XXL. He also edited Hoop and Inside Stuff magazines.
He often appears as a guest on radio and TV sports talk shows. He is also featured on ESPN's Sports Century series. His very first article for SLAM magazine was in January 1995. It was called "The Large Professor" and was about the famous basketball player Shaquille O'Neal.
Scoop Jackson was very passionate about his work. He once insisted that SLAM magazine feature Allen Iverson on its cover. At the time, Iverson was still playing basketball at Georgetown University. Jackson even said he would quit if it didn't happen! From 2004, he also wrote a special column for SLAM called "Game Point." In this column, he shared his strong opinions on different basketball topics. He continued to write for SLAM until July 2005.
Working with Nike and ESPN
In 2000, Nike asked Scoop Jackson to write a book for them. This book was about how Nike has contributed to basketball and sneaker culture. It was called Sole Provider: 30 Years of Nike Basketball. Jackson worked with Nike for five years. He wrote content and advertising copy for the company.
After his time at Nike, he joined ESPN.com. He started writing for them on March 8, 2005. His first article for ESPN was called "Scoop's Manifesto." It explained his views on sports. A year later, he wrote another article about what he had learned at ESPN.
While writing for ESPN, Scoop Jackson often spoke out against what he saw as unfair treatment. For example, he wrote an article in 2008 called "Time for Tiger to roar." In this article, he encouraged golfer Tiger Woods to speak up about a comment made during one of his matches. He also wrote "The Willingham Question," where he discussed the firing of football coach Tyrone Willingham from Notre Dame.
In 2015, Scoop Jackson moved from being a senior writer at ESPN.com to a senior writer for Sportscenter at ESPN. He also started working with Nike again. He helped them create their EQUALITY campaigns, which promote fairness and equal rights. In 2017, he won a gold medal award for Sports Coverage. This award was from the New York International Television & Film festival. He won it for his ESPN feature about the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series.
Personal Life and Interests
Scoop Jackson is a big fan of sports teams. He supports the Chicago White Sox baseball team. He also cheers for the New York Knicks basketball team. He is one of the people who started The Music Snobs podcast.
