Steelers Rock (and You Don’t)

So, in the glory of my team winning the Super Bowl, I have been reflecting again on how sports teams operate in the modern era. It really is approved warfare — with war paint, team colors, and adrenaline all included. Sports allow you to be part of a group — and scream loudly about your superiority — in a way that is socially appropriate. And both your own and others’ responses encourage all of this.  First, your own personal reaction. I don’t know about you, but I was completely hoarse on Monday having screamed (pretty incessantly according to my kids) at the television for hours. What is it about sports that permits, encourages, and even demands that we act in relatively nutty ways?

Continue ReadingSteelers Rock (and You Don’t)

War Stories

Yesterday, as part of our weekly faculty workshop series, we hosted Professor Julie Oseid of the University of St. Thomas. Her presentation was entitled “Show Me the Way: Mentoring Lawyers Through War Stories.” As the title suggests, her project is to consider, and to some extent justify, the use of war stories in legal education and more generally as a way to integrate new lawyers into the profession. Despite the fact that she was going head-to-head with Bud Selig, roughly twenty of our colleagues showed up to hear Julie’s thought-provoking talk.

For me, the topic ties in with some of the other discussions taking place on this blog, and elsewhere, concerning just how it is that we should go about the business of creating lawyers. I’m with Dean Strang in believing that technical proficiency is a necessary but hardly sufficient condition to being a good lawyer. Reflectiveness, judgment, and (this one is vastly underrated, in my view) creativity all have a role to play, along with some number of less tangible qualities.

Stories can help us pass along some of that information.

Continue ReadingWar Stories

At Least I’m Not Jerry Springer

There is an interesting thread starting at PrawfsBlawg initiated by Rob Vischer of St. Thomas (MN). Rob asks which talk show host best exemplifies your teaching style. He aspires to Charlie Rose, but admits to a little bit of Oprah.

This is probably a dangerous — or at least an awkward — topic for a blog read by a professor’s students. Someone may think themselves Tim Russert but be perceived as Rosie O’Donnell. In any event, most of us cannot be what we want to be all of the time. I may wish I to be Jim Lehrer or Bill Buckley, but have days when my inner Bill O’Reilly or, God forgive me, Larry King comes to the fore. I have even caught myself channeling Phil Donahue.

I acknowledge and bewail my manifold sins and wickedness, which I, from time to time most grievously have committed against your divine majesty . . . .

Maybe it’s not such a good topic after all.

Continue ReadingAt Least I’m Not Jerry Springer
Newer Posts
Older Posts