Brian McGrory hasn't completely forgotten how to report a story

Just when you think the only time Brian McGrory picks up the telephone is to call in another column, he surprises you with something like today's column on the poor kid who got his back broken by a drunken oaf at a Pats game (and yes, while I'd earlier, and often, criticized Our Boy Brian for dabbling in sports coverage, this wasn't at all about on-field performance).

Still, one doubts this single instance of actual reporting will be enough for the Weekly Dig's Media Farm to retract its call that every Boston columnist except Steve Bailey die immediately. For example, Globe reporter Brian Ballou did a great, heartwrenching story about that 13-year old shot to death in JP, but isn't that the sort of thing a metro columnist should be writing?