pros and college sports vs. preps sports

It may just be a personal thing for you, but I'm curious as to why it was such a thrill to have your gamer done before AP? AP's gonna write a bland story with a cookie cutter lede and very little critical analysis. Our audience, at my shop, isn't gonna read AP anyway.

Now, forcing AP to play catch up on breaking stories... that's a little different. Nothing like seeing AP write, "Newspaper X reported".

 

Paying dues might make sense if prep guys regularly moved up to the more posh beats, but they seldom do. Go into your average pro press box and ask how many of them have ever covered a high school football game. Maybe they all have. I don't know. But I highly doubt it.

 

You are right. That feeling is always the best feeling. I was just talking about handling a game situation on deadline. Now, breaking a story while facing a game situation and getting kudos from AP? Priceless.

 

Goldeaston makes a good point here with regard to many places -- especially these days, where substantial, quality steps in an upwardly mobile direction are difficult to make.

Depending on one's timing, and the way things shake out over the course of one's career, as well as what paper(s) you're at, you could slog away for years...and years, being not only productive but also making good-quality contributions to the paper on a consistent basis, and have it get you nowhere. Or else, only into a lateral position someplace else.

Or, you could be fortunate, or else, deemed a young stud -- whether you actually are, or not -- and be "stuck" on preps for all of a month, or two or three. Or, maybe, you might even have to put in a year, if you're really "paying your dues," before you're off to bigger and better things and you never look back.

Experiences are as varied as the people/papers involved, and upward mobility is determined and/or influenced by many things, some of which have little to do with a person's talent, performance, work ethic or desire for advancement.

 

It comes down with God's will and timing. If it is meant to be, you won't be on preps long. But I'll tell you this, you can make a decent living in a good market covering preps. I've known guys who have been involved with preps for more than than three decades. They are certainly good enough to do other things and have been asked to move. They decided to remain covering preps because they like it, they don't have to worry about pro and college bullshit and above all else, they are happy.

 

Agreed. I would say if you're looking to move up, you can't put restrictions on where you'd live. I think you've got to be willing to move anywhere, even if it's another prep gig in a larger market.

 

I've made a career out of covering preps in my area, and I think one thing that sets preps apart from college or pros -- not necessarily better, just different -- is that you're dealing with kids, the overwhelming majority of whom are never going to play the game in any meaningful way once they finish high school. And when those kids reach the end of the line, especially if it's in a playoff situation, it can be really emotional in a way that you just don't see among college or pro players.

Also, you develop relationships with players in preps that seem to be longer lasting than in college, and certainly among the pros. I'm all the time encountering former players who remember me from when I covered them back in high school. I'd be lying if I said it didn't give me a little ego boost when that happens.

 

Very true. I bump into past athletes I covered and they'll recite specific passages from stories I wrote about them, stories I don't even remember. It's a nice feeling to have.

Think your analysis works for small colleges, too. We have a Division II and Division III college in our town and you know the ONLY reason those guys are playing their respective sport is because it's what they are passionate about.

 

So you think they all just magically started out covering the local NBA or NFL or MLB team straight out of college? I don't think I know anyone who didn't pay their dues covering high schools or maybe some D-II, D-III or NAIA school.

 

Had a cuppa coffee covering the pros, now it's strictly smalltown preps
Here's what I tell people the difference is:
Pros: Preening, prancing, egos, big shots, a look-at-me-you're-all-here-to-see-me attitude. And that's just from the other media covering the event.
Preps: Good professional relationship with coach, kids LOVE to see you, talk to you; and you get a sincere thank you when you write a good piece.

 

I fucking hate these discussions, which pop up from time to time, where the subtext is essentially that people who cover pros and colleges were born with silver spoons in their mouths and aren't the "real journalists" in this profession.

I spent plenty of nights standing on a rainy sideline or sitting in a rickety press box or tear-assing after the team bus because the pissed-off coach left without talking to me.

 

i think the pros and colleges would beat the preps but then again, it really isn't a fair competition. just sayin.