At what point am I not being whiney?

Why not try this:
Ask to write a blog for your paper's website. Call it "From the Desk" or something like that. Put up a post every day, see if you get a following and if your editors like it, you'll likely get asked to do some other assignments.

 

Like someone said, they usually only give picks to people that readers recognize. Otherwise they're gonna have to have a tag explaining who you are and why someone should possibly care about your pick.

If you want recognition for your writing or prognostication skills, write a blog on Tumblr. Or better yet, yes, talk to your boss about contributing in some capacity.

Most people I know who become editors at a young age remain editors.

 

Why do people take picks so seriously? I once picked bowl games with a High School Musical Magic 8-Ball and still took second.

When I first started out of college, I took a desk job because I really needed the money. It took a few years and others leaving before I got a shot at writing because I got labeled as a desk guy. Being at a smaller paper allowed me to do it, so I have no idea if it's harder to transition. But I wouldn't do both at the same time. Be a desker or be a writer, pick one and excel at it.

 

jr/shotglass beat me to it, but . . .


You are laying out the paper, making sure it gets done.

Other people are writing raw copy, undoubtedly with mistakes, and you are catching them and making the paper look good.

You do what you do.

 

See if they'll let you write for the website, I bet they will.

 

Ricard Deitsch pointed out in his Media Circus column this week that Erin Andrews didn't have picks but all the other studio show contributors did. So I wouldn't feel too bad?

 

In our shop, the desk guys have always been part of the college picks panel.
I think it's poor form to do otherwise.