AJC and Hartford Courant not covering Super Bowl

I could be wrong, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Seattle papers are absent, too. They haven't sent more than 1 in recent years, the Super Bowl year of 2006 excepted.

 

the times i've covered the Super Bowl, for our small daily, i have been forunating to have had local angles every time. thank goodness there was enough local players involved to keep our coverage from being that of the "pack journalism" nature that defines the Super Bowl.
but the AJC not being there is mind-boggling, given they're an NFL city.

 

the problem with this is - as somebody mentioned above - there's no availability Saturday and only head coaches on Friday, so you pretty much have to be there Wednesday & Thursday at the bare minimum, so that means fly down Tuesday at the latest and fly out Monday at the earliest (if you can find a flight). and if you're going Wednesday, you may as well be there Tuesday for media day, just because. so it's really an impossible event to cover just for a couple days, unless you want to do Tuesday - Thursday and let AP handle the game

they have over-the-counter medicine for this now

 

But if you're looking to cut corners yet attend the game for that 3-day period, even with no player-coach availability your writer or columnist should be adept enough to find a compelling storyline for two or three days.

I mean, it is the Super Bowl. Over-hyped as it is there have to be some things to write about that do not require jostling in the media scrum all week.

forunating will subside, but if it lasts longer than four hours see a physician.

 

I'm just fortunate to have enough proof readers to catch some of the crap I write.
thanks.

 

I don't believe the Braves writer went to the first couple days of the World Series, either.
And, you know what, I am OK with that. Any beat guy worth his shit has everyone's cell number and e-mail address. If he's there just to follow the Falcons/Broncos/Redskins, he can do it from home.

 

If you can find a flight? We're talking about Atlanta. Finding a flight, and a cheap one, to Florida isn't a problem. They could also be there in less than 24 hours on Greyhound.

 

It's a 7- or 8-hour drive, isn't it, from ATL to Tampa? Delta flies down there, too.

 

The World Series is not the Super Bowl. Times are tight everywhere, but if you're a paper like the AJC, you find a way to send a writer to the Super Bowl. What do you think readers care more about, the Super Bowl, or the Thrashers next road trip?

You cut from somewhere else.

 

It's a really cheap flight too.

 

Mizzou, again, times are tight. Is it surprising especially in a state where football is king yes. But remember, this is Atlanta. College football still rules over pro footall.

 

If the game was in California, I might understand it a little more.

Georgia football is king. Do stories on the Georgia grads. Do stories on the local kids playing in the game. Without looking at a roster, I would bet there are 10 players there with Georgia roots. I know Matt Ryan is at the game, because I heard him on the radio pimping some Axe product. There is so much interest in him that there is a separate section on him on the AJC website.

There are a zillion stories to write before you even think about the actual game.

If I'm the SE there, I grab a writer and say, "You're driving to the game, keep expenses to a minimum. Three stories a day, two with local angles and a notebook encompassing the game. From the game, gamer and notes."

Five years ago, I would have listed the AJC among the top five sports sections in the nation. I know times are tight, but you find a way to cover the fucking Super Bowl.