APSE judging thread

Spnited.
I can maybe partially agree with you, maybe the over 250,000 papers, but as for the under 100,000 categories?
I've judged twice and never did my group say, "Oh yeah, this guy's an APSE big shot, so let's put his section in the top 10."
I know I was impartial when I judged and I've done over 250,000 and 40,000-100,000 section categories.

 

Yes, I know, I really believe staff size helps. A two-person staff cannot compete against 6 but that's what you find in the under 40,000 class.

 

Go see my "Type A Personality" thread on "Anything Goes."

This is definitely in character

 

Patchs:
The experience related to me by someone I believe was exactly the opposite in a 40K-100K category

 

But keep in mind that they're awarding the paper as a whole for giving sports resources as much as they're awarding the sports staff. I don't think APSE would be particularly fond to give a bunch of top 10s to understaffed, stretched thin staffs, which would validate the bean counters' thoughts that you can cut resources and people without harming the product.

 

Screw 'em. Fly out there and shake those hoodie wearing bums awake, Pringle.

 

Judging is never completely objective, a different group can see things differently.
I can only speak to my experiences and I know I didn't let acquaintances (notice I didn't say friends) play a role.
As for writing, most times, you have no clue what paper or what writer.

 

Well, a 9-person staff on a 44,000 circulation newspaper also has trouble competing against a 22-person staff with an 88,000 circulation in a college town. .... But the contest is what it is. Sections at the lower end of each circulation spectrum will always have the toughest time. That's just reality

 

More results
I apologize if I've posted some of these.

UNDER 40,000 BREAKING NEWS

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER

David Borges Taunton (Mass.) Daily Gazette
Kathlyn Clore Island Packet (S.C.)
Pat Harty Iowa City Press-Citizen
Tom Keegan Journal-World (Ks.)
Don Lehman and
Maury Thompson The Post-Star (N.Y.)
Jay Morrison Journal News (Hamilton, Ohio)
Jim Sheeahan Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal
Court Wills News Virginian (Va.)
Ryan Wood Journal-World (Ks.)
Dave Zetlin Daily Local News (Pa.)


UNDER 40,000 COLUMN WRITING

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Kellis Robinett Idaho State Journal
Rial Cummings Missoulian (Missoula, Mont.)
Jason Lloyd The Morning Journal (Lorain, Ohio)
Gary McCann The Herald, Rock Hill, S.C.
Todd Finkelmeyer The Capital Times, Madison, Wisc.
Mark Edwards The Decatur (Ala.) Daily
Kevin Kaduk Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, Ill.
Greg Dewalt Times Daily, Florence, Ala.
Pat Harty Iowa City Press-Citizen
Patrick Ridgell Daily Times-Call, Longmont, Colo.

UNDER 40,000 PROJECT REPORTING

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER

Dave Albee, Carla Bova, John Dugan, Rick Polito, James Raia, Dave Allen, Marin (Calif.) Independent Journal

Bob Heist Jackson Sun

Nathan Joyce, Eric Williams and Chuck Sharp, Kitsap (Wash.) Sun

Konrad Marshall Glenn Falls (N.Y.) Post-Star

Sheila G. Miller West Patterson (N.J.) Herald News

Dave D’Onofrio Concord (N.H.) Monitor

Michael Petre, Tommy Keeler Jr., Ryan Sonner, Matt Stamyre, the Northern Virginia Daily of Strasburg, Va.

Kellis Robinett Idaho State Journal

Rob Schultz Madison (Wis.) Capital Times

Jeff Welsch Bozeman (Mont.) Daily Chronicle

UNDER 40,000 EXPLANATORY


Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
John Bohnenkamp Burlington, Iowa, The Hawk Eye
Donovan Burba Concord (N.H.) Monitor
Michael Caccamise and
Sheryl Korman and
John Moredich Tucson Citizen
Keith Farner Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail
Chris Carlson The Berkshire Eagle
Brad Engel Naperville (Ill.) Sun
Jeremy Fowler The Abuquerque Tribune
Jeff Kidd Island Packet, Hilton Head, S.C.
Adam Mertz and
Todd D. Milewski and
Dennis Semrau Madison (Wis.) Capital Times
Adam Zagoria West Paterson (N.J.) Herald News

 

More results.

40,000 to 100,000 EXPLANATORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Meri-Joe Borzilleri Colorado Springs Gazette
Kevin Brockway Gainesville (Fla.) Sun
Brian Hendrickson Vancouver Columbian
Brian Hiro North County (Calif.) Times
Perryn Keys Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise
Rachel Lenzi Portland (Maine) Press Herald
Mark McCarter Huntsville (Ala.) Times
Rhiannon Potkey Ventura County (Calif.) Star
Josh Weir Canton (Ohio) Repository
Ben Wideman Appleton (Wis.) Post-Crescent

40,000 to 100,000 FEATURE STORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Robert Bell Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record
Alan Blondin Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun News
Sean Patrick Bowley Connecticut Post
Michael P. Geffner Middletown (N.Y.) Times-Record
Mike Graff Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer
John Heuser Ann Arbor (Mich.) News
Adam Himmelsbach Fredericksburg (Va.) Free Lance-Star
Ed Kracz Doylestown (Pa.) Intelligencer
John Pruett Huntsville (Ala.) Times
Mike Sielski Bucks County (Pa.) Courier Times

40,000 to 100,000 GAME STORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Eric Branch Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press Democrat
Steve DeShazo Fredericksburg (Va.) Free Lance-Star
Brian Hiro North County (Calif.) Times
Jeff Fletcher Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press Democrat
Jeff Martin Wichita (Kan.) Eagle
Jenn Menendez Portland (Maine) Press Herald
Scott Michaux Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle
Seth Soffian Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press
Scott Paske Wichita (Kan.) Eagle
Scott Walsh Scranton (Pa.) Times

40,000 to 100,000 PROJECT REPORTING

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Alex Abrams Northwest Arkansas Morning News
Donnie Collins and
Mark Coons and
Joby Fawcett Scranton (Pa.) Times
Dave Fairbank and
Darryl Slater Newport News (Va.) Daily Press
Mike Herndon Mobile (Ala.) Register
Sean Horgan Myrtle Beach Sun News
Todd Jacobson Fredericksburg (Va.) Free Lance-Star
Kelly Jones Modesto (Calif.) Bee
Mike Klitzing and
Jay Paris and
Mike Sullivan North County (Calif.) Times
Mike Lowe Portland (Maine) Press Herald
Stu Whitney Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader

 

More results:

100,000-250,000 SUNDAY SECTION

TOP 10
Charlotte Observer
Columbia (S.C.) State
Hartford Courant
Palm Beach Post
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Raleigh News and Observer
St. Paul Pioneer Press
San Antonio News-Express
Seattle Times
Tampa Tribune

HONORABLE MENTION
Asbury (N.J.) Park Press
Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald
Austin (Texas) American-Statesman
Bergen (N.J.) Record
Cincinnati Enquirer
Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch
Louisvile Courier-Journal
Nashville Tennessean
Omaha World Herald
Tulsa World

100,000-250,000 FEATURE STORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Carlos Frias Palm Beach Post
Tom Archdeacon Dayton (Ohio) Daily News
Geoff Baker Seattle Times
Martin Renzhofer Salt Lake Tribune
Mike Baldwin Oklahoman
Gene Frenette Florida Times-Union
Brian Murphy St. Paul Pioneer Press
Peter St. Onge Charlotte Observer
Kevin Gorman Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Scott Carter Tampa Tribune

100,000-250,000 EXPLANATORY STORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Kent Babb Columbia (S.C.) State
Greg Bishop Seattle Times
Kevin Kelly Cincinnati Enquirer
Paul Kuharsky Nashville Tennessean
Todd Milles and
Mindi Rice Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune
David Poole Charlotte Observer
Anwar Richardson Tampa Tribune
Gary Smits Florida Times-Union
Jon Solomon Birmingham (Ala.) News
Alicia Wincze Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader

 

More results.

250,000 AND ABOVE BREAKING NEWS STORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Dave Curtis Orlando Sentinel
Ken Davidoff Newsday
Mike DeArmond Kansas City Star
Gordon Edes Boston Globe
George King New York Post
Dick Jerardi Philadelphia Daily News
Jeff Legwold and
Kevin Vaughan Rocky Mountain News
Juliet Macur New York Times
Diane Pucin Los Angeles Times
Joseph A. Reaves and
Craig Harris and
Nick Piecoro Arizona Republic

250,000 and ABOVE COLUMN WRITING

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Harvey Araton New York Times
Thomas Boswell Washington Post
John Canzano The Oregonian
Gwen Knapp San Francisco Chronicle
Rick Morrissey Chicago Tribune
Bill Plaschke Los Angeles Times
Joe Posnanski Kansas City Star
Selena Roberts New York Times
Michael Rosenberg Detroit Free Press
Kevin Sherrington Dallas Morning News

250,000 AND ABOVE FEATURE STORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Bill Briggs Denver Post
Stan Grossfeld Boston Globe
Dave Hyde South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Mark Kram Philadelphia Daily News
Juliet Macur New York Times
Kevin Manahan Newark Star-Ledger
Elizabeth Merrill Kansas City Star
Brad Townsend Dallas Morning News
Mike Wagner Columbus Dispatch
Mike Wise Washington Post

250,000 AND ABOVE GAME STORY

Top 10

NAME NEWSPAPER
Erik Brady USA Today
Mike Bresnahan Los Angeles Times
Chris Dufresne Los Angeles Times
Rich Hofmann Philadelphia Daily News
Steve Hummer Atlanta Journal Constitution
Dick Jerardi Philadelphia Daily News
Chris Jenkins San Diego Union-Tribune
Rick Maese Baltimore Sun
Kevin Manahan Newark Star-Ledger
Mark Zeigler San Diego Union-Tribune

250,000 AND ABOVE PROJECT REPORTING

Top 10
NEWSPAPER: NAMES
Boston Globe: Bob Hohler

Indianapolis Star: Mark Alesia

Kansas City Star: Randy Covitz, Bob Dutton, J. Brady McCollough, Sam Mellinger, Jeff Passan, Joe Posnanski, Matt Stearns and Wright Thompson

Los Angeles Times: Lonnie White and Gary Klein

Miami Herald: Kevin Baxter

Minneapolis Star Tribune: Richard Meryhew, Rachel Blount and Jay Weiner

New York Daily News: Brian Baxter, Ian Begley, Filip Bondy, Peter Botte, Rich Cimini, Wayne Coffey, John Dellapina, Bill Gallo, Frank Isola, Mitch Lawrence, Mike Lupica, Bill Madden, Anthony McCarron, Michael Obernauer, Sean O’Connell, Bob Raissman, Christian Red, Sherry Ross, Roger Rubin, Ebenezer Samuel, Tim Smith, Jesse Spector, Ralph Vacchiano and Vic Ziegel

New York Times: Jere Longman

Oregonian: Joe Freeman

USA Today: Jodi Upton, Steve Wieberg, Michael McCarthy, Steve Berkowitz and Kelly Whiteside

250,000 AND ABOVE SUNDAY SECTION

TOP 10
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Boston Globe
Dallas Morning News
Chicago Sun-Times
Houston Chronicle
Kansas City Star
Los Angeles Times
Miami Herald
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Orlando Sentinel

HONORABLE MENTION
Chicago Tribune
Denver Post
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Newark Star-Ledger
New Orleans Times-Picayune
Philadelphia Inquirer
New York Times
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
New York Daily News
Washington Post

INVESTIGATIVE, ALL CATEGORIES

Top 10

Boston Globe: Bob Hohler

Canton (Ohio) Repository: Todd Porter

Houston Chronicle: Staff

Los Angeles Times: Michael Hiltzik

Omaha World-Herald: Rob White, Henry J. Cordes and Matthew Hanson

Orange County Register: Scott M. Reid, Robert Kuwada and Tony Saavedra

Salt Lake Tribune: Lya Wodraska, Nate Carlisle and Sheena McFarland

Seattle Times: Michael Ko and Christine Willmsen

St. Petersburg Times: Terry Tomalin and Stephen Nohlgren

Washington Post: Eli Saslow, Mark Schlabach, Camille Powell, Eric Prisbell, Steve Goff, Julie Tate, Josh Barr, Alan Goldenbach, Michael Lee, Adam Kilgore