Bamberger's year on the Philly beat

We've been down this road several times before, but what the heck.

1. People don't always get along in a workplace setting.

2. People get along even less when they're competing in a workplace setting.

A lot of covering a beat, especially baseball, where the access is both great and potentially overwhelming, is developing relationships with people. If I can protect my turf by disparaging the guy from Brand X, I'm going to do it. What else are you going to do, say, "Hey, make sure you tell Bambi everything you tell me. He's new here?"

Russ Schneider and Bob Sudyk didn't speak to each other when they covered the Indians for the competing Cleveland papers in the '70s. Think about that: In most press boxes, the visiting guys are going to be clustered together and they wouldn't speak. They would interview the manager separately.

In a perfect world, everyone gets along. It doesn't happen in the real world and it doesn't happen in the press box.

 

One other thing: One person's view of "kissing players' asses" is another person's view of "developing strong relationships."

In my time, I've seen guys like Hal McCoy and Rick Hummel get along well with the players they cover. Doesn't mean they're pushovers, but it shows they've earned some respect with fair treatment, both personally and in print.

On the other hand, Barry Bloom couldn't walk into the Padres clubhouse without some war erupting. I don't think that ever worked to his benefit.

What you're there to do, corny as it sounds, is get information you can put in the paper for people who follow that team.

How you accomplish that is often a function of personality and being able to handle the weird dynamic of a baseball clubhouse.

I've seen guys who tried to kiss up to players and were rejected for what the players saw as weakness. On the other hand, I've seen beat writers who greet players by making some disparaging remark about their stats or ability and the players laugh along with them.

 

And right now Barry Bloom is so far up Barry Bonds behind trying to finagle a book deal it's pathetic, but you don't see him getting many special Bonds stories, even if he does lounge in the easy chair, hug him on sight and referring to him as ``Double B'' or some such ridiculous nickname.

 

I wish it was a joke but it is the absolute truth. It usuallly int he midst of the embrace.

 

Loved that story.

 

Great story, although I'd like to see Brown's version of it. That ain't happening.

 

I believe Bloom and Bonds refer to each other as "B squared." A fist bump usually follows.

 

Hey Moderator 1

At one time -- and I don't know if it is still true -- Bloom was even doing Bonds' personal web site

 

I have nothing to add other than to say these threads keep me coming back here.

While Bloom's behavior, if true, crosses the line, working a pro sports lockerroom is no different than any other beat where you depend on people with their own agendas for access and information.

 

Brown's version would go something like this: "That elitist foof thought he was going to show us how to do the beat. Fruck him. I treated him like crap and ran him off. I showed all the players how cool I am. Now who's next? I'll run them off, too. I'm Brownie, king of the clubhouse, king of jock sniffers."