Cheering in the Clemson pressbox

Does Dan cheer at games? Would it bother him if some idiot next to him in a press box was yelling at the top of his lungs?

 

If a professional workspace

If the distractions are an issue, doesn't this argument fall apart on press row, where you're surrounded by screaming fans already. Further, if we want a "professional" environment, shouldn't there be a dress code? The work attire of most reporters would be completely inappropriate for most "professional" offices.

 

Well, as noted above, it's also the ethics of the SIDs and it's their press box. That's part of the reason cheering in a high school press box isn't quite the same offense, but if you make a choice to work a game rather than attend a game as a fan, then please shut up and work.

One of the first times I ever covered a major college event I was 20 and watching the school I was attending and had rooted for since I was old enough to understand what football and basketball were upset its hated rival. If I was able to keep from cheering in the press box then anybody should be able to. I don't blame anybody if they want to cheer for their team, but if that's what you choose to do then go as a fan.

 

No, not when I'm covering them.

Probably would. It also might bother him that I'm not cheering for his team, but can't we coexist without me forcing the boundaries of my job onto him (and vice versa)?

 

And what gives you the authority to dictate how somebody else acts in a press box?

 

Yes. The press box is a workplace. If you want to cheer, that's what the stands are for.

I understand that isn't the case in most high school press boxes. That doesn't make it right.

 

Why are you so bothered by this? Did you get kicked out of a press box for cheering?

 

At least on press row it's not the people sitting next to you and there's usually some buffer between you and the fans that makes it possible to work. And there is a press room made available as an alternative. I'll put it this way, you shouldn't do anything in a press box you wouldn't do in the press room at a basketball game.

And can we give the sports writers are sloppy dressers thing a rest. Some dress well. Some don't. You could say the same thing about accountants.

 

Who are you to define what that box gets used for? If a high school's athletic director says cheering in the press box is OK, is that wrong?

 

Me personally, nothing. But organizations such as CoSIDA, APSE and FWAA work together to come up with rules and policies like these. Why is it so hard to respect that?

 

I think lcjjdnh's point -- a good one -- was that if keeping press box conditions professional was the sole factor behind all this, SIDs should kick out reporters who dress poorly. That obviously doesn't apply to all reporters or even most. But some, certainly.

 

None of those groups have any jurisdiction over a high school press box.