Cheering on press row?

I've never hugged an athlete, not that I can remember, but I do understand the small-town thing. If you've got one high school to cover and you're there for pretty much all their games, talking to players and coaches all the time, the parents know you, the kids are comfortable with you ...

There's a lot to be said for keeping your professional distance, but ... it happens. There's not always a need (or an opportunity, in many places) to have an adversarial relationship when covering a hum-drum high school team, unless you're reporting negativity for negativity's sake. It's not that hard to get to know those people pretty well.

There's not really a place for it with adults you cover, of course. But to show affection is human; it's not that big a deal.

 

A radio guy I know used to pal around with all the players of a junior hockey team I covered. He took a swig out of the trophy when they won the league championship, and posed for pictures at centre ice with players after the winning game.

 

I'll back up Cadet on one thing...it seems like athletes get into this "hug zone" with female writers. I was covering a pro day the other day and team's standout RB comes up. I shake hands with folks, but he gives me the half-hug as we're shooting the breeze before I ask him a few questions. There was a former player on the beat who was infamous for his hugs -- and he didn't care if you were a male or female.

It's never bothered me, but I think it's something that women probably see more than men. Sometimes you just can't shy away. I see it a lot with some of the older male coaches too. It's kind of like someone trying to give you a gift. Company ethics say no. I've had people try to give me $100 bills for my coverage. Sheesh. But I'm not gonna embarrass someone who's giving out some small token if it obviously means something to them. (That's our policy, btw. Refuse gifts, unless it would cause a problem over being an ass about a small thing) I see the hug thing similarly. That said, I've never gone up to an athlete and given them a good ol' bear hug, either.

 

The day Ryan Perrilloux signed with LSU, four of us interviewed him in the office of his high school coach. When I went to shake his hand goodbye, Perrilloux gave me a half-shake/half-hug. Did not see it coming but saw it as a sign of his gregarious, friendly nature and had no real problem with it.

 

I think part of that half shake/half hug is the "guy" way now. I see it everywhere I go. The gym, with athletes, you name it. It's "cool" without making them look "gay!" Women just hug. They don't have to worry about that whole gay thing.

 

A player once started to high-five me after a big, emotional victory. I hated to hang him out to dry, but I stood perfectly still, reached for my pen (for no real reason other than for a reset) and later explained it to him. He felt silly in front of 7,000 people, but he understood after we talked.

 

Heartless prick...

 

I've covered youth leagues, high school, small college, big college, the pros, as well as emotional losses, victories and championships for podunk papers, mid-size papers and national publications, and I don't ever remember sharing a hug or embrace with any coach or player. Sorry, I just don't get it.

 

I was at a football game earlier this year, when, right after a touchdown, a stat keeper for one of the teams asks me why I'm wasn't cheering.

I explained that I was covering the game for Podunk Press and that it wasn't very professional of me to root for either side. . .

He told me I should be more supportive of the kids.

As a side note, no athlete has ever tried to hug me. It's probably the bald head and beer belly that scares them off.

 

Well, actually, I once interviewed an SI swimsuit model making a sports movie, but she ignored my offer to hug her.

 

Pressboxer's Rule of Postseason Participation: If you're not going to win it all, get the loss over with as soon as possible. There will be just as much crying after a loss in the first round is as for a loss in the state finals, and it keeps me from covering an extra five or six games just waiting for the disappointment to come.

I had a girls basketball team one time get within seconds of their first playoff win in many years only to lose on a half-court heave at the buzzer. The next season, said team advanced to the regional tournament for the first time ever and lost by 25 or so to the eventual state champ.


My reason for feeling this way is purely selfish. If it's fall sports, I have the winter sports getting under way. If it's winter sports, spring sports have already started. If it's spring sports, I'm ready for my vacation.

 

A few thoughts:

Moland -- We root for quick games because time is our most valuable commodity, even if the game starts at 1 p.m. If you\'re in a job where you\'ll have to go back to the office after the game, a long game makes your job more stressful once you get to the office. Plus, we\'re not there for the purpose of being entertained. Or, we\'re not supposed to be.

The notion that we have a \"rep\" seems to have sailed long ago. Face it, folks. The only people who are going to take you seriously as professionals are other journalists, and it doesn\'t matter what you do. You still have your own professional conscience to answer to, but the general public has the perception that we\'re these people who get in free and we must be huge fans. That\'s not going to change, at least not for the better.

Hugs -- ew. Man hugs -- Double ew. Was he sporting wood? Never mind. I don\'t want to know.

Creepy male sportswriter? Hmmm. Isn\'t that a bit sexist? We\'re not all creepy.