Dear dimwit on the phone

We have a semi-pro football team in this area. We used to cover them quite a bit in the summer, then they stopped playing their home games in our area.

We heard every spiel from them -- more coverage = more fans and all that jazz. But when they stopped playing in our area, we pretty much stopped covering them. Now, they're back to playing games at one of our local high schools and are asking for coverage.

Their first game was supposed to be last Saturday, but the opposing team backed out. The team's coach, who's a great guy to deal with, wanted a preview for the game. I'm glad we didn't do one now. We may pick up coverage of them later this month and over the summer.

 

I was told that this team's defense is unstoppable. I'm not really sure what that means. I doubt she does, either.

 

We have a minor-league indoor football team here that I see a lot, but at least they were wise enough to invest in a media relations guy who knows what he's doing. Of course, he also has to do media relations for the whole league, but that's beside the point.

 

Yep, most of these teams can't afford to pay a coach, much less a media relations guy. They don't do their own stats, yet have the nerve to tell me that MY stats are wrong?

 

They actually do pay a stat guy and he even does them on a laptop. I don't get a full book after games, but at least get final stats. Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.

 

At least the last group that tried semipro football here had the score in the lead, something like "Springfield beat Shelbyville 24-0. We gave up only 200 yards on defense," then spent the next five paragraphs telling me how it was a great family activity and how I should get the word out. No names, no stats, but lots about how hard the players were trying to keep their pro football dreams alive.

I think I cut it down to the score and mentioned when the next game was. Never heard from them again.

 

My former paper did what you folks are calling a Progress, but it had a twist. An online voting campaign allowed readers to determine who made the best burger, the best pizza, the best drink, blah blah blah. The winners of the major categories got a feature story. I drew Five Guys for best burger. I think I spent all of 15 minutes reporting and writing the fluff piece. I paraphrased facts from the website and talked to an assistant manager over the phone for about a minute. I viewed it as what it was: busy work. If I have to shill for a company like Five Guys, I should have at least gotten a free burger.

 

Most everyplace has something like this, a "Best of" awards thing. One paper I worked at did it and they actually gave the business a plaque or framed certificate or something along with a story.

 

Semi-pro team I used to coach had a great season. Had quite a few observers as well. Since the local high school they play at closed in 2000, there'd been no football there. The owner/coach/center is an alum of the school and they won the league championship. Got about 6-7 stories in the local paper down there.

Sometimes those teams are worth covering...sometimes they're not.

 

Your semi-pro indoor team is well-run. I sometimes cover ours in the same league.

 

Our shops have done that. Don't see anything wrong with it and maybe it drives a little traffic to your website. Basically a competition among local businesses and you serve as the referee.

 

To be fair, I've covered that same semi-pro team and been handed end-of-game stat sheets that, because the opponent would not supply a roster, has been filled in with names like Butt Sniffer and Crotch Itcher. There were a few questionable stats, too, that just led me to not even ask for them any more.

But the guy who does handle the team's and league's media typically does a really good job. Probably a lot better than what they deserve for what they likely pay him.