Dear dimwit on the phone

I'm still going back and forth as to whether to include the quote in the print edition. I'm of the mindset that if the kid is still in high school, there should be a level of restraint about calling out players that you might not afford a college or pro athlete. I might include it because I know the coach isn't the only one making comments and some of the issues have gotten back to my exec who asked me about what kind of a jackass this kid was (and this was before the coach's comments). And, ultimately, it is on the coach for calling out an opposing player like that on the record. It's also telling the kid's coach isn't asking me to take it out.

 

If it's online, does it really matter if it's in print?

 

I think this cinches it. If it's not in print after being online, it raises more questions.

 

Publish it.
If the kid did the actions and you included it in the online version but not in the print edition, he and his mom will think they can tell you what to put in and what to leave out in the future.

 

Honestly, this is where my editors and I are leaning. We don't want to set an ugly precedent that all a mom needs to do is complain and we will take things out they don't like. My editor told her, in so many words, sometimes there are negative things said in the news, that's life.

It's going to go in with the kid's coach basically shrugging it off and saying he doesn't want to get into a pissing match with someone in the paper over something that should probably be an in house issue anyway. Reading between the lines of what he told me, it sounds like they are going to try to clean a few things up with the team and its overall attitude he just doesn't want to air it out in the paper.

 

I avoided this thread for a long time, because I'm relatively new and it seemed like a monstrous read. I was bored today and went through some of it... Although the more recent posts have mellowed out a bit, I think many of the posts would be better labeled as, "sanctimonious sports writer/editor on the phone."

 

Amen.

 

A lot of the complaints are about things that are just plain common sense.

Drunken people calling you up on deadline to arbitrate a trivia question. Whiny people who can't figure out why you can't cover Junior's 6U soccer game because they work hard when you have three high school football playoff games, your local D-I college's football game and have to get in results for 30 more games. Idiots who think it's your job to get their kids scholarships. Morons who call you up five times a night wanting updates on some high school game from 300 miles away that involve two teams not even in your area. AAU coaches who want you to run their ad for their camps, for free of course.

The list goes on and on. 171 pages worth. Nothing sanctimonious about that.

 

Cry me a fucking river. Jesus... Worried about "whiny" people bothering you? What is this thread, if not one big example of a bunch of sports journalists whining about their precious time being wasted?

There are plenty of posts on here complaining about people sending story ideas, not being able to use e-mail and other things that sports writer/editor feels is inconsequential. How about sacking up and being professional?

We know you think you're better and smarter than everyone else. ("I know better, because I've been the sports editor of this community newspaper for 15 years!") That is the definition of sanctimony.

Sounds like most who post on here are burning out. Do everyone a favor and go find another gig.

 

Let me guess, you've never worked at a newspaper. Because if you did, you would know time IS precious when you're on deadline. If you have an 11 p.m. deadline, depending on the paper and your boss, if you get done at 11:01, you have some explainin' to do. The five minutes dealing with the complainer at 10:53 when you're trying to get out the last two pages is time lost that can end up not only costing your company money, but result in discipline for yourself. Especially when there are considerable hours during the daytime when not only can the complaints be better handled, but there is also a less stressed editor that is able to listen.

Sending story ideas is one thing. But you also have to look at the sender's motives. A lot of the complaints on here are about people sending in ideas for their own selfish reasons. There's also a right way and a wrong way to go about doing that. A right way is notifying the editor in advance as much as possible and being polite. The wrong way is calling up on a Friday night at 10 p.m. to see if a reporter can come to a 6 a.m. event on Saturday that has been scheduled for three months, then getting pissy because you don't have a reporter just hanging around the newsroom at that hour.

This has nothing to do with sanctimony. This has to do with reality for many of us.

 

We deal with dumb things all the time, that's what this thread is for...to blow off steam. I see this as a way to avoid one more drink that could end up in one of us getting a DUI. LOL

 

Who's being sanctimonious? Seems like it's you, with your judgmental tone.

This thread is a place to blow off some steam, like spike said. It's a place for folks to come and share their experiences with people who have dealt with the same shit.

So get off your high horse, newbie, and fetch me a damn beer.