Dear dimwit on the phone

This. Explain the "choke", don't just say they did.

 

I don't mind if parents track me down at events to shoot the breeze or even raise a concern/complaint (I enjoy those interactions actually). I don't mind if parents come over and listen to their kids get interviewed or snap photos, whatever. But I do find it absolutely annoying when I ask a kid a question and before he/she can reply, the parent butts in and answers for them.
Doesn't happen often, but it did today. Ugh.

 

Just ask the same exact question again to the kid, heh. I've done that in the past.

 

I just kept my eyes on the kid and when the mom was done I said "Now, can I get your answer?"

 

Message left a few days ago:

"I'm looking in your TV guide to watch Oakland vs. Detroit. It say's TV station is MLB. That's how your paper lists it. Can you please tell me what that means or what station or perhaps it's not on television, but the paper doesn't tell me this. ... Maybe it's not on TV in _____, I don't know."

 

What a terrible thing. Someone asking you for clarification on an unclear listing.

Just because you think everyone knows about MLB network, doesn't mean everyone actually does.

 

Yeah, let's spell out Entertainment and Sports Programming Network University, the Columbia Broadcasting System Sports Network, and National Basketball Association Television, while we're at it. [/bluefont]

 

Sorry it's such an inconvenience that people (your customers, by the way, who are actually paying to read the paper, which allows you to have a job) would call you to clarify something that may not be common knowledge to them.

Remember when people asked me what was sanctimonious about this thread? Here you go.

 

What time is the movie on?

Fuck if I know. I haven't been to a theater in two years because (1) I work until past midnight five nights a week and (2) make peanuts for salary, meaning what little disposable income I once had is now used to cover the rising price of gas. We used to run theater listings and then stopped (advertising??). So I guess as a lowly sports desk peon, I am supposed to be all-knowing. Lovely.

 

We can't hold everyone's hand.

 

Are you like this all the time or just on SportsJournalists.com?

At some point, you have to make an assumption that the vast majority of those who read the TV listings in the sports section for sports programming information know most common sports acronyms.

 

Agreed about the acronyms. That's not my issue.

The issue is this... Would it really be such a hassle to answer the question? It would take seconds, maybe even a minute. He's not trying to be a dick, he's actually asking a question he does not know. Maybe he's not a normal sports fan, was interested in the game and didn't know "MLB" stood for "MLB Network."

It's OK to act like a human, and not a scornful sports writer/editor/desker, every once in a while.