Doing non-journalism piddling while working

Pica poles were the best possible tool in the world for that, Xan. Used it for that myself.

 

I need a clarification:

I was at a game yesterday. I wanted to double check a stat, so I went to Yahoo. Was I working or goofing off?

Waiting breathlessly...

 

Interesting debate. I was at the aforementioned game as well. Typically, I limit myself to Web pages with scores and I also do a blog during the game. I'll even admit that I missed Alabama's third-quarter scoring drive while taking a bathroom break. Sorry, I would have taken my break at halftime, but I was too busy meeting my paper's deadline for my notebook. Yeah, I know..crazy to turn in a notebook at halftime of a 3:30 game, but we were short-handed. I'm not saying my gamer was award-winning, but I don't think my missing that one drive hindered it in any way. I still managed to talk to the key people.

Shot, I see what you're saying about it looking "unprofessional" to be doing something like Solitaire during a game. Whether I miss a play because I'm updating my blog or I'm playing solitaire, it's the same difference. I just think it's judgmental to look at what someone else is doing during a game and make a statement about it. Any sports editor who would make a decision about a hire based on playing solitaire in the press box instead of the end result is not too bright in my opinion. (I'm not name-calling you, either). I'm just saying that, like some of the other posters, I know some damn good writers who work in unorthodox ways and you can't judge based on something like that.

Rockbottom certainly has the right to bring up something like this, but it seems to me like people work in different ways...like the also aforementioned writer who always seems to be reading War and Peace at events. Every reporter in the state of Alabama knows how this person operates. It's no biggie.

To me, there's no difference between posting on SJ while you're on desk between stories or playing solitaire between plays at a (debatable) major college football game. It doesn't make you less professional. Admit it...there's just plenty of downtime in our job sometimes.

 

I can agree with that. But remember, my original complaint was everybody jumping down rb's throat for mentioning it.

 

I think, shot, more people are jumping down RB's throat for his attitude that HE WAS WORKING SO HARD and these slackers weren't and that makes them bad for journalism and bad for "our reputation" ..which is a crock and I think you know it.

 

Well, I'm not doing that. Seems like damn near anything is fair game to mention on this site. I just think rockbottom got a little judgmental. I don't know who the solitaire player is, so it's hard to judge if it might have affected their writing or not. My guess is no. Face it, those games are longggggg, and there's a lot of time before those guys in the red hats step off the field. And then, I can't tell you how many times I've looked over at my columnist and said, "Did you see that?" because I looked down to write play-by-play and missed something like an unsportsmanlike penalty. You can miss something even when you're being diligent, you know?

 

Perhaps. I didn't read it like that.

 

Hannibal never would have put with IMs and Solitaire when he and his army were crossing the Alps.

 

Shot: Go back and re-read it. It DID come off as condescending! And you know that kind of crap gets under people's skin. Like I said in my first post. I missed plays for a bathroom break because I missed the usual break doing my job. I don't consider myself a slacker for hitting the john!

 

The original condescending post from Mr. Pompous Ass.

Followed by this condescending crap:

 

Yeah, I can see how you couldn't pick up on RB's condescension. I mean, he only criticized his colleagues on how they work.

 

I wouldn't say it's condescending so much as tightly wound. RB, by his own admission, is a kettle of nervous energy and clearly the sight of another writer leisurely tapping at his keyboard and playing solitaire during a Major College Football Game is enough to send RB into a fit, like an ape in chains.

It's just his nature, that's all.