Doing non-journalism piddling while working

"I always turn to the sports page first, which records people's accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man's failures." -- Earl Warren.

 

That this thread has gone for nine pages is evidence on both sides of this argument, I think.

 

Truer words have not been spoken, which INCLUDES me -- having weighed in/stirred the pot several times.

Look, y'all ... about the only thing that has yet to truly bother me over nine pages is the insinuation that I was calling out the person playing solitaire while their game was going on. If I was doing that, I would have said what paper they were from. I didn't. I raised the point -- admittedly during a game and when my ire was significantly higher than it is now -- to ask what everyone thought. The Rick Camp-esque threadjack aside, this has been illuminating.

Let me ask just one question, one that hopefully doesn't touch off nine more mostly rip-rockbottom pages: If YOUR boss was sitting beside you at a game, would you do all the in-game, "non-journalism" stuff you talk about? For me, I know that I likely wouldn't change a thing (well, maybe a few fewer visits to this site). Would you?

rb

 

Two things:

1. When I think of WGN, I think of She's The Sheriff reruns.

2. Did anyone ever had sword fights with their pica poles? It's fun.

 

That is a distortion of the truth. Private Bell was given water and vitamin supplements, and I can assure you, at no time was his health in danger.

 

The cat considers the punishment to be a Code Red.

 

RB-I wouldn't change my coverage style one bit if my boss were sitting beside me. The truth of the matter is this: Down time is down time. It doesn't matter if you use the time between plays to continue a solitaire game, turn to another writer or one of your writers and comment on said play, get up and go to the bathroom or post on SportsJournalists.com.

Mystery Meat: Umm, sure those were "pica stick" battles? Hmmm

Cadet: yes, there was actually a women's room that didn't serve as storage. I'm sure that's only because there are some suites up there for like the AD and things like that. Their wives have to pee to, I guess. I did eye the men's bathroom one time while covering a game at Tiger Stadium in LSU. The women's room was a one-seater and was occupied. Meanwhile, I've got a stomach virus and the onion-covered chili dog of the guy two seats down from me made me nauseous. I took about two steps toward the men's room before the women's room became available.

 

RB: I'd do everything exactly as I do now. Hell, I cover events with my boss. Have never changed a single thing. I post here. I read other sites. I talk to the people around me. Never said a word to me about it, and I even kind of think he might think I do a good job.

Maybe.

 

I remember that game, grrlhack. And that press box.

 

Of course. The alternative would have given me an unfair advantage.

 

"ijag, you're fired!" [/boss of ijag]
;D

 

You are not the boss of her!