Friday night press box

Yeah, me too, My story is done and I'm on the road 20 minutes after the game ends, even if I have the A.D. let me into the school to file.

 

Just curious: did the AD's team lose. In my experience those guys are much more willing to let you hang around if you're writing about a win.

This is also why anybody doing preps should figure out a way to send from their cell phones, which isn't too expensive or difficult.

When I was still doing preps, I finally got to the point where I would just write from my car.

 

They lost. Sending wasn't a problem. I fucking hate writing in the car, plus I would have had to left school property as they lock it, too and the issue was finding a safe place to pull over. Seriously. Just a string of gang-riddled neighborhoods the first 20 minutes after leaving the school in question. And I was pretty damn quick. Would have been quicker if I hadn't had to track down losing coach.

 

Couldn't they have just locked the press box door and had you shut it on the way out?

 

Probably not, considering the lock the school property up, too.

 

I've been rushed out a couple of times.

One thing that's worked for me in the past is (since many press box doors are like any normal door and can be locked from the inside and pulled shut from the outside) is just asking the guy if you promise to kill the lights and lock up if it's okay if you stay until you are done.
Walking down the stairs or stadium seats of a dark stadium with a computer bag full of crap and field fences are a different story.

But if you are cool about it, many will say sure, and some will even tell you how to get out (when it seems all the gates are locked, they sometimes leave one open. Or they tell you where the best place to climb the fence is).

I'm not a big fan of being rushed out of press boxes either, but don't just look at it from our point of view. Most of the school officials at the game, this is their longest day. Friday is still a normal school day for them, so many go in a 7/8 a.m. A few get to take an hour off after school but have to be the first ones at the stadium, so they are there maybe at 5 for a 7:30 game, then they have to be there until the last person leaves. A 15-hour work day, no matter what they do for a living, can make anyone cranky...especially right before their weekend.

 

I'd tell him we'd take that into consideration next time we consider what games to cover. He doesn't have to know that isn't true.

 

Be sure to tell the prinicpal that....

 

If it was going to be an issue, the AD shouldn't have said she could write from the press box after the game. That's pretty cut and dried from my point of view. I'd make sure the principal or superintendent or somebody knew how I was treated if that was me.

 

i don't know about your area but in my neck of the woods, many school officials, especially someone acting as press box manager, get an extra stipend for the extra hours.

had a guy a couple of years ago start bitching while we're still doing postgame radio. mind you it's only about 15 minutes after the game and he's threatening to shut down the elevator and turn the stadium lights off. i lost it and tore the guy a new one. the next monday, the a.d. tells me i was one of his assistant's hero for blasting the guy.

 

Yeah, basically they get a flat fee. An extra $100 or whatever for working the game, not based on hours. So the sooner they get out the happier.

And still, after that many hours on the clock, it doesn't matter how much they pay em, people get cranky.
Kinda like getting a free airline flight. Nice to have, but after waiting in airport security for a few hours then the jet is delayed two hourse, and then you sit on the taxiway for another half hour, it's no longer all that nice.

 

All I know is on more than a few occasions back in the day, I had someone lock the door and tell me to shut it on the way out. Seemed to work for everyone involved.