Non-journalists cheering in press box. Should I say something?

I'd talk to the SID about friends in the press box. That's not a cool thing to do whether the friend paid for a ticket or got in free with the friend's press pass. I would pull one of the interns aside and tell them how you aren't supposed to cheer in the press box. They are interns. They might not know any better.

If talking with him doesn't work. I say fight fire with fire. Invite some of your friends into the press box, but have them annoy the SID, not the opposing beat writer, that would just be mean. Have them cheer for the SID, not the hockey game. "Keep those stats! Keep those stats!" It wouldn't hurt to have them liquored up before they do this.

As as far as the cheering interns go, I would cheer with them for the first goal of a game (unprofessional, I know, but it will help with the plan). Make sure you high-5 them and act as, if not more excited then them. When the next one tries to high-5 immediately get stoned face and say "No, not cool." It should show them they are acting inappropriately. Or you could be really obnoxious and cheer for something that isn't important to prove a point. "GO ICING! THAT WAS GREAT! HIGH-5?"
You could always go A Team on their asses if all else fails.

In all seriousness, good luck. That can be really annoying, especially on deadline.

 

Turn that blue black and you'll have a Your Huckleberry post ...

 

I have this happen a lot in minor-league hockey. I tell the league PR person and let them handle it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Bottom line is you're going to get that shit and if the home team's PR person doesn't care there ain't much you can do about it. Hell, the new radio guy here has his wife next to him when he broadcasts home games and one of the owners has his kids upstairs. Fortuantely, they're not near me.

 

I just don't find people cheering to be all that distracting. I mean what do you do when you're in an open-air press box, or covering a basketball game? There are people cheering all around you.

 

I was at a HS game this weekend and had something similar.

Normally, nobody else sits in the huge press box, but this evening would be different.

Right before kickoff, stadium employee comes up to me and asks if they can store some food in the press box. I tell them there's no problem on my end, but what they neglect to tell me is that this is because it's a catered event and people will be eating in there until the middle of the third.

The AD came up to me before people started coming in and told me to grab a plate, I thanked him, but didn't partake. I was appreciative that one of the caterers came up to me and offered to serve me a plate (since there were always about 15-20 people at a time the whole first half and halftime), but she did it in the middle of the second half kickoff, so I hope she didn't think I was rude when I didn't even look up to answer.

But at least the coaching staff of one of the teams I covered the week before was nice enough to acknowledge me and say hi as they were eating and scouting.

 

Okay a few thoughts/question on this thread:

1. I actually know a guy who was at the game with Homer Bryce. He still gets a kick out of that story today.
2. Really, Ashcroft needs a shirt that has his name on it? I mean even at sporting events, don't all gov./political types always where suits and ties, or at least a nice button down shirt? I ain't buying it. 88 he might have been going for reelection and worn the shirt...but that just means you have problems if no one recognizes you...and beside, who could root for the Cards in 88?
3. What the heck was Bidwell doing in the press box? His owner suite wasn't good enough for him?
4. Where the heck are you covering games (alone) with a press box so huge they can cater events there? I want this gig.
5. How'd it ever become called a press box with all the yahoos they actually allow in there, often not having room for the press?
6. No cheering in said press box is really a myth these days because of the above. No cheering in the "print press area" would be more suitable. Heck radio guys do it all the time. Plus some press boxes with coaches booths...they cheer, etc... The smaller the venue, the more cheering is tolerated. Especially at minor league sports like this where you may be sitting between an intern, a team's media guy and even radio dudes. Good luck getting any of them not to cheer.

 

Fixed.

 

The game was played at Sun Devil Stadium. They tend to not build college stadiums with owners boxes.

Plus, the guy is allowed to walk through, which is what he did when he clapped.

 

Ummm ... the game was played in 1988. It was in St. Louis, not Phoenix.

 

If you cover at a game at stadiums like the one at Virginia -- and I've been to a number of them like it (Syracuse is one if I am not mistaken) -- you have about 65,000 people cheering in the press box. But that's because the "press box" has you basically sitting out in the stands, which is why I never get too upset about "distractions" from a few fan boys cheering in the press box. It shouldn't happen, but it is very low on my list of bitches in covering college and pro sports.

 

It was preseason, Doc.

(AP) Phoenix Cardinals

Chris Chandler, battling Steve Beuerlein for the starting quarterback job, missed two practices yesterday and will likely miss another today. He suffered a sprained left ankle last Saturday during the Cardinals' 24-13 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Chandler has also been bothered by tendinitis in his right shoulder for about two weeks, caused when he altered his throwing motion because of a sore right index finger.

Beuerlein will start against the Bears on Saturday, followed by Chandler and Tony Sacca

 

Fair enough. Carry on.