Overheard in the press box

I've been on the sidelines for the last 7 years. Never had an issue.

 

If you're covering preps, being on the sideline is fine. Anything else, there is no reason to be there unless it's at the very end of the game.

 

Agreed. I think that's what the person was talking about...maybe.

 

It's not that difficult to see the signals from the pressbox. I don't need to prove anything by having my knees ache for a week after walking the sidelines for a prep game. I'm only down there during a game to take photos.

 

I've never had to guess at a signal, but I know them fairly well from being an official.

 

Why would your knees ache? Is it that difficult to stand for two or three hours?
Now if you're handicapped, I'm an asshole.
I don't get the insistence at watching a game from the press box. You can add so much to a story by being on the sidelines during a prep football game. If it's raining, or ridiculously cold, I get it - otherwise, sideline is where it's at.

 

I prefer the press box and the stands in order to see the yardage.

 

At I-AA championship game some years ago. Student radio crew from eventual national champs is in the pressbox (no room for them elsewhere).
It had been a dank, dreary, drizzly day from the get go.
Radio crew guy: "And as the sun sets on Chattanooga..."
Buddy of mine from another newspaper, loudly enough to get onto their broadcast (I hope): "What setting sun? The goddamn sun ain't been out all day."

Also had this exchange that day.
Called back to the desk to see what they wanted for 1A. Was told they didn't want anything.
I exploded. Threw a grade A tantrum on the phone in the press box.
Now disgraced columnist at larger paper sitting behind me: "What's that all about BigBadEagle?"
Me: "That stupid idiot fucking dumb bitch of a boss doesn't want anything for the front. We've got half the damn town here for a national championship game and she doesn't fucking want anything for fucking 1A."
Him: "Are you fucking kidding me?"

A couple of years before, I'm at a high school playoff game. I'm helping out a buddy whose covering one of the teams on the fringes of his coverage area against mighty Valdosta.
Head coach always spent the first half in the press box. We knew this team and coach (whom we both liked immensely) well. But some of the play calls were curious that night.
Us: "What the hell is he doing?"
Assistant coach standing next to us pulls down the microphone on his headset.
"We don't know either," he tells us.

 

Sidelines in my region are pretty congested as it is. Much easier to keep tabs and do the work I need to do while still being able to see everything clearly in the press box.

 

This isn't necessarily press box, and someone else might be able to tell the story better, but in a nutshell:

Its the 60s or early 70s, a big fight at Madison Square Garden.
The ring announcer makes his way to the centre of the ring, pulls that classic hanging mike down, and the buzz of the crowd quiets as he goes through his prefight announcements.
He then prepares to introduce the national anthem singer, who happens to be a female, and whose name escapes me.
"AND NOW, TO SING OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM, -- FEMALE NAME--"

The place is quiet, until a voice is heard all through MSG

"FEMALE NAME SUCKS COCK!"

There's a shocked pause all through the arena, until its broken by the announcer:

"NEVERTHELESS .... Please Welcome FEMALE SINGER"

 

Yep, being around teenage boys is definitely where the action is at. I can do my job just fine from where I sit. If you covered games where I do, you'd be upstairs as well. Arthritis isn't fun to deal with, either. I'm not that old, but my joints are wrecked from overdoing it in high school.

 

I like the sidelines, but I'm skeptical how anyone keeps accurate stats from there. Unless you are shoving coaches out of the way, it's just too hard to see what yard line the ball is on.