Trevor Bayne/Daytona 500: Cheering in the Press Box

That happened in Danville, KY, where I started. They also measured photos.

 

You make me weep for the old days of beer in the press box.

 

Happens everywhere.

 

One place left for that (well, in a media center): Augusta National. They open the keg at 4 p.m. Players are still on the course.

 

Some of the most professional reporters I have ever worked alongside cover Nascar. However, the most unprofessional press boxes I have ever worked in have been at Nascar events. Without question. Not even close. And that includes Daytona last month. I have never, ever witnessed that kind of cheering at NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, college basketball and football press boxes I have been in over the last few decades.

And by the way, who the hell was that reporter who told Bayne we were all cheering for him? Somebody please identify him.

 

I'm somewhat flattered. When I got back into sports about three years ago, having three schools that were rivals, and in the same league, within about 10 miles of each other was on both sides of my pro-con sheet. Gives me a few hairy moments (well, what hair is left) on the phone or in e-mail when "one of those" parents calls, but also makes for some nice playoff runs and nice stories. Conversely, I'd also like to take a lot of the TV talking heads out of the studio and have them cover small rural government for six months or so, just to get them grounded.

 

Somehow, I still feel sorry for this dumbass, even after reading his farewell blog post.
The thing that strikes me is how many people you actually do meet in the business now like this guy, who are in it basically because they "love" a sport, or in his case, a particular version of a sport. I dunno, if you're covering NASCAR because you "love" NASCAR, you've already flunked the bias test to me. can you report honestly on safety concerns, etc.?
I cover an NFL team. I sure as hell don't "love" the NFL, and I didn't get into sportswriting because of any all-consuming passion for a particular sport.
But there does seem to be a big audience out there, fans who want to read dreck written by other fans. I don't get it.

 

I actually went back and listened to the audio from the press conference last night, because I wanted to know.

Whoever it was, NASCAR's Kerry Tharp didn't know him, because he referred to him only as "the man in blue," and did not identify him by name when the "reporter" was handed the mic to ask the question.

Nor did the "reporter" identify himself by name and outlet before he asked his question, which is customary.

So I feel reasonably confident it wasn't one of the regulars on the beat.

 

I would think that beat writers would have more of a reason to cover safety issues in NASCAR, if for no other reason than not having to lose good sources and contacts every year because they died on the track.

 

It's been 10 years since there was a fatality on track in a NASCAR race.

But thanks for playing.

 

Yeah. You lose your most popular driver and you tend to get serious about safety.