Two cancelled subscriptions in one week because of me

I think most sports hacks realize this. But this guy who made the post has to make sure his management understands and agrees. Lots of ME's are fucking clueless and think Little League should be covered and Johnny's Little League title team deserves a big picture and story. It always will take brave sports editors to keep putting their foot down to ward off these ME fucks.

 

Look, there's nothing wrong with covering local sports. I mean, that's what a good percentage of your readers want. But the key there is percentage.

Even if there are 3,000 local readers going to attend the annual cowchip tossing festival downtown, there are still a good percentage of people that aren't going to want to read that and are going to want to see last night's pro hockey or hoops game in the paper instead.

The key is realizing that even if you're doing a bang-up, award-winning job, there are people that are going to wake up, put on their robe, go outside, pick up your paper, sit down, turn to B-1 and say "God damn c**ksuckers!".

 

... and, if you can't deal with that fact, you either have to grow thicker skin or think about a non-supervisory role.

 

Here's another one:
I was chided by a reader for referring to the swimming team as the swimming team, when it's swimming and diving.
I never really gave it much thought. I guess it's the same as saying it's the track team, as opposed to the track and field team.
To me, it's just splitting hairs and I'm not in the business of splitting hairs.
Or maybe I'm just lazy.

 

The timing on this couldn't be better. I received this e-mail this week.

I had subscribed to the (Shitkicker Times) in hopes of seeing more on the local area high school sports/academics. Unfortunately, I have been disappointed (as others I have spoken with). Coverage of varsity level sports has been great. Coverage of the freshman and junior varsity is sporadic, to say the least. As parents of children in high school, we would like to see more on the J.V. and freshman level, even if it is a small spot in the sports. We like to know/learn the winners, standings, and achievements, (scholastically as well), at this level but I have not see anything, that I can recall, since subscribing.

I have seen recently sports articles about the 8th grade level though and that is great. I hear and read enough about the (NFL team), (NBA team), & (MLB team) in other newspapers, radio, and television. Devote some room for the local kids.

Due to the lack of coverage in this area, I regretfully will not renew my subscription.


The 8th grade team he was talking was a submitted photo on our weekly rec page, where everything below varsity high school goes. We have 7 schools and three reporters, so in winter, we are looking at 23 teams in several sports and that is the light season. Multiple that by 3 levels and that is 69 teams. How is anyone supposed to cover that.
My editor said to me, "Never have covered JV and freshmen. Never will."
Bless her heart.
I also think it's a bad business plan for me to say, I could provide (NFL team) coverage, but you should get that somewhere else, so I can get freshman girls basketball in there. Un frickin real.

 

Or maybe you have the least amount of backbone of any sports journalist I've ever encountered. Tebow Christ, stand up for yourself once in a while, Eeyore.

 

What am I supposed to do? Get in pissing matches with these people.

 

No.

But even that would be better than coming here every three weeks with a "A Reader Complained About Something Stupid, What Should I Do?" thread.

Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way. If so, I'll shut up. But it seems to happen to you at least once a month.

 

Then don't read the threads I start.

 

Bingo.

Right on the money.

Bless your sports editor, indeed. We've had a recent influx of parents calling about JV teams, particularly notoriously psychotic soccerr parents, but we haven't given in ... yet.

 

Like I tell em, as soon as they start giving out state championships for JV teams, I'll start giving a shit. Otherwise, the coach is free to send in their stuff or designate someone to do it. I have enough to do and can fill the space I have without JV/9th grade stuff as it stands.

 

My state has JV titles and I'll be Tebow damned if we're going to cover them. You want your kid's sport covered? Tell him to try harder and make the varsity squad.