What's the biggest misconception people you know have about sports journalism?

Re: What's the biggest misconception people you know have about sports journalis

Here are a few I can think of:
That I know everything that is going on in the sport world. I do not.

That my opinion about how State U is going to do against Rumpskin U is actually important.

That I actually care what happens. Short of wanting to cover a good game, I really do NOT care who wins. That's not my job at all.

 

that's something that's kind of amusing to me. My parents now root for the college team I cover. I made a crack at my dad about that tonight and he said he thinks it would be better for me if the team I cover is doing well. They also think I have some kind of ticket hookup. Anytime my folks want to go to a game, they ask me about tickets and I tell them to buy a paper and look in the classifieds or go on eBay. I love my folks, but I've been doing this for several years now and they still don't understand anything about it other than that if they call me while I'm working, I'm going to act like an asshole. I gave my dad your book, Chris Walsh, and I think he gets it a little better now. But it's still an uphill climb.

 

Also, I think my job is really, really fun. I love being around the other beat writers. I don't mind talking about the job to other people. It irritates me that a lot of people don't really get it, but I still go to bed happy just about every night knowing that I wouldn't trade what I do for anything else. I like doing it and I'm not good at anything else.

A small pet peeve of mine, though, when people don't know the difference between a regular story and a column.

 

djc - so, you too have had to explain to a caller why giving an opinion in those "stories" with mugs is an acceptable approach to journalism?

 

Absolute spot on.

I have from time to time done some commision based marketing work for a local chamber of commerce and the last thing I tell them is what my real job is.

Everything is going well and I am sellng them on the membership, then someone I know (it is a social function where we introduce these guys) comes over and slaps me on the back and says: "You know he is a sportswriter?"

Sale has just died.

It goes like this:

sales target: No way! For who? What do you cover? That incredible. how do you think the Yankees measure up this year."

Me: Joe Blow Paper covering high schools. Yes I like it a lot, it is a good time. Yanks are going to be good.

Sales target: What do you think of State U? I think they will be pretty good. Let me tell you about the time I shared a cab with Derek Jeter.

Me: Uh huh.

I end up with his business card and he ends up calling me to see if I can get him on the local country club.

Never fails.

 

Also, I hate parents who think that our job is to get their kids name in the paper.

We had a local little league coach who wanted to write his own headline. I said that is not how it works. He said: "Then I will stop calling." I said: You promise?

Didn't go over well when it got to the publisher. Worth it though.

And most importantly, you are not our customer. You are a news story. The big difference is that the customer is always right. People think because they buy the paper, they can tell me what goes in it, and how they want it to appear. Ridiculous.

 

I didn't say bald guys in Zubaz...

 

As long as the bald guys have tats and bikes, I'm down with 'em

 

Thanks DJC, I appreciate it.

Actually, the thing that gets to me the most is the guy who won't stop talking about sports when you're not working, won't leave you alone and won't take a hint.

Me: "Excuse me, I don't want to talk about Clemson football right now while I flirt with this girl after being in the office for 12 hours."

Him: "Yeah, but what do you think about their game against South Carolina five years ago?"

 

I really appreciate how you keep proving my point for me. Thanks a lot. You prove you clearly have no idea how my job works. I, however, have had your job.
One difference is how less complicated sports is. You've seen the game. You pretty much know what happened. However, sometimes in news when a new law, ordinance, budget, etc. has been put into place, there may be legitimate questions as to what it means. Interviewing people doesn't mean just getting a quote cause you're obligated, it means actually answering questions and clarifying points. And that's not all. You see, sometimes, not rarely either, there's this little thing called "breaking news." You're sports, so you may not know what that is. If you think the high school football coach is bitchy after a loss try talking to the police chief when a dead body has been found an hour before deadline. Try talking to the fire chief when a...you get the point.
You're digging a hole. You clearly have no idea what my job entails, and your comments are as dumb as "You're job must be easy, watching the game hanging out with the players." But you actually work in the industry.
Also, I get no pizza on election night. You guys however apparently get free food, even if it is shit, in the press box.
And the comment about me crying was hysterical since this thread from the sports guys is now seven pages long. Hypocrite much?

 

Snap.

 

I've done news and I've done sports and news is much, much easier.

Not to mention, the pressure not to screw up is much, much greater.

If you don't believe me, leave out the next school board write up and the next local HS football gamer out of the next paper and see which gets more calls.


I'm not saying news is easy, or that they don't work hard. Far from it. But, especially at smaller papers, people read, discuss and demand better coverage out of the sports page.

The complexity argument is a red herring, BTW. Both can be as complex or as simple as the writer is capable of making them. But again, the average reader probably knows more about football than tax levies. But anyone who thinks sports writers have it easy should try decoding the average HS volleyball coach some time.