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

I'd argue one reason the animosity exists is because, in most places, news has more people to do less work.

 

These are reasons I often lie to strangers when they ask what I do for a living. If I'm in the mood to talk and try to think on my feet I come up with something interesting and then see how well I can bullshit (I've been a casino pit boss and the owner of a gentleman's club). If I'm not feelining talkative I tell them I do what my dad does for a living - work for a company that is contracted out by larger companies to make sure OSHA regulations are adhered to.

 

It doesn't bother me when people have the misconceptions, but I will say I'll agree with most of the ones everyone has already listed.
They all want free tickets, autographs, etc., and think I can get them.
They all think the travel and press box food is awesome. (travel sux, press box food varies).
And the most-asked question I get from my female friends is "oooh, you get to go in the locker room!!! What's so-and-so look like naked?" And I'm like...uh, you don't see the cute ones, you see the 60-year-old fat guys. And it stinks in there!

 

``You get to talk to these superstars?!!!''

``No, I `have' to talk to him.''


Or that just because I cover sports that's ``ALL'' I want to talk about...Usually it's the ``LAST'' thing I'd prefer to discuss.

And to throw in my half-sense worth, I've done news and sports, and for the most part sports is easier in several aspects, such as when a little girl is purposely run-down by some depressed teen-age driver and you are interviewing the child's mother, or you're reading the confession of a child serial killer. Or you're covering a Bonneville Power Administration hearing with a fog index of one million, or you are interviewing a right-wing zealot yet have to maintain enough journalistic integrity to be objective....
I got out of news mainly because I was tired of writing about bad things happening to good people, especially children, and I enjoy sports more, although I am under no illusion that much of what I do will change the world.
Mostly, I hope to entertain, inform and maybe just once in a very great while, inspire a little.

 

The biggest misconception -- that it is a "cool" profession.

Yeah, it is real cool, just look around every press box. They are filled with a bunch of guys who could pass for extras from Revenge of the Nerds.

 

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

Don't know that this qualifies as a "misconception" but ...

I can't remember how many times I've grabbed a high school football coach on the field after a game, talked to him for a minute or so, turned toward the throng of fans surrounding his team and said, "I'm wanting to talk to Cody Cootersmacker really quick. You see him?" or something to that effect.

He responds with, "Well, you can talk to him, but I'd like you to talk to Billy Beatwad and Joey Jagoff too" because they're the senior leaders.

Now, if I were writing for a weekly and my deadline wasn't for two days, I'd be glad to talk to whoever. But, especially with coaches who you've dealt with for awhile and who have been coaching for, oh, 25 years, it's sometimes surprising how many don't understand that you're on deadline and can't just talk to whoever they want you to.

Not to mention ... I don't really know why the reporter talking to a player after a game is looked at by some coaches as some sort of reward after a win that should be given to the seniors and not some sophomore who happened to have a big night.

 

geez, you whiners kill me.

it IS a cool profession. way cool.

that doesn't mean everyone who does it is cool. just the job they have is cool. 8) 8) 8)

for those who don't appreciate how cool it is to do this, at these slave wages, my advice is simple:

GET THE HECK OUT!!!

 

Along the same lines, there's the coach that believes you're

Along the same line, there's the coaches that feel I should be their p.r. wing. I wish I had half a cent for everyone that told to only write "positives" about his team.

 

This goes a little along with people that think we root for the team we cover, but I really hate when people assume papers are filled with biased sports reporters because they sent two guys to cover Flipitty Fuck State, and only one guy to cover Tech. I hate when they act like Major Metro paper is just trying to "get all the State fans" or "out to screw over Tech".

Man that drives me crazy. If there's more than one major U in my area, I do not care how they all do and I will give the most space and best resources to the one that is the best story, not the one that has been on 1D the least.

I'm not one to get all high and "I don't care who wins" though. I do care. A little. I want the HS teams I cover to win. I think its more fun. It's more fun to be around the coach and players afterward for interviews. The parents and everyone else are thrilled to see you instead of pissed. It allows me to write fun stories and flush out big ideas. I also hate talking to high school kids after they just got their ass kicked. It's not like I can ask "so ... why do you suck?" And even when I ask in a better way than that, it's not like the kid cares to go into detail about getting his tail kicked. I'm not going to come up with a cool giant feature story on my HS team if they suck. No one wants to read 30 inches about their hometown Butthole High getting its brains beaten in. They also don't want to read a big feature about Captain Bullhole missing 20 tackles. They want to read about Captain Butthole kicking ass, and I like writing stuff people like.

I know people that flat our cheer for their team. I mean, flat out cheer, wear team clothes and encourage team members from the sidelines verbally. I don't do that. I've never told a coach "man, I hope you win" or anything like that. But do I care? Yeah. I care. I don't think it's a problem though because I don't make it a big deal. I may have a team of the local colleges that I want to win, but I go way out of my way to make sure you can't tell which one from my coverage.

 

I damn near got into a fight with a small-town reporter during a state basketball tournament because he was doing that. He was actually yelling instructions from press row to "his" team.

I told him to STFU or go sit in the stands with the rest of the fans. He said he was going to whip my ass during halftime. At the half, I stood up, walked over to him, tapped him on the shoulder and said "I'm ready, let's go." When he turned around, he realized I was 6-3, 20 years younger and with roughly 20 percent less body fat.

He didn't say a word during the second half.

 

Damn. I just laugh and make fun of them behind their backs.

 

I think a huge misconception is that "anybody can do it." That's why so many people feel free to rip us for headlines or small grammatical errors.

Now I'm not saying we should not pay attention to detail and that accuracy is not important. All I'm saying is the public seems to forget that sportswriters are just people. We can make mistakes sometimes, just like I'm sure they make at their jobs occasionally.

I know it comes with the territory, but sometimes it's just outrageous. some people think because they watch SportsCenter or because they played tight end for Podunk High School 30 years ago that they can be reporters.

I have to bite my tongue sometimes when people try and tell me how they think I should do my job. I've seen people actually send emails and say "This is how you should have written the story." They then proceed to WRITE A STORY! I'm thinking, okay which one of us has the journalism training?

It makes me think of the Seinfeld episode where that co-worker of Elaine's heckles Jerry. So he goes down to her office and heckles her.

Sometimes I think that would be fun. Go to a lawyer and say "THIS is how you should have prosecuted that case!"