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

I don't care about John Q. Public's misconceptions. Besides, I'm probably as ignorant about how they go about their jobs as they are about mine.

However ...

Misconceptions from management
1. What does replacing vacant positions have to do with making deadline on Fridays?

2. A guy who was SE in an area that covered five high schools should have no problem adapting to covering 25 high schools.

3. "You guys are slacking." You don't need a sports editor until the summer.

4. Your work isn't as important as filling in on the news desk because another copy editor quit

 

Sirs, Madames,

When I was columning years back, one guy asked me how I filed my columns when I was on vacation. I told him that when I went fishing they just ran the pictures bigger.

YHS, etc

 

I covered one NBA game in my life. Afterwards in the locker room, while waiting for someone to get out of the shower, I saw Oliver Miller naked. And when I tell people that story, that stops the conversation. Sometimes permanently.

 

Wow. Are you a co-worker that I'm unaware of?

 

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

That any schmoe or fan can do it and it takes no writing/journalistic background.

 

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

That is true, I've had my parents say "you're doing a great job for them," implying that I'm the team's PR person or spokesperson or something along those lines.

 

Here's one -- that everybody you see on a daily basis that knows what you do (family members, friends, acquaintances) believes you WANT to talk about your job when you're not doing it.

Going to a family function and getting the inquisition from three uncles, two cousins and your grandpa about how "your team" is going to do this year, or hitting a bar with some friends and having to give them all "insider locker room talk".

I don't ask them to tell me about their day in the factory or in the truck they drive (and there's not anything wrong with that, by the way). Don't expect me to spend 15 minutes telling you who to start in your fantasy league.

 

try being flattered that people give a shit. when other people talk about their jobs, all people hear is, "blah blah blah."

it's cool to have a job people find interesting. geez.

 

If I had to go back to the farm, I'd be dead broke within two weeks and my dad was disenherit me for ruining an operation that's been in the family three or four generations.

 

Amen. Every stupid 90s sitcom has a dad who is a sports columnist and is home all the time.

 

RE Football Friday v. Election night.

A football friday round here is much busier than the local election night.

But we're so short-staffed, no one ever thinks I have it easy.

They can see my car outside.

 

Jay Mariotti had his own sitcom?