Writers' Workshop (2008 and Beyond, now with Updated Updates)

Re: Writers' Workshop

I was lost from the start of this one. Your redundant use of "prior" and "before" throws off the time element in the lead.

And I have to reach to find out we're talking about a player and who the Wildcats are.

The part about Rodman was good. If you had led the story with that or used it earlier, I would have had a clearer picture of who the player was.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

Ain't this the coolest? Praise be to Webby for the special sub-board, and to E4 for suggesting it. Just terrific.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

Alright, simple wrestling story and a basketball gamer. Quick background: I'm 21-years-old, stringing for a couple of different dailies, looking to graduate next spring. I haven't made any assumptions about what type of writer I am, just looking for some feedback and trying to get better. I'm sure this will out me to some people, at this point, I don't mind.

PM me if you have anything further to add/discuss that you didn't see fit to post on the board. Thanks for your time.

GREENVILLE — Matt Leach wasn’t going to allow an opponent pulling his fingers to stop him from a fourth Class 3A state wrestling title in as many years.

In what was a closely fought match for two periods, both Eastside’s Leach and Lugoff-Elgin’s Tim Graham were penalized for misconduct. Trailing 3-2 heading into the third period, Leach opened with a quick reversal and ran away with a 12-3 major decision in the 130-pound class, becoming the sixth wrestler in state history to win four consecutive state titles.

“He didn’t have enough technique to hang with me,” Leach said. “I knew if I took him to the third (period), the match was mine.”

Both wrestlers struggled to feel each other out early. Leach was penalized a point for misconduct when he hit Graham in the back of the neck with his forearm, a response to Graham pulling back hard on one of Leach’s fingers. Graham was penalized in the third period for attempting a head butt as Leach was forcing him to the mat

“This is a tough sport,” Lugoff-Elgin coach Kevin Knoerr said. “Leach throws an elbow, my guy was pulling fingers, my guy throws a head butt. You know, that’s wrestling.”

Following the reversal, Leach picked up seven quick points after getting Graham on his back.

Leach finishes his career holding the South Carolina record for wins and is the first four-time state champion from Eastside.

“It’s been a great ride,” said Eastside coach Jack Kosmickie, who has coached wrestling at the school for 11 years. “I hate to lose him.”

Leach wasn’t the only Eagles wrestler to capture multiple state titles. Eastside junior J.C. Oddo dispatched North Myrtle Beach’s Jon Silverburg to take the 189-pound title. Oddo will have a chance to match Leach’s four titles as a senior next year.

Kosmickie’s squad won five individual titles in all.

Eastside freshman Eddie Coles grabbed the 103-pound title, sophomore Andrew Jenkins took the 112-pound class and Corbin Martin won his second-consecutive 125-pound title.

“We work so hard in the (weight room),” Martin said. “And I guess it pays off in the end.”

Lugoff-Elgin came away with two champions. Sophomore Deral Brown won his first state title in the 135-pound class after finishing fourth as a freshman. Lance McClester captured the 140-pound title, finishing his career as a three-time state champion.

“We’re real young,” Brown said. “We got a lot of freshman, but in the future, we’ll be the team to beat.”

The team to beat Saturday was Eastside, and no one showcased the team’s dominance more than Leach.

“I just got to give a lot of thanks,” Leach said. “It’s one heck of a team, you know?”

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

BASKETBALL

COLUMBIA — The act is getting to be all too familiar for South Carolina coach Dave Odom. 

Following one-point losses to Georgia and Vanderbilt in the past week, USC found itself on the wrong end of another close game Tuesday, falling to LSU, 64-61. 

It was the Gamecocks fourth consecutive loss, their longest losing streak of the season, dating back to a 79-66 loss to Kentucky on Feb. 18. 

The Tigers ensured at least a share of the SEC regular season crown with the win, while USC slid further into last place in the SEC East. Odom’s team has one last chance to prepare for next week’s SEC Tournament, traveling to Auburn on Saturday. With USC losing its last three games by a combined five points, Odom found himself questioning his team’s mental toughness Tuesday, but said he had made clear that he would continue to look forward. 

"They’re going to follow what I do," Odom said. "They’re going to listen to what I say. If I give up, they give up." 

USC forward Renaldo Balkman, who’s career game against Alabama seems like a distant memory, played 12 minutes, scoring two points. Point guard Tre’ Kelley shot 3-of-14 from the field, finishing with nine points. 

USC held a 31-21 lead with 4:20 remaining in the first half and led by six points going into the break. In the second half, though, LSU forward Glen Davis wouldn’t let the Tigers lose. After scoring six points in the first half, the 310-pound Davis, nicknamed "Big Baby", scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the second half. 

"The idea,of course, was to try and wear him down," Odom said. "As hard as we worked in the first half, I think it got to our defenders. I think they were down." 

Odom’s team also struggled to defend LSU forward Tasmin Mitchell, who finished 7-of-11 from the field for 20 points. 

The Gamecocks missed their first seven shots to open the second half, yet still led 37-35 on an Antoine Tisby lay-up. 

Davis, though, scored 13 points in seven minutes and LSU held a 56-54 lead with 5:41 remaining. Mitchell was fouled and sank both free throws to increase the Tigers lead to 61-57. USC guard Tarance Kinsey was fouled with 39.8 seconds left, making both free throws to pull his team within two points. Davis turned the ball over on a traveling call, but Kinsey returned the favor with 29.8 seconds left. 

A potential game-tying 3-pointer from Rocky Trice rattled out, Wallace tipped in the miss, but with only 2.5 seconds remaining. 

It was another in a series of close losses for USC, who lost to Georgia in Athens when Balkman missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer and lost by a point again when Kinsey’s game-winning effort missed everything against Vanderbilt. 

Going into Saturday’s game with Auburn, the Gamecocks are looking for anything to build on going into next week’s conference tournament. 

"You never want to be a quitter," Kinsey said. "We know we have the talent to compete but things aren’t going our way.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

Agreed. thanks Webby. This is the kind of stuff that makes me come back to the board every day. Great idea, I hope it takes off.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop


Ida,

Your wrestling/fooball coach story was a solid news story. Like how you took an angle (difficulty of both jobs) and worked it, rather than a stale wrestling coach adds football coach duties.

I think the story, as it is, is fine.

Some things that in an ideal world that could improve it:

How old is the coach? Didn't see that. When writing a story about someone, you should include their age. Here it's a factor because he is going to need to be busting his hump.

What will he get paid for doing both jobs? What is his classroom load, will it change any?

Would have been good to talk to some athletes to get their thoughts on the coach, opinions on him doing both.

Cheers

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

This one seemed a little wordy:

COLUMBIA — The act is getting to be all too familiar for South Carolina coach Dave Odom. 

Following one-point losses to Georgia and Vanderbilt in the past week, USC South Carolina found itself on the wrong end of another close game Tuesday, falling to LSU, 64-61. 

It was the Gamecocks fourth consecutive loss, their longest losing streak of the season, dating back to a 79-66 loss to Kentucky on Feb. 18. 

The Tigers ensured at least a share of the SEC regular season crown with the win, while USC slid further into last place in the SEC East. Odom’s team has one last chance to prepare for next week’s SEC Tournament, traveling to Auburn on Saturday. With USC losing its last three games by a combined five points, Odom found himself questioning his team’s mental toughness Tuesday, but said he had made clear that he would continue to look forward. 

"They’re going to follow what I do," Odom said. "They’re going to listen to what I say. If I give up, they give up." 

USC forward Renaldo Balkman, who’s whose career game against Alabama seems like a distant memory, played 12 minutes, scoring two points. Point guard Tre’ Kelley shot 3-of-14 from the field, finishing with nine points. 

USC held a 31-21 lead with 4:20 remaining in the first half and led by six points going into the break. In the second half, though, But LSU forward Glen Davis wouldn’t let the Tigers lose. After scoring six points in the first half, the 310-pound Davis, nicknamed "Big Baby", scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the second half. 

"The idea,of course, was to try and wear him down," Odom said. "As hard as we worked in the first half, I think it got to our defenders. I think they were down." 

Odom’s team also struggled to defend LSU forward Tasmin Mitchell, who finished 7-of-11 from the field for 20 points. 

The Gamecocks missed their first seven shots to open the second half, yet still led 37-35 on an Antoine Tisby lay-up. 

Davis, though, scored 13 points in seven minutes and LSU held a 56-54 lead with 5:41 remaining. Mitchell was fouled and sank both free throws to increase the Tigers lead to 61-57. USC guard Tarance Kinsey was fouled with 39.8 seconds left, making both free throws to pull his team within two points. Davis turned the ball over on a traveling call, but Kinsey returned the favor with 29.8 seconds left. 

A potential game-tying 3-pointer from Rocky Trice rattled out, Wallace tipped in the miss, but with only 2.5 seconds remaining. 

It was another in a series of close losses for USC, who lost to Georgia in Athens when Balkman missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer and lost by a point again when Kinsey’s game-winning effort missed everything against Vanderbilt. 

Going into Saturday’s the game with Auburn, the Gamecocks are looking for anything to build on going into next week’s conference tournament. 

"You never want to be a quitter," Kinsey said. "We know we have the talent to compete but things aren’t going our way.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop


If there ever was a question that DyerPacker is a copy editor, there isn't any more.

Good edits, though.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

That is some solid editing, I have to say.

And I like the new set up. Roomy.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

Whatever America used to be, it isn't any more.

We're building Japanese cars in America. We're building American cars in Europe. And guess where we're building European cars? In Asia.

Stockholders don't care where their dividends come from. They only care that they get them.

The world has just one currency. Just one language. And that language is profit.

Stockholders are only interested in the man who brings it to them. And that man is going to be me.

[/georgekennedyinemmywinningcalibermonologue]

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

I've been doing this for 25 years. Here are the five best pieces of advice I've ever received on writing stories of any type:

1. Get to the fucking point.

2. Use all five senses when reporting. The wonderful W.C. Heinz story cited here has hundreds of simple observations.

3. Write a game story as if you are sitting in the top row of an arena, not the first row. The scene is sometimes as important as the game.

3. Use quotes to salt and pepper your story, not as meat and potatoes. If you can say it better, say it, even at the risk of not quoting anyone. One of the best users of quotes is also the most economical: Jere Longman of the New York Times.

4. If you get stuck launching yourself into a complicated story, write one sentence at the top of your story that finishes this:

I am writing this story because . . .

Don't delete it until you are done. Sounds silly, but it is amazingly helpful.

 

Re: Writers' Workshop

Outstanding five-point checklist, Nate. I'm disappointed that he nuked his account, because he's one of the good posters here, but great advice nonetheless.