In what ways should college sports be covered differently than the pros?

[waynew]

More on Stroughter. Everyone knew he was having a hard time over the deaths. That level of detail sufficed. The rest was private. .... I think that's the right approach ... and i'd be more sensitive with a college kid than a pro ... in general ...

 

[writing irish]

DTGDTN!

 

[Jeremy Goodwin]

The customer wants porn, you give them that, too? The customer wants gossip. Customer wants lots of things.

In my book, it's part of the guideline but not an absolute guideline.

Umm. I could be wrong, but I think there are rules about porn in US publications. England has page 3, but our Founding Fathers didn't bring that over. And sports pages aren't for gossip. That's why so many people have problems with the column, because she doesn't have sources, just rumblings and whatever else she said. This thread is dumb. Waynew (and is it Wayne W or Way New), I think, as other people have said, you should post your thoughts on the original thread. I've read most of the 20 something pages and don't think i've seen your opinion on there.

good call w_i

 

[Some Guy]

How about Sammie Stroughter at Oregon State? He did not play in the first few games b/c of "personal issues." That's what the coaches said, that's what the newspaper printed.

That was a little odd and vague. I searched a little and found a story that reported that two father figures in his life died. Hey I have no problem with that. But it stopped there.

What if there was more? ANd I"m just saying what if -- I don't know about the situation. What if someone told a reporter that a player in such a situation was on anti-depressants. You print that? What is someone told you he'd been suicidal? Print that? What if he tried? You print that?

ANd when I say do you print that, let's make it a parallel to OK St. story, you don't have anything from the player or the coach. But you have rumblings and rumor. heck you even have a player on the record.

Customer wants it. It's on the record. Do you print it? I wouldn't. ANd I'd stay farther away from the story if were a college kid vs. a pro.

you've got it on the record from a reliable source? heck yes, you print it.

 

[hockeybeat]

Sammie Stroughter and the OSU QB are apples and oranges situations.

The Oklahoman column was a (less-than-impressive) criticism of a kid who might have attitude and maturity issues versus a kid mourning the deaths of his fathers.

 

[BertoltBrecht]

How about Sammie Stroughter at Oregon State? He did not play in the first few games b/c of "personal issues." That's what the coaches said, that's what the newspaper printed.

That was a little odd and vague. I searched a little and found a story that reported that two father figures in his life died. Hey I have no problem with that. But it stopped there.

What if there was more? ANd I"m just saying what if -- I don't know about the situation. What if someone told a reporter that a player in such a situation was on anti-depressants. You print that? What is someone told you he'd been suicidal? Print that? What if he tried? You print that?

ANd when I say do you print that, let's make it a parallel to OK St. story, you don't have anything from the player or the coach. But you have rumblings and rumor. heck you even have a player on the record.

Customer wants it. It's on the record. Do you print it? I wouldn't. ANd I'd stay farther away from the story if were a college kid vs. a pro.

It took you three posts to answer my question. And we can argue where the line should be drawn on coverage all day.

I say, if you have a player on the record and you've given a chance for sissy player and coach to comment, then by all means, you can write a column about it.

People are still looking for an answer why Robinson started in front of OSU's biggest recruit in years.

If you have the answer, you damn well better write about it and not worry if it hurts his feelings.

 

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Yes, I would say that a player dealing with death or other family situations is a little different than one figuring out how to eat on his own food, if the chicken thing is true. That is the last thing I shall say on this thread.

DTGDTN!

 

[BertoltBrecht]

I'm done too.

 

[21]

Even athletes at big-time programs generally are covered based on what they do on the field or the court, unless they get arrested or do something stupid like park in a handicap space.

And 21, please please please invite your mom to join us here at the adult table! She'll be so happy to hear her daughter has made it all the way to a 5k circulation.

'Darling, you know I never like to get involved in your work, we're really just so proud of you, but your brother is so upset, can you call him to talk about this Cade Mcnugget boy? Did you say something nasty about him? I think he's a foosball player, or an athlete of some sort, I really don't know, but your poor brother, it's hard enough to get a Masters in Greco-Roman Watercolor Map Interpretation, without his sister saying mean things about the UCLA quartermaster...I think that's what he said. Is it necessary to do that dear, do you have to say mean things about these people, especially at your brother's school? Is it because we made you stay in the Big Ten, dear? Really, the parking in that city is just so terrible, I think we can all understand why someone might stop for just a minute in the handicapped space, is it really that big a problem, dear? Are you coming home for Thanksgiving?'

 

[waynew]

yes, the stroughter situation is different dealing with the deaths of fathers vs. being a brat or momma's boy. ANd that's my point. It's not all dependent on "whether you have someone on the record" or what you know ... you don't print everything you know. and you don't print everything you have on the record.

In the antidepressant situation, just b/c you have a quote you don't print it. SOME GUY says yes, but just b/c someone said it doesn't mean it's true. You also better be confident that it's true (have other sources, other documentation) ... that'd take care of you on legal grounds.

But I'm saying I wouldn't print that level of detail even if i knew it to be true.

The other thread is mostly about chicken and chicken wings (recent posts anyway). Having said that, I'm heading over there, too ...

 

[Some Guy]

But I'm saying I wouldn't print that level of detail even if i knew it to be true.

I can understand treading lightly in such a situation, making sure you have all your bases covered and every fact airtight. That said, if you know for 100 percent why a star player isn't playing and you don't print it, you aren't doing your job.

And if my editors knew I knew 100 percent, I wouldn't have a choice. I'd be forced to print it.

It isn't our business to protect people's feelings.

 

[writing irish]