PRO FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION
APSE liaison: Glen Crevier, The Star Tribune, Minneapolis. Phone: 612-673-4748. E-mail: gcrevier@startribune.com.
President: Alex Marvez, South Florida Sun Sentinel. Phone: 305-987-2872. E-mail: amarvez@sun-sentinel.com.
First Vice President: Charean Williams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Phone: C 817-454-5749. E-mail: chareanw@aol.com.
Second Vice President: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer. Phone: 513-348-5237. E-mail: markcurnutte@aol.com.
Secretary: Howard Balzer, The Sports Xchange. Phone: 314-799-5760. E-mail: hbalzer@aol.com.
Treasurer: Mike Sando, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. Phone: 253-209-5403. E-mail: mike.sando@thenewstribune.com.
Annual meetings: Super Bowl week and at the NFL owners meetings in March.
Membership: More than 350 reporters, columnists and editors. No radio/TV members unless they also write.
Dues: $50 annually.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes, if they write for credible news organizations. Reporters for team-based web sites are not allowed.
Concerns and issues: Injury report announcement, internet policy and surgical announcements.
Financial contracts: None.
Activities: Writing contests continue for PFWA members, with small monetary prizes.
Awards: The organization hands out five awards: The Horrigan is for the person (not a player or team P.R staffer) who helped the media best do its job last season; The Good Guy is for the player who best helped the media do its job; The Rozelle is for the P.R. staff that best helped the media do its job; The Halas is for the individual in the NFL who overcame the most adversity to succeed last season; And the McCann Award honors a PFWA member for long and distinguished service to the profession.
• • •
FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
Association address: 18652 Vista Del Sol, Dallas, TX 75287.
President: Mike Griffith, Knoxville News Sentinel, 155 Federal Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37934. Office/Cell: 865-755-5599.
First Vice President:�Ron Higgins Memphis Commercial Appeal, 2011 Littlemore Fwy., Cordova, TN 38016. Phone: 901-529-2525. E-mail: rhiggins@commercialappeal.com.
Second Vice President: George Schroeder, Daily Oklahoman, 4108 Gyrfalcon Dr., Norman, OK 73072. Phone: 405-923-7814.�E-mail: gschroeder@aol.com.
Executive Director: Steve Richardson (address same as FWAA office). Phone: 972-713-6198.�E-mail: tigerfwaa@aol.com.
Board of Directors: Craig Barnes, South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Eric Bailey, Tulsa World; Chad Cripe, Idaho Statesman; Scott Ferrell, Shreveport Times; Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Chip Brown, Dallas Morning News; Robert Gagliardi, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle; Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune; Andrew Logue, Des Moines Register; Tom Luicci, Newark Star-Ledger; Jeff Metcalfe, Arizona Republic; Norm Wood, Daily Press (Va.); Mike Huguenin, Orlando Sentinel; Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune; Carter Strickland, Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Matt Markey, Toledo Blade; Budd Davis, Ruston Daily Leader (La.); Robbi Pickeral, Raleigh News & Observer; Steve Irvine, Birmingham News; Michael Lewis, Salt Lake City Tribune; Bob Clark, Eugene Register-Guard.
Annual meetings: We have an annual meeting each year at the BCS 1-2 game, but we also have numerous conference calls, smaller meetings at various sites throughout the year.
Membership:�More than 900 members (print, internet, some broadcast, sports information directors and others from college football affiliated organizations such as bowls and awards groups).
Dues: $40 for regular members. $20 for student memberships, retirees exempt from dues.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes. Last year Dennis Dodd of CBS SportsLine was our first president from an internet organization. Many of the very best print journalists work for internet based organizations such as ESPN.com, SI.com, CBS SportsLine as the profession has evolved.
Concerns and issues: The FWAA remains concerned about access issues and the fact that many major-college programs are becoming more restrictive in nature in what they are allowing the media to cover. Press Boxes which sometimes seem to become places where alumni hang out. The FWAA works to foster better working relationships between writers and SIDS as stated in its charter of 1941.
Financial contracts: The FWAA, which has been the case for the last 15 years, has contracts with the Charlotte Touchdown Club (Bronko Nagurski Trophy), the Omaha Sports Committee and ESPN (Outland Trophy) for banquets and presentations.
Activities:�All FWAA members vote on the Coach of the Year Award and the Grantland Rice pre-season poll. All writers and SIDs can have input into nominations for the other awards, but an All-America board comprised of only writers picks our award winners (Nagurski and Outland) and All-America team. We also have a Freshman All-America team and the Courage Awad, as well as some internal awards given to members such as the Bert McGrane (Hall of Fame). The FWAA works directly with the BCS and football programs over access and press-box issues as well as coverage of teams and monitors problems brought to it by either the SIDs or other journalists. The FWAA puts out an annual membership print directory, which for years has been hailed as the most complete in college sports.
Writing contests: Yes. Five categories. Plaques to first place winners, certificates to others. Cash prizes ranging from $200 to $50.
http://apse.dallasnews.com/2007/june2007/060607bradley.html
Pat McAfee gets multi-year deal worth $30 million annually
