Non-journalists cheering in press box. Should I say something?

[pressmurphy]

If you cover at a game at stadiums like the one at Virginia -- and I've been to a number of them like it (Syracuse is one if I am not mistaken) -- you have about 65,000 people cheering in the press box. But that's because the "press box" has you basically sitting out in the stands, which is why I never get too upset about "distractions" from a few fan boys cheering in the press box. It shouldn't happen, but it is very low on my list of benches in covering college and pro sports.

I don't like it just for the "guilt by association" factor. Would hate for fans to look into the pressbox and see fanboys cheering and confuse them with real media.

 

[joe king]

Should you say something?

No. Kill them silently.

 

[mike311gd]

You're joeking, right?

 

[forever_town]

Okay a few thoughts/question on this thread:


3. What the heck was Bidwell doing in the press box? His owner suite wasn't good enough for him?

The game was played at Sun Devil Stadium. They tend to not build college stadiums with owners boxes.

Plus, the guy is allowed to walk through, which is what he did when he clapped.

Ummm ... the game was played in 1988. It was in St. Louis, not Phoenix.

The Cardinals moved for the 1988 season. They were the St. Louis Cardinals until 1987, when they became the Phoenix Cardinals.

 

[joe king]

You're joeking, right?

I must be.

 

[mike311gd]

You're joeking, right?

I must be.

I knew it.

 

[Kato]

I was covering a college hockey game between Minnesota and Colorado College in 1995. They were No. 1 and No. 2 in the country. There were no North Stars, no Wild. It was late in the season and it was suddenly the place to be in Twin Cities sports -- at least for that weekend. The press box, which is normally about 3/4 full, was jam-packed with beat guys, columnists and many others, including then-talk-radio host Jesse Ventura (post-wrestling, pre-governor). Minnesota scored and Jesse went nuts, whoopin' and hollerin'. The SID made an announcement about no cheering in the press box, and Jesse basically said he could do whatever he wants. "Have they ever heard of the First Amendment?" he said. Priceless. Of course, he forgot about the First Amendment when he became governor and was getting questioned by the press.

 

[hanging_curveball]

Just because radio guys do it doesn't make it right. The press box is still a workplace. If they want to cheer, buy a forking ticket, sit in the forking stands and cheer your forking head off.

I remember there were three radio guys practically giving each other head when the home college team scored an upset. How embarrassing is that? They were disturbing the visiting media. I go to the SID, who did his job. Next thing I know, I was told that one radio guy called me out on the air in an apparent lengthy diatribe. I say apparent because I don't listen to the moron's show. Obviously, he's too thick to get it and has zero professional ethics or courtesy. I don't care that I got called out, though. At least the dudes shut up during games now.

 

[Oggiedoggie]

I was in the press box when 1920s guy began yelling, "Hooray! Hooray!"

I cleaned his clock.

 

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Should you say something?

No. Kill them silently.

When the cops asked what happened say, "I Didntdoit(19)."

 

[bigugly]

The worst press box for cheering is Notre Dame. I am not a ND fan, but let me say this. The SID's are great and the employees are among the best. What stinks are the amount of fans in the press box and although the SID's don't like it, they really can't stop it.

 

[Cosmo]

93 Devil ... Did you happen to attend the 1998 Cardinals-Chargers game in which Arizona clinched its only playoff berth in the last two decades by rallying for a field goal with like 13 seconds left? Because in the presser after that game, all of the TV guys in the back of the room gave Jake Plummer a standing forking ovation after he answered his questions. I've never been more embarrassed to be in the profession ...