The "Homer" sports writer

[Appgrad05]

Didn't see it personally, but I got the story from a writer at the same paper.
State tennis finals, our paper and a competitor from the area are covering the same team.
The reporter from the competition is shouting, "Climb the ladder, XXXXX! Climb the ladder!" He then went on to hug the winner from the school we covered after she helped them win the state title. He then went on to tell our reporter not to tell out SE what he was doing, even though it is a well-known fact in Eastern N.C. that this guy is the biggest homer in the world.
Sam, you can echo this, I know you can.

I already did, PR. I know of whom you speak. I strongly suspect Appgrad is talking about the same person.

His insecurity and outright arrogance make him the total package.

The chinese symbol tat on the neck adds a nice touch.

 

[pressboxramblings07]

I've seen a reporter cry after the team he covered lost, and I know this happened on at least one other occasion.

I've also seen a reporter -- if you want to call him that ... he's an old man who writes for a tiny weekly rag and rides in a motor scooter -- get ejected from a baseball game for berating the umpire.

 

[Diabeetus]

Holy. ship.

I'm on day 3 of covering my state's wrestling finals, and two shipstainville reporters have been cheering all weekend. Less than a minute ago, they were jumping up and down, screaming at their guy. And when he got the last second victory, started yelling "Yeah Baby! WOOOOH!" and whistling. I gave him the ugliest look I could and another person working on press row told em (sarcastically) to cheer louder next time. decks don't even realize they're giving us a bad name when they do it.

 

[Batman]

Heard this one from a co-worker. Football game several years ago, our local school is on the road for a big division game. Local school scores a touchdown late to take the lead, and the SE from the other team's paper kicks the pylon over in disgust. Guy has been there for a long time, maybe even grew up there.

As for the "good luck" debate, I see no problem with it. Like others have said, it's being courteous and not a total deckhead. In fact, I've found it's usually a good way to wrap up the conversation: "Well coach, I think that's about all I need. Good luck to you and we'll see you on Friday night."

 

[SixToe]

A guy got ejected from a baseball game? darn.

How often has something like that happened?

 

[sportpro]

Also have to be careful what colors you wear. I never wear the color of the team I am covering or anything with their logo on it. Saying good luck to a coach is fine by me. I mean, we are human beings, aren't we? Cheering by reporters is a no-no in my book. Hate use of the word "we" Saw a radio announcer almost get ejected for throwing his arms up more than once to question a call. He almost got the boot. Radio people are the worst homers in the world. Some TV people are, too. When I am covering a game, prep or college I wear neutral colors. Heck, I don't even have a cap of the prep team I cover. ... I have material of the college team, but don't wear it to a game I am covering. ...

 

[EmbassyRow]

I'm at a girls' state basketball tournament a couple of years ago. Every writer on press row notices the kid from the Hayseed Weekly, who looks like he's been out of high school for all of a week. He's wearing Hayseed's colors, cheering for Hayseed on press row...and no one's saying anything to him. We're figuring the state athletic ashociation will eventually see/hear this cockbag and pull his credentials.

Never underestimate the density of state athletic ashociations.

Hayseed makes its way to the state title game (which it eventually wins). We've been making fun of the guy the entire weekend to one another, which gives us something to enjoy outside of the basketball. Anyway, I'm filing my gamer and sidebar on the third-place team from my area as the state finalists are warming up on the court.

One of my esteemed colleagues (I certainly hope he's reading this, since he's become more lurker than poster lately) flies into the press room and pulls me out of my chair. Says I've got to see this to believe it.

The Hayseed Weekly ashhole, press credentials around his neck, is smack-dab in the middle of the Hayseed student section, jumping and screaming like the rest of the little ships.

My mother now teaches math at Hayseed High School. I wish she didn't.

 

[Damaramu]

State high school track meet in Wisconsin. A reporter from a sister paper wears the shirt from one of the schools she's covering. After a relay team finishes its race, she hugs all four girls at the finish line, crying the whole time. That's how reporting is done.

Maybe it is reporting. You do that and get them comfortable enough to say ANYTHING to you then after you have all the dirt you rip off the shirt to reveal a plain colored shirt and go "haha suckers! I care not about your team!" and run away.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Also have to be careful what colors you wear. I never wear the color of the team I am covering or anything with their logo on it. Saying good luck to a coach is fine by me. I mean, we are human beings, aren't we? Cheering by reporters is a no-no in my book. Hate use of the word "we" Saw a radio announcer almost get ejected for throwing his arms up more than once to question a call. He almost got the boot. Radio people are the worst homers in the world. Some TV people are, too. When I am covering a game, prep or college I wear neutral colors. Heck, I don't even have a cap of the prep team I cover. ... I have material of the college team, but don't wear it to a game I am covering. ...

I accidentally did that once. A coach made sure to mention it to me, though we got along well enough that I think he knew it was not intentional.

So now, the colors are simpler. Much simpler.

 

[Hustle]

I think I've told this story before: I covered a state wrestling tournament within the past few years. For the finals, I'm on press row. Next to me is a woman wearing a tye-dyed wrestling T-shirt featuring a particular school.

The finals start, and she starts yelling. Cheering for every one of the kids she was covering. I held it for about three matches.

"Ma'am?" Didn't hear me. Too busy screaming.

"Ma'am!" Ditto.

"MA'AM!" Finally, she perks up. "This is a working press area. There should be no cheering!"

"Well, I'm sorry, I just get excited for the kids," she says, rather snottily.

"Ma'am, we may be excited for the kids we cover too. But look up and down - none of the rest of us is screaming."

[muttering]

Us and our high-fallutin' rules.

 

[pressboxer]

It's not something I've initiated, encouraged or felt comfortable with, but coaches have hugged me after games on a few occasions.
A simple handshake would suffice.

One of our area football teams won its first-round playoff game in overtime after having something like five possessions inside the 20 fail to produce points. I caught up to the coach, whom I've dealt with for several years now, just as his wife did. She planted a big ol' congratulatory smooch on him and his lips were still puckered when he turned to me.

A handshake was all he got.

 

[pressboxer]

Also have to be careful what colors you wear. I never wear the color of the team I am covering or anything with their logo on it. Saying good luck to a coach is fine by me. I mean, we are human beings, aren't we? Cheering by reporters is a no-no in my book. Hate use of the word "we" Saw a radio announcer almost get ejected for throwing his arms up more than once to question a call. He almost got the boot. Radio people are the worst homers in the world. Some TV people are, too. When I am covering a game, prep or college I wear neutral colors. Heck, I don't even have a cap of the prep team I cover. ... I have material of the college team, but don't wear it to a game I am covering. ...

I accidentally did that once. A coach made sure to mention it to me, though we got along well enough that I think he knew it was not intentional.

So now, the colors are simpler. Much simpler.

As I've said (and been made fun of for) many times, my standard attire for covering football is a white polo and khaki slacks. I have yet to run into a team with that color scheme.