Juan López
My vision was blurry, I felt like I was about to vomit and all I wanted to do was crawl in to bed and sleep – I was higher than I had ever been in my life.
Yep, last Sunday I traveled to Pikes Peak, one of the highest mountains in Colorado, which has a summit that reaches 14,110 feet and is not for the faint of heart.
I was there covering the 87th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, in which rally cars, motorcycles, quads and other types of vehicles race up the mountain, some going more than 100 miles per hour – which is ridiculous considering there are 156 turns and no barriers separating the drivers from flying off the edge.
Anyway, while these guys were busy flying up the mountain, I was busy flying to the bathroom. Apparently, high altitude makes my urge to excrete bodily fluids increase by about 500 percent. I had about four and a half sips of water the whole time I was up there and I literally used the bathroom about every 20 minutes. I was baffled.
But other than the fact that my bladder was running wild, my vision was as good as a blindfolded Cyclops’ and my stomach felt like a bubbling mess, my experience at the summit of Pikes Peak was unbelievable.
The scenery was exquisite, the races were amazing and the people were friendlier than normal.
Because of all this I’ve come to the conclusion that high altitudes change things. It changed how my body worked, it changed how people treated me and it changed how my laptop worked. Due to the thin air, I had to shut down my computer every 30 minutes because not enough air was flowing through the hard drive. Never has technology let me down so much.
Despite the transformations I experienced at 14,110 feet above sea level, I would not hesitate to go back again – except next time I’ll be sure not to drink anything before I go.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
A different process
Jordan Mason
A faint sound woke me up. It was my cell phone ringing beside my bed.
As I groggily answered the phone my friend asked in disbelief, “Are you asleep?”
“Yes,” I said as I wondered what else I was supposed to be doing at nine on a Saturday morning.
And then it hit me—it was Monday.
This is my life now that I am done training as a studio production intern and the beginning my normal schedule. This means that I will generally work Wednesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Yes, these hours are unusual, but they actually appeal to me because I don’t have to get up in the morning and I have most of the afternoon to be as productive or unproductive as I see fit.
But, most importantly, I enjoy the work. I am responsible for deciding what will be in the highlight of whatever game I am covering that night in Baseball Tonight and SportsCenter.
In addition to putting together the highlight, I create a shotsheet, a general overview of what is in the highlight for the anchors to read, and a cutsheet, an overview of the highlight for the director.
Needless to say this is different from anything I’ve done in print journalism except for logging the games, which is tantamount to scoring games in baseball.
But I enjoy the creative process of creating a highlight, which is not very different from deciding what goes into a story.
One of my supervisors said “you want to make your highlight memorable.” There is generally an example of this everyday on SportsCenter.
A highlight is often bigger than the scoring plays and I enjoy the process a finding what can make it memorable. It can be a mascot or a fan or an unusual play.
And that creative process is why I love this internship to this point.
And not having anywhere to be at 8 in the morning is a plus too.
A faint sound woke me up. It was my cell phone ringing beside my bed.
As I groggily answered the phone my friend asked in disbelief, “Are you asleep?”
“Yes,” I said as I wondered what else I was supposed to be doing at nine on a Saturday morning.
And then it hit me—it was Monday.
This is my life now that I am done training as a studio production intern and the beginning my normal schedule. This means that I will generally work Wednesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Yes, these hours are unusual, but they actually appeal to me because I don’t have to get up in the morning and I have most of the afternoon to be as productive or unproductive as I see fit.
But, most importantly, I enjoy the work. I am responsible for deciding what will be in the highlight of whatever game I am covering that night in Baseball Tonight and SportsCenter.
In addition to putting together the highlight, I create a shotsheet, a general overview of what is in the highlight for the anchors to read, and a cutsheet, an overview of the highlight for the director.
Needless to say this is different from anything I’ve done in print journalism except for logging the games, which is tantamount to scoring games in baseball.
But I enjoy the creative process of creating a highlight, which is not very different from deciding what goes into a story.
One of my supervisors said “you want to make your highlight memorable.” There is generally an example of this everyday on SportsCenter.
A highlight is often bigger than the scoring plays and I enjoy the process a finding what can make it memorable. It can be a mascot or a fan or an unusual play.
And that creative process is why I love this internship to this point.
And not having anywhere to be at 8 in the morning is a plus too.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Law and Order
By Ronnie Turner
The Salt Lake Tribune
On the morning of June 22, I found myself sitting in a crowded courtroom in Park City, Utah, waiting on the judge to arrive from his chamber. I had been up since 5:30 a.m., hadn't had my usual cup of iced coffee and still couldn't get the sound of alarm clocks out of my head.
One might wonder why a sports reporter is stuck in a courtroom at 8:30 a.m. when he should be sleeping or making his way to the office. But given the increasing number of athletes-involved-in-legal-issues, it's a wonder that I haven't spent more time reporting from the courthouse. Today's assignment? Former University of Florida basketball player Edward "Teddy" Dupay, who was arrested June 19, 2008 at Utah ski resort and charged with three first-degree felonies—rape, aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping—allegedly involving a 28-year-old woman.
Dupay, who turns 30 on Friday, was in court for a disposition hearing, where he was expected to enter a plea agreement.
After several hearings for suspected offenders making their first appearance in 3rd District Court, he was called to the podium with his lawyer, Ed Brass.
Original charges were read. Plea agreement was entered. Dupay pleaded guilty to charges of lesser charges of aggravated assault, threat against life of property or property and intoxication. A sentencing hearing was set for Aug. 24. Now the hard part: Getting either Dupay, Brass or Summit County prosecutor Paul Christensen to provide a comment from my story.
Brass politely told me that he would not comment until the sentencing hearing. Christensen did the same. Dupay also had no comment.
A 35-minute drive later, I was back at my desk knocking out a story for the Tribune's Web site. I had already typed up background information of the case before leaving my room and wrote the lead before heading back to Salt Lake City, so it didn't take long.
After filing the story, I resumed writing the high school football feature that I had started the day before. I didn't have time to waste; the story was due in a few hours. My stint on the law and order beat had ended…at least for now.
The Salt Lake Tribune
On the morning of June 22, I found myself sitting in a crowded courtroom in Park City, Utah, waiting on the judge to arrive from his chamber. I had been up since 5:30 a.m., hadn't had my usual cup of iced coffee and still couldn't get the sound of alarm clocks out of my head.
One might wonder why a sports reporter is stuck in a courtroom at 8:30 a.m. when he should be sleeping or making his way to the office. But given the increasing number of athletes-involved-in-legal-issues, it's a wonder that I haven't spent more time reporting from the courthouse. Today's assignment? Former University of Florida basketball player Edward "Teddy" Dupay, who was arrested June 19, 2008 at Utah ski resort and charged with three first-degree felonies—rape, aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping—allegedly involving a 28-year-old woman.
Dupay, who turns 30 on Friday, was in court for a disposition hearing, where he was expected to enter a plea agreement.
After several hearings for suspected offenders making their first appearance in 3rd District Court, he was called to the podium with his lawyer, Ed Brass.
Original charges were read. Plea agreement was entered. Dupay pleaded guilty to charges of lesser charges of aggravated assault, threat against life of property or property and intoxication. A sentencing hearing was set for Aug. 24. Now the hard part: Getting either Dupay, Brass or Summit County prosecutor Paul Christensen to provide a comment from my story.
Brass politely told me that he would not comment until the sentencing hearing. Christensen did the same. Dupay also had no comment.
A 35-minute drive later, I was back at my desk knocking out a story for the Tribune's Web site. I had already typed up background information of the case before leaving my room and wrote the lead before heading back to Salt Lake City, so it didn't take long.
After filing the story, I resumed writing the high school football feature that I had started the day before. I didn't have time to waste; the story was due in a few hours. My stint on the law and order beat had ended…at least for now.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Fashion police alert
Anna Kim
Buffalo News intern
No cheering in the press box. And don’t wear high heels to a game.
In my overexcitement to cover my first Buffalo Bisons baseball game, I threw on a pair of my most professional-looking shoes. Or so I thought.
If I had found the time to kick off my shoes while scrambling down seven flights of stairs to the postgame interviews, I would have kicked myself, too. As we approached the locker room, one of the other writers looked down at my feet.
“Why are you wearing heels?”
I had asked myself the same question after the first flight of stairs.
Though proper shoe selection isn’t necessarily the most earth-shattering epiphany I’ve ever had, it is an example of the laundry list of real life lessons I’ve learned in my week and a half at the Buffalo News. There really is no substitute for the experience of working in a real newsroom.
I’ve been thrown into real assignments and very real deadlines. I’ve met some of the pros who have been in the business for decades, and I’ve been humbled by everything I have left to learn.
But I am learning.
I saw the writer at the next day’s game. He nodded approvingly at my shoes. They have great arch support, perfect for tackling any amount of stairs.
Buffalo News intern
No cheering in the press box. And don’t wear high heels to a game.
In my overexcitement to cover my first Buffalo Bisons baseball game, I threw on a pair of my most professional-looking shoes. Or so I thought.
If I had found the time to kick off my shoes while scrambling down seven flights of stairs to the postgame interviews, I would have kicked myself, too. As we approached the locker room, one of the other writers looked down at my feet.
“Why are you wearing heels?”
I had asked myself the same question after the first flight of stairs.
Though proper shoe selection isn’t necessarily the most earth-shattering epiphany I’ve ever had, it is an example of the laundry list of real life lessons I’ve learned in my week and a half at the Buffalo News. There really is no substitute for the experience of working in a real newsroom.
I’ve been thrown into real assignments and very real deadlines. I’ve met some of the pros who have been in the business for decades, and I’ve been humbled by everything I have left to learn.
But I am learning.
I saw the writer at the next day’s game. He nodded approvingly at my shoes. They have great arch support, perfect for tackling any amount of stairs.
Jumping into the job
David Ubben
I knew I should expect anything heading into my first week at The Oklahoman, but I wasn’t expecting anything in my first hour.
I flew back to my hometown from Poynter on the afternoon of June 7, and made my way to Oklahoma City on Monday morning. I knew I’d be a little bit out of the loop, since the other interns had been there almost two weeks, so I stopped by the newsroom to check in and see how things had gone. I started making a couple calls on other stories before my editor got off his phone and asked me if I wanted a story.
I shouldn’t have to tell you my answer, but he needed someone to go cover Bryce Harper, who was playing in a summer league doubleheader later that night. The larger story was whether Harper, who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated just a few days earlier alongside the headline “Baseball’s Chosen One,” would be relocating to the Oklahoma City area.
As soon as I arrived at the ballpark, I located Harper’s dad and took a seat next to him to see what he could tell me. Between games, I got a chance to isolate Bryce and he admitted there was no chance he would move to Oklahoma, answering a question that had dominated the day’s headlines. Later, his dad shooed away a few TV news reporters, providing me with news that was exclusive to The Oklahoman the next morning.
A pretty good first day, considering I wasn’t supposed to actually start until Tuesday.
I knew I should expect anything heading into my first week at The Oklahoman, but I wasn’t expecting anything in my first hour.
I flew back to my hometown from Poynter on the afternoon of June 7, and made my way to Oklahoma City on Monday morning. I knew I’d be a little bit out of the loop, since the other interns had been there almost two weeks, so I stopped by the newsroom to check in and see how things had gone. I started making a couple calls on other stories before my editor got off his phone and asked me if I wanted a story.
I shouldn’t have to tell you my answer, but he needed someone to go cover Bryce Harper, who was playing in a summer league doubleheader later that night. The larger story was whether Harper, who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated just a few days earlier alongside the headline “Baseball’s Chosen One,” would be relocating to the Oklahoma City area.
As soon as I arrived at the ballpark, I located Harper’s dad and took a seat next to him to see what he could tell me. Between games, I got a chance to isolate Bryce and he admitted there was no chance he would move to Oklahoma, answering a question that had dominated the day’s headlines. Later, his dad shooed away a few TV news reporters, providing me with news that was exclusive to The Oklahoman the next morning.
A pretty good first day, considering I wasn’t supposed to actually start until Tuesday.
We have liftoff
By Larry Young
Houston Chronicle intern
As I exited the elevator and walked onto the ninth floor of the Houston Chronicle building on the first day of my internship, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d thought I might be doing mostly writing, probably on one beat, but after meeting with my sports editor, Carlton Thompson, I found out that this summer will entail a multitude of assignments.
I’ve only been here a little over a week and so far, I’ve shadowed the Astros beat writer as he worked the clubhouse and batting practice before the game, and fielded post game interviews. I’ve also been to Texans OTAs with Chronicle reporter John McClain and shot video of him interviewing players and coaches. I’ve also attended a press conference for Tristar (a Houston-based sports memorabilia business), promoting upcoming signings.
That’s not all. I’ve also covered Shad Ireland, a Minnesota Ironman who’s been on dialysis since his kidneys failed at age 10. My story about him, published June 12, was my first at the Chronicle.
But No. 1 on the list of what I do this summer is being present at every budget meeting and providing feedback on what should run on page one. This has been the aspect of the internship I’ve valued most. Never has my opinion been considered in this capacity.
So what I’ve found at the Chronicle is there’s a warm, comforting staff that’s focusing not only on ensuring that my stay in Houston is comfortable, but also in fostering my growth as a journalist. I’ve appreciated every second and look forward to the weeks ahead. The ladder is the reason I’m here.
Houston Chronicle intern
As I exited the elevator and walked onto the ninth floor of the Houston Chronicle building on the first day of my internship, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d thought I might be doing mostly writing, probably on one beat, but after meeting with my sports editor, Carlton Thompson, I found out that this summer will entail a multitude of assignments.
I’ve only been here a little over a week and so far, I’ve shadowed the Astros beat writer as he worked the clubhouse and batting practice before the game, and fielded post game interviews. I’ve also been to Texans OTAs with Chronicle reporter John McClain and shot video of him interviewing players and coaches. I’ve also attended a press conference for Tristar (a Houston-based sports memorabilia business), promoting upcoming signings.
That’s not all. I’ve also covered Shad Ireland, a Minnesota Ironman who’s been on dialysis since his kidneys failed at age 10. My story about him, published June 12, was my first at the Chronicle.
But No. 1 on the list of what I do this summer is being present at every budget meeting and providing feedback on what should run on page one. This has been the aspect of the internship I’ve valued most. Never has my opinion been considered in this capacity.
So what I’ve found at the Chronicle is there’s a warm, comforting staff that’s focusing not only on ensuring that my stay in Houston is comfortable, but also in fostering my growth as a journalist. I’ve appreciated every second and look forward to the weeks ahead. The ladder is the reason I’m here.
So far, so good in Minny
By Nate Taylor
Meeting 300 people in one day can be taxing on the mind and body. That’s what I did on my first day at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. To me, the building is huge, the newspaper is huge and the newsroom is huge.
It all seemed so big to me that first day that I started to think I could get lost in such a place. Then I started meeting people. Each person I introduced myself to was excited to meet me. Not one person gave the impression that I was wasting his or her time.
Seriously, every last person was excited to see a young person in the newsroom. They smiled. They told me about their internships. They all wanted to help me and they didn’t even really know me yet.
It surprised me. It made reconsider what my role at this newspaper is for 10 weeks. In a way, I’m here to bring excitement and passion to the newsroom. After all, like many papers, the Star Tribune had its share of tough economic times lately. It has gone through two rounds of layoffs and a Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing. People here have told me the newsroom has not being the same since.
Now I don’t consider myself the savior of newsroom morale, but I view it as partly my responsibility to do what I can to keep it high. As I see it, the way I go about my work will affect others because I—and other young people like me—are the future of the business. I’m continuing the living legacy of keeping print journalism.
This past Tuesday, every intern in the newsroom was asked to speak about their aspirations. It wasn’t difficult for me. I want my colleagues to see my love for journalism. That way, just maybe, I can be part of the fight to keep newsrooms’ morale where it should be.
Meeting 300 people in one day can be taxing on the mind and body. That’s what I did on my first day at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. To me, the building is huge, the newspaper is huge and the newsroom is huge.
It all seemed so big to me that first day that I started to think I could get lost in such a place. Then I started meeting people. Each person I introduced myself to was excited to meet me. Not one person gave the impression that I was wasting his or her time.
Seriously, every last person was excited to see a young person in the newsroom. They smiled. They told me about their internships. They all wanted to help me and they didn’t even really know me yet.
It surprised me. It made reconsider what my role at this newspaper is for 10 weeks. In a way, I’m here to bring excitement and passion to the newsroom. After all, like many papers, the Star Tribune had its share of tough economic times lately. It has gone through two rounds of layoffs and a Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing. People here have told me the newsroom has not being the same since.
Now I don’t consider myself the savior of newsroom morale, but I view it as partly my responsibility to do what I can to keep it high. As I see it, the way I go about my work will affect others because I—and other young people like me—are the future of the business. I’m continuing the living legacy of keeping print journalism.
This past Tuesday, every intern in the newsroom was asked to speak about their aspirations. It wasn’t difficult for me. I want my colleagues to see my love for journalism. That way, just maybe, I can be part of the fight to keep newsrooms’ morale where it should be.
My First Week at the Fayetteville Observer
By Andrew Johnson
What a wonderful experience it has been so far for me at the Fayetteville Observer.
I knew it was going to be a great summer from the first day after my co-workers welcomed me with open arms.
In my first week I have had the opportunity to write two game stories on the Fayetteville SwampDogs, a college summer league team that I will be covering for the next two months. My job is to cover every home game. So far it has been a very enjoyable experience, and one that makes me feel thankful for the preparation that I received at SJI. The classroom sessions at the Poynter Institute and the game coverage of the Tampa Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays have really worked to my benefit.
I am also excited about an upcoming feature that I'm writing about a retired first class sergeant Alfonso Smith, who was inducted into the North Carolina Boxing Hall of Fame on June 5. Smith is a former Fort Bragg boxing coach, and I interviewed him this week. The story will run in Sunday’s paper, and I cannot wait to see it!
What a wonderful experience it has been so far for me at the Fayetteville Observer.
I knew it was going to be a great summer from the first day after my co-workers welcomed me with open arms.
In my first week I have had the opportunity to write two game stories on the Fayetteville SwampDogs, a college summer league team that I will be covering for the next two months. My job is to cover every home game. So far it has been a very enjoyable experience, and one that makes me feel thankful for the preparation that I received at SJI. The classroom sessions at the Poynter Institute and the game coverage of the Tampa Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays have really worked to my benefit.
I am also excited about an upcoming feature that I'm writing about a retired first class sergeant Alfonso Smith, who was inducted into the North Carolina Boxing Hall of Fame on June 5. Smith is a former Fort Bragg boxing coach, and I interviewed him this week. The story will run in Sunday’s paper, and I cannot wait to see it!
A very busy intern
By Ronnie Turner
Sports Journalism Institute
June 17 officially put my tenure as a sports writer at The Salt Lake Tribune at two weeks.
What a tenure it's been.
During these two short weeks, I showed up late for the first day of work (this was before SJI), got lost numerous times while driving around town, paddle surfed in the Great Salt Lake, once drove in circles around my newspaper's parking garage, covered a rodeo in freezing temperatures, drove around and up some mountains, got lost while looking for BYU's athletic administration building, mistakenly stepped on a waxed floor at Bountiful High School and made life miserable for three janitors, had an NCAA official call me at 6:15 a.m. and a college coach at 7:30 a.m., wrote a story that was the centerpiece of Wednesday's sports section, was turned down for an interview by a couple of oncologists and spent 13 hours in the office Wednesday, four of those working on breaking news coverage.
It's been two weeks of interviews, emails, voice mails, rainy days, long days spent by the phone, short nights of sleep, great expectations, minor disappointments and worthwhile achievements. Two weeks of intense fun.
Can't say that I'm surprised at the amount of work I've been given. My superiors and colleagues at The Salt Lake Tribune treat me as a regular employee, not as some know-nothing intern. My bosses give me assignments and expect to have them completed by deadline. No babying and no excuses accepted. Plenty of feedback. Just the way I like it.
I've had four stories published since arrival, with two more set to hit the newsstands Friday. The signature story was the centerpiece, a feature on a high school cowboy who nearly had his career ended and life threatened by a mysterious illness that caused temporary paralysis. The latest story was a sidebar explaining a rare form of pancreatic cancer that has befallen BYU men's basketball coach Dave Rose. I had never heard of this form of pancreatic cancer, but after a few hours of painstaking research and interviews, I could probably write a book on it.
In any case, that was a breathtaking start in Salt Lake City. Lord knows what else they'll have me do that takes my breath away.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Get out of the middle
by David Ubben
Gary Estwick spoke to us Friday about how to deal with some of the unfortunate realities of the business today. You might have read about him earlier in the week in a post from Juan López.
Gary spoke from personal experience. He’s been laid off. He’s been furloughed. He’s even been fired. And yet, a decade after he was right where we are now, he’s still around, working hard on a beat and doing great work. He gave us one particular piece of advice I found really insightful:
“The best and the worst in the business will always have jobs,” Estwick said. “You’ve just got to get the hell out of the middle.”
It was a roundabout way of saying it, but since I don’t want to live in the local shantytown with a job, or in my parents’ basement without a job, I need to be the best. That won’t be easy. But it’s a task that I’m excited to take on when I enter this business.
It was really refreshing to learn from someone who can’t hide his enthusiasm to helping us learn. Gary’s a pretty low-key guy, but it’s easy to see how much he cares when he knows one of us is close to figuring something out. Whether we learned from mistakes in our writing, his speeches during the week, or the lessons he’s already learned over the course of his decade in the industry, his emphasis was on us.
To quote Mr. Carter, I’m sure I’ll “face some aaaversty” in my career. Hopefully, I’ll be able to handle it as well as Gary has and keep my passion for this profession.
Gary Estwick spoke to us Friday about how to deal with some of the unfortunate realities of the business today. You might have read about him earlier in the week in a post from Juan López.
Gary spoke from personal experience. He’s been laid off. He’s been furloughed. He’s even been fired. And yet, a decade after he was right where we are now, he’s still around, working hard on a beat and doing great work. He gave us one particular piece of advice I found really insightful:
“The best and the worst in the business will always have jobs,” Estwick said. “You’ve just got to get the hell out of the middle.”
It was a roundabout way of saying it, but since I don’t want to live in the local shantytown with a job, or in my parents’ basement without a job, I need to be the best. That won’t be easy. But it’s a task that I’m excited to take on when I enter this business.
It was really refreshing to learn from someone who can’t hide his enthusiasm to helping us learn. Gary’s a pretty low-key guy, but it’s easy to see how much he cares when he knows one of us is close to figuring something out. Whether we learned from mistakes in our writing, his speeches during the week, or the lessons he’s already learned over the course of his decade in the industry, his emphasis was on us.
To quote Mr. Carter, I’m sure I’ll “face some aaaversty” in my career. Hopefully, I’ll be able to handle it as well as Gary has and keep my passion for this profession.
Building relationships
by Anna Kim
There is no doubt that cultivating sources is an important part of being a successful journalist. But most of the speakers at SJI referred to the process the way they like to approach it: building relationships.
ESPN’s Joe Schad has a binder that marks the first day of spring practice for college football teams. On that morning, he texts the coaching staff to wish them good luck at the beginning of the season. “It shows you care,” he said.
Eduardo Encina, a high school sports reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, spoke of how he texts high school athletes to maintain relationships.
Tim Layden, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated since 1994, talked about a piece he wrote that focused on the recovery of Buffalo Bill Kevin Everett from a spinal injury he suffered on Sept. 9, 2007. Layden said he worked for 11 weeks to develop a relationship with Everett’s surgeon.
Layden finally was granted the access to sit down and tell Everett’s story in December. Nobody really knew about Everett’s progress and to Layden’s surprise, Everett walked in and shook Layden’s hand.
“I had to take 15 minutes for myself,” he said. “I was thrown back off my heels.”
The process had taken 11 weeks. The payoff was priceless.
There is no doubt that cultivating sources is an important part of being a successful journalist. But most of the speakers at SJI referred to the process the way they like to approach it: building relationships.
ESPN’s Joe Schad has a binder that marks the first day of spring practice for college football teams. On that morning, he texts the coaching staff to wish them good luck at the beginning of the season. “It shows you care,” he said.
Eduardo Encina, a high school sports reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, spoke of how he texts high school athletes to maintain relationships.
Tim Layden, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated since 1994, talked about a piece he wrote that focused on the recovery of Buffalo Bill Kevin Everett from a spinal injury he suffered on Sept. 9, 2007. Layden said he worked for 11 weeks to develop a relationship with Everett’s surgeon.
Layden finally was granted the access to sit down and tell Everett’s story in December. Nobody really knew about Everett’s progress and to Layden’s surprise, Everett walked in and shook Layden’s hand.
“I had to take 15 minutes for myself,” he said. “I was thrown back off my heels.”
The process had taken 11 weeks. The payoff was priceless.
Back to school
By Nate Taylor
It is always interesting when the discussion comes up on how to talk to high school athletes. I know usually during the conversation, there will always be someone quick to make a joke about how bad a high school athlete was during an interview.
Sure, some of the jokes are actually funny stories since some of these athletes are usually being interview for the first time. Earlier today, I thought Eduardo Encina made an interesting comment on his attempt to get better quotes from high school athletes.
Encina, a reporter from The St. Petersburg Times, said high school athletes will become better interviewers with reporters if the reporters make them feel more comfortable by communicating they way they do. That means reporters use texting and other new technology to contact the high school source.
It’s something I want to try to do when I cover the local high schools again this fall. It’s a good idea from Encina. As reporters, we have to use the new technology to get high school athletes to talk to us more and better about their stories.
I just started covering high schools last fall for The Kansas City Star. It was a new adjustment for me to talk to high school athletes who are not always interview-ready when they answer questions.
So much of the way these athletes communicate is through the Internet or in text message. I still found it hard to believe that one person can send more than 20,000 texts in a month, but it does show that this is the way young athletes want to be approached when they want to talk to people.
Catching up with Le Batard
by Jordan Mason
Radio show host Dan Le Batard said he never shies away from an uncomfortable topic. And he was no different in a conference call with the Sports Journalism Institute on Friday.
Le Batard managed to include a conversation he once had on the sex life of a UFC wrestler when he interviewed him for a story in his chat with the class of 2009.
The University of Miami graduate said he is fascinated by the interactions between different ethnicities in sports and the dynamics of these relationships. His views on these topics have earned him the title of an apologist for athletes from a few of his peers in the media. But Le Batard said his approach has had benefits in relating to subjects.
His most interesting example was his eye-catching feature on running back Edgerrin James when James played for the Indianapolis Colts. The story made national headlines as James admitted that on one particular play where he was told to fall down after he got the first down, he instead ran for a touchdown, saying he heard a cash register ringing the entire way.
Le Batard admits players may feel safer with him during such admissions because they believe they can relate to him better than the average reporter. “But that did not by any means mean that I had anything in common with him,” Le Batard said.
Le Batard does not see himself as an apologist for anyone—athlete or reporter. He said that what his peers often perceive as him justifying erratic behavior in sports is simply him trying to explain such behavior. He said he will attempt to do this rather than judge a person for his/her actions.
Does that endear him to the athletes he interviews?
On occasion. But he will still not shy away from the difficult subjects.
If you don’t believe him, just ask home run record holder Giant Barry Bonds, who Le Batard said resorts to crying nearly every time he interviews him.
Radio show host Dan Le Batard said he never shies away from an uncomfortable topic. And he was no different in a conference call with the Sports Journalism Institute on Friday.
Le Batard managed to include a conversation he once had on the sex life of a UFC wrestler when he interviewed him for a story in his chat with the class of 2009.
The University of Miami graduate said he is fascinated by the interactions between different ethnicities in sports and the dynamics of these relationships. His views on these topics have earned him the title of an apologist for athletes from a few of his peers in the media. But Le Batard said his approach has had benefits in relating to subjects.
His most interesting example was his eye-catching feature on running back Edgerrin James when James played for the Indianapolis Colts. The story made national headlines as James admitted that on one particular play where he was told to fall down after he got the first down, he instead ran for a touchdown, saying he heard a cash register ringing the entire way.
Le Batard admits players may feel safer with him during such admissions because they believe they can relate to him better than the average reporter. “But that did not by any means mean that I had anything in common with him,” Le Batard said.
Le Batard does not see himself as an apologist for anyone—athlete or reporter. He said that what his peers often perceive as him justifying erratic behavior in sports is simply him trying to explain such behavior. He said he will attempt to do this rather than judge a person for his/her actions.
Does that endear him to the athletes he interviews?
On occasion. But he will still not shy away from the difficult subjects.
If you don’t believe him, just ask home run record holder Giant Barry Bonds, who Le Batard said resorts to crying nearly every time he interviews him.
Creepy courtyard
David Ubben
I don’t like critters. There’s a story I’ll let you piece together involving me, a renegade cricket in my bedroom, and a scream with a pitch that seems to get higher as years go by.
The Poynter Institute campus, namely the enclosed courtyard, is overrun with dark brown, skinny lizards a little longer than the palm of your hand. They might seem harmless, but I know if people keep leaving doors open long enough, I’m going to be typing and all of a sudden my Word document is going to have a streak of 1111111111111111111s. I’ll look down, and one of those little creepers will be staring right back at me from the top of my keyboard, presumably trying to get published on the SJI blog.
Nice try, Mr. Lizard.
Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. If it does, I might have a hefty bill from Poynter for a laptop that somehow ended up shattered on the opposite side of the room from my workstation.
One to follow
By Juan López
The Sports Journalism Institute has given us great tools from the technology to the handouts. But the best resource has been the multitude of guest speakers we’ve had — and on Friday we had one I related to the most.
Tampa Tribune reporter Nick Williams came into our class to speak about some of the trials and tribulations a young journalist has in finding jobs after college.
I had spoken to Williams (SJI Class of 2003) earlier for a story I was writing for our class newspaper to be distributed at the Associated Press Sports Editors convention, so I kind of knew what to expect.
On the phone, he sounded very laid back, but still had insightful answers.
He told the class about some of the places he had been for jobs such as Glens Falls, N.Y., Milwaukee and now Tampa.
Many of our other speakers had told us similar stories about their beginning in the journalism business, but I could relate to Williams the most because of how young he was. Williams entered the classroom wearing a blue dress shirt, blue jeans and a pair of Air Force One’s.
Classy.
Williams gave us a down-to-earth account of what the real world is like.
He’s like us. He grew up in this new technology age and is having to learn different types of media the way we are.
It was nice to hear from a guy who’s in a position that we are likely to be in very soon.
Estwick's take
By Ronnie Turner
Gary Estwick has lived in the real world long enough to know that it’s not going to get an easier for aspiring journalists.
Estwick, an alum of the SJI Class of 1999, has held a variety of jobs during his sports journalism career, including stints at the Austin American-Statesman, the Cincinnati Enquirer and now The Nashville Tennessean, where he covers the Tennessee Titans and the NFL.
Noting today’s struggling newspaper industry, Estwick had one simple message for the SJI Class of 2009 during Friday’s discussion on finding job opportunities: Get great in a hurry.
“Just being good is not good enough,” he said.
Estwick told the class of nine that they should drive to do more than they’re expected to because it could be the difference landing a job after graduation and being unemployed.
Estwick himself started out by covering high schools for the American-Stateman and told the students that they’ll likely start out doing the same, if not more, for their first jobs.
Upon landing that first job, Estwick told the students that they would have to work even harder to keep it.
“Don’t just do what you’re expected to do,” he said.
Spears keeps it real
by Anna Kim
Marc J. Spears, the NBA writer for the Boston Globe, spoke to us about a reporting job he once took for $19,000. “I was driving by a Burger King and I was like, ‘I wonder if I can work there part time,’” he said.
The SJI interns have no doubt heard Mr. Carter has joke about feeding us only bread and water. But kidding aside, for all the journalists, adversity is a reality.
Every speaker has encouraged us to diversify our skills to make ourselves more valuable assets in today’s struggling industry. In addition, Spears emphasized that it is even more important in this age to exhibit tireless work ethic and passion.
He echoed a statement emphasized by Mr. Carter: There is no room for mediocre journalists today.
If bread and water is what it takes to make it, none of the our speakers seemed discouraged—even if it meant considering a part time position at a fast food restaurant along the way.
At the end of the day you have to have perspective, Gary Estwick said. We are being paid to write—something most of us want to do anyhow.
“Never lose your passion for writing,” Tony Silvia, director at USF’s St. Petersburg's Department of Journalism and Media Studies, wrote in an email to me. “Storytelling is a gift and a privilege.”
Marc J. Spears, the NBA writer for the Boston Globe, spoke to us about a reporting job he once took for $19,000. “I was driving by a Burger King and I was like, ‘I wonder if I can work there part time,’” he said.
The SJI interns have no doubt heard Mr. Carter has joke about feeding us only bread and water. But kidding aside, for all the journalists, adversity is a reality.
Every speaker has encouraged us to diversify our skills to make ourselves more valuable assets in today’s struggling industry. In addition, Spears emphasized that it is even more important in this age to exhibit tireless work ethic and passion.
He echoed a statement emphasized by Mr. Carter: There is no room for mediocre journalists today.
If bread and water is what it takes to make it, none of the our speakers seemed discouraged—even if it meant considering a part time position at a fast food restaurant along the way.
At the end of the day you have to have perspective, Gary Estwick said. We are being paid to write—something most of us want to do anyhow.
“Never lose your passion for writing,” Tony Silvia, director at USF’s St. Petersburg's Department of Journalism and Media Studies, wrote in an email to me. “Storytelling is a gift and a privilege.”
A lesson from the field
by Larry Young
Eduardo Encina is far from the strawberry field he once worked.
Now a high school and general assignment reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, Encina has had no problem picking his way through either beat. “It’s a matter of knowing what’s important and what’s interesting to people,” he said. “I always look for something that has impact.”
It hasn’t always been that way. Encina, part of the SJI Class of 1997, Encina recalls an incident that almost ended his career before it started. “I confused Ted Turner’s quote about going to Disney Land with going to Disney World,” he said. “All the sports editors were at the conference (APSE convention). I thought no one was going to hire me.”
To the contrary, he was simply chewed out for lack of attention to detail. And he eventually got his start in York, Pa., at the York Daily Record.
His advice: “Don’t disregard things people say. That’s a lesson I’ll never forget.”
Best advice: “Own the room whether you’re covering high school or college. Build relationships with people. Be the guy people tell stuff to.”
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Schad keeping up
Jordan Mason
Joe Schad of ESPN is a fine example of the by-product of the ever-changing journalism industry. The college football reporter began his career as a newspaper writer before moving on to ESPN Magazine and then the ESPN studios and ESPN.com.
He is now a regular on the College Football Live show and has a blog on ESPN.com.
Schad will begin his fifth season covering college football for the Worldwide Leader this fall. But even as one of the up and coming reporters in the business, Schad is not immune to the ever-changing industry.
The reporter said he remembers a time when older reporters were asking him why he bothered to follow the newest communication device that was impacting the sports world—message boards.
And he sees a parallel today that he is trying to learn in fear of falling behind the times himself—Twitter.
Schad has a Twitter account and a Facebook account for a number of reasons.
For one both are ways to establish direct contact with coaches or athletes, who might be able to help him do his job. Schad recalled multiple occasions in which he has received a scoop on a developing story directly from a player via a Facebook message.
And now coaches and players are announcing news on Twitter, and that’s if an announcement does not turn into news when it hits Twitter a la Shaquille O’Neal announcing his support of former teammate Kobe Bryant in the Finals.
That is why Schad uses every venue possible to do his job. “I’m not ashamed to say you don’t have to be a genius to break a news story,” he said. “You just have to build relationships.”
Schad uses texts in addition to the social Web sites to do this. He said all of these methods have made his difficult job of developing nationwide contacts a bit easier.
The reporter said it is imperative to learn as many communication methods as possible because you never know if they might come in handy in the future.
And that is why, even though he cannot predict how the industry will change next, if it does, he is sure to change with it.
Joe Schad of ESPN is a fine example of the by-product of the ever-changing journalism industry. The college football reporter began his career as a newspaper writer before moving on to ESPN Magazine and then the ESPN studios and ESPN.com.
He is now a regular on the College Football Live show and has a blog on ESPN.com.
Schad will begin his fifth season covering college football for the Worldwide Leader this fall. But even as one of the up and coming reporters in the business, Schad is not immune to the ever-changing industry.
The reporter said he remembers a time when older reporters were asking him why he bothered to follow the newest communication device that was impacting the sports world—message boards.
And he sees a parallel today that he is trying to learn in fear of falling behind the times himself—Twitter.
Schad has a Twitter account and a Facebook account for a number of reasons.
For one both are ways to establish direct contact with coaches or athletes, who might be able to help him do his job. Schad recalled multiple occasions in which he has received a scoop on a developing story directly from a player via a Facebook message.
And now coaches and players are announcing news on Twitter, and that’s if an announcement does not turn into news when it hits Twitter a la Shaquille O’Neal announcing his support of former teammate Kobe Bryant in the Finals.
That is why Schad uses every venue possible to do his job. “I’m not ashamed to say you don’t have to be a genius to break a news story,” he said. “You just have to build relationships.”
Schad uses texts in addition to the social Web sites to do this. He said all of these methods have made his difficult job of developing nationwide contacts a bit easier.
The reporter said it is imperative to learn as many communication methods as possible because you never know if they might come in handy in the future.
And that is why, even though he cannot predict how the industry will change next, if it does, he is sure to change with it.
Maddon on wheels
By Anica Wong
Joe Maddon, manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, is an avid cycling fan. He rides a hybrid Trek 7700FX, which starts around $800.
“You sweat a lot,” he said, laughing. “I love it.”
I forgot to ask him if he wears compression shorts.
In 2008, Maddon’s hobby was documented in the New York Times. At the time, he was the bench coach for the Anaheim Angels. In the article, he said he dismantled his mountain bike before road trips and reassembled it once he arrived at his destination city.
I have something in common with Maddon; we both get excited about cycling. I talked with him at length before Wednesday night’s game against Kansas City.
Maddon told me that he was able to get out for a ride earlier that day along the Bayshore path—I was jealous.
“I got to see a manatee and several dolphins,” he said.
Oh, and Maddon apparently has a chain that needs a little oil. He said he is going to drop his bike off for a tune-up while the Rays are in New York this weekend. Good to know he gives his bike some lovin’.
Joe Maddon, manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, is an avid cycling fan. He rides a hybrid Trek 7700FX, which starts around $800.
“You sweat a lot,” he said, laughing. “I love it.”
I forgot to ask him if he wears compression shorts.
In 2008, Maddon’s hobby was documented in the New York Times. At the time, he was the bench coach for the Anaheim Angels. In the article, he said he dismantled his mountain bike before road trips and reassembled it once he arrived at his destination city.
I have something in common with Maddon; we both get excited about cycling. I talked with him at length before Wednesday night’s game against Kansas City.
Maddon told me that he was able to get out for a ride earlier that day along the Bayshore path—I was jealous.
“I got to see a manatee and several dolphins,” he said.
Oh, and Maddon apparently has a chain that needs a little oil. He said he is going to drop his bike off for a tune-up while the Rays are in New York this weekend. Good to know he gives his bike some lovin’.
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