I Saw It With My Own Eyes

College football today. Team from six hours away comes to play team I cover. Paper that covers the team that came to my town sends a photographer and reporter. The photographer is WEARING THE VISITING TEAM'S JERSEY ON THE SIDELINE WHILE SHOOTING!

Worst thing I've ever seen.

Rant over.

 

wow! And just think, he's probably a future publisher or EE.

 

I see it every week from people who work at my shop.

 

Been done. I knew one reporter who couldn't cover his alma mater because he would cheer on press row.

 

I didn't see this instance, but a reporter at a weekly paper here wore gear of the team he was covering at the state softball tourney in June.

He was decked out in a polo and hat, complete with a bag with the logo of said school.

I ran into him a bunch of times when I worked in Frankfort, and it was the same every damn time. Pissed me off, but there was nothing I could really do.

 

call the guy out

seriously, tell him he's an embarrassment to the profession

rip the guy until he goes to his car and puts on a jacket or something

that shit is inexcusable

 

But he's "respected" journalist.

And he's been in the biz, like, forever (I think).

:

 

Saw it today too in Guelph. Although not 100 percent if the guy was shooting for the paper or if he was with the university.

 

I covered my alma mater for two separate, lengthy stretches — and that's two separate stretches for my college and two for my high school — and would never, ever stoop so low as to wear anything resembling their colors on gameday.
Of course, one day at the college practice, I wore a T-shirt of the team the college had just drubbed on the road two days before. Coach sees it and says, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
The honest answer was I was just trying to get a rise out of him. I think he knew it, too.

 

Have you ever worn the colors of either team and didn't realize it until you got to the stadium. Happened a lot to me and a few times because I didn't have anything clean to wear.
It's amazing how a lot of people take that shit seriously.

 

walk up to the person, with a straight face, and say something along the lines of: "it's awesome that bumblefuck decided to hire a public relations guy. they must keep you real busy down at the bumblefuck athletic office, and you must take a huuuuuuge burden off the athletic director's plate. how did you score that job ... and do they pay well?"

 

Photogs are held to completely different standards than print journalists.

Damn near every one I've worked with accepts freebies, roots for the home team, along with other stuff of which a reporter would be crucified.

Not all photogs behave this way, mind you...just enough to make me notice.