Brain-drainers

I just finished this mind-numbing freelance feature on a defensive player at a major school going into the NFL draft. Without a doubt, this was the most painful, difficult and taxing article I've ever written in my short career. Not surprisingly, his coach wouldn't get back to me at all, you had to pry the words out of the kid's mouth with a crowbar & he wouldn't give you anything that could really stand out, plus the deadline was sprung up on me at the last minute and while my other job just got more taxing. What are some stories that have caused stomach ulcers and hair loss amongst ye?

 

c'mon, phila, that's cake.

even with boring quotes and no coach you can still quote mel jr. and have note where all the mock drafts list him going, etc., etc.

 

Orgeron?

 

The guy is a little under-the-radar, but I wanted to get a feel for this guy as a person. Unless you're a psycho fan of this school (which I'm sure there are), what's the reason to give a damn about him unless you can find out something interesting or unique about him? Basically, I wanted to turn a fluff assignment into a serious article, but I think I couldn't finish the job. It would have also helped if the guy didn't live hundreds of miles away, too.

Oh, Henry: a lot farther east, but not near a coast.

 

I shoulda known it wasn't Patrick Willis, who is by all accounts a good interview.

 

just how short has your career been? this sounds like it should take an hour or two, maybe four if you're new in the business.

 

Been writing for pay for three years now. It was a 1,700-word feature, but I had other projects from my main job to also think about. Still, doing a feature on a person you've only spoken with half a dozen times is still a bit of a challenge for me.

 

I don't think you're gonna get much sympathy here. I've done hundreds of stories on athletes I talked to one time.