Calling sources on a holiday

I'll stop calling them on holidays when they stop having games on my birthday.

 

I've had coaches act put out because I called them during the school day, when they have classes to tend to, fires to put out, papers to grade, etc., etc., etc. I've always liked Sundays because there's a good chance they're at home watching baseball or golf and might have a few uninterrupted minutes to talk.

So I guess the answer is that when you're a journalist, there's really no good time for someone to talk to you.

 

Kinda what I was thinking. But who knows, maybe Mother's Day is a full-day event in some families. I can only speak about mine, which consists of cards, gifts, maybe lunch and just hanging around doing a little bit of nothing.

 

Don't really have enough info to know how to respond to this but here are a few thoughts:

1. Some coaches are dickish all the time. Let it roll off your back.

2. You seem to have a resentment about your job writing preps. Better get over that fast.

3. If this is not a breaking story and is the first time you have tried to call him about it, I'd say that you generally should try to leave the coaches alone on Sunday, which might be their only day off.

4. If you tried him at school and couldn't reach him, I'd say. "Gee, I'm sorry to bother you today, coach, but I left messages, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and never heard back. I have to finish this story today." Put it back in his court.

Bottom line, if this is someone you need to work with routinely, I would apologize and ask what the best way is to reach him in the future.

 

No. 2 is not in any way true.

 

I was basing that on this sentence of yours ...

 

Eh, I would have made a snide reference no matter the level. Johnny College. Johnny Millionaire. Pick one. The point is, working on a Sunday isn't my cup of tea, either.

 

Understood.

 

If they're hitting the public teat — elected official, et al — hit 'em anytime, any day (within reason, obviously).

 

I have zone stories to do every week, two of them, and with how busy the rest of my week is dealing with the mainsheet, there really isn't any time other than sunday's that I have to get these coaches. So, I'm always working on Sunday, mother's day included. My coaches last night had no problem with me calling them. Heck, with 130 high schools to cover, the two I called last night were the first time I've called them this year...and the playoffs start tomorrow

 

All right, so dude tells me to call him on his prep period. I do so. No answer. Left a message. No call back (as of yet). Emailed him. No response.

So I guess I'm just going to head over there at around 3 o'clock today and hope he doesn't humiliate me in front of his track team.

 

This is typical of certain coaches, by the way. They just don't want to talk.