Forgive me, for I have sinned...

I think one thing people not in the business are most surprised at (other than the fact that we don't just absolutely love being around famous athletes/coaches) is how leaving out the score or getting it wrong can be such an occupational hazard.

After skating on thin ice way too many times over the years regarding the score, I've finally trained myself to confirm a) it's there and b) it's right before I hit the send button. I might have the wrong teams playing, but I'll by God have the right score.

 

Done it twice (that I know of!), and the desk didn't catch it even though we run the box, with a score header, next to the gamer.

 

I once pulled a tripleheader cover on boys high school soccer one day/night. That in itself was a mistake.

But in the middle game, a clear underdog scored a miracle goal with seconds left to win. I wrote it up big as the soccer roundup lede that night.

And then, at 7 a.m. the next day.. a phone call from the sports editor. Wondering, a bit too kindly, whether I had the score of said middle game in my notes anywhere.

``Sure,'' I said with authority. ``Cattle Ranch won by a... 2-2 score.''

The big goal had only tied the game. I heard about that for weeks.

 

That must've been embarassing when you were high-fiving everyone after the match.

 

I did the turn-a-local-guy-into-a-pro-athlete thing once, too.

I don't recall ever having the score wrong in a story, but in a Final Four refer on Page 1A, I had the semifinal losers meeting for the national championship the next night.

 

Second year in the biz, my first week on a new job, the managing editor tells me the district manager of a major department store is about to be inducted into his school's hall of fame. He doesnt spell it out for me, but I get it: The department store is a major advertiser. Story should be nice and fluffy. So i go out and spend the day with the guy, write the story.

I come in the next day and the sports editor pulls me aside.

Him: The managing editor wants to see you.
Me: Why?
Him: You had the wrong age for the district manager.
Me: Oh.
Him: You also said his store was located in Bakerstown Mall.
Me: It is.
Him: No, it's not. It's in Center Plaza. Bakerstown Mall is his main competition.
Me: Oh, shit.

Just for a second, I thought my job was in jeopardy.

 

I did rewrite of a hockey game and spelled shots with an "i"

 

When working as a summer intern for a weekly back in college, we had a front page headline about the mayor encouraging residents to "Fly Fags" on Flag Day ...

that one wasn't entirely my fault but I was one of the folks charged with proofing the front page before it went out. It's funny how you miss things when you're proofing but then you see them immediately when you pick up the paper the next day... Doh!

The next week, we almost ran this above a stand-alone front page photo: "Elementary students hit the fool for fun" -- luckily we caught that one in time and changed it to "hit the pool for fun" ... whew...

 

Did (sh)it make it in?

 

First time I ever got a stringer job for the two biggest papers in my state (both on the same night ... big mistake for a newbie): state semifinal football, largest class. Game went late and was decided on the last play as superstar fumbles while crossing the goal line.

I misspell the kids name (not a local-to-pro name change, but a local-to-college name change), I got pulled over as I rushed back to my apt. to write, I was already past deadline by the time I sat down, I freaked out and finally turned in some utter crap 90 minutes after my first deadline, with the name spelled wrong. One paper caught it, the other didn't. Afterward, I just sat on my couch shaking for about two hours.

Luckily, I've gotten a little better at this whole thing.

 

Why, yes. Yes it did.
I learned how to use auto-correct that very day. When I try typing that now, auto-correct changes it to NO DUMMY!