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High school football press boxes

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by NightHawk112005, Oct 31, 2009.

  1. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    What's worse, an irrational high school parent or an irrational sports writer? It looks like this could be a tie.
     
  2. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    That's all well and good. Someday all three of you will grow up.
     
  3. Smallpotatoes

    Smallpotatoes Well-Known Member

    For those of you who know me, this may seem like the pot calling the kettle black, but I guess different things bother different people.
    I've seen my share of bufoons in the press box. Most of them are people who know people who know people so as far as anyone with any authority is concerned, they probably have just as much business being there as you do (I'm not saying they really do. I'm just saying as far as the people running the show are concerned, they do). Unless they're obstructing my view, or otherwise interfering with me trying to do my job, I just let it go. They don't know any better.
    I wouldn't have said what you said in a somewhat public setting, within earshot of people who are likely readers.
     
  4. It was Thanksgiving Day, 1987 or maybe 1988, Pompton Lakes (N.J.) High School, but I remember it like yesterday:
    AD (or some mucketymuck dressed like an AD): "This is the pressbox. You can't be in here."
    Me: "I'm a reporter."
    AD: "But this is the pressbox."
    Me: "Exactly."
    AD: "It's the pressbox. You can't be here. Reporters cover games from the sideline."
    Me: "OK. Let's see if I have this right... I'm what?"
    AD: "A reporter."
    Me: "And that makes me a member of...?"
    AD: "The media."
    Me: "You're good. As a print, or newspaper guy, I'm...?"
    AD: "Press."
    Me: "And this is the...?"
    AD: "Pressbox."
    Me: "We're making progress..."
    AD: "But we don't have room for reporters. It's the pressbox. It's for the scoreboard operator, the announcer, the ref evaluator..."
    Me: "OK. OK. Just so we agree I'm in the press, and this is a pressbox. I want to make sure I'm not crazy."
    So I cover the game from the sidelines.
    Then after the game...
    AD: "You can't talk to him (the quarterback). He's a sophomore."
    Me: "You won before the game. You lose now."
    (I wish I had said: "Who are you? Paterno?")
    The guy turned 28 shades of red and settled for monitoring the three-question interview about the decisive play.
     
  5. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    Fjerome, I think you are missing my point. The press are the last people considered when building these boxes. And until that is done in my county, I will not call them press boxes.

    We are redoing the windows on the press box of a football field, and I suggested calling a local sports editor to ask what types of windows would they suggest. I was laughed at.
     
  6. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    As well you should have been. Why would an SE care what kind of windows you put in the press box of a high school stadium?
     
  7. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    So you are OK with the pull down huge piece of plywood over the middle section?
     
  8. If that's what growing up is, I hope I never do. I hope I never reach the point where I find something wrong with having an honest conversation with a colleague about the subject we're getting paid to write about.

    For the record, that's not what growing up is. Not even close.
     
  9. EagleMorph

    EagleMorph Member

    Good weather is a rarity in my region. For every beautiful sunset dipping over a field on a hill, there are 2 or 3 weeks in a row of cold rain. Or snow.

    Press boxes become a necessity. I don't mind sharing them with a variety of people, but I do expect to be able to sit myself in a little corner and do my job.

    I can ignore the overzealous parents and boosters. I have a problem with the occasional television game where the entire crew takes over the press box. Had that the other night and was relegated to the bleachers because the school also restricted access to the sideline to only "necessary" personnel.

    Print media did not fall under that category. And, of course, the one team decided to air it out. High school game + television + the forward pass + tight deadline = insanity.
     
  10. farmerjerome

    farmerjerome Active Member

    I'm not saying they should build us a spot for a throne or anything, but we just need space. A space. Preferably a chair without birdshit on it too, but I can dream.

    I also vote for glass instead of plywood windows, at least one working light and the occasional can of RAID to combat the wasps' nests. ;D
     
  11. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    I cannot believe you do not understand why that conversation is inappropriate.

    You are showing a severe lack of objectivity if you say that in front of readers.

    Be classy.
     
  12. KYSportsWriter

    KYSportsWriter Well-Known Member

    It does not matter where the game was played. You've still got to watch what you say around high school parents.
     
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