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High school football press boxes

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

  1. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Again, why would you even think to call a sports editor about that? Aren't there decision-makers within the school system that handle these things? I'm pretty sure as long as the writers can see the field, it'll be fine.

    Would you call the SE when designing the locker rooms, too, to make sure they suit him or her for post-game convenience? How bout the concession stands?

    Ugh.
     
  2. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    Because the press box is designed for the press to do work. That is the only location in all 88 acres of a high school campus that you can say that.

    Call it a kind gesture of goodwill, but obviously you guys and girls are perfectly happy to work in shitholes with rain spraying in your face. I think to raise money, I will suggest selling the seats in the press box as part of a raffle.

    Fuck it. We will ask the band parents what they want.

    I will be sure to place cubbies under the countertop for their instruments.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  3. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    What kind of windows allow rain to be sprayed in your face?

    Eh. Maybe it's just me, but when I covered HS football/soccer, all I cared about was being able to see the field and sit down with room enough to scribble notes and maybe use my laptop.

    And hey, Alabama raffled off a couple seats in its press box. You might be onto something.
     
  4. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    First it was talking about which team was going to get its butts handed to them the next week, now it's turned into talking objectively about the team losing next week.

    You're a pompous tool.
     
  5. CarltonBanks

    CarltonBanks New Member

    Ok, how about a lack of professionalism and maturity? You take a verbal shit on the guy's kid's football team and YOU were the victim? Awesome.
     
  6. Mystery Meat II

    Mystery Meat II Well-Known Member

    Not really, no. For starters, it wouldn't make sense. Except perhaps in the most podunky of places, a "press box" isn't going to be graced/darkened by a media member more often than not. Some schools probably don't get TV/newspaper people all season, or if they do, it's very rare. Calling it a press box like that is sorta like saying a widow's walk should only be used by actual widows.

    Just do the best you've can with what you've got. And remember that not everyone's going to be as sympathetic to you as SJers.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  7. bmm

    bmm Member

    I expect there to be cheering in a high school press box because it's high school. Most of the people up there are involved in the program or have kids playing for the team. This isn't college or the pros.

    What honks me off is when there isn't space for one of my stringers or myself in the press box. Sometimes the area access tv or radio shows up for three of the 10 games but gets all the space and I can't lay out my two pads to do stats and play by play because at best I get to stand in the back with a bad view. One high school I was at was selling spaces in the press box to parents/other fans and I didn't have a seat for a big game that was played in a pouring down rain (most of our games this season have been played in bad weather). My stringer two games before was booted from the seat he showed up for early to get. That's what honks me off. I don't ask for much, one or two seats at the most for a big game.
     
  8. CarltonBanks

    CarltonBanks New Member

    I would tell my stringer to leave. If they do not want their game covered, that's on them. I would tell him to tell and AD to make sure the coach calls in the box after the game because you are leaving and you want to make sure there is at least a box in the paper the next day.
     
  9. No. I acted calmly as if he hadn't been being an idiot the entire game. When he said it was a bad attitude, I calmly replied that it was honest. My voice never rose, and there was never an attempt to irritate him. I wasn't speaking to him, he just butted his way into the conversation. There's a reason that everyone who either saw it or I've personally told has agreed I did nothing wrong.

    If my newspaper had a problem with it, I'd stop. Here's the thing, though: it doesn't. My newspaper backs me completely. So as long as I know I'm right and my newspaper agrees with me, why should I change?
     
  10. TyWebb

    TyWebb Well-Known Member

    I don't really post much anymore but I felt the need to throw my thoughts into this argument.

    Those of us that cover prep sports almost exclusively have to deal with more than enough crap - whining parents, power-tripping coaches, players that barely speak english, ADs that don't know their own job description, expectations of objectivity paired with expectations of "what about our team?". In my experience, just about every day is a battle against something that is more difficult than it needs to be.

    The only thing that makes it possible for me to get from one day to the next is limiting those battles. What I'm saying, Nighthawk, is pick your battles. People cheering in the press box is going to happen. If you get bent out of shape over it every time, you are going to be one pissed off individual. If you go to the mattresses every time someone thinks you have slighted their team, you are going to draw the ire of a lot of your readers. Isn't it just easier to ignore the cheering parent? Wouldn't it be more productive to just swallow your pride, apologize to the angry parent, and continue to do your job? Who knows? Taking that tact might prevent an ugly situation in the future that really makes it difficult to get that gamer out on time.

    I'm not saying you are wrong in this scenario. In my opinion, what you said to the other reporter is relatively harmless. But if it pisses someone off, just back down and save that fight for another day. What do you accomplish by standing your ground for something so trivial? You get one pissed off parent/reader that will likely turn into several more, and maybe that becomes an issue the next time you are in that press box. But you can feel good you defended your press box rights. To me, it just doesn't seem worth it.

    There are going to be so many more things in your career that are worth fighting for. Why add to that list for something that, ultimately, means nothing?
     
  11. sportsjunkie

    sportsjunkie New Member

    OP is clueless. Completely clueless.

    He's also on record on this board saying we're entitled to free food at collegiate sporting events.
     
  12. golfnut8924

    golfnut8924 Guest

    In several years of covering high school, I never once did it from the sidelines. I preferred the press box because I like having the bird's eye view to better see plays develop and I also like having a seat and a workspace to write on.

    However, after years of dealing with all that is to deal with in a "press box," I finally tried out the sidelines and I think freezing cold weather is the only thing that will ever drive me back to the press box. It's great down there. None of the press box drama and obnoxious parents/fans. The only bad thing is sometimes not getting a good idea of where the ball is spotted. But that is something far worth sacrificing for peace and solitude.

    And besides, I'm far less likely to fall asleep on the sidelines during a blowout game when the tackles are being made right in front of me ;)

    Nighthawk and others, if you've never tried doing the sideline thing, give it a whirl. It may just cure your headaches.
     
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