Hiring Writers for CBSSports.com NFL Correspondent Network

From looking at the ad, it sounds like they're dangling credentials, more credentials and a credential to the Super Bowl for the lucky beat writers of the conference champs more than anything else. ... "Stillwell, have some more chocolate."

 

The best part was Bleacher Report sending e-mails out to all the NFL Beat Writers asking them to publicize this. Hmm, let's see, most of us are already chasing rumors every which way to Sunday and now you want us to publicize something that might lead to more rumors and competition?
Bleacher Report is trying to have it both ways and they can't. They had a Raiders blogger two months ago have Chad Johnson traded to the Raiders which caused Cincinnati radio and TV to broadcast it as fact only to have egg on their face. The paper still published it under rumors and got a ton of flack from people asking: "Why are you publishing something from bleacher report?"
And you bring up most of the crap that Bleacher Report puts up there and they turn a blind eye to it.

 

X2

 

You need an editor Andy. I wonder who will do that on Bleacher Report for you.

 

You trust CBSSports to edit? have you ever read Doyel?

I agree that this is just another slap in the face of sports journalism. Just what we need, another fanboi in the media center, asking stupid questions and getting in the way. Wonderful.

 

Holy crap dude... So your post wasn't perfect - big deal, right? Well, the bad part is all of your future employers read / post / in some way interact with this site and - if I may pull a line from South Park - don't take kindly to people who don't take kindly round here. When you post here choose your words carefully and when you screw up / post a poorly-worded post, own it. Don't get defensive.

Most people on this forum will shovel crap on you, talk down to you and make you feel like you are worthless. Because (sorry) you are.

There 1,000s of YOUs out in the world - like me - doing the same thing. Trying to get a job, trying to get ahead. The other guys are just as good at writing (well, probably better). The other guys are probably better on deadline. The other guys can probably paginate in their sleep. The trick is to be willing to LEARN how to be better regardless of how GOOD you think you are. Because no one wants a 20-year-old columnist. Trust me. I've been looking for five years.

The sooner you realize you suck the sooner you will be a better writer. I mean that in the most serious, positive and constructive way possible. No matter how many different websites pick your posts up, you suck. You are still just a blogger.

I know this because I suck. I have won awards and I suck. If you get a REAL job in sports journalism you will know what I mean. In fact, go pick up a book. Any Book by Shirley Povich, Jim Murray, Red Smith, Rick Reilly, Frank DeFord, Gary Smith, etc.. The list goes on. Read a collection of their columns / articles / features and THEN write. A good rule of thumb is every writer should finish a book (not school realted) every month.

 

Actually, this is not a blog. It is a message board populated almost entirely by people who have spent years, if not decades, as working journalists. ESPN, SI, the Sporting News, and AOL all have members on this board. But strangely, searching "andy auger" on those sites returned no results, and everything else linked back to fan-generated content at Bleacher Report.

Fan-generated content that, yes, needs an editor. Newsflash: We all do. Read the post at the top of this page:
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/56399/

The man who posted that has written books and been published in SI and ESPN -- features in the magazines, not fanblogs on the Web site. You'll find some of those pieces scattered through such notable anthologies as "Best American Sports Writing" and "SI: 50 Years of Great Writing." And yet, he thinks -- no, knows -- he still needs an editor. Hopefully you'll learn that at Wazzu; if you don't, your stay in our business will be brief and unpleasant. Until then, good luck with those fan-site page views, kid. And lose the attitude.

 

Kid ... just ... no.
Just no.
Pseudo was rather generous and classy in his legitimate points regarding your posts. Instead of lashing out, try learning a little. Note how he didn't degenerate into spitefulness as much as he efficiently made his points. Notice also how he discussed someone's credentials without "screaming" about them in print.
And, finally, I know every little milestone seems bigger when you're younger -- and I'm sure plenty of folks here would be more understanding if you didn't come in here foolishly pounding your chest at a time when too many of us have actually notched real accomplishments in this industry earned through time, talent and dedication only to watch them get dismissed by greed and carelessness -- but ...
For cryin' out loud, kid, topping Kiper in a mock draft is nothing to brag about, especially if you have to edit your post to add that in as if it was too valuable to be left out.

 

Long time reader, first time poster.

Andy, ease up, buddy. Time turns most writers into cynics — especially in this economic climate — but it doesn't do anyone any good to rile up those nice enough to offer their insight after decades in the field.

Please use this as a resource, not a place to pull out the ol' ruler.

 

Goodness gracious. I don't think I'm old enough to be qualified to give the kind of sage advice that this guy needs, but...man.

 

Learning the rules is a good place to start, but eventually you'll understand where and when -- and more importantly, why -- you can break them. Like that one, which was done with malice aforethought for added emphasis.

And I really, REALLY don't give a damn about your mock draft. (See? Did it again.)