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Hockey/Soccer Writers

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by wannabejourno, Oct 26, 2007.

  1. wannabejourno

    wannabejourno New Member

    In a 1-0 game with few scoring chances, how do you fill 10-15 inches without invoking too much opinion or commentary? What kind of running stats do you keep other than shots and saves? And who are some writers you would recommend reading? Thanks
     
  2. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    I'd fill the space by talking about how the game went and getting comments from players and/or coaches. Perhaps talk about scoring chances that went awry or chippy play or something else to fill 10 inches. You could also talk about whether the match had postseason implications and what the result meant for each team.

    In most of the matches I've seen, one team or the other was dominant in a 1-0 match. Sometimes, it's the team that scored the lone goal. Sometimes, it's the team that ended up losing the match. Either way, you can spend some ink on which team dominated.

    Other stats you can look at that might help are corner kicks (which give you an idea of which team is generating more chances) and fouls, especially if there are no cautions or send-offs.
     
  3. Mayfly

    Mayfly Active Member

    Tell mainly about the goal and what led up to it, but then include the other team's chances about what could have been or what wasn't. Maybe one player had a great play that made you say wow. Write about that.
     
  4. hockeybeat

    hockeybeat Guest

    Talk about who dominated play...where the game was played--midfield/neutral zone...scoring chances...was it a defensive 1-0 or an offensive 1-0 game?...
     
  5. Cansportschick

    Cansportschick Active Member

    Talk about anything that may have influenced the end result of the game: was their a penalty, was the goal on a power play, why was it issued?

    If it was a must win situation, talk about the results of the outcome for the teams involved. If there were any players who left because of injury during the game, and it influenced the outcome, mention that as well.

    Talk about the goal itself...was it poor defence? Great offensive prowess? A mistake or error?

    You could also get comments from the coached involved or player who scored goal or the goalie/goaltender who surrendered it. This is if still you don't have enough...
     
  6. TwoGloves

    TwoGloves Well-Known Member

    In hockey games, I like to talk about the overall picture. What happens in the standings, has the team's defense/offense been struggling/playing well, have low-scoring games been a trend, are the scorers slumping or is the goalie red hot. I usually only mention goals in a paragraph or two unless I'm doing a running gamer and am really in a bind.
     
  7. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    Those two or three reasons are why the two sports suck. No other sport relies so heavily on "what ALMOST happened."

    If you drop a pass or miss a field goal in football you're seen as a failure. If you "don't score on a BEAUTIFUL cross"[/English accent] the announcers and fans go insane.

    The two sports glorify failure.

    As for how to write about them. I write about players. Find an angle with the one goal scorer. Or, about the goalie who had the shutout. But go beyond the game they just won or lost.

    I agree with whoever said writing about what it all means in the bigger picture (i.e. standings, playoff chances, etc.)
     
  8. Eagleboy

    Eagleboy Guest

    To add to what's been said, I'm a big fan of getting the goalies involved when it's a 1-0 game or even a scoreless tie, which is even worse. Quite often, you'll have one goalie picking up several saves, making it even more important that he'll want to talk and, also, giving you an angle on the story.
     
  9. ostentatious

    ostentatious Member

    pray to god or whoever you consider holy the next game isn't a 0-0 tie. i had to write one of those this fall. talk about a liberal use of prepositional phrases added to sentences to cheat length for a game i wasn't at and had a coach call in.
     
  10. andyouare?

    andyouare? Guest

    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/

    Go to this site on Mondays and read their football/soccer gamers. Actually, that's good advice for all writers on all sports. The Times of London writers are great and they could probably write 50 inches on a 1-0 or 0-0 game.

    Bonus: Lots of cool phrases and words that Americans don't use that you can steal to sound smart.
    Example: Anytown High paid for their profligacy in front of goal when Johnny Smith lashed home a 20-meter drive...
     
  11. GB-Hack

    GB-Hack Active Member

    For soccer, you can also do well by checking out the Guardian

    http://football.guardian.co.uk/
     
  12. Big Buckin' agate_monkey

    Big Buckin' agate_monkey Active Member

    I love this gem:
    They scored, he insisted, an undeniably good goal after 58 minutes which was scandalously given offside.

    Followed by this:
    Chelsea’s assistant manager, Steve Clarke, surged fuming from the dugout, followed by an incensed, gesticulating Mourinho. (<----- THAT is priceless.)
     
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