I have to cover the state swim meet this week...

Lighten up, Francis. It was a joke. I'm covering this, then I'm heading to Cali to cover NASCAR weekend. I take the bad with the good, and you're right: the bad really isn't all that bad. But when you go from covering some of the best HS basketball in the state to watching swimming, it's a bit of a downer. And some of the people in this thread have totally hit it on the head: the parents can be a little psychotic. When I was covering the conference meet last week, I'm sitting behind this one guy who was screaming himself hoarse. Thing is, he didn't have any kids or relatives in the meet...he was just there...yelling for about three or four different schools and every girl from those schools. I had to force myself not to turn around and say, "Uh, you know they can't hear you, right?"

 

I wouldn't say this about any other sporting event, I think.

But you have my sincere sympathies.

 

Neither.

Take cinder blocks. Tie to ankles. Jump in pool.

 

Ahhhhhhhhh, I remember those days.

And don't forget the young boys wearing banana hammocks. SC would be in heaven.

 

One day in my life which still shows up in my nightmares: Not only having to cover the state swim finals at Penn State ... but having a major snowstorm hit during the meet and not being able to drive away from it when it was over.

 

"A lot of people" would love to spend six hours covering prep swimming??

I've never met any of these people, but I'll take your word for it.

 

I covered a major meet not too long ago. Swimming isn't bad - other than the screaming. Find an angle and go with it. Then plug in other results.

We just used one story to anchor the piece and filled in the other winners.

It's really not that bad.

I mean, it's not like you give stroke-by-stroke detail.

 

Isn't that the premise to Groundhog Day?

 

Watch out for that first step -
It's a dooooooooooooooooooooooozy

 

Ned? Ned Ryerson?

 

Down for death; across for attention.

 

Dress cool no matter if it's 20 below outside.
I covered a state meet 15 years ago at a HS pool and it was a frigging sauna. I had a sweater on and that sucker came off the second I was near the pool.
To make matters more fun, the kid who I was mostly there for, was favored to win the state title and he choked.
I had to wait 30 minutes for the kid to compose himself and even then he cried during the entire interview, not even 1 good quote.
What a pussy.
Needless to say, that was the first and last state swim meet I covered.