I sometimes forget how important we are ...

canadian-hating bastards!!!

 

single-line post of the year!

 

I have to post this one, because this is the call of the year so far for us:

One of my prep writers became a father for the first time, his wife had a baby girl a couple of weeks ago. He had a good idea on when the due date was, so when I made out the schedule for that week, I had him down to cover some events that would be nice to cover, but they weren't the biggest events of the week. That way, if he had to take time off, we could still get everything covered that was truly important (conference track, etc.).

One night I get a call from the mother of a player on Big Local School's girls soccer team, bitching that we didn't cover a match they had the night before (her daughter had the only goal in a loss). Started complaining that we favored Local Catholic School more (I asked her if she wanted to come down and count stories and photos, she said she would. As of today, two weeks later, she hasn't shown up). Oh, and "this is the most talented team they've ever had." (They are barely above .500).

Anyway, I explain to her that spring is a busy sports time, we can't cover every event for every team. I then tell her that we would be at the game the next night, and that we would have been there for the other game, but the writer who was scheduled to be there was bringing his wife home from the hospital after they had their baby.

"So," she said. "He could have dropped them off and still come out there to cover the game."

"What?"

"There's no reason he shouldn't be back to work by now. What kind of place are you running? My husband went back to work a few hours after we had our children, and his job is tougher than yours."

I told her that I had to write that one down, because that was one of the most unbelievable statements I've ever heard.

 

it's amazing the side of people we see day in and day out.

 

Got a nasty e-mail from the mom (assumably) of a girl on a girls soccer team. She was upset that I did a feature on the team's best player, instead of the whole team. Called my story "not well researched" and "lazy" and that my staff (which consists of three people -- me, myself, and I) was "ambivalent" without explaining why. I suspect she discovered the thesaurus function in Word. Seriously, ambivalent? I responded hoping she'd accuse me of ennui.

 

That's the trouble with you ambivalent types. You just don't care one way or the other.

 

At my old paper we would keep track of how many times we had covered a school and for what sports, as well as how many times they were the punch art or had photos taken. We did this for the sole purpose of slapping down readers who claimed we covered other teams more than theirs.

 

During my senior year of high school I was the starting defensive end for my large high school playing against big-city rival, when I got flagged, for the second time in the game, for a 15-yard facemask penalty (they didn't delineate between intentional and inadvertent in HS back then.)

The head coach pulled me out of the game and pointed for me for me to come over to him, saying as I approached, "Point of Order, why did you grab his G** D*** facemask?"

I was wrapped in the intensity of the game, and knowing I was right, said, "Coach! I didn't grab his damn facemask!"

He replied, "Son, do you mean to tell me that official just singled you out twice for no reason?"

I repeated, "I didn't grab his damn facemask. You can watch it on film tomorrow!"

He shook his head and told me to get back in there. Both penalties had occurred on the far sideline so the coach didn't have a good look at it. I think he took my word for it.

Next morning, in color, above the fold and HUGE! was a photo of me trying to tackle the superfast quarterback from big-city rival going around right in on an option keeper. Guess where my hand is, as plain as day for everyone to see!

I should have called and bitched them out for running that photo. To this day, there are laughs at my expense when the story inevitably comes up. Who the hell does the paper think they are running such a photo?

 

We have a softball parent around here so psychotic I think she's going to come in guns blazing when her daughter doesn't win player of the year.

If we were as powerful as parents seem to think we are -- i.e. one article will get the son/daughter the scholarship of their dreams -- then we oughta be paid more handsomely.

 

I am in the process of compiling the totals for the year. Right now (through the end of basketball season) not even close — Big Local School has received the most coverage.

Next time someone from Big Local School calls and says we cover Small Catholic School more, I'm thinking about challenging them to come in and count stories and photos with me. If I'm wrong, I'll donate $100 to Big Local School's booster club. If I'm right, they have to donate $100 to Small Catholic School's booster club.

Doubt if I get any takers.

 

I always suspected.

 

we hate canucks at my paper as well.