Making predictions in print

Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever make predictions about HS games.

Ever.

 

Haha, well-played gentlemen.

We included the local softball teams in the section, so I took the catchers from the baseball and softball teams and posed them together like the above poster. She wasn't nuzzling him quite like that (she was looking at the camera) because I had a hard time asking two high school students to do that on camera -- it seemed like it could only result in trouble -- and he wasn't holding a beer.

It came out OK, but they were so hard to get together that I couldn't get them in the lighting I would have preferred for it. It was too bright out.

It still came across I think, but not as well as I wanted it.

 

A few points.

1. Yes, I think most of us have had people yell at us (or worse) for predictions and, yes, it's not fun. A thing to consider is that people seem to care about these. In this era where it seems about every third item on this site is about another paper downsizing, here is something that readers seem to devour in newspapers. Is that something we want to take away? If so, maybe there's another way to foretell the future. So much of what is in newspapers is about what's happened, here's something in print about what could happen.

2. If you are in a situation where you don't want to do it and your boss wants you to do it, suggest adding somebody in the community to take your place. Get the community involved and maybe that can help avoid any issues with your boss.

3. Biggest responses on predictions was when I did a rare picks column leading into big games: A mother called my M.E. and said she would no longer read such stories to her high school son. I should have started an investigation into the high school reading program then. Another time, I got cocky. Wrote an area team would not win the state football championship, but if they did I'd sing the school song. They won. Principal called first thing Monday morning. I performed at pep rally in front of about 1,000 students and townspeople. They made fun of me in good taste and, if nothing else, maybe the event helped the community connect a bit more with the paper. Maybe they thought I was an idiot, but my guess is they looked for my stuff the next time to see what I would say. Isn't that one of our many missions? Don't we want people to pick up the paper and say I wonder what Joe Writer says today?

 

I can definitely understand the reluctance towards making predictions, but it is a fact, at least in my area, that people will read the paper for them, even if it is so they can call you a dumbass later one. For that purpose alone, I think they are worth the ink.

Obviously, I'd much rather it be someone else making the predictions.

 

Hmmm. Sometimes, I got the feeling our weekly "Pick It" line was the most widely run feature at one of my old papers.

People like this stuff. Sure, there are some nutcases that get angry, but they're just nutcases. So what?

There's nothing wrong with picking high school games. Hell, the paper I work at now, a 250,000K in a major metro, STILL does it.

We scaled back last year, just picking two or three HS, college and pro games apiece in one package and people went apeshit. We're backing to picking 10 games apiece at each level this fall.

 

uh....maybe I'm old fashioned, but aren't we supposed to stay out of the story?...just askin'

 

"Shitbox U" and "Halfass High": Officially replacing "Podunk" in my vernacular. Nice one.

 

the weekly prediction "box" usually is one of the best-read additions to a sports section. with that said, people are monster dicks when you pick against their teams. fuck 'em. i spent one entire season going out of my way to pick against local halfass high and loved every fucking heartache i created by doing as much the year i moved over to news ... had coaches coming down from the pressbox going out of their way to run by me at halftime saying: "shitbox high beat us? how could you? take that tom petty."

idiots.

 

we do picks for games as well, and it's loved by readers. last year we apparently disheartened "the team, coaches, school and community" by picking the cross-town rival in a big game. that was awesome.

but is' funny when walking the sidelines and kids say, 'hey, you picked us, didn't you?' I like replying that 'yes, i did. now don;'t make me look bad or I won't pick you again.' they find it funny.

 

It's fun just to do them. Who cares if people blast you? At least they read your work.

Nice post, Dustin!

 

Yeah, no reputable paper makes predictions!

 

dan - that was kinda funny.