NCAA credentialing

Sounds like this is the one time being at a weekly pays off.

 

That's ridiculous but not surprising.
I covered the ACC Tournament here in this same arena last year and the wireless was free.
So it's not a case of the NCAA covering the cost of wireless. They're making money off the backs of writers and photgraphers.

 

Get a phone card and tell 'em to shove it.

 

Wish I'd thought of that before I came down here. But I didn't know they were going to charge me, either.

 

you should have gone

get in the gym, you'll likely find yourself a seat

and if not, you could at least watch from the press work room and get your own interviews, since being a beat writer for GMU and knowing the SID and coaches and players you'd have more access than most and likely get all the 1-on-1's you needed

and your story would have been far better than AP and no different than it would have been if you had a seat

if they say they can't get you a seat but they can get you in, by all means take them up on it

 

To the best of my knowledge, the NCAA doesn't check the 90 percent rule. If you know the SID, and he/she approves your request, you're good to go.

As for photos, we ran into a similar situation in Indianapolis a few years ago when Iowa and Illinois were there. Photog had a spot for the Iowa game, since we were on the list, but didn't have one for the Illinois game. The person checking the location assignments let him in, but only after everyone was in their spots. He was kind of crammed into a corner, but he was still able to shoot.

 

I'm never going to complain about Ohio's state high school tournaments again ...

 

Oh, and did I mention the photo room has a sign posted that says "Please REMOVE Wireless Cards"?
Yeah. Seriously. The fucking balls these people have. Onions, I tell ya.

 

How in the hell did they expect to enforce that? Are they going to search you for your Sprint card?

 

that is a freaking all-timer

good lord

do they make you buy NCAA-logo pens and steno pads too?

 

Yep, Cane's onto this one.

I'm at a regional and as a beat guy, I don't even bother sitting in on the pressers. I go to the locker room, and when the rest of the horde leaves the presser for the locker room, I pull aside the star players and/or coach as they're coming in, thus getting my own stuff.

Maybe I'm just lucky to have a good relationship with the team I cover, but I've seen other guys doing the same thing.