Press box horror stories

Stuff I've seen...

I've seen a well-known columnist roll a joint in the middle of a NFL playoff game.

I've seen a columnist throw his notebook hard after the team he covered lost a game. His notebook hit a female student in the face and drew blood. He walked over to the student and said, "That wasn't my fault."

I've seen a columnist physically attack a PR intern after he disputed a quote that was on the quote sheet.

I watched a beat writer lose his shit because a columnist was talking too loud on the phone. He ripped the phone out of the columnists's hand and screamed, "I'm going to fucking kill the next person who breathes!"

I watched a columnist arrive at a postseason baseball game with his daughter and then made one of his co-workers stand in the back so his teenage daughter could have his seat. The person thought it would just be until the game started, but remained standing for the entire game.

That's not even to begin to mention the number of times someone was drunk or downloading porn. That happened too many times to name.

 

The post about Dick Vitale being true to his first name, I can vouch for. He was an A-1 asshole whenever I was around him, too. Telling a girl to run and make him some coffee, repeatedly disrupting an ongoing press conference, and just being an overall tool bag.

Also, I've heard tell of Bonnie Bernstein being a real diva and seen crew writhe in fear when she's around, but I never saw her go off.

 

Oh man, the "COULD YOU SHUT UP I'M ON DEADLINE!" screaming matches are always fun.

One game last season, I thought the entire press row was going to brawl with some network grips who were loudly yucking it up. It started with a polite "Hey guys, a lot of us are still working could you hold it down please?" It escalated into a "I'll kick your fucking ass once I file my story" situation before the SID staff shooed them out of the press box.

 

No credential that anyone could see. Apparently her dad (correctly) thought he was famous enough not to be called out on it.

 

College press boxes would usually get the most nuts because the students working security would be allowed in the press box for postseason food (usually pizza) and it could get loud.

The best meltdowns were writer vs. writer, especially when the meltdown was started by someone who really wasn't talking that loud.

 

I want names.

(I'm not doubting you ... I just want names! )

 

I hope this thread never ends ...

 

PM me...

 

More importantly, did the columnist bogart the whole joint or did he offer to share later? Or did he use it to get an extra special quote from a player?

 

The guy was a legendary stoner and was pretty shameless about when and where he did it.

 

This isn't true. I have lots of shame.