pressbox romance

SMG interviews Susan Slusser
makes me wonder: is it better to marry within the business?

http://www.sportsmediaguide.com/12142006-SusanSlusser.asp

 

the highest-profile coupling has to be judy battista (NY times/nfl) and anthony mccarron (NY daily news, baseball).

 

It's hard for someone working a 9-to-5, Monday through Friday job to understand a lot of what goes on in our business.

They never have to cancel plans at the last minute because a coach got fired or a quarterback got arrested. They don't have to work every Saturday from August to December. They don't take phone calls at home at 11 p.m. They don't miss the kids swim meet or dance recital to cover a game. They don't disappear on multiple trips a year.

My wife, on the other hand, is in the business. She covers a demanding beat (not sports) at a large paper, and as such has pretty much all of the same demands my job does. So sometimes I cover for her, and sometimes she covers for me. There's a balance in the relationship that would be hard to achieve with someone outside the business.

We just had a baby on Monday. On Dec. 26, I'll be off to the Rose Bowl for a week. A friend of mine who works for a major magazine commented to me that his wife would cut his balls off if he tried to do that. My wife, on the other hand, knew that such things were part of the deal when we got married. In September or so, she had to go to Texas for a week to work on a story and I stayed home with our kids. Now, would she prefer I were home? Absolutely. Heck, I'd prefer to be home. But neither of us ever wanted to be 9-to-5 people and we share a love for journalism and a belief that the enjoyment we get from it far outweighs the um, unique pressures, it puts on family life.

 

Excellent post, Jim, and congrats on the baby!

What in the hell happened around here last March? That's at least three...

 

high profile: lesley visser and dick stockton

 

Not to threadjack, but is anyone else seeing the ad for www.websupergoo.com?

 

There is Jennifer and Mac Engel in Fort Worth.

 

i don't count them. only print folks need apply.

 

they're mentioned in the interview with susan.

 

my wife worked in p.r. for the old usfl and then worked for mlb. she thought sportswriters were all scum when she met me. almost 21 years later, her opinion hasn't changed much. ;D ;D ;D

actually, she refused to go out with me when i asked her at a usfl owners meeting. but then she checked with a former usfl colleague who had also married a sportswriter buddy of mine and she encouraged her to give me a shot.

20-plus years, three boys and many interrupted holidays, birthdays and anniversaries later, we're still happy. at least i am.

it helps that she somewhat understands the business -- which isn't saying there's not a lot to resent. the plusses out-weigh the minuses. i'm a big believer in being happy in your work makes for a happy home life.

i'm sorry. was this a mini-threadjack?

 

on the other hand, getting a job in this business is tough. it's even tougher if you won't move unless your spouse also gets a job at the next paper. if your spouse is a teacher, lawyer, accountant or person who is willing to do any type of job, it can be much easier to move around, assuming the spouse isn't too attached to her particular job.