Seeking Advice: Dealing with foolishness coming back from vacation

This could get a lot of fun, very soon, when Ad Guy begins putting his thoughts into print.

 

So does his complaining in print start next week if they lose tonight?
How has the writing been so far?

 

They lost last night. I haven't seen the story yet(we're a once-a-week shop), but I guess I should prepare to do some serious editing when I do.

 

To me, the fact that the advertising department *wants* to sell ads in the sports section is a great thing.

A paper I used to work at had maybe four ads in its tab. The reps never even tried. And the advertisers were there.

Now, getting it sprung this way, sucks. I would ask for a sitdown meeting of all involved.

 

This has to keep getting bumped. It's way too interesting.

 

Well folks, tonight was interesting. First time I've had a chance to cover team A since this fiasco started (they were playing one of the other teams I cover). So it's a big game because of the proximity of the schools and everybody's all fired up. The kid who's starting ahead of SOAG pops his shoulder and is done.

So SOAG steps in and all hell breaks. A couple of fumbles and interceptions later they end up losing the game, and of course AG is pissed. After conducting interviews with the coach of team A, I pulled him aside and told him I owed him an apology for the way things have been covered this year. He was very understanding, said he'd even call my publisher on my behalf, but said of course that he felt SOAG wasn't good and if he had his starting QB they win.

 

Feel bad for the kid who was hurt, and the one who had to fill in ... but nice to know there is still a little justice in the world. The coach sounds like a classy guy, but I'm finding after dealing with a few complainy folks, coaches, athletic directors and even administration folks know we're doing our best to be everywhere possible. Or as I like to tell them, we both have a common enemy!

 

You don't owe the coach an apology. It wasn't your decision to have Ad Guy cover the team. An explanation, sure. An apology, no.

 

You're probably right. I just felt the need to explain why things were the way they were with coverage.

Oh yeah, we found out this morning he's doing radio for a competing news organization...and didn't bother to tell anyone here in our newsroom.