Smalltown SEs and sportswriters - what drives you?

I wasn't at a tiny paper, 27K. I spent about 18 months at a 12K. Close games, making scrapbook memories for the kids? Meh.

Two things was what kept me going: Breaking news (regardless how small-time) and beating the state's bigger papers every summer.

I had a really strong staff at one point and twice we were named the state's best sports section one more runner-up and that was going up against papers three times our size, including one which was near six digits at the time. That was all in a six-year span.

Outside of golf, where I've just come to terms with my lack of game (I blame it on being too expensive to allow me the chance to be good), I want to win at everything I do.

 

I've been at a mid-sized paper for several decades. There are many times I've thought I would have been just as happy at the 15,000 daily where I grew up learning how to do the job.

It has never been about the money to me. But I also fully realize that is because I haven't had the hardships many other journalists have. If it was about the money, I would have looked into another field in college and immediately after.

I have always missed knowing as many of the people I wrote about as I did at that small paper. I miss being able to focus on 10-12 schools rather than 70-75.

Actually, if I knew then what I know now, I probably would have considered sports information. But there was no way of knowing then what I know now. All I knew then was I got a kick out of the hour before deadline. And I still do enjoy that.

 

As an ex-small town SE, I know how it is. When my big break never came, I've got to admit, it hurt. To come so close to your breakout and be passed over was crushing. Especially when you were the second-best candidate.

I toiled onwards and upwards. I put out the best sports section I could, broke news and kept going even though I was barely squeaking by financially and my wife didn't see me as much as she'd like.

Truth be told, I got sick of working an 18-hour Friday all football season long. Basketball season was another nightmare. Dealing with parents whose precious little baby won't get a college scholarship because we didn't put them on the All-Who-Gives-A-Rip Team got to be even more of a drudgery. It's a thankless job.

I still loved putting out a football section and getting a great H/S football Saturday section done. But I realized that far too many people in our society placed far too much emphasis on something that really doesn't matter. Sports is a nice distraction, not life or death.

Then our paper was sold and they took an ax to our staff almost immediately. A new ME left me alone at first and then started to micromanage everything we did. Never mind he had no real journalism experience. He threatened to fire me because I dared stand up and explain why his ideas were moronic.

So I found a new reality and I'm glad I did. God bless the small-town SEs. It is a thankless job filled with financial hardship and tons of other challenges. I've got to admit, when I saw on social media that quite a few people actually missed me when I left my paper, it warmed my heart.

My best advice for you is this: If it becomes as big a drudgery as it did for me, get out. You'll be better off.