Sports writers and drinking

When I covered baseball and wrote for a PM paper, most nights I'd have a cocktail waiting for me when I got back up to the press box from the clubhouse. I didn't touch it until I was about halfway through my story. Then I'd go for it, figuring I could finish the story well before any sort of buzz started.
But we went out afterward most nights. My second year on the beat, as I was feeling more and more comfortable on the job and on the road, I remember thinking back that from the start of spring training in February until midseason in June or July, I couldn't remember one night when I didn't have at least one cocktail or beer and most nights it was more than that, especially on the road.
Obviously, I've tapered off considerably. My consumption now is maybe a beer, some wine or a margarita on days off. But I do cut loose a bit on vacation and on a yearly reunion I have with a few high school friends.

 

We go out as a group Saturday nights. They're always shit-ass crazy, and, well, you need a drink and the prospect of picking up some girl afterwards.

 

A couple years ago I decided to expense drinks after I was on a road trip with a counterpart, who convinced me there was nothing wrong with it. I never expense more than two beers or wine on a tab. But I don't do it very often or on every trip. The higher-ups see my expenses, they know what's on there.

I never drink during an event (I cover college hoops), and would never touch a drink if I have to write on a given day or night. If I get to a site one day early or am at a tournament for a span of days, I think it's fine.

As long as you aren't stupid, there's nothing wrong with it (IMO).

 

42 years old this past Wednesday ... and 21 years sober.

 

At my last job, I drank A LOT more than I do now. Several different reasons. We had an early deadline Wednesdays, and used to go out for drinks and poker afterward for a few hours. And almost always on Saturdays and Sundays. Then normally a couple a night during the week.

Now, I can't imagine drinking that much again. I feel so much better in the mornings. I jut have a beer every now and then, rarely even keep it in the house anymore.

Of course, my mother-in-law works in sales for a bourbon company so I can get that whenever I want!

I wasn't anywhere close to an intervention or anything, but it was probably more than I should have.

But after working until 1 or 2 in the morning, I needed something to wind down with, and beer was readily available.

 

sports writers drink???

 

Wow. When I voted, I really expected to see a lonesome "1" next to "never." I'm pleasantly surprised I'm not the only teetotaler here. Not morally or otherwise averse to drinking, just realized long ago I couldn't do it responsibly. All or nothing, I chose nothing. Thank goodness.

 

As I've gotten older, I've had to calm down a lot. I've realized that if I drink too much or stay up too late, it sticks with me for a couple of days. I feel like utter shit. So I can't really drink if I've got something to do the next morning, especially before noon.

I don't bounce back as well as I did in my 20s.

I can still have my nights -- probably still too many for a guy in his 30s -- but I have to space them out well.

 

As recently as 2005, I was in an NFL press box that offered cans of beer to writers still in the press box after the game. Having only been in a couple NFL press boxes, I'm not sure if that's common practice -- but it sure seemed odd.

Not odd enough that I didn't guzzle some Bud Light, mind you, but odd nonetheless.

 

I stopped drinking when my wife got pregnant with our first child... I drank a lot on the road in my early 20s, but calmed down considerably when I was about 26. I just kind of lost interest, in part because I saw all of the alcoholism in this business and I never wanted to become that. I used to work with a columnist who would get mad at me if I ordered a diet coke after a game. It actually got to the point that I would go to the bar, order a diet coke and have them put it in a small glass with a stirring straw just so I wouldn't have to deal with the columnist. Granted, this was very early in my career when I would humor people more than I would now...

One guy I worked with at my first job drank himself to death. Pretty well-known writer too... Officially, they might have said it was something else, but he told more than a few people that it was his liver... I've worked with several others who have gotten DUIs...

I've probably had three drinks in the past year, usually a toast at a wedding or something like that.

 

I've seen writers within the last 4-5 years walk out of a NASCAR press box with cases of beer in their hands... I don't cover racing enough to know if this is commonplace, but a lot of writers, were doing it... I know it's commonplace with cigarettes. I think every race I've ever covered (probably 15 total) has had cigarettes available to anyone who wanted them...

 

I got out of sportswriting a couple of years ago, and since then I don't drink anymore ... or any less.