Tampa reaction: Not good

Horrible columnist. Very good features writer. Most annoying human being I've ever met. Had to sit next to him for an entire Super Bowl.

You have to love people who continue to ask you annoying questions while you're transcribing on deadline.

 

OK, hate is too strong. He's not a bad guy, just a ridiculously annoying one.

 

Mizzou, all you had to do was tell him you were on deadline or that you didn't want to talk.

 

A tax writeoff implies that there are profits elsewhere that could be taxed.

 

Tampa "Management" = Fail

 

yes, please, let's minimalize localized escapist entertainment during one of the most trying times in our history to FORCE everybody to worry themselves to death by giving them world and national economic news they can't get anywhere else, except of course for 15 cable channels and 500 websites, all updated minute by minute every day.

More good thinking by media executives.

 

With Rays doing so well, Bucs in full swing and NHL just about to hit the ice, and they say that. Holy shit.

 

I think I've told this before on this board, but it's a story I am often asked to re-tell when I'm out with a bunch of writers.

I'm on my way to the Super Bowl and one of my friends calls my cell. He's already in the press box. I ask him where I'm sitting.

"Let's see, here you are... Ewwww...."
"What? Am I in the auxiliary box?"
"No, but you're going to wish you were."
"Do they have me outside?"
"No, you're in the main box."
"Then what?"
"You're sitting next to Gene Frenette."
"So..."
"Have you ever met him?"
"No, I know who he is, but I've never talked to him."
"You're in for a long game."
"Why?"
"It's difficult to explain."
"Is he a bad guy?"
"No, it's not that... It's... Well, it's difficult to explain. You're in for a long game."

As I'm at the pre-game meal, the same friend comes to meet me. About 10 seconds later he turns to the columnist at the same table.

"He's sitting next to Frenette."

Columnist starts laughing so hard he almost starts to choke. A columnist for another Florida paper walks by and asks what the other guy is laughing so hard about.

"He's sitting next to Frenette."

That columnist starts cackle laughing. By this point, I am scared shitless.

I take my seat during warm-ups. Gene introduces himself and seems perfectly nice.

I start working on pre-game notes. Gene is watching warm-ups.

"That's a nice pad, where did you get that?"
"That's what we get at the office."
"You like yellow paper?"
"I never thought about it."
"Wow, cool pen. I got a cool pen at SEC media days and it was the perfect weight, I really liked it, but I had it stolen a couple weeks ago."
"Wow, that sucks..."

After about 30 minutes of banter like that, I put on my headphones hoping he'll take the hint.

Twice in the next five minutes. He taps me.

"Did you see that kick?"
"No."
"He sent it all the way into the end zone."
"Oh...."

This was during warm-ups. Throughout warm-ups he reacts to whatever he's watching like actual game, oohing and ahhing at things like the punter warming up.

The actual game was worse. I think he asked me who made the tackle or how many yards were gained on every single play.

He asked me about my yellow steno pad two more times.

He asked me about a punt in the third quarter as I was transcribing tape on deadline.

He called his desk at least five times on deadline.

The funniest thing was, I ran into him a little more than a month later at the NCAAs and he was talking to another writer who introduced me to Gene.

"Gene Frenette, nice to meet you..."

 

Like I said Mizzou, Gene is harmless. He just needs a hug, or something. He'll talk but he's extremely helpful and not like many of the stuffy guys covering sports in the Sunshine State. He's OK.

 

He's not a bad guy. He just has zero concept of press box etiquette.

 

Mizzou,

I saw a Florida writer almost attack Gene for talking too much on deadline.

If you've ever covered a Florida game where Gene is at, you're almost guaranteed to hear, "Shut the fuck up, Gene." at least once after the game.

 

Just ask him to quit bothering you. If he keeps on, move or go postal on his ass.