The Homer Article

No, I work at a major metro, and have worked for a small- and mid-market papers in my career -- and dealt with editing preps copy at each stop. I'm not saying every story needs fives sources -- especially on a regular-season blow outs. The point of me starting this post wasn't to say everyone who does the one-source, one-team/side is lazy (on gamers, not features), although it seems many took it that way; it was to voice my belief that in more cases than not, a one-side, one-team article doesn't give the reader the whole story.

The last game I saw was a perfect game in a state baseball final. I interviewed a player from the "opposing" team, who gave me a dynamite quote. That made it into my article only because it added to my story's development, not its length.

Sure, sometimes on the prep beat you simply can't get to both sides, but I always do my best to grab both sides because, to me, I think it's right. That is my belief, right or wrong. And it's worked well for me, so far.

 

To hell with both sides. Write it like you see it. Be a homer if you enjoyed the win. Be a blubbering ball of mess if you were crushed by a defeat.