What keeps you in it?

No, what is happening is that the citizen journalists are realizing, or will realize, that this is much more work than they really want to do for free, and they are deciding, or will decide, not to do it. The novelty of the idea will wear off, even for the most gung-ho, if there is no real payoff, eventually.

And, despite his words to the contrary, Nighthawk wouldn't do it for free, either. If he wasn't getting paid to do sports writing, he'd sitting on his couch at home just watching sports, not bothering to actually work in them. It is much easier and more enjoyable that way, and requires no commitment or effort.

Whenever somebody uses such hyperbole, it brings to mind an acquaintance I have who is as big a sports fan as anyone, and always has been, and who is a talented writer and an experienced journalist, at least as far as high school sports go, to boot.

Like a lot of us, he always lamented that he'd like to go to a game just for fun and not have to work while there, just to see what that'd be like, and he vowed that, someday, he'd do that, and looked forward to it.

Well, he's not in the business anymore, and has had ample opportunity in the past few years to do as he'd always said he wanted.

And, he hasn't been to a single event since he stopped working them. I'd bet the same thing would happen with just about anyone in the same position.

The fact is that we do need to pay bills, and the reality of that takes precedence over whatever we think we might do if not for that.

 

Are you talking about him not going to a high school game or not going to pro games anymore? Because if I get out of the business I, sure as hell, won't ever go to a high school game unless my kid or neighbor is playing in it.

I think if you enjoy going to sporting events, even after being out of the business, you'll still go. Hell, I try to go to games even now when I can — if I have the choice, I go as a fan, instead of work.

 

Yup. WFW. Been doing it fulltime since '73, and before that as a hs and col student since '67. Been a hell of a ride, and as the finish line starts to come into view, I'm glad I stuck it out.

However, there are days (like today) when I wish I raked leaves for a living.

 

If I was out of the business and lived in a city with major league sports, I wouldn't go to high school games. But in my town, I go to an occasional football or hockey game in my free time.

 

I enjoy being the underdog and rooting for the underdog. Every shop I've been at, we've competed with a bigger paper that has more resources.
Being at a relatively new weekly in an area with three TV stations and a well-established daily of pretty decent size, I'm in it because I want to beat the crap out of the competition. I want to cover stories the others aren't and for people to notice that. I want our paper to get to the point where people call us first with a story tip, not the bigger competition, because they are rooting for the underdog. I want every prep sports parent in the area to subscribe to our paper and tell every friend to do the same thing because we're the only ones covering the local teams on a consistent basis. I want to see my paper grow by leaps and bounds, and to have enough of a staff that I'm not writing the whole paper.
And once I accomplish all of that, I want to finally take a real vacation.

 

the sports reporter groupies waiting for us in the courtyard lobby when we return from filing a gamer, notebook, blog items, tweets, audio and video.

 

That's why I got into it, too.

 

I don't want to flip burgers yet.

 

I don't get the same type of tips from spinning on a pole that I got a few years ago.

 

Because I can make a decent living doing something I thoroughly enjoy each day, and I get to practice a craft I've devoted half my lifetime to at a pretty high level. Most people aren't that lucky.
If I get laid off, or stop enjoying it, I'll probably try and find something else to do. But, for now, why stop?

 

Hot sports moms...

Seriously... as much as we all bitch about our business, it is a pretty nice gig ... getting paid to watch sports. I just wish it paid a little more ....

 

Commendable. I do all those things at well. Too bad I don't get a raise, got furloughed two weeks and work 60 hours and get paid for 40. Not a fair tradeoff.