"Where does it say I can't cheer at the press table?"

Why would someone worry about politely clapping during the event? It says no cheering. Not no polite clapping.

 

Prep football game I'm covering, the underdog wins and the local reporter and coach embrace, literally jumping up and down, saying, "WE finally did it!"

 

This is not a newspaper legend because too many folks I know who work or previously worked in Huntsville have told me an identical version of the story.

Back in the early '90s when Huntsville, Ala., had both a morning (News) and afternoon (Times) paper, the Times' beat writer for the city's minor league basketball team was escorted by security from his seat at press row in the 7,000-seat arena after he was whistled for a technical foul against the home team.

For arguing with the officials about a call.

Honest to God.

Even better was the fact that in the next morning's News, the box score included this nugget for all to see:

Technicals - Sports Writer's name (ejected).

I'm told the guy's gone on to become a major figure in the city's business community.

 

Moving away from the actual pressbox----I was once in SMU football locker room after nailbiting victory at Baylor, and Dallas Times Herald writer was exchanging high fives, shouts and backslaps with SMU players while interviewing them. Veteran guy, good reporter, and this was right around the time newspapers were doing investigative reporting of SMU leading to NCAA death penalty. I just thought this guy's lockerroom tactic was disingenuous. Sickening---buttering these guys up while he and other staffers were trying to stab them in the back---although DTH got beat to the punch (as did I, admittedly) by a TV station.

 

That is freakin hilarious. I can't stop laughing.

As for clapping, I don't do it. I don't clap for the national anthem and I don't clap for servicemen or anything. What I will do is congratulate the coach and players after if the deserve it.

 

I applaud a good version of our national anthem. I'm there covering a game, not the national anthem.

 

The story predates me, but those who told me swear it was true.

Years ago, mid-70s or so, Waldo Stadium at Western Michigan University had one level for its press box with a wall in the middle to separate the president's box from the press. But during the game, the regents, fans and such would make their way to the back of the press level to watch and cheer.
One time, it was particularly loud from the hangers-on. One journalist stood up and screamed something to the effect of "THIS IS A WORKING PRESS BOX! IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHEER, LEAVE!" -- Rob Falls, son of the late Joe Falls.
On Monday morning, Rob Falls was ordered to write a letter of apology to the board of trustees and the president for HIS conduct in the press box.

 

Always entertaining were the good ol' days at Texas Stadium with Cowboys GM Tex Schramm seated in the press box. Tex didn't cheer so much as curse bad plays or calls against the Cowboys. It was part of the background noise, like a TV monitor cranked up.

 

That's awesome.

 

Yup. Our seat was about 10 feet from him. Tex could be hysterical and occasionally annoying, but he was part of the scenery and I don't remember ever hearing anyone bitch about it much. He was one hell of an accessible GM. Anytime you wanted a comment during a game, he was happy to oblige. I think I recall that Doug Todd tried to get him to move into a suite but he wanted no part of that.

Clutch, we must have run in the same circles some back then. Covered a ton of SWC stuff and spent a lot of time at SMU during the Pony Express investigations. Can't remember for the life of me who the Times-Herald beat guy was, though. I never saw that kind of homerism when I was around them.

 

Here is a different kind of press box story.

While I was the sports editor of my college newspaper I covered a conference football game on the road. It was only an hour away, and I knew lots of people who went to school there. I was going to meet up with my friends after the game and eventually spend the night there.

Well, some of my friends went to the game and snuck alcohol in. They got drunk and somehow talked their way into the press box. Of course they did it so they could mess with me.

I repeatedly asked them to leave. When they finally got the hint I turned back around and watched the game in horror. I was so embarrassed.

 

Sitting on press row at state high school basketball championships ... at the end of the game guy runs down the row high-fiving his buds ... An hour after the game he's still fist-bumping guys in the hospitality room. Dude, get a life.