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Would You Ask Why?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Pete Incaviglia, Oct 6, 2007.

  1. boots

    boots New Member

    You were not wrong to ask why. You were wrong to allow him to talk to you like a piece of shit.
    During the course of my career, I've had that happen a couple of times. And each time, I told that person, "I don't know who you think you are talking to but you will give me the respect that I am giving you. Now if you want to go on a cursing rampage you've come to the right person."
    In all but one of those instances, the person apologized and I got what I needed.
    The other time, the guy continued to curse like as a sailor. I told him "I'm not paid to take insults."
    Everything was fine until he said "Fuck you." My next words were "No, fuck you too."
    An assistant coach stepped between us and it ended. Today, I consider that coach a very good friend and a mentor on a lot of matters public and private.
     
  2. markvid

    markvid Guest

    Now, see, if I'm your boss, you get bitch-slapped for acting like that on company time.
     
  3. boots

    boots New Member

    Actually, my boss didn't have a problem with it. The coach was wrong for berating and insulting me. That's not what I'm paid for. And it's also a form of intimidation and I don't scare very easy.
    I told him I may have been wrong to curse back but I was pissed off. He understood. All of this was many moons ago and the coach and I have gotten drunk laughing about the incident. He said it was the first time that a reporter stood up to him and he respected that.
     
  4. markvid

    markvid Guest

    I understand that, but you are a rep of your company at that time.
    I've had to bite my tongue a few times in clubhouses, but I do because my credential is issued to me as an employee, not as an individual.
     
  5. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    Clarification, please?

    A kid's *father* said tou couldn't talk to and you *did*?

    If I was the father, we would have been in the publisher's office the next day.
     
  6. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    Pete: You handled this perfectly.
     
  7. The player was 18, a legal adult. Fuck his assistant coach/dad.
     
  8. boots

    boots New Member

    And as a rep, I am not paid to take abuse. It's just that simple.
     
  9. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    pete - you handled it well.

    mark - i've said almost what boots said verbatim on one occasion, and i think it was called for.
     
  10. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    Boy Scout: We can disagree on this.

    We don't have to swear. (Well, we *could*). ;)

    Your call. You made it and it worked. It's not the way I would have done it, but that's cool. I just wanted to make sure I was reading it right. I dealt with this a lot because the local high school coach had three different grandsons play as quarterback, and there were times he didn't want people talking to the team or to those kids.

    Question: If the father in question was the head coach, do you look at it any differently?

    I had not thought about the fact that he might be 18 because it was the end of his senior baseball season, but I wouldn't have thought about that anyway. Just me.

    Buck: What exactly do you mean? Helicopter parents? (Remember, as a teacher I was dealing with parents going to the principal over me. I never went for my own kids though).

    My point is that if you feel an employee of a company did something inappropriate, you have the right to go to the their boss. (OK, maybe you call the sports editor instead of storming the publisher's office, but I still think you have the right to complain).

    Of course, if I am the father, the kid loses the car for a week for defying me in front of another adult, but maybe I am just cranky today.

    PS: I think what made me think about this was the post about : "The parents let is talk to the kids and now the principal is gonna get back at us." In that case, the defense is the parents.
     
  11. Stone Cane

    Stone Cane Member

    he mentioned later it wasn't HS, but I disagree about the leaving them alone part. I would never leave a HS game without getting quotes from at least one kid, no matter how bad the loss was. they can handle it. find a senior, a captain, and talk to him. Part of the job.
     
  12. In Cold Blood

    In Cold Blood Member

    High school kids can handle talking after a loss. Why wouldn't you want to talk to them?

    The school I spend a lot of my friday nights covering is awful. Loses every week. Coach acts like he's just been stabbed in the heart after every game. Can't believe his super talented (insert blue font) team lost by seven touchdowns again...

    if it wasn't for the players, I'd have no decent quotes. Ever. Just coach trying to convince me the team is really headed for the top of the world.
     
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