You and the Olympics

Hey, I'm still bitching about the three-point line, so why not?

 

Why would Atlanta or Dallas send reporters to the Winter Olympics? Aside from hockey, what's the angle? Is there a bobsledder from the Metroplex I've not read about yet? A ski jumper from Marietta?

Yeah, yeah, I know the whole "big papers staff big events" mindset. But why waste money and resources covering the Winter Olympics when you're newspaper in a hot-weather town?

 

If it's that cold, i'm sure there'll be plenty of headlights flashing.

 

Actually there was a skeleton athlete from DFW who competed in 2006. He was the guy who broke his neck in that sledding accident after his competition ended.

And it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Stars will have players on four of the teams competing in Vancouver - USA, Canada, Sweden & Latvia.

 

One of the best speedskaters in last Olympics was from Houston area.

 

Yes, practically a household name, too. Can you give us a hint?

 

I totally know this one! Chad Hedrick

 

Admit it. You've done this before.

 

The "ringheads" who cover this stuff regularly are full of themselves, too. Places I have worked, the squirreliest of them turn a twice every four years event into nearly a full-time role. Even though no one gives a hoot in between the Olympics.

If reasonable sports journalists can be debating the merits of staffing the World Series, the Super Bowl, the Final Four and other big events in mainstream sports, then this one really should be scrutinized hard by papers looking to save money. Even the "networking" claim (I've made it myself) about boots on the ground at big event doesn't hold up with these mostly-in-the-dark sports (except every 48 months).

And unlike the cleanup hitter of a Series participant, these athletes are way more accessible for phoners if the need arises to write about someone who grew up in the same area code. If the average reader cares at all in the first place.

The declining "prestige" factor to covering the Olympics doesn't make up for the cost and the irrelevance of it these days.

 

I think covering the World Series is much more important. But I have heard the argument that the Winter Olympics coverage lures in "non-sports readers." Which to me always made as much sense as trying to make the real estate section more inclusive of homeless readers.