Has an SID ever tried to frame you for misquoting someone? How'd you handle it?

[intheshadow]

Got an insulting email from an SID this morning. I covered a soccer game yesterday in which the local team lost. The coach told me at the end of one particular sentence, "We didn't have a lot of heart or a lot of fight today." I have it recorded on my phone and played it back to myself two dozen times. Yet the head SID at this place said I "butchered" the quote and the whole story.

Here's the kicker. The soccer SID claims the quote was "...but we showed a lot of heart and fight today." The head SID claims it was "...but we continued to battle and showed a lot of heart and fight today." Embellished P.R. B.S. If the debate was about the one-syllable difference between "did" and "didn't," I'd be more open to considering I screwed it up. No, they are slandering me.

Luckily my editor has my back, and I don't have to deal with this SID department anytime soon. But I'm really worked up and just looking for guidance and the sharing of similar frustrating stories, so I can remind myself I'm not the only one to deal with this sort of thing.

 

[MeanGreenATO]

LOL.

One time, there was an SID that told a set of facts to a national media outlet that disagreed with what others had said throughout the day. The original story ended up making national headlines and we were on the verge of publishing a story that said the SID lied to the national media outlet. While I was on the phone with the school's head of external affairs to get a comment, the SID texted a reporter at the national outlet and "clarified" his remarks.

 

[intheshadow]

LOL.

One time, there was an SID that told a set of facts to a national media outlet that disagreed with what others had said throughout the day. The original story ended up making national headlines and we were on the verge of publishing a story that said the SID lied to the national media outlet. While I was on the phone with the school's head of external affairs to get a comment, the SID texted a reporter at the national outlet and "clarified" his remarks.

Lol! Good timing for that SID to clear things up for everyone.

 

[cjericho]

Call him back play the recording then tell him to go f himself.

 

[Double Down]

If you feel 100 percent confident you quoted the coach accurately, send the SID the isolated part of the audio file and cc the assistant athletic director with a note that says: "Just wanted to clear this up. Here is the audio showing the quote is accurate. Look forward to working with you again soon."

 

[intheshadow]

Call him back play the recording then tell him to go f himself.

I'd regret the latter part of that strategy tomorrow lol.

If you feel 100 percent confident you quoted the coach accurately, send the SID the isolated part of the audio file and cc the assistant athletic director with a note that says: "Just wanted to clear this up. Here is the audio showing the quote is accurate. Look forward to working with you again soon."

My editor wants to be the one to talk to the SID for now, and he added that our main beat writer who covers this school's revenue sports gets this crap from the guy a few times a year (I am relatively new to this outlet by comparison). My editor has my recording now and while he's leaving some room for the possibility that "the coach didn't enunciate," he's got the "continued to battle" embellishment in his back pocket. Very grateful he has my back.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

Got an insulting email from an SID this morning. I covered a soccer game yesterday in which the local team lost. The coach told me at the end of one particular sentence, "We didn't have a lot of heart or a lot of fight today." I have it recorded on my phone and played it back to myself two dozen times. Yet the head SID at this place said I "butchered" the quote and the whole story.

Here's the kicker. The soccer SID claims the quote was "...but we showed a lot of heart and fight today." The head SID claims it was "...but we continued to battle and showed a lot of heart and fight today." Embellished P.R. B.S. If the debate was about the one-syllable difference between "did" and "didn't," I'd be more open to considering I screwed it up. No, they are slandering me.

Did you ask a follow-up on the "didn't have a lot of heart/fight" quote? Because if he answered it, that would help your case (if you misunderstood him, he would have used that spot to clarify).

The fact that the soccer SID and head SID can't coalesce around a proper quote is probably telling on its own.

 

[intheshadow]

The fact that the soccer SID and head SID can't coalesce around a proper quote is probably telling on its own.

My point exactly! And my next question wasn't precisely about "didn't have a lot of heart" but her answer to it still would have revealed whether she thought she had to clarify. I'll also mention here that the player I interviewed said she felt the team should have been more "in the game" mentally, fwiw.

 

[stix]

If your editor has your back and you're confident, just say you stand by what you reported, and that's that.

If they wanna turn that into a pissing match, that's their problem.

 

[reformedhack]

If you feel 100 percent confident you quoted the coach accurately, send the SID the isolated part of the audio file and cc the assistant athletic director with a note that says: "Just wanted to clear this up. Here is the audio showing the quote is accurate. Look forward to working with you again soon."

This is exactly the proper response.

 

[daytonadan1983]

They went to war over soccer?

 

[boundforboston]

How would the SIDs know the quote? Did they listen to the interviews? Do they have a recording?

 

[tapintoamerica]

How good is the audio quality? Digital voice recorder or phone I hope. If so, get audio editing software to try to mitigate background noise or boost coach's voice. Then email the clip. Also make a transcript.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Sounds like an SID who needs to learn to pick his battles better.

 

[Gator]

That's one surefire way to make sure your team never gets coverage again.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

I'd just tell them that you continually have trouble with them whenever you cover this minor sport, and it's just not worth the headaches.

Therefore, because of their unprofessional and unacceptable behavior, you will not cover that sport in the future. CC everyone up to the AD and let them handle their problem children.

 

[Double Down]

I'd just tell them that you continually have trouble with them whenever you cover this minor sport, and it's just not worth the headaches.

Therefore, because of their unprofessional and unacceptable behavior, you will not cover that sport in the future. CC everyone up to the AD and let them handle their problem children.

As enjoyable as it is to go scorched earth on someone for questioning your reporting, I've learned (over time) that it's almost always better to just be as professional and stoic as possible, and let the facts speak for themselves. Don't say you won't cover the team in the future. Don't rip them apart. It's fine to cc an assistant athletic director on an email, but be professional and let them act like children and you'll come out looking much better in the long run.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I've never had an SID challenge me in any such way. If they tried, I'd shut their ass down immediately. Your whole situation is ridiculous. It's women's ****ing soccer. Get over it.

 

[SnarkShark]

If it was a revenue sport, it would be OK for the SID to act this way. But women’s soccer? We just won’t cover it anymore.

That’ll show ‘em!

 

[Tweener]

When I covered preps, I had a mom threaten to sue the paper and pull her advertising with us because I reported that her kid had been "dismissed" from the team. The coach confirmed it and I had it on a recorder, so my executive editor to the mom to bring it on. She stood down quickly.