Miles from a point.

[hockeybeat]

Usually, I like Rosenberg. But this is just crap.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080324/SPORTS08/803240325

 

[Guybehindtheguy]

I dunno, I'd say the whole Marriott points thing is spot on.

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

Heard a reporter from the Startlegram chastising fellow Texas scribes for being "Marriott whores" a couple weeks back.
It was true, as is Rosenberg's comments. Too many reporters are more concerned about the Marriotts than what they're actually supposed to be working on.

 

[forever_town]

I liked living 20 minutes away from the venue.

 

[John]

I'm more of a Hilton *****, though I will almost always trade convenience for points.

 

[Some Guy]

That column actually made me chuckle, because it's true. And so what if it is?

Too many reporters are more concerned about the Marriotts than what they're actually supposed to be working on.

This, to me, is b.s. Yes, most of us like to stay in Marriotts (or Hiltons, or Westins or whatever), but I've never seen someone so engrossed in it that it affected their job. That is just asinine.

What's more, I'll defend Marriott whores to the death. I'm on the road more than 100 days a year, away from my wife, away from my (soon-to-be) kids. I miss birthdays and weekends and anniversaries. This year, I was on the road for Valentine's Day. When my wife had to go to Colorado while her mom was having surgery, I couldn't go.

Why shouldn't I get a little something for my trouble? Or, for hers?

The other thing is, brand loyalty (with hotels, airlines and rental cars) just equals convenience. I can re-arrange my flights free of charge, organize a late check-out time to accommodate the new flight and have a rental car waiting for me on the ground at Hertz. When you travel as much as I do, that kind of flexibility is a necessity.

Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is.

 

[21]

I'm not a big fan of sportswriters writing about sportswriters--I doubt the readers really care, nor do they get the inside joke--but this was silly and entertaining without being whiny and self-indulgent. No big deal.

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

That column actually made me chuckle, because it's true. And so what if it is?

Too many reporters are more concerned about the Marriotts than what they're actually supposed to be working on.

This, to me, is b.s. Yes, most of us like to stay in Marriotts (or Hiltons, or Westins or whatever), but I've never seen someone so engrossed in it that it affected their job. That is just asinine.

What's more, I'll defend Marriott whores to the death. I'm on the road more than 100 days a year, away from my wife, away from my (soon-to-be) kids. I miss birthdays and weekends and anniversaries. This year, I was on the road for Valentine's Day. When my wife had to go to Colorado while her mom was having surgery, I couldn't go.

Why shouldn't I get a little something for my trouble? Or, for hers?

The other thing is, brand loyalty (with hotels, airlines and rental cars) just equals convenience. I can re-arrange my flights free of charge, organize a late check-out time to accommodate the new flight and have a rental car waiting for me on the ground at Hertz. When you travel as much as I do, that kind of flexibility is a necessity.

Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is.

Reporters depending on brand loyalty and "getting a little something for your trouble" is one thing.
Reporters who scheme their way out of covering an event because there isn't a Marriott nearby (and thus not worth their time) is another. I've seen it happen w/ multiple writers.

And I agree w/ 21 on this one: Writing about other sports writers isn't going to equate to squat w/ readers 99 percent of the time.

 

[Stone Cane]

Marriott has a rewards program???

 

[cathack]

I laughed, especially since I'm switching hotels tomorrow just to get Marriott points.

 

[beardpuller]

Marriott has a rewards program???

OK, that's funny.

About the only thing I remember about the 2002 Winter Olympics is that I got points for the 25 nights I spent at a Fairfield Inn in Salt Lake City. Usually at the Olympics, I've had to stay in some ****ty future public housing or something. But points! For more than a three-week stay! Now that I'm remembering how great this was, I feel bad about voting for Obama instead of Mitt Romney.

 

[playthrough]

Sure, my heart aches with pain akin to a lost love when I type the city in the Marriott search engine and find the nearest hotel with vacancy is 87.2 miles away. But I can't imagine mailing in the story or weaseling out of it altogether. Jeez.

 

[Alan Trubow]

I have a confession:
I cover Texas sports, and I'm a Marriott *****.

I guess once or twice I've reported on where an athlete sleeps the night before, on or after a game.
I didn't realize it mattered where I slept.

 

[Magnum]

Marriott has a Courtyards at Auburn Hills, and others near the stadiums, IIRC.

And it is still a **** hole.

 

[JakeandElwood]

That column actually made me chuckle, because it's true. And so what if it is?

Too many reporters are more concerned about the Marriotts than what they're actually supposed to be working on.

This, to me, is b.s. Yes, most of us like to stay in Marriotts (or Hiltons, or Westins or whatever), but I've never seen someone so engrossed in it that it affected their job. That is just asinine.

What's more, I'll defend Marriott whores to the death. I'm on the road more than 100 days a year, away from my wife, away from my (soon-to-be) kids. I miss birthdays and weekends and anniversaries. This year, I was on the road for Valentine's Day. When my wife had to go to Colorado while her mom was having surgery, I couldn't go.

Why shouldn't I get a little something for my trouble? Or, for hers?

The other thing is, brand loyalty (with hotels, airlines and rental cars) just equals convenience. I can re-arrange my flights free of charge, organize a late check-out time to accommodate the new flight and have a rental car waiting for me on the ground at Hertz. When you travel as much as I do, that kind of flexibility is a necessity.

Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is.

Reporters depending on brand loyalty and "getting a little something for your trouble" is one thing.
Reporters who scheme their way out of covering an event because there isn't a Marriott nearby (and thus not worth their time) is another. I've seen it happen w/ multiple writers.

And I agree w/ 21 on this one: Writing about other sports writers isn't going to equate to squat w/ readers 99 percent of the time.

That is absolutely pathetic.

 

[mustangj17]

I actually think it is pretty funny. Which is pretty good, because it isn't anywhere near his best work.

I guess that would be the sign of a good writer. He can still make you laugh and get a point across even when he isn't near the top of his game.

 

[Thirsty And Vacant]

I'm partial to Motel 6. :

 

[Some Guy]

Reporters who scheme their way out of covering an event because there isn't a Marriott nearby (and thus not worth their time) is another. I've seen it happen w/ multiple writers.

I've also heard of reporter's plagiarizing or wearing homerish team gear. But I wouldn't paint all of us with that same broad brush as some on this thread seem apt to do.

On another note: Where in the hell are some of you people covering events where they don't have a Marriott property? I heard when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, he found a Fairfield there.

 

[playthrough]

Some college towns only have one Marriott property, and if that's booked you can be looking at a long haul to get to another one.

 

[Moderator1]

The Marriott near Virginia Tech changed to a Sheraton property just as I was closing in on platinum. Then it went to a Holiday Inn. Not as bad as I thought because the quality of the joint never changed and the points program is wonderful. I'm still milking the points, have stayed more free nights in New York than I can count. I would Marriott ***** on the road - so I'm platinum (still) with HI and the level below that with Marriott for the rest of this year.