Need help taking NFL stats.

[Batman]

All of your posts are helping so much. And 93devil, pasting that AP article will really help me with the whole setup of the gamer. I'm waiting for the College Football bowl games. I'm thinking about doing a scoring summary for most games, then come back and write a game recap to go with it.

Like Devil said, the most important stuff should go first.
Another good tip for a beginner is, the first 6-7 paragraphs should be able to stand as their own story. In that space, you need to tell the reader what the score was; what the biggest play or trend was (like Rondo having 13 assists and nine rebounds in the example); ideally, a quote or two; and what this win or loss means in the grand scheme of things.
As you're watching a game, be on the lookout for those types of things.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Play-by-play is way too hard to do while watching a game on TV. I tried to start doing it for one NFL game, and I got lost after 3 plays.

See, I think that would be easy. You already get down and distance on the score bar across the screen.

Then you just write numbers down of who does what. run or pass.


It's a lot harder on a high school field that only has lines every five yards.


But, again, everyone is different and keeps stats in different ways. You have to figure out the best way for you, in a way that you can understand quickly.

 

[HanSenSE]

When I was getting started, I also studied stories in the paper, not only for what happened in the game, but how the were structured. The biggest thing I think I learned was to find out why things happened (yes, the old 5w's and 1h), since in most cases -- and especially now when I work for a pm'er -- the reader already knows Podunk U. won and who did the scoring. But why Podunk was able to shut down Directional State's star running back may tell a better story.

 

[93Devil]

But writing good leads (like the Rondo one above) is a gift.

 

[spud]

But writing good leads (like the Rondo one above) is a gift.

Doing it on a tight deadline makes it even more impressive.

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

You want to recreate the experience of covering a professional or D1 college game as much as possible?

Pick a bowl game that you have no rooting interest in. In the days leading up to the game, read every single article from the hometown papers of the schools. Learn as much about the teams as you possibly can. Think of possible storylines (Are both teams young and on the rise? Do the coaches have a history of coaching against the other? Are there 2010 Heisman hopefuls playing?).

Watch the game and take notes. You don't want your story to turn into play by play (...Notre Dame ran a fullback draw on the first play, but threw an incompletion on second down...), but be thinking of key plays. Was there a key penalty or breakdown defensively? You want to keep play by play, but not for stats. You'll get those off the team websites after the game. You want it so you have a quick reference on deadline and so you can add your own notes (pass inc, intended for 82. 82 slipped on wet grass -- 14 threw where 82 would have been). Don't cheat and use Tivo -- write stuff down as you see it. Be thinking about your possible storylines and winnowing them down. But be prepared to throw all of them out the window because the game might surprise you.

(To really get the full experience, you should probably be eating a half cooked hotdog, a bag of Lays chips and a Coke while you do this, just so you get used to writing while you have indigestion).

After taking your notes throughout the game, wait until any video/audio of the postgame press conference or interviews is posted online (the school sites are the best place to look. The bowl website may even have a transcript). Gather up as many quotes as possible. Then sit down and give yourself an hour to write a story. Use the quotes. Stay away from pure play by play. Think of a lead. Stop at 57 minutes to spell check and re-read. At one hour, email it to yourself in whatever state it is in. Then wait a day, open the email, re-read it and study it to see what you would change if you had the time. One of the most terrifying feelings as a writer is sitting in a press box and hitting send. You send it to the editor, knowing that if you had 10 more minutes, you could make the story 2x as good. And you send it, knowing that you have no control over what happens to it from now until it is in tomorrow's paper.


If you do all of this and love it, you might be cut out of this crazy business.

 

[cwhs33]

You want to recreate the experience of covering a professional or D1 college game as much as possible?

Pick a bowl game that you have no rooting interest in. In the days leading up to the game, read every single article from the hometown papers of the schools. Learn as much about the teams as you possibly can. Think of possible storylines (Are both teams young and on the rise? Do the coaches have a history of coaching against the other? Are there 2010 Heisman hopefuls playing?).

Watch the game and take notes. You don't want your story to turn into play by play (...Notre Dame ran a fullback draw on the first play, but threw an incompletion on second down...), but be thinking of key plays. Was there a key penalty or breakdown defensively? You want to keep play by play, but not for stats. You'll get those off the team websites after the game. You want it so you have a quick reference on deadline and so you can add your own notes (pass inc, intended for 82. 82 slipped on wet grass -- 14 threw where 82 would have been). Don't cheat and use Tivo -- write stuff down as you see it. Be thinking about your possible storylines and winnowing them down. But be prepared to throw all of them out the window because the game might surprise you.

(To really get the full experience, you should probably be eating a half cooked hotdog, a bag of Lays chips and a Coke while you do this, just so you get used to writing while you have indigestion).

After taking your notes throughout the game, wait until any video/audio of the postgame press conference or interviews is posted online (the school sites are the best place to look. The bowl website may even have a transcript). Gather up as many quotes as possible. Then sit down and give yourself an hour to write a story. Use the quotes. Stay away from pure play by play. Think of a lead. Stop at 57 minutes to spell check and re-read. At one hour, email it to yourself in whatever state it is in. Then wait a day, open the email, re-read it and study it to see what you would change if you had the time. One of the most terrifying feelings as a writer is sitting in a press box and hitting send. You send it to the editor, knowing that if you had 10 more minutes, you could make the story 2x as good. And you send it, knowing that you have no control over what happens to it from now until it is in tomorrow's paper.


If you do all of this and love it, you might be cut out of this crazy business.

This is great man! The first bowl game is the New Mexico between Fresno State and Wyoming, and I don't know much about these teams. I'm going to take your advice and study these teams by reading articles. I can't wait to try this out! And I might even write a gamer for the Army-Navy game this weekend.

 

[93Devil]

Oh, never try to be funny in gamers or in leads.

The above Rondo lead is about as close to cute as you want to be.

 

[cwhs33]

Hey guys, here is my gamer I just wrote. Tell me what you think.

110th Meeting between Army and Navy
Coming into the December 12th match up, Navy knows that they have owned Army with a record of 54-49-7 all-time and have won the last 7 meetings. Well, make that 8. Navy defeated the Black Knights of Army 17-3 on Saturday. Army really wanted this win, as it would've put them in the EagleBank bowl to play Temple. That will now go to UCLA. Navy, on the other hand, will play in the Texas bowl on December 31st against Missouri. Navy goes to 9-4 led by their talented quarterback, Ricky Dobbs. Dobbs became a huge part in this game with 174 total yards and 2 touchdowns. One of those being a rushing touchdown that gives Dobbs 24 for the season. He passes Tim Tebow and Chance Harridge for the most rushing touchdowns as a quarterback in one season.

Army got on the board first with a field goal by Alex Carlton as the first quarter expired. The defense played really well in the first, holding Navy scoreless. But, Navy got the ball back at the start of the second half and drove downfield that led to a 25 yard touchdown pass to Marcus Curry. Navy added a field goal right before the 4th quarter to take the lead 10-3.

A couple of made field goals and better execution, and Army is in this. But Army couldn't capitalize on anything.

While this is one of, if not the biggest rivalries in college football, many players say it's like "playing against your brother." There is a great show of respect after the game, as both team's alma mater's are played.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Just a couple small style notes:


Navy/Army are its, not theys or thems.


Midshipmen/Cadets are theys.


Also, the first numbers in your story should be the score of the game. Most of the time it should be the only number in the first graf, just to avoid confusion.

 

[cwhs33]

Just a couple small style notes:


Navy/Army are its, not theys or thems.


Midshipmen/Cadets are theys.


Also, the first numbers in your story should be the score of the game. Most of the time it should be the only number in the first graf, just to avoid confusion.

Thanks for the help. This is just my first football gamer, so I need to learn and study more. I'm only 16.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Oh I know you're only 16. Everything offered was constructive.


After I read your story further, it seems like most of the key factual elements were there. Some of the writing could be tightened up.

A couple of the paragraphs to be backed up with quotes, but of course, you didn't have access to that.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Here's a very basic gamer, similar to what AP may give you. I did this in about two minutes. For publication, I would have fine tuned it a bit more. But it can give you a general idea.


Quarterback Ricky Dobbs helped power Navy to a 17-3 victory over Army in the annual battle between the military service academies.
Dobbs ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw for 61 yards as the Midshipmen won their eighth straight over Army, denying the Black Knights their first bowl bid in 13 years.



Obviously, I only wrote the lead and would have expounded on Dobbs with quotes and tying Tebow's record.


Take a read of the AP gamer that was on Yahoo and compare it to yours. That's a way to get better. Lots of reading.
Obviously, you're just starting out, but reading all types of material, as well as writing, helps you learn.


http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recap?gid=200912120102&prov=ap

 

[93Devil]

The first paragrapgh should never be more than 30 words. Some publications wave this rule, but I like it.

Your first two paragraphs should tell the reader what happened and make them want to read the rest of your story.