Puking kids

[Scouter]

No, this isn't some sick-o YouTube video.

Covered a high school basketball game the other night and one of the players puked on the court during the game. There was a delay for a few minutes to clean it up. It didn't really have any impact on the game so I didn't include it in the gamer, but we had a notebook that also ran that day so I mentioned it there.

Kid's dad calls me the next day and said his son was pretty upset and embarrassed about it. He said he didn't think it was worth writing about. I told him I thought it was because it was such an odd occurence, therefore making it newsworthy. I said 10 years from now player aren't going to remember that Podunk beat Boofoo by 10 points; they'll remember that the kid from Podunk ralphed on the court.

Am I wrong here? Have you/would you write about someone who threw up during a game?

 

[spnited]

You're wrong.
If it had no impact on the game, as you said, why mention it, even in a notebook.
As a high school editor, I would have killed that note.
And never mind 10 years from now, in 10 days nobody would have remembered the kid barfing on the court, except that you wrote about it..

 

[zebracoy]

I would write about it, but I would probably try to contextualize it.

As long as it wasn't something along the lines of: Rob Simmons had six rebounds in a two-minute span in the second half ... Chuck Heave threw up at the foul line with 5:24 left in the third quarter ... Walter Raleigh had his first career dunk with 2:25 left in the first quarter. "I just saw that I was wide open on the break and was pumped up enough to give it a try," Raleigh said. "I'm just glad I didn't miss."

Maybe ask the kid about it to find out why he did it ... did he not eat before the game? Did he eat pizza before the game? Was he dehydrated? Etc. and maybe tuck in a quote.

It's a sensitivity issue, I think. I think you're right in the way you explained it, though it will probably **** father and kid off more to hear it put that way.

 

[WolvEagle]

I only would have mentioned it if it impacted the game, like changed the momentum. Otherwise, no.

I disagree with Spirited, though, in that the folks at that game will remember the kid ralphing on the court for years to come.

 

[spnited]

I would write about it, but I would probably try to contextualize it.


Maybe ask the kid about it to find out why he did it ... did he not eat before the game? Did he eat pizza before the game? Was he dehydrated? Etc. and maybe tuck in a quote.
It's a sensitivity issue, I think. I think you're right in the way you explained it, though it will probably **** father and kid off more to hear it put that way.

Why? Who cares? What does it add to any story you write?
The kid was probably embarrassed already, why compound it?

 

[zebracoy]

I would write about it, but I would probably try to contextualize it.


Maybe ask the kid about it to find out why he did it ... did he not eat before the game? Did he eat pizza before the game? Was he dehydrated? Etc. and maybe tuck in a quote.
It's a sensitivity issue, I think. I think you're right in the way you explained it, though it will probably **** father and kid off more to hear it put that way.

Why? Who cares? What does it add to any story you write?
The kid was probably embarrassed already, why compound it?

Because if there's no good reason for it, then it probably shouldn't go in.

But if the kid said he wasn't feeling well, or he was dehydrated, or there's some other larger issue here, maybe it's something taking worth taking a closer look at.

 

[Walter_Sobchak]

Wow, I think it totally warrants mentioning.

Either way, there's an impact on the game. Let's just say the kid stays in and plays well. That should be a lede right there. Or if he has to come out of the game. How did that affect Podunk?

Plus, as WolvEagle said, that's ALL people are going to be talking about who were there.

I understand the differences between college/pro and HS sports, but really, if this happened elsewhere, is there any chance in hell it doesn't get mentioned? Of course not.

 

[spnited]

The original post said it had no impact on the game.
Therefore, no reason to mention it. So what if the 100 people at the game are going to be talking about it.
And seriously, zebra, what "other larger issues" are there to look at?

 

[93Devil]

If it was a scrub, then you probably should have left it out. If it was a starter or a player who played a big role at the end of the game then I think it makes for a very good lead.

I wrote gamer once that focused around a kid losing his two front teeth on the hardwood (nasty freeking play) in the first quarter and playing the rest of the game.

 

[spnited]

If it was a scrub, then you probably should have left it out. If it was a starter or a player who played a big role at the end of the game then I think it makes for a very good lead.

I wrote gamer once that focused around a kid losing his two front teeth on the hardwood (nasty freeking play) in the first quarter and playing the rest of the game.

Totally different situation.

And, again, original pst said kid had NO IMPACT on the game.

NOT A STORY AT ALL!

 

[Oggiedoggie]

"Damn it! You just cost my kid a scholarship to culinary school!"

I once thought I heard a referee fart, but I didn't put it in my story because I couldn't get confirmation.

 

[canucklehead]

Did not deserve to be mentioned.
Now, if he had barfed after scoring the winning basket, or had up-chucked on an opponent as he was preparing to attempt what would be the winning shot, that's obviously another story

 

[Ace]

I would not have mentioned it except perhaps if the kid who ralphed was a star of the game and played through being ill.

 

[Stitch]

Do you mention all of the cross country runners who puke after a meet? You would have to use that as a lede every time.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

Same with wrestling.

Although I don't think you ever forget being a kid and seeing somebody blow chow in the middle of a classroom. I'm still not really over that.

 

[Harry Doyle]

I only would have mentioned it if it impacted the game, like changed the momentum.

What if he got elbowed in the gut and it was part of the game, as opposed to just pizza/dehydration/megahangover?

EDIT: The more I think of it, I probably still wouldn't include it. We don't write about every sprained ankle or bloody nose, either.

 

[Moderator1]

Those of you who have been around the CAA help me out here. A few years back, Hofstra had a pretty good player who was sick as a dog. Led them to an early-round upset. Late in the game, maybe right before an OT, he' loses lunch right at the scorers table. Mostly liquid but a hell of a lot of it and in full view of thousands.
It became most everyone's lead because it illustrated full well that the kid was indeed sick, and still played his ass off. He came in for postgame and someone offered him a bucket. He was good in talking about it, as was his coach. If memory serves, a couple of guys in jest got up and moved out of the front row (players were elevated).

But if it happens and isn't part of the story? Why?

 

[Stitch]

Same with wrestling.

Although I don't think you ever forget being a kid and seeing somebody blow chow in the middle of a classroom. I'm still not really over that.

I still remember a girl doing that in second grade.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

It was a story when McNabb ralphed in the Super Bowl, not so much when Marshall Faulk did it right before getting into the huddle (in a regular season game).

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I only think it's a story if the kid was the star of the game and played while sick, or if while he was sitting out, the other team went on a 10-0 run or something like that.