Toughest college programs to cover

[85bears]

In honor of the FWAA delivering its directories last night, I was flipping through and wondering about this.

Thoughts:

1. Penn State - Maybe you get players, maybe you don't this week. You never know. Plus, at a public university, the head coach's salary is a closely guarded secret.

2. Notre Dame - Terrible access. Combative head coach. Private university that reveals absolutely nothing, and doesn't need to, because they'll be covered corner-to-corner regardless.

3. Alabama - They don't call it "Fort Shula" for nothing. And you'll work to death on this beat.

4. Michigan - Boring head coach who becomes flat-out surly after a loss. Player access one day a week, take it or leave it.

5. Temple - Just because you have to watch Temple every week.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

Interesting list.

Since I cover college hoops, I'd be interested to see peoples' lists in that sport also.

I don't do enough national stuff to know one way or the other, and the team I cover is pretty good with access/info distribution. Certainly better than it was.

 

[Idaho]

how about the ones that flat out suck and have worthless SIDs?

 

[Armchair_QB]

how about the ones that flat out suck and have worthless SIDs?

Potty mouth.

 

[Shaggy]

I can't remember the whole story, but shouldn't a lawsuit all but take care of any secret surrounding Paterno's salary?

 

[spup1122]

The State Blue Book would have their "salary" in it. It doesn't include everything, but I have heard it's pretty close to accurate.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Is Penn State's athletic department set up as an independent entity? If it is, then he wouldn't be a state employee.

 

[Claws for Concern]

Notre Dame would seem to me to be the toughest to cover. The "U" might be a close second.

 

[85bears]

Notre Dame would seem to me to be the toughest to cover. The "U" might be a close second.

Doesn't the "U" have open locker rooms and wide open access during the week?

 

[Thinking Man]

I worked at Ann Arbor for awhile and saw the bull**** people had to go through to cover U-M football. No thanks. The other sports are a bit better there, especially hockey.

 

[Claws for Concern]

Notre Dame would seem to me to be the toughest to cover. The "U" might be a close second.

Doesn't the "U" have open locker rooms and wide open access during the week?

Perhaps, but I was just thinking about all of the stuff that goes along with covering Miami.

 

[HejiraHenry]

In interviewing once at Ann Arbor, a great deal of emphasis was put on the difficulties of dealing with Carr's office.

But you might get that in any big NCAA D-i town, I dunno.

 

[Ace]

Depending on how you look at it, beats where they severely limit and control access to coaches and players might be easier to cover because 95 percent of the time you know when you will be working and know you won't bet beat.

Doesn't mean your stories will sing, though.

A real burnout job would be one that is very open with lots of access, coach jabbering all the time and serious competition on the beat. You'd be looking over your back all the time.

 

[leo1]

Depending on how you look at it, beats where they severely limit and control access to coaches and players might be easier to cover because 95 percent of the time you know when you will be working and know you won't bet beat.

i would think the opposite is true.

in the tight-assed closed programs it's the beat writer's job to break down that wall and find a source who is in the know. this is tough because the source can't do it in the open. that's the guy who beats everyone else. if all you do is show up at the regularly scheduled events at the times they tell you, you're not trying hard enough.

 

[Ace]

Depending on how you look at it, beats where they severely limit and control access to coaches and players might be easier to cover because 95 percent of the time you know when you will be working and know you won't bet beat.

i would think the opposite is true.

in the tight-assed closed programs it's the beat writer's job to break down that wall and find a source who is in the know. this is tough because the source can't do it in the open. that's the guy who beats everyone else. if all you do is show up at the regularly scheduled events at the times they tell you, you're not trying hard enough.

It says toughest programs to cover -- not toughest programs to cover well.

 

[The Rules of Golf]

Depending on how you look at it, beats where they severely limit and control access to coaches and players might be easier to cover because 95 percent of the time you know when you will be working and know you won't bet beat.

i would think the opposite is true.

in the tight-assed closed programs it's the beat writer's job to break down that wall and find a source who is in the know. this is tough because the source can't do it in the open. that's the guy who beats everyone else. if all you do is show up at the regularly scheduled events at the times they tell you, you're not trying hard enough.

It says toughest programs to cover -- not toughest programs to cover well.

SNAP!

 

[leo1]

Depending on how you look at it, beats where they severely limit and control access to coaches and players might be easier to cover because 95 percent of the time you know when you will be working and know you won't bet beat.

i would think the opposite is true.

in the tight-assed closed programs it's the beat writer's job to break down that wall and find a source who is in the know. this is tough because the source can't do it in the open. that's the guy who beats everyone else. if all you do is show up at the regularly scheduled events at the times they tell you, you're not trying hard enough.

It says toughest programs to cover -- not toughest programs to cover well.

i think most of us knew what he meant

 

[spinning27]

Texas Tech has to go on that list.

Oklahoma isn't easy, and I've heard Arizona is just as bad now with Stoops II running the show.

 

[Ace]

Depending on how you look at it, beats where they severely limit and control access to coaches and players might be easier to cover because 95 percent of the time you know when you will be working and know you won't bet beat.

i would think the opposite is true.

in the tight-assed closed programs it's the beat writer's job to break down that wall and find a source who is in the know. this is tough because the source can't do it in the open. that's the guy who beats everyone else. if all you do is show up at the regularly scheduled events at the times they tell you, you're not trying hard enough.

It says toughest programs to cover -- not toughest programs to cover well.

i think most of us knew what he meant

Seriously, I know that these anal programs are a *****. But I wondered if there were any out there that were so open and competitive that they drive you crazy.

 

[Better_Off_Red]

Alabama is tough. Very tough.