In every newsroom I ever worked in or heard of the sports department was considered the toy department, looked down upon by the serious journalists. It was go to games, root for your team, report the cliches spewed by the coaches and players, and then go have a beer or six.
OK, there’s some truth to all that, but serious journalism is practiced. Often when the news reporters get a rare sports assignment it’s to tell the “real” stories. Sometimes it’s embarrassing.
A great example happened last week in Tampa. A news department woman attended a news conference with the Bucs’ head coach about the upcoming playoff game in Detroit.
“How would the weather elements affect the Bucs in frigid Detroit? she asked.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles looked confused and then showed a lot of class. “Well, the Lions play indoors. Have for decades,”
That’s a major reason news reporters belong in the newsroom, not the toy department.
I seldom agree with any policies that come out of California. But one that's being debated by the state to eliminate tackle football for kids gets my full support. Tackle football shouldn't start before junior high; maybe even high school. So many kids quit football early because their little bodies can't take the punishment. Why wait until they've matured? To keep them from quitting. As someone who coached […]
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