Sports Team

I'm back -- sort of. Not in any Arnie type of way. Rather, I'm just checking in to let you know I have not disappeared like the Brewers' lead in the NL Central. I am in the midst of developing a new sports reporting syllabus for my fall class, something I will post around Aug. 13. (And I am recovering from a summer filled with softball. There's a story for you -- parents who spend their summers sitting on bleachers and watching their kids play softball every weekend. Did I say 60-plus games? Whew. Actually, it's pretty addictive at times. I'll write more about that later.) In a few weeks, I will return to posting at least 2-3 times a week on a variety of sports reporting subjects. As always, I will field questions from students and professors. Feel free to send a note to jgisondi@gmail.com with any queries. Also, please, let me know if you are planning to use materials on this blog so I can better serve your needs. I would appreciate if teachers directed student...

You’re a college reporter who has covered a few events on your campus, working mainly with coaches who have become familiar with you. Usually, you wear jeans and a t-shirt, blending in with the other college students on campus. Suddenly, you receive an assignment: Cover a professional tennis event at a large stadium. You’re scared to death. How do you act? What do you wear? That was the case with one college sports reporter who sent me a note last week. “I guess my biggest fear is when I go to pick up my media credentials,” he wrote. “I know I have what it takes, but I'm afraid they'll figure out I'm not a pro yet.” This can be a scary moment. But it can be less intimidating if you go back to the basics, the solid reporting that enabled you to get this assignment. But, first, determine the logistics of covering the event. Determine where you need to park, where you need to pick up your credentials, and where the media enter the stadium. Check the web site and/or call the m...