Ask me about being a sports writer!

[27offsuit]

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Are you blackjack777, the worst sportswriter in the history of sportswriting?

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LOL. Someone clue me in on this Blackjack cat...and, I swear I'm not him.

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He linked a couple articles he was proud of that were total crap. He was massively slagged. Every one of his posts was worse than the previous. He was begged to stop posting, even offered money, but he was eventually just banned for sucking hard, I think.

Do a search. His articles were awe-inspiringly horrid.

[MurphNKY]

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I am sorry, but just because you are in the media doesn't give you the right to embarrass a guy further. If I was Larkin that dumbass question at that time would have made me furious as well.

I guess you don't see it because it was your job to do it and you feel like it is your right. I guess dumb questions just piss me off more than most people.

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You simply just don't understand the business and, honestly, there's no way you could since you haven't worked in it.

Bottom line is this...the media is not present to be cheerleaders for the teams they cover. It's not about writing fluffy, happy, gee whiz stories...it's about delivering timely, newsworthy items that surround the event you're assigned to cover - good or bad.

Whether or not YOU see it as a pertient news item, it was and that's not up for debate. It was a MLB record that had been held for many years. Plus, to give you perspective, I was using it as a 2-3 inch sidebar, not a main story.

It's foolish to think something like that shouldn't be reported and a question(s) shouldn't be asked. ESPECIALLY when it had a direct./immediate impact on the game.

Also, COME ON...I don't know where you get this anti-media stance..but, why would we want or seek out to anger or embarrass someone? Larkin was the best player on that team...to be foolish enough to have some sort of vendetta would be career suicide.

Also, you may want to perhaps give a little bit of allowance that maybe you don't possibly understand what it is reporters do or what their intent is when asking questions. Athletes, for the most part, are difficult to get good quotes from...so, what may appear as a dumbass/mean question to you...odds are there's a reason why it's being asked. Perhaps the reporter knows that asking a certain question a certain way is actually goign to get good information from the interviewee.

Open your mind a bit...realize it's the media's job to NOT cheerlead, but to report news as it happenes, when it happens, as soon as possible...and not make decisions based on upsetting someone.

Larkin should have handled it with class...instead he acted like a child. Again, watch news conferences and you'll see examples every week of athletes - pissed or not at questions about negative things - answering in a classy manner bc they get it. Larkin didn't and never will.

[MurphNKY]

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do most sports writers have no clue about sports or do they just tame down their articles for the general public?

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Not quite sure what you're getting at..but I'll take a stab. Most sportswriters I worked with were extremely knowledgable and - actually - brilliant when it came to sports in general.

That's not to say I didn't work with clueless idiots as well...but, I think once you hit a certain point and you're a beat writer, columnist or feature writer, you have to have some idea what's going on or you just won't survive.

[mo42nyy]

Biggest d-bag...BY FAR - Barry Larkin. Great story...my editor tells me I have to do a sidebar on Larkin just breaking the longest AB streak without a grand slam. So I have to talk to him about that, after a loss, after he struck out with the bases loaded...already a losing proposition for me since he's probably pissed and he has no clue who I am at the time.

So, I went up to him in the locker room...introduced myself, asked him if he had any comment on the streak and he went nuts. I mean, totally apeshit, cussed me up and down the locker room and then stormed into the trainer's room. Nice..


Sorry but I cant stand stupid questions. "You just cost your team the world series how did it feel? "How did it feel when you hit your third homerun of the game?" How the [censored] do you think?
Its not your fault your editor made you ask such a dumb question but I dont blame him one bit for going off on you right after the game for asking such a dumb question. If he hit a single in the 3rd inning to break the record than fine go ahead and ask him. But striking out with the bases loaded to coincedently end some streak only a selfish piece of [censored] would care about (Im sure he was a lot more pissed his strikeout cost him team a chance to win the game) and being asked a question like that justifiably set him off.

[MurphNKY]

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do you suck like most sports writers?

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Suck as in..suck at life? NO

Suck as in..suck your Mom's teats? INDEED

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yeah, you are terrible.

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I'm laughing at what a joke vulture posters like you are...OK, cool guy, I'm terrible. So, what does that make you?

Dispense your insecurity, emotional displacement, and general a**holeness elsehwere.

[MurphNKY]

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Biggest d-bag...BY FAR - Barry Larkin. Great story...my editor tells me I have to do a sidebar on Larkin just breaking the longest AB streak without a grand slam. So I have to talk to him about that, after a loss, after he struck out with the bases loaded...already a losing proposition for me since he's probably pissed and he has no clue who I am at the time.

So, I went up to him in the locker room...introduced myself, asked him if he had any comment on the streak and he went nuts. I mean, totally apeshit, cussed me up and down the locker room and then stormed into the trainer's room. Nice..


Sorry but I cant stand stupid questions. "You just cost your team the world series how did it feel? "How did it feel when you hit your third homerun of the game?" How the [censored] do you think?
Its not your fault your editor made you ask such a dumb question but I dont blame him one bit for going off on you right after the game for asking such a dumb question. If he hit a single in the 3rd inning to break the record than fine go ahead and ask him. But striking out with the bases loaded to end some streak only a selfish piece of [censored] would care about at that time and being asked a question like that justifiably set him off.

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First, let me introduce you to a REALLY COOL feature on this site - the QUOTE button above where you type is really handy, you may want to play around with it. Trip report after?

Moving on...I'm amazed that you don't see the logic here. Let me try this one more time...

You cannot avoid asking tough questions to athletes/coaches on the losing side of things simply bc you don't want to upset anyone. It's the media's job to report an event from a 360-degree comprehensive view..positive, negative, etc.

Now, for a reporter, it's encumbent upon them to learn how to handle difficult situations like that with tact. Clearly, the poor example you used is unprofessional and would provoke an athlete..but, that's not something that would be seen on that level.

I will tell you this though...a reporter covering the Yankees, Yankees lose and Reggie Jackson strikes out in a bases loaded situation in the 8th on three straight pitches...if that reporter after the game doesn't at least ask Jackson about the situation...he should be ashamed of himself.

Not only is it extremely weak, but it's unprofessional to wimp out of a tough situation bc you don't want to hurt someone's feelings (like you and siccjay claim). That reporter will be villified bc it's an obvious question that other reports will ask.

"Reggie, I know this is a tough loss, but can you take me through your at bat in the 8th. Big situation, crucial at bat, I know you were probably wanting to at least make contact there. Can you take me through the at bat?"

NOT - as you ridiculously suggested

"Reggie, you cost the yankees the game, how do you feel about sucking?"

I'm interested in other opinionis on this..bc this isn't something that I'm suggesting that is new to the journalism world. This is a reality of the business that I know many not wise to the industry get...but, I guess I'm shocked that these two guys are so emotionally wired about interviewing athletes about negative things.

Again, how about a game when Brett Favre loses as time runs out and he couldn't get the Packers into the end zone for the tie. Say Favre sets an NFL record for most imcomplete passes in a row...

There's not a reporter int he world who could look himself in the mirror if he didn't tactfully bring that up in an interview with Favre after the game. Seriously, how can you not at least - on some level - fathom the importance of this sort of approach.

News is news...good or bad..it is not something you arbitrarily report on based on the feelings of someone involved.

[mattsey9]

Murph,

Any interactions with Marty Brennaman & Joe Nuxhall?

[mo42nyy]

I agree you need to ask tough questions but if more players reacted like Larkin did in this spot I wouldnt have to hear such stupid questions asked by reporters on a regular basis.

Take me through the AB is a lot different than asking someone about some pointless indidual streak when the same AB coincided with leaving the winning runs on base.

The same thing would go for the Favre situation. What kind of player is so selfish that they would care about a pointless indidual record almost nobody knows about when the same play cost their TEAM the game?

I agree news is news, but stupid questions are stupid questions.

Im going to the Yankee game now, when I get back I guess Ill
see if Im alone in that opinion.

[Pudge714]

Murph,
Which of the following should make the baseball HOF. Scale of 1-10. 1= Absolutely no way 5= Coinflip 10= If he doesn't get in I will burn down Cooperstown.
Bernie Williams
Jorge Posada
Barry Larkin
Roberto Alomar

[NicksDad1970]

Murph, 1st of all I don't blame you for following through with your boss's order to interview the guy. But I also can't blame the player for getting upset about it. I don't know just how pissed he got either.

For some reason this reminds me of that last girl on the WPT who would interview players after they got knocked out.

her - "So Scotty, you're out of the tournament now. You lost with the best hand going in. That isn't good is it?"

him - "Well baby, I just like to play on the WPT baby. That's pretty much the way it goes sometimes baby"

I guess that's how Larking should have approached it but most would have said "How in the F do you think it feels to be a 3-1 favorite going for 1.6 mil and walking away from a donktacular player with 150k?"