should i talk 2 all the newspaper reporters

papers and media are something your gonna have to deal with. the newpaper guys will ask you questions if you dont like them and dont wanna answer then just tell them that or explain why you dont want to discuss the matter them. but its all something good athletes have to deal with.

You can always tell the newspapers that baseball is the ultimate team game, and that your team would not be so successful if each player didn't perform well, give a great effort, and behave unselfishly.

Johnny, aren't you a frosh?

As someone who is a reporter I'd say this.

Do not say anything in the paper that you would not want anyone to read. A few years back when I covered St. John's (NY) football their quarterback (after a 49-0 loss) guaranteed they would beat first place Sacred Heart the next week. Me and another reporter printed that. After SJU lost the game I went into the Sacred Heart locker room to speak with the coach and found a 1000 copies of my article on the floor of the locker room.

Give credit to your teammates. Be humble. That way you can get the attention you deserve without taking attention away from the others on the team.

Be honest with the reporter. If yuou lie and it is found out that reporter may end up doing a story on the lie. If the reporter asks you a question that you don't feel is fair just don't answer it.

I asked a college hoops player (who was rumored to be using drugs) if he smoked pot. He told me that he would not answer the question. I went to the next question and respected his privacy. In the article I said he had no comment. (He was thrown off the team two weeks later for failing drug test).

Remember, reporters are just regular people doing their job. I know covering high school reporters want to write posititve stories. If you allow them to be positive they will be. No one wants to read negative stuff about the high school football or baseball hero. They want to read that he is a great kid.

Your in HS right? Just have the coach handle it. Let them contact the coach and then you and the coach can address the media. Or the coach can answer their questions alone. Around here the media always contacts the coaches and asks to talk to a player or players during the course of the article. Im sure your coach would have no problem taking this burden off of you. Something does not sound right here though?

I gave a 3 word answer to a reporters question once. I was quoted (with quotation marks) the next day in the paper.

All three words were wrong. Only gave them 3 words and they couldn't get one of them right.

Teach

You said it. I wrote it. Get over it. ...

Just messing with you.

Look, way back when, when I covered high schools, I usually asked the coach for an intro anytime I spoke to a kid for the first time. After that, I'd just approach the kid. I'd almost always at least let the home coach know I was there before the event, so they know I'm there and plan on doing a story of some kind (though I didn't necessarily tell them what).

If the kid didn't want to talk, fine. There are a thousand high schools stories; I'll just move on to the next one. If I really had to have this story and the kid didn't want to talk, I'd find folks who would talk about him/her.

There is nothing wrong with telling a reporter that you're worried about your teammates and how they'll react. If a kid said that to me, that told me the kid is probably a class act, will think before they speak and probably, when it's over, be a better story.

Are there writers out there who will burn a high school kid? Absolutely. But those guys usually expose themselves early and actually are pretty easy to avoid. Ultimately, they're not in the business very long.

Either this kid is living in the world's slowest news town, or you guys are being duped.

Baseball season in upstate NY where he lives is a month or more away. No reporter is pestering him for stories.

johnny study these,

questions about an upcoming game

It's going to take a team effort

One thing we've got to do is just come out and execute

This is going to be a weekend of stepping up our level of play and really playing our type of ball


after a tough loss

They pretty much had our number tonight

We just could never get in that rhythm

They outplayed us in every phase of the game


for a big or comeback win

We played hard and didn't give up

Our coaches put us in a position to make a lot of plays

It was a whole team effort

A lot of people grew up today

It says that we've got a lot of heart

We got over the hump today



and comments on team-mates

He gives you everything he's got, and that's all you can ask

He just out-hustled them. He's always got his motor running

He just played his guts out



hope that helps

DOn't forget

I'm just happy to be here
I will give it 110%
We have to play them one game at a time

Who said there wasn't anything to learn from Bull Durham

Ever see Bull Durham? You gotta work on your cliches, kid.

Don't forget to perfect your spitting technique either.

On a serious note, speak from the hearty, but NEVER be negative toward your opponent or your teammates.

Avoid all cliches as much as possible. First of all a good reporter will NEVER quote a cliche. Secondly, you as an athlete look real dumb if you use cliches. If you want to make sure you don't get interviewed by a reporter ever again use cliches.

What you will find when you use a cliche is that the reporter won't write it down and just ask another question.

I tell kids just speak from the heart. A good high school reporter will not write poor stuff about a high school athlete. Once you get to college and the pros that rule changes with more leniency toward the reporter at each level.

To me it is very simple--it all goes thru the coach--reporters, pro scouts, agents, college coaches whomever --they all talk to the coach--if they want to talk to the player the coach is there with him--no misunderstandings or interpretations if you do this

Johnny...Whenever you talk with reporters, MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAPE EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID/SPOKEN TO THEM FOR PUBLICATION.

...If you don't, you'll see things printed that were never spoken or taken out of context for purposes of making the story more substantive or controversial...depending on the reporter and his or her purpose in interviewing you.

micdsguy,
I think you are possibly correct.

mic

I respectfully beg to differ--now is the time that reporters in this region begin talking to players, coaches etc with regard to the upcoming season.

In a matter of weeks they will be publishing the season previews on teams and players

1. No digs towards others
2. Be respectful and humble
3. emphasis on team
4. Don't embarass yourself, teamates, or parents
5. Don't ramble

Interveiws are a great lesson in communication that many do not have the opportunity to experience. Many times you may be caught in the emotion of the game. Before you start, sit back, regroup, and come back to earth.

quote:

now is the time that reporters in this region begin talking to players, coaches etc with regard to the upcoming season

True, they speak with coaches now, but how would they go about contacting players before the season? Teams haven't been selected. Do they hire paparazzi to stalk star players?

A telephone might work in a tiny town, but most likely they'd have to get past parents. I know if a reporter wanted to talk with my son, I'd have a few questions of my own

The only realistic scenario is where a reporter encounters a player at a game during the season.

I doubt that even star pro prospects hear from the press more than once or twice in their HS careers. Yeah, their stats may make headlines, but I can only recall reading one or two in-depth interviews with a HS baseball player.

A month before the season begins, what HS player is primarily concerned about being hounded by the press? (note this kid just signed up here yesterday)

This is a kid with a fantasy!

micd

The good reporters already know from last season who the returning players are and they know where the HS is located. Talking with the player may be for indepth info on the team

And perhaps the boy above was just asking pre season questions regarding himself and proper procedures--if the poster is whom I think he is he was a first team all conference type player last season


Whatever the reason--I think he has a valid question and a good one

Our rules, right or wrong, when dealing with the media.

1. I will approve any interview. (Don't have to worry about this. The Belleville and St. Louis Papers work well with me as well as our local paper.)
2. DEFLECT PRAISE! Praise your teammates. Praise your opponents. Praise your conference.
3. When discussing yourself, use we instead of I. It helps you stay focused on us.
4. Understand that newspapers often, but not always, want controversy. On any question that you feel uncomfortable with, send the report to me.
5. BE QUICK TO THINK BUT SLOW TO SPEAK.
6. Always be polite and thank the interviewer. If you read their articles, let them know.
7. BEWARE OF ANY SUGGESTION OF "OFF OF THE RECORD." FOR ANY OF MY PLAYERS, NOTHING SAID TO A REPORTER WILL BE OFF THE RECORD." THEREFORE, DON'T EVER MAKE ANY STATEMENT "OFF THE RECORD."
8. Never comment on any negavite statement either quoted to you about what an opponent said or what the reporter perceived. BE POSITIVE.

Do NOT use these phrases:

"... know, whadda' mean?"
"... hear what Ahm saying?"
"... and, you know..."
"(I/we) just (have to/had to) come out and give (any number above or below 100)%."

As a general rule, my staffs had the job to "identify the players" as early as possible, meaning we want to feature the kids who will make a difference or advance to the next level. Our unspoken goal was to have featured the kids who would be possible first-team all-leaguers before the playoffs. The possible exceptions might be the no-brainer draft possibles and top players on no-brainer teams, since you'd want to save something for late into the playoffs.

As a rule, I didn't want my writers writing about teams, especially early. Team wins three in a row, you say they're something and then they lose eight straight and you've made a fool of yourself and lose credibility. Team stories matter after the halfway point in the season, when you can make a case about trends. Until then, focus on individuals.

Some coaches didn't like that, of course, but usually they were the egomaniacs that we thought it was all about them. You knew you'd have to work around them and you did. These guys would inevitably be the guys who accused us of screwing a third of their team out of all-area picks and tell us we were preventing their kids from getting college scholarships.

We all know how true that is.

The simple truth is that most high school writers are in the Class A of their professional careers. If they don't master some skills, they don't move up. The Double A and Triple A writers are almost immediately evident. And, if you were fortunate to meet up with a major leaguer, it means something very special is happening and you'd do well to enjoy the ride.


The only thing about this thread that bothers me is the tone. If half of the coaches chiming in here knew half as much about baseball as they claim to know about the media, they'd wouldn't be coaching high schools; they'd be making a bigger paycheck somewhere else.

quote:

Originally posted by micdsguy:

quote:

now is the time that reporters in this region begin talking to players, coaches etc with regard to the upcoming season

True, they speak with coaches now, but how would they go about contacting players before the season? Teams haven't been selected. Do they hire paparazzi to stalk star players?

A telephone might work in a tiny town, but most likely they'd have to get past parents. I know if a reporter wanted to talk with my son, I'd have a few questions of my own

The only realistic scenario is where a reporter encounters a player at a game during the season.

I doubt that even star pro prospects hear from the press more than once or twice in their HS careers. Yeah, their stats may make headlines, but I can only recall reading one or two in-depth interviews with a HS baseball player.

A month before the season begins, what HS player is primarily concerned about being hounded by the press? (note this kid just signed up here yesterday)

This is a kid with a fantasy!

I shall return later on tonight to respond to MICDSGUY.

TRhit-first of all, thank you for your nice response for my son while i was not on at that time, i see you have been doing your homework on my son, but just for "some" viewer's about my son, yes he's in high school, at this time he's a junior.second-for the record, he was chosen for the first team allstars for the county as a sophmore, and was selected as new york state allstar as a sophmore hitting .471 with an on-base percentage .682 with 6 HR 22 RBI and 16 stolen bases, along with (two) division titles in 2 years. now how,s that for a kid who is fantasizing (MICDSGUY).i'll be happy to send anyone who would like to view the articles that the newpapers wrote about him.and believe me there is more.as for the media they called his coach back in january and asked if they can set up a interview with him AGAIN, and that i believe is the question my son was trying to ask about, so to all those who have answered my son's simple question THANK-YOU and keep them coming for him (he's learning).

Pops- thanks for stickin up for me....but u really dont have 2 bc no matter what there are going 2 be people who r just *****s and want 2 try putting ppl down over a simple question. seems 2 me he didnt make it anywhere and didnt have the chance 2 talk to reporters or anything in his youth so hes just trying to put it down. Thank You to all you who stood up for my question and answered it. Im more of a layed back kid wanting the over all team 2 look good not just myself. so i wasnt to sure about what i should do with these interviews they are tryin 2 set up and everything. and i understand if i dont want to answer something i dont have to but it seems like one way or another they keep pushing for it. Like in the 1st article they did on me i told them before i didnt want it 2 be just about me so they threw in 1 or 2 other paragraphs with 2 of my team mates but even when they interviewed my team mates they still askin and brought things up about me like...oh is he a good sport...does he take control when things need to be done and stuff like that...so i dont know if i should just stop taking the interviews and blow them off completely and continue doing my own thing or if i should take interviews and just deal with it? ANYONE WITH *GOOD* ADVICE OR EVEN A GOOD OPINION, FEEL FREE TO ANSWER AND HELP ME OUT...thanks again

quote:

Pops- thanks for stickin up for me....but u really dont have 2 bc no matter what there are going 2 be people who r just *****s and want 2 try putting ppl down over a simple question. seems 2 me he didnt make it anywhere and didnt have the chance 2 talk to reporters or anything in his youth so hes just trying to put it down.

G I apologize 2 u for thinkin u were some 10-year old blowin smoke. But its EZ for ppl 2 get that idea. U were askin 4 wat U got.

--
You won't play college ball if you can't write college level English. Start practicing now. You do know how to train, don't you?

JOHNNYKID- (MYBOY) you just keep on doing what you have been doing, and NEVER let anyone tell you anything different.your a very good sport and alot of people know it,and that is why the press likes to talk to you. there are a lot of very good people on this web site that have very good ADVISE and advise only to share with you, most you take in, some you don't. either way no matter what i'am very proud of all your accomplisments. KEEP IT UP

micdsguy,
You were correct, you were duped.

Hirrel,
Seems to me that you had the answers for your son, why would you direct him to this website? The two of you are having a conversation with one another, don't you talk at home?
When one comes here and asks a question, one will get a variety of answers. If you have been around awhile, you kind of figure out from just one post something is off.
I beg to differ with you, there are plenty of kids here who get interviewed all throughout their HS career. No one ever asked my permission first for my son to talk to anyone, he is quite an intelligent young man to have figured it out himself what to say (as did many of his friends). If he was not sure as to what to say, he would have gone to his coach or his parents, not the HSBBW.
It's situations like this that have changed this place, turned away some of the really good websters with useful information. And that is not JMO. You may not understand what I am talking about, that's ok, but it appears to me you had an agenda and you got it out.
Johnny Kid,
Best of luck to you.

Tiger-pawmom,i fully understand what you are talking about, and just like any other parent would do when someone belittles their child is to protect them, i nor my son are trying to dupe ANYONE. we are just trying to enjoy this site and learn like everyone else.i truely apologize if i offended anybody, we are not here to offend or argue with anyone. it's about baseball, not he said, she said, so i said.

Hirrel,
As a teacher who taught grammer for 16 years, I find it very interesting that you and your son write EXACTLY alike. JMO.
Like I said,if one has been here long enough you kind of recognize these quirky things.

Tiger-pawmom, i guess the apple does'nt fall far from the tree. lol