Nothing inconceivable about Davidson writer's success

Davidson had just pulled off two improbable victories. Stephen Curry scored 30 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with a minute left to lead the Wildcats to a mild upset of Gonzaga, 82-76, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Curry then helped Davidson erase a 15-point second-half deficit to stun Georgetown, 74-70, to advance into the Sweet Sixteen.

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The cheering in the RBC Center in Raleigh was deafening. Students on campus were screaming and yelling. And the school's marketing director was probably popping champagne.

The college's newspaper, unfortunately, did not post anything on its website, leaving readers of the Davidsonian with a column on racism and a feature assessing student involvement on campus. (By the way, the paper gave fans an A- for fan support at basketball games but only a D+ for support at other school athletic events.) That schools do not regularly post online is -- I feel like Vizzini from the Princess Bride but I'll say it anyway -- almost inconceivable. Yet, there you have it.

The weekly paper did not have a word about a story that transcends sport. It is breaking news. In its defense, the school has only 1,700 students and does not have a journalism program. Thank goodness, Will Bryan stepped in to fill this void for Davidson basketball fans by covering games, notes and issues on his terrific blog. Will's World offers TV clips from interviews on Pardon The Interruption, CBS highlights of games, as well as commentary, gamers - and a live blog, or glog.

Will introduces readers to Davidson in a recent post, explaining that the college (not university) has both an excellent academic and athletic history (Lefty Driesell twice coached the school to the Elite Eight in the 1960s.)

More impressively, Will has been blogging since 2005. Like many bloggers, he first wrote more about his personal life. Eventually, he explored other subjects and approaches like making NFL picks. By 2006, he had started to write more regularly on the Davidson basketball program. Will clearly has learned much about new media and writing from his regular postings. I will repeat: Every young journalist needs to start blogging on a regular basis. Will proves that you do not have to work at a daily paper to write daily. Start one today. You won't regret it.

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College sports blogs are mostly blah

The Daily Pennsylvanian does a pretty good job with its sports blog, offering daily updates on both soccer and football. The sports staff at the newspaper understands the role of a blog for its print publication - offering news, analysis and entertainment. The Daily Pennsylvanian focuses more on the news and analysis parts. The beat reporters are more restrained in their posts, something many readers will appreciate. The beat reporters offer careful analysis supported by reasons and examples.

Sports reporter Sebastien Angel offers this assessment on the men's soccer team:

"The men are difficult to pin down, especially since they've yet to play at home. The bad loss to Seton Hall was a surprise, but Fuller's teams have started slow before - last year's 2-0 defeat to Lehigh comes to mind. (In fairness, Lehigh went on to have a great year.)

I think even less can be pulled from this weekend's performance in California. The optimist might be tempted to read a lot of good things into a competitive 1-0 loss to No. 7 Cal; it's easy to say you were one goal away from a tie - of course, it's much harder to actually get it.

A good barometer will appear this weekend at the Penn Soccer Classic at Rhodes Field. Penn's two opponents, Hartwick and La Salle, gave the Quakers close games last year. A couple of wins - or even a win and a tie - would set them on the right track. The important thing will be to avoid getting swept, though. The chances for non-conference wins and momentum are running out."

The post includes a clear statement, offers some history, and analyzes a recent win rather evenly (no 'homer' comments here.) He also looks ahead to some games later this week.

Two other reporters add to this sports blog that included eight items during 13 days. Most posts where fewer than 300 words. But even the longer post, a 600-plus word piece that outlined Penn's football depth chart, was written concisely.

This is the best of the dozen sports blogs I've reviewed so far. This paper uses three reporters to cover three beats, offers news and updates about its sports.

Blogs, of course, can contain a wide variety of elements, such as more opinionated columns and more in-depth assessment. There's nothing that says blogs need to be mostly notes packages.

Some papers have started to offer game blogs, which, really, ought to be named glogs (or live game logs.) Check out cbs.sportsline.com and ESPN.com for terrific examples of live game reports on the MLB, NBA, NHL and other sports. ESPN.com golf editor Jason Sobel even glogged four days of the Master's, something that was a witty, informative and entertaining read -- and exhausting to Mr. Sobel.

Younger sports reporters need to check these out before diving into this area, otherwise they will be left with bloated, cliche-ridden writing and boring play-by-play. One college publication's live game blog called next week's game against a conference opponent a "must-win," a game that "will be a gut-check." Then, the reporter added: "Yes, there is plenty of football to be played." Blogs are not an excuse to bust out wit da slang and cliches, brother. Instead, they are a place to offer short, informative takes. Don't mistakenly believe that slang and cliches equate to witty, interesting writing.

Make sure you have something to say in the game logs. Offer play by play, but mix in some analysis at the same time. Glogging can be difficult for this reason -- the blogger is expected to be both play-by-play announcer and color commentator. (But isn't that also the role of a sports columnist?)

The Michigan Daily did a fine job offering a running commentary during the Wolverines' loss to Oregon:

First quarter, 5:29 Henne connects with Arrington in the back of the end zone on a short third-and-goal to put Michigan on board. Great throw by Henne to catch Arrington cutting across the back, and Arrington jumps up to grab it. Capped off a solid 10-play, 71-yard drive, highlighted by some nice runs by Hart and 17-yard Manningham reception. Michigan kicks the extra point and is up 4. Michigan 7, Oregon 3

First quarter, 4:40 Wow. That was quick. On Oregon�s second play of the drive, wide receiver Brian Paysinger beats cornerback Brandon Harrison on a fade and takes it 89 yards for the touchdown. One two-point conversion later, and Oregon has a four-point lead. Michigan 7, Oregon 11.

Do not waste space in your glog, as one school did last weekend: "Nothing new to report here as the offense remains ineffective..."

Make sure you are writing for your readers. Do not be self-indulgent, writing about yourself or offering your predictions. Who cares who you picked for the week (or even the score you cited?) Instead, analyze the week's match-ups by comparing one team's passing game against the other team's secondary. Offer comments from players on both sides, from coaches who have played both teams, and include stats that support your statements. Don't just write some general comment and offer a score. Nobody really cares.

The blog for one college publication was particularly self-absorbed. During the past week, one reporter tried to defend a column, another writer made some NFL predictions, calling the local team "our boys." And another posting made sportswriters look like a bunch of free-loading slobs:

"If there�s one thing I enjoy about being a sports reporter, it�s all the free stuff � especially the food.

With two meal tickets redeemable for a hot dog or bratwurst, unlimited soft drinks and coffee, it�s a cheap college student�s dream. Sure, I have to �work� to earn these amenities, but it�s well worth it.

After two 24 ounce Mountain Dews and two bratwursts smothered in mustard and chopped onions, I was feeling adventurous. Considering I only slept two hours Friday night (really, morning � from 6:30 a.m. until 8:30 a.m.), I decided to go for the free cappuccino.

Real nice. Credibility shattered. Stereotype strengthened. Thanks.

One final note: Don't be a homer. Create some distance betwen you and the team, even in columns and blogs. Don't write 'us' or 'we.' Sure, you may love your college, but that does not mean you have to be an apologist. Reporters across the United States love our country but still attempt to deliver the facts in a more objective manner. Just as there is no cheering in the press box, there is no rah-rahing or swearing allegiance to one's school in a blog. ("I bleed green and ...")

Learning something new can be difficult. Learning something that is still evolving is even more challenging. So read and assess respectable, professional sports blogs to develop an approach to blogging. You'll need to learn this skill sooner than later because blogs are here to stay for a while.

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Keep writing: Start a blog

Most beginning sports writers look forward to the day when they can cover professional sports, whether that is major-league baseball, professional football or a PGA event. There's a certain appeal to covering pro sports. We grow up as sports fans, admiring athletes on our favorite teams, so we want to be a part of it all. Some of us even dreamed of playing professional sports. So this is our shot at joining the sports fraternity. In time, we learn we are part of another brotherhood (sports journalists) and we find that it is just as good. We work side by side with hard-working, dedicated, sharp editors and writers to win battles against deadlines, to cajole reticent sources, and to fully capture the essence of a game, person or event. Journalism is also a team sport.

Eventually, we find we love it just as much. We no longer have an emptiness that drives us, or a need to hit the ball fields in the spring, our hands itching without a glove or bat in them. Instead, we are sated by keeping score and watching others enjoy the games we loved to play. We pull for the kids in high school and Little League games, and we wince when they make a mistake. These games are much less jaded than professional (and college) games, although there are other problems afoot (like hyperactive, pushy parents who scream at kids, coaches and umpires.) Or the parent who is suing her kid's coach and league for failing to show him how to slide. We watch these kids and recall days spent shagging fly balls, turning double plays and sinking last-second shots in the drive way. Or we played one-on-one wiffle ball, using our fave teams' lineup and emulating their stances and quirks at the plate (like Joe Morgan's hitch or Willie Stargell's looping windup.)

Now, we realize covering high school and recreation teams is just as much fun as covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Florida State. We realize we just love to get out, to be a part of the experience, and to write. Not everybody gets a chance to write for a newspaper, though. Some kids get a chance to do some stringing at the local newspaper, some college students get a chance to work as interns, and some graduates land that first job quickly. Others, especially, younger sports journalists struggle to find a place to practice. Thanks to the Internet, that is possible for everybody. Create a blog.

Then, head out to the local ball fields where you can speak with coaches and players and report on your own web site. You can write stories and columns and gamers. Tell your friends, family and parents about the URL for your blog. After a while, you'll have readers -- and once you do, you'll realize that's why we write: for others.

Perhaps, you can even fill a need in your town. Most newspapers (especially bigger ones) do not cover recreation sports or Little League in depth. You can become the main source for this news, offering statistical break down, game stories, team and player notes, and feature stories. Eventually, you will become the expert. And maybe the local newspaper will take notice and hire you to cover these (and other) sports. Some newspapers, like Florida Today, have sites dedicated to Little League (more on that later.)

Finally, ask a local journalist to critique your site, a professional who can offer specific hands-on advice. Plus, read and critique your favorite writers by taking note of story angles, listing words and phrases you like, and analyzing leads. By the end of the summer, you will be better for the effort. Many people say they want to be a sports reporter (colleges are filled with hundreds of grads each year), but not everybody is willing to work to get there. So, if you are not currently working as a sports reporter this summer, start a blog or web page.

If you are covering kids, be gentler in your commentary and game coverage. After all, these are not paid athletes. These kids will make mistakes, just as we all do when we learn something new. Most are playing for the love of the game, just pleased to be out playing on a field or a court. That's something worth watching (and writing about.)

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