Damaramu 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Ok so I've started my internship for the Oklahoma Daily. And it's just weird......see if anyone else that has done something similar has done this. Just last semester I was having heart attacks over OU football and the players were kind of like just guys I saw on TV or on the field and weren't like real people that I saw everyday. At OU the sports stars are treated like they treat football players in that movie Friday Night Lights. They're basically revered by all and considered something really really special. And I've always had that attitude being a fan at OU. Well now that I'm writing for the paper I'm seeing these people on a daily basis, writing about their careers, and Bob Stoops is a phone call away. A month ago I didn't have ANY of this. I was just a fan. It's like a shell shock and I'm having trouble adjusting to it. Any other sports fans experience a similar shock? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I can't say that I've ever experienced anything like that, but I just wanted to say congratulations. You've made it blatantly obvious how much you love OU sports, so this should be the perfect gig for you. I hope you do well and enjoy every moment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lightning Flik 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Dama, never been in that experience before, but it'll probably take some time to adjust. Its kinda different from cheering people on for most of your while, to becoming one of the guys who gets to be around these guys on a regular basis. BTW, hope ya do good with your job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 My advice is not to call Bob Stoops. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Just make sure you don't write like a fanboy, unless your editors are okay with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A Happy Medium 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Be objective. Also, you have made a damned good decision getting an internship. Makes it much easier to get a job out of college. This is what I hear. I also plan a career in newspapers. Looking into sports as well. How did you get the internship? Also...and most importantly. Get a Vince Lombardi hat. Get a piece of paper. Write "press" on it...and stick it in your hat. You need to walk around the office like that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 That's a good idea Happy Medium. Nah I'm not going to call Bob Stoops. Since I'm an intern I don't get to cover the huge sports like football and basketball yet. I have been put on assignment as the Men's Golf writer all semester. I like Golf so that's no problem. I have also been put on assignment as the softball writer. I don't really enjoy the sport(baseball is better) but I have some friends on the team. And lastly I am on assignment as the Rugby writer. I used to play the sport and I know everybody on the team so I have all the contacts I need. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I agree 100% as far the press hat goes. And actually, I suggest that you do write like a fanboy. That campus has made it pretty clear that they aren't real objective about football. The caveat, of course, is that you have to do a full 180 if they have a crappy year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iggymcfly 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I agree 100% as far the press hat goes. And actually, I suggest that you do write like a fanboy. That campus has made it pretty clear that they aren't real objective about football. The caveat, of course, is that you have to do a full 180 if they have a crappy year. No, I think that the caveat is that he can't do a full 180 if they have a crappy year. The headline "Oklahoma gay, OSU cooler" when the Sooners lose their first game next year probably won't go over too well in Norman. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I wasn't shell shocked cause these are just people. They aren't anything overly special. I've talked with quite a few coaches and most of them are just normal guys as long as you treat them with the same respect you'd treat someone you just met. Meeting Jack Nickclaus was awesome, the guy can design a golf course on a napkin if you ask him too. Arnold Palmer was cool enough. John Chaney got very busy but I got a couple of minutes with him before he had to dash. The key is simple: Don't act like a fanboy. There are just human, not gods. You can compliment them on their careers, but be professional and not gushy and make sure you do it AFTER you are done with your questions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Years ago I kicked Kevin Greene off an excersie machine at a Bally's. That's about it, although it was funny seeing some of these grown men act like little screaming girls whenever a Steeler would work out on a nearby machine. I never understood it. Oh, and don't ask for any autographs when doing a story... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Black Lushus 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 no lie, Eric Crouch (you know that whiney never was that somehow won the heisman) is my wife's best friend's cousin and I have told him on more than one occassion what a sissy boy quiter he is...the usual response is: Eric: "Man you have NO clue what it takes to make it in the NFL and the shit they put you through" Me: "Suck it up and play your role, pussy." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 BL just jumped up several notches in my book Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Black Lushus 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for guys that make ooggles more than me for playing a sport I played for free as a kid and only have to work 6 months out of the year... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 The K-State fan in me just loved that you called Eric Crouch a pussy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 The caveat, of course, is that you have to do a full 180 if they have a crappy year. Well if it's not a full 180, it isn't really a 180 at all, is it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Oh, and don't ask for any autographs when doing a story... You can. It's not recommended though since you lose cred in a hurry. Afterwards before you leave, yeah you can ask then. Most of the time they won't mind as long as you were professional during the interview. You can't dig into their personal life, assault their character and then say, "Oh, can I get an autograph?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Oh hell no. If I was an editor and one of my reporters did that they'd be fired on the spot. Unless they were a minority or a woman, then I'd be accused of being a RACIST/SEXIST/BIGOT/HOMOPHOBE... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I agree 100% as far the press hat goes. And actually, I suggest that you do write like a fanboy. That campus has made it pretty clear that they aren't real objective about football. The caveat, of course, is that you have to do a full 180 if they have a crappy year. But I'm not covering football yet. We're not that bad on the football front though. One of our main writers wrote a column on Monday that basically equated to "USC was better shut the fuck up and quit whining about it we still won 12 games bitches. That's all John Blake won in 3 years. You want him back? Do you? Because I can have it arranged!" Ok he didn't say anything about getting John Blake back but you get the jist of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crimson Platypus 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for guys that make ooggles more than me for playing a sport I played for free as a kid and only have to work 6 months out of the year... Well if he only worked 6 months out of the year I guess we know why he didn't make it in the NFL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Here's another question about your internship: How much freedom do you have in the stories you write?... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 Here's another question about your internship: How much freedom do you have in the stories you write?... A fairly decent amount. We have weekly meetings about what we want to write but I have to have an exact story idea before I can do anything. With the paid writers that have been doing it a while they just say "Hey I'm going to try to get a story out of this." and the editor is like "Ok!" But for me I have to be like "Hey I'm going to do a story on this, this, and this. Here's how I'm laying it out. Here's what I'm talking about." And then we talk about it. Basically I am given a sport. I get the story. I tell me editor, he discusses it, and I write. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Black Lushus 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for guys that make ooggles more than me for playing a sport I played for free as a kid and only have to work 6 months out of the year... Well if he only worked 6 months out of the year I guess we know why he didn't make it in the NFL. okay you know what I meant... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 That makes sense since you're a lowly intern. Are you expected to write one story per day? How many days/hours per week are you scheduled?... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted January 21, 2005 That makes sense since you're a lowly intern. Are you expected to write one story per day? How many days/hours per week are you scheduled?... No I write more like 2 or 3 stories a week. We have a lot of writers on so we kind of have to spread things around. And I work god knows how many hours a week. Nobody keeps track b/c I'm not getting paid. But I generally just hang out in the newsroom on my free time. That's how you get the story. Hell that's how I did all the Sports Briefs the other day. I was just sitting there and my editor was like "What are you doing?" "Nothing." "Good. I have a job for you!" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
