Sports writing tools
I can’t imagine what it was like being a sports writer before the advent of 3 things I know take for granted:
1, Fax machines
2, Email
3, The Internet
Many thinks to Al Gore for inventing the Internet. OK he took credit for it but be really didn’t invent it. I don’t know who did invent it but it has changed the world. It greases the skids so that information can travel across the world at the click of your mouse. Someday my job will probably be obsolete and there won’t be newspapers in the form we know them today,
Anyway, here are my 10 must have websites that I use on a daily or weekly basis throughout the year. My job as a sports writer would be much more difficult without them.
1, Baums Page -- Wrestling, track and field, cross country golf. If you’re looking for results in those prep sports in Ohio, Baum’s Page has it. I probably check out Baum’s page every day during the school year.
2, OHSAA -- If its high school sports information you seek…it’s here. Tournament brackets, past OHSAA tournament results, a member school directory, enrollment figures, board of control meeting minutes its all here and more.
3, The Swami -- Want to know how Findlay High School, did against Toledo Rogers earlier in the season and what their remaining schedule might be? The Swami knows. In fact The Swami has a complete database for high school basketball in the NW District as well as a column they call “Trail Trash” throughout the year. A terrific reasource.
4, Joe Eitel -- The guru of Ohio Prep Football Computer Ratings. Provides scores and weekly computer point projections on his website. During football season the traffic this site sees must be enormous.
5, JJ Huddle -- The original Ohio Prep Sports Message Board. May have lost a little of its edge over the past couple of years but if you want sports info this is a place to go.
6, Rocket Corner -- Great site for Ohio prep sports and they let you take the gloves off and duke it out unlike the Huddle. Especially informative for folks in NW Ohio.
7, The Courier -- No NW Ohio newspaper gives you access to more prep sports stories and results than The Courier. From basketball brackets to NW Ohio high school football and basketball standings it’s all there. If you are looking for prep results from the last decade all you have to do is search the Courier online archive.
8, Sportsjournalists.com -- One of my personal favorites. Sports journalists talking sports and the business some interesting insights on this message board.
9, Ohio National Weather Service Page -- Gotta know what the weather is going to be like today, tomorrow and the rest of the week. This has all the links to Ohio weather that you will ever need.
10, Google -- Info right at your keyboard. Don’t know a first name of that Ayersville basketball player that scored 25 points tonight? Google Ayersville Jones and Basketball and you’ll get the name,
1, Fax machines
2, Email
3, The Internet
Many thinks to Al Gore for inventing the Internet. OK he took credit for it but be really didn’t invent it. I don’t know who did invent it but it has changed the world. It greases the skids so that information can travel across the world at the click of your mouse. Someday my job will probably be obsolete and there won’t be newspapers in the form we know them today,
Anyway, here are my 10 must have websites that I use on a daily or weekly basis throughout the year. My job as a sports writer would be much more difficult without them.
1, Baums Page -- Wrestling, track and field, cross country golf. If you’re looking for results in those prep sports in Ohio, Baum’s Page has it. I probably check out Baum’s page every day during the school year.
2, OHSAA -- If its high school sports information you seek…it’s here. Tournament brackets, past OHSAA tournament results, a member school directory, enrollment figures, board of control meeting minutes its all here and more.
3, The Swami -- Want to know how Findlay High School, did against Toledo Rogers earlier in the season and what their remaining schedule might be? The Swami knows. In fact The Swami has a complete database for high school basketball in the NW District as well as a column they call “Trail Trash” throughout the year. A terrific reasource.
4, Joe Eitel -- The guru of Ohio Prep Football Computer Ratings. Provides scores and weekly computer point projections on his website. During football season the traffic this site sees must be enormous.
5, JJ Huddle -- The original Ohio Prep Sports Message Board. May have lost a little of its edge over the past couple of years but if you want sports info this is a place to go.
6, Rocket Corner -- Great site for Ohio prep sports and they let you take the gloves off and duke it out unlike the Huddle. Especially informative for folks in NW Ohio.
7, The Courier -- No NW Ohio newspaper gives you access to more prep sports stories and results than The Courier. From basketball brackets to NW Ohio high school football and basketball standings it’s all there. If you are looking for prep results from the last decade all you have to do is search the Courier online archive.
8, Sportsjournalists.com -- One of my personal favorites. Sports journalists talking sports and the business some interesting insights on this message board.
9, Ohio National Weather Service Page -- Gotta know what the weather is going to be like today, tomorrow and the rest of the week. This has all the links to Ohio weather that you will ever need.
10, Google -- Info right at your keyboard. Don’t know a first name of that Ayersville basketball player that scored 25 points tonight? Google Ayersville Jones and Basketball and you’ll get the name,
Labels: The Web
posted by --J-- @ 11:58 AM
8 Comments:
At 1:50 PM,
Anonymous said…
Jamie asked this question...I can’t imagine what it was like being a sports writer before the advent of 3 things I know take for granted:
1, Fax machines
2, Email
3, The Internet
Psssst, it was called reporting! Tools were a pecil, note pad, a phone and the ability to ask questions and gain sources. Papers do not report the news anymore, they copy and paste info onto paper. Info we all can get ourselves, with a fax machine, E mail and internet. Does anyone really use fax machines anymore? Sadly those 3 things have made newspaper people fat and lazy, needing to create pesonal blogs to fill time in their day.
At 1:52 PM,
Anonymous said…
You forgot yappi.com
At 2:21 PM,
--J-- said…
Damn Ken. I'm such a worthless piece of shit as a journalist. I should stop blogging about local sports or anything for that matter. You must be perfect in every way. Omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent.
At 3:49 AM,
Anonymous said…
That guy was pretty harsh.
I do remember the days before the big three results aids you're talking about. Then again, I started on a Royal manual typewriter. In fact, YOU remember pre-Email and pre-internet days, too. By comparison, they weren't easy, but we didn't know it. We just did it.
I remember one night when my all-time favorite "Whatever you need, I'll get it for you" athletic director, John Bruggemeier, read the entire high school results plus local junior high participants from the Old Fort Invitational track meet over the phone because, in his words, 'Old Fort hasn't joined the 20th century and purchased a fax machine yet.'
You do a great job both at the newspaper and with this blog. Keep it going.
---Pat
At 4:16 AM,
Anonymous said…
Omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent? Damn Jamie, your learn to use your spell check? I dont think anyone called you a journalist either. They report and tell us things we already didnt know...you just dont get it. Anyone who had been to the Huddle also knows its not just me that thinks the Couriers reporting sucks. Take it out on me, I can take it big boy.
At 4:26 AM,
Anonymous said…
Seems someone has got a bur up their butt:) Another example of poor reporting by the Courier staff, again. A good reporter will have "sources" that helps them get stories so they do not have to rely on the internet, fax and E mails. Sources many times like to remain unknown. A reporter who attempts to reveal an "anonymous" person out of spite and anger shows a lack of not only respect, but lack of journalistic professionalism.
At 4:27 AM,
--J-- said…
There was no better athletic administrator than John B. He is the man. Always a smile, a kind word and would bend over backwards to help you out in any way he could.
Wish I could have been at the Carey Division III wrestling seed meeting last night. He was there representing the NW District Board and I could have told him thanks!
At 9:33 AM,
Anonymous said…
Wow, there's a lot of love on this blog. I view the use of technology as a matter of necessity in an information business like reporting. I find it interesting that Jamie is being called on to the carpet for copying and pasting while maintaining a blog that promotes opinion and divergent thought. As far as reporting is concerned I see local papers trying to cover more schools and more sports than a typical staff can realistically handle. I apologize if that's not the case. Once upon a time reporters and journalists could devote more coverage time to the sports and activities that generated the most interest. Now, some soccer mom cries to the paper or the internet that Susie didn't get coverage for a bowel movement and efforts are made to cover the blessed event. I don't envy that situation. Not that football, basketball, and baseball are the do-all and end-all of our existance. For crying out loud, I'm a track and field fan but I understand that the Indians and Reds need their coverage as well. There are many fine people working for these news outlets, but sometimes their hands are tied by decisions made by higher-ups.
You don't need my approval, Jamie, but my hat is off to you.
cdp
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