Why I Don't Write More Tournament Coverage Stories
by Charles Boyer on Nov 5, 2011 9:30 PM EDT
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Folks:
I see your comments about "where are the tournament stories" and I would like to respond to them, if I may.
First: I hear you. I agree with you.
Second: I wish I had the time and the money to do the job properly. Time is scarce, what with a job and a family and a house to take care of. I wish I had 3-4 hours Thu-Sun every week to devote to even watching one tour on TV, much less the three that I follow.
Add to it the fact that staff leaks without replacements have made my work time needs go from 45-40 to 55-60 and now 60+ on the average. With a recession on, it's hard to not work otherwise, it could be me that gets "leaked" next.
Money, you ask? I think that watching tournaments on TV and writing about them is a disservice in the long run and it wouldn't be something I would do if I could actually attend in person. The roar of the greasepaint and smell of the crowd, so to speak (that's an old musical, BTW) is missed when you aren't there. That means a lot of the story would be lost. Travel costs money, and I have to pick and choose where I go carefully.
All that said, it seems to me that it's not a good idea to try to compete with the golf.com and ESPN.com writers of the world. I simply cannot replicate their work, and let's be honest, most all of them are better writers.
Sooo, I prefer to focus on other aspects of the game, where there is room for someone like me and a site like this to be original, vibrant and interesting. That means stories like my opinion piece on Yani that I wrote this morning. Or perhaps a recollection of an important historical time. Or something.
I know that I don't produce something new every day, and for that I am sorry. I wish I could equal my current salary (the one that pays the mortgage and the club membership) and be like the guys who are in the press corps that follow the game from town to town in a traveling caravan. I wish I could get even 3/4 of it, because I'd for darned sure rather write about golf than make servers spew files and print spreadsheets.
We will, however, try to put more emphasis on important tournaments and do a better job of covering them. And yes, Chip and others, that means the women's game too. That's just as important to me as a golf <i>fan</i> as the PGA and Euro tours.
Thanks and please don't toss live alligators at me comments, I am not as fast as I was when I was 25, which will be exactly one-half a lifetime ago in a short two weeks.
FanPosts are written by Waggle Room members. Viewpoints expressed do not necessarily reflect those of WaggleRoom.com, editor, Charles Boyer or any other writer or member.
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Fair enough!
Cursory lip service to the facts at hand would satisfy me. Sometimes it comes down to reporting on the observations of other first hand parties. We can’t all be there. My personal objection is all spin, no facts. As we saw this weekend, it is relatively easy to ascertain current status.
The “controversy” surrounding Stevie’s remarks was running every 15 minutes on GC. No news there. A nod to those who produced the “news”, along with the present standings of the tournament, would be greatly appreciated. It is more a matter of context than content.
Thanks for all you do. I don’t have any more time than you, and I admire your commitment to your passion.
by handicapismyswing on Nov 6, 2011 3:18 AM EDT reply actions
Old Man Par
I knew your style of writing from your old site and was glad that you would be bringing it here. The brickbats have not been thrown at your articles. Sure, that chippy Kiwi bird is argumentative, but she argues with all of us :O)
When you returned to WR, you said “This site needs to be about golf. That’s why it’s here”. You asked us what we wanted more of: e.g.news, analysis, tournament coverage – whether PGA, LPGA, Euro Tour, other Tours, etc, and I’m pretty sure most of us responded that we wanted more tournament coverage. That doesn’t mean that YOU have to write them . Nor does it mean a blow by blow account of a tournament. What does irritate people, me included, is to see so much ink wasted on non-tournament stuff, particularly when it’s simply a repeat of something I’ve read elsewhere.
By the time I realise that there isn’t going to be an article on a tournament, the whole thing is over, and like Handi, I want to kick someone. The cat now gives me a wide berth, I can tell you. From now on whenever there is a tournament in progress, I will simply give it a headline on FanPost with some observations about it as at least that will provide an opportunity for others to post whatever tidbits they have found interesting about it (or to throw brickbats at me of course – ha! Bring ’em on! I have nukes to your live alligators).
I heard that....
and I raise you your fan post with mine! Ha!!
Charles, what Wendy said. I hope that you take our criticisms of the blog as well intentioned.
Ryan
The history of WR in my memory is the site was started by Mulligan Stu a few years ago. When Stu moved on Ryan Ballangee, a professional golf writer, took over site management. Ryan expanded his resumé here with articles that informed us on a multitude of golf topics. He built a community that came to read and comment on his stories. When some of us disagreed with his opinions, he didn’t take it personally, he defended his perspective. Ryan didn’t attend many tournaments, but he had a knack for picking a nugget from a writer who did, then was able to expand it into a pretty good story. He did such a good job at WR that he was hired by NBC Sports. We all miss Ryan.
Charles is not Ryan. Although a skilled writer, he’s not a journalist, he’s a site administrator. As a result WR has changed. Unfortunately the expectations of many did not change.
"(I)f you think you've got an inside track to absolute truth, you become doctrinaire, humorless and intellectually constipated." Saul Alinsky
Well said – it’s not fair to put expectations on CB to be like RB. Ryan used WR as practice and a stepping stone with hopes of becoming a professional golf writer. (he was not one when he took up the position)
If at first you don't secede, try try again
"(I)f you think you've got an inside track to absolute truth, you become doctrinaire, humorless and intellectually constipated." Saul Alinsky
At the same time,
Emily would do herself no harm by accually posting her own views in reply to one of our posts on her cut and paste articles. She might as well be a machine, automaticly posting articles from elsewhere. And a personality to match. Come on Emily, do you have one ? What have you got to say ?
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