Inside scoop on a CCS nightmare
The high school playoffs got under way this week. And when
you’re covering San Benito High sports that can be pretty
challenging
– especially since every fall sports team this year made the
playoffs.
That’s a challenging scenario for a one-man sports department,
especially when a common occurrence this time of year is to have
two games taking place on the same day, at the same time, some 50
miles apart. If I had hair, I’d probably want to pull it out right
about now. All I can say is thank God for telephones and the
willingness of coaches to give me the inside scoop and game
recaps.
Inside scoop on a CCS nightmare
The high school playoffs got under way this week. And when you’re covering San Benito High sports that can be pretty challenging – especially since every fall sports team this year made the playoffs.
That’s a challenging scenario for a one-man sports department, especially when a common occurrence this time of year is to have two games taking place on the same day, at the same time, some 50 miles apart. If I had hair, I’d probably want to pull it out right about now. All I can say is thank God for telephones and the willingness of coaches to give me the inside scoop and game recaps.
While coverage this week can be a challenge, the real challenge at playoff time is the paper’s production schedule itself. Since this paper comes out once a week, I normally try and focus on writing game previews and feature stories, only because game coverage is often too outdated by the time it lands in your driveway. Nobody wants to read about a football game that took place a week earlier. Hence, the need to preview the next game.
But this week, it’s paramount to get the inside scoop on the Central Coast Section games because a win means that a team is moving towards a section title, and a loss spells the end of the season. Covering these games can be an extremely difficult task – especially when a game takes place on Wednesday night during playoff week. Talk about a Stephen King nightmare scenario.
The reason is because the sports department’s deadline for Friday edition is Wednesday at high noon. So how do I write about a game that took place after my deadline but before it’s tossed in your driveway? How do I preview a game that already took place? How do I write about the winner and the loser?
I remember the ultimate challenge one year came when the Balers played a playoff game on a Thursday night. I couldn’t preview the game because it already took place by the time you read it. I couldn’t preview the next game because I didn’t know if there was going to be one, so the story lead had to read something like this. Had the Balers won last night, they would play so and so next week… Sounds pretty lame, huh? But there is no other option, or at least no good option when you come out once a week during playoff time.
Even if you try and single out a top player and just do a feature story on them, it comes across pretty weird to not talk with them about the game they just played, their stats or the outcome of a game they may or may not have helped their team win or lose.
I know, it’s all confusing. And the ultimate Houdini-like challenge is when a game takes place on Wednesday night followed by another one on Thursday night. I need a few aspirin when the CCS Section posts a scenario like that in the bracket. I remember one year something like this happened because of bad weather, or something to that affect. Scenarios like that lead to stories that read, if they won Wednesday and Thursday, then they would play so and so tonight, not exactly the best method for obtaining a Pulitzer Prize. And you can’t even write it that way with all the ifs because I’m never sure – even if they win both games on those back-to-back nights – who the Balers will play next, because who knows if the team I thought they’d play also won its games. I’m already starting to sweat just writing this.
Santa, I think I’ll opt for a crystal ball this year for Christmas.
Fortunately, San Benito High has an excellent sports program and there are many games that can be covered each season that don’t fall into the aforementioned nightmare scenario. Cross Country in particular comes to mind. One event on one day, just like golf. Amen. But what if the Baler cross-country team didn’t make the postseason?
As a wiry veteran I’ve adopted a few slick moves that have worked the majority of the time. One is to do a story on the team that is most likely to be eliminated in the opening round and do preview stories on future games for the teams that are most likely to advance. The only problem is there is always that chance of an upset.
I guess I shouldn’t be complaining though. I could be covering a school that doesn’t have any playoff-caliber teams. Then, I’d need to write a column asking what I should even consider writing about – something that is never a problem covering Baler athletics.
