Baseball Question for Charlotte Observer readers?

It's the schools in between that get ignored. Kids that are skilled and have worked hard deserve some coverage, too. Why not cover a game a week with a photographer (or snap a few yourself) and rotate around your coverage area. West Rowan vs. Mooresville, East Meck vs. Myers Park, Lake Norman vs. N. Meck, Hopewell vs. Mallard Creek, Shelby vs. Crest, Ft. Mill vs. South Point, Latin vs. Providence Day, West Meck vs. Hopewell, NW Cabarrus vs. Kannapolis, Central Cabarrus vs. JM Robinson, on and on. All good baseball, all over. Not just S. Charlotte glamor schools and the other schools that don't truly field a capable team. It's those schools in between that feel left out and that their hard work and skill is worth noting. Being in the paper still matters to kids!

 

How about allowing coaches (or a "trusted" source") to log on and report scores? The popularity of HS baseball has "exploded" over recent years and that popularity will only continue to grow. The Charlotte Observer is the "flagship" for area "papers" and has to find new ways to cover local sports. I read the local paper for area news only, I get national and world news from other sources. I know it's difficult covering the entire area with a limited staff, but I don't think anyone here is asking for a full page article about last night's "Big Game", just a small article would be fantastic.
You "guys" ever thought about setting up a program with local schools, that allows "students" to do some reporting and photograhy on sporting events? I have seen this approach in other parts of the country, (I spent 12 years in the military) especially in "sparsley" populated areas. It was actually refreshing to read a students take on how a game played out and you can feel the "passion" in their words. This approach would benefit not only the "Observer", but the students as well.
I think you are on the "right track" by looking for new ideas in your local coverage. I've have a lot of respect for you by coming on "TBR" and answering some really tough questions, (you could have easily avoided many), but you have responded to all and for that I say "thanks" for the effort.

 

It's the schools in between that get ignored. Kids that are skilled and have worked hard deserve some coverage, too. Why not cover a game a week with a photographer (or snap a few yourself) and rotate around your coverage area. West Rowan vs. Mooresville, East Meck vs. Myers Park, Lake Norman vs. N. Meck, Hopewell vs. Mallard Creek, Shelby vs. Crest, Ft. Mill vs. South Point, Latin vs. Providence Day, West Meck vs. Hopewell, NW Cabarrus vs. Kannapolis, Central Cabarrus vs. JM Robinson, on and on. All good baseball, all over. Not just S. Charlotte glamor schools and the other schools that don't truly field a capable team. It's those schools in between that feel left out and that their hard work and skill is worth noting. Being in the paper still matters to kids!

We touched a lot of schools this year. We covered Myers Park and East Meck and North Meck and Hopewell and Mallard and West Meck and the list goes on. Again, I'm not sure you are seeing everything we're doing. There have been roundups and elevators and top performers and players of the week on a regular basis. Just planned out Tuesday's coverage and again, I hope to be "diverse" in my choices. Time will tell.

 

How about allowing coaches (or a "trusted" source") to log on and report scores? The popularity of HS baseball has "exploded" over recent years and that popularity will only continue to grow.

It's funny. Everyone tells me their sport is exploding in popularity these days. You should see my emails from the lacrosse community and the swimming community. And the soccer community for that matter. I would have to disagree a little with all three sports, though. I can promise you that if we could touch a ton of readers with more coverage of any sport, it would be done. Times are different.

The Charlotte Observer is the "flagship" for area "papers" and has to find new ways to cover local sports. I read the local paper for area news only, I get national and world news from other sources. I know it's difficult covering the entire area with a limited staff, but I don't think anyone here is asking for a full page article about last night's "Big Game", just a small article would be fantastic.

Thanks for the nice words about us being the 'ship. I like to look at us that way, but I'm biased. I've worked here more than half my life (man, I'm getting old and my whiskers are silver now). Our prep staff is now just me. Sad to say.

We have been doing articles about games this season almost every night they play. I think it's best for us to focus our game stories on Mecklenburg teams, at least for now. In the old days, we used to have a Piedmont reporter (Chris Hobbs or Cliff Mehrtens) and I was the "city" reporter. So we could cover a regional game and then "sub it out" in the city edition with whatever game I was covering.

Now, a lot of nights, I have to stay in the office to handle roundups, getting pairings updated, etc (well not actually stay in the office b/c I work from home -- hallelujah moment! -- but you get the idea).

We can't sub out games nearly as easily. Our copy desk is shrunk and we have fewer designers, and to be honest, I'm not sure we're gaining anything.

Say you're a Crest football fan. I used to beat my chest that I could get someone to Boiling Springs to do the Shelby game every year and hit deadline for that edition (about 10:15 p.m., which ain't easy off a 7:30 football game). But the next week, the circus would be off to somewhere else, maybe Hickory. If you're a Crest fan, I don't think you're buying us or reading us for our Charge-em-up coverage.

I think we're better off writing notes off Piedmont teams, which I try to do when I get them, and writing more features, which I will do more of. I'm still figuring out this one-man-band thing.

How do you think that might work?

You "guys" ever thought about setting up a program with local schools, that allows "students" to do some reporting and photograhy on sporting events? I have seen this approach in other parts of the country, (I spent 12 years in the military) especially in "sparsley" populated areas. It was actually refreshing to read a students take on how a game played out and you can feel the "passion" in their words. This approach would benefit not only the "Observer", but the students as well.

Yes, some kids work one week and then don't the next. Decide they'd rather go to see Iron Man than Bandys-Foard, etc. We've tried it and to be honest, we cannot print most students' work, produced on deadline, in a newspaper/website that seen by more than million eyes per day.

We have created an online tool for schools to report and once we convince them all to use it, it's going to be a great source of information for all.

This year, we had poor results in spring, but click here to see it going at our sister paper in Raleigh. It's pretty cool, eh?

I think you are on the "right track" by looking for new ideas in your local coverage. I've have a lot of respect for you by coming on "TBR" and answering some really tough questions, (you could have easily avoided many), but you have responded to all and for that I say "thanks" for the effort.

Thanks, I will always try to answer. I think it helps the understanding. And that goes both ways. I need to "get" where you guys are coming from, too.

 

This discussion has been very enlightening. I've enjoyed reading the questions and responses and I hope the information given had been helpful to our members and to Langston.

I wish we could have started this back in February instead of as the season is winding down. But the good news is we're getting ready to go into the Showcase season where there will be many individual stories to report.

Langston, I thank you for being part of our "family" and invite you to drop by as often as you can. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you are a "one man army." Yes, I love those good ol' days as the South Meck Observer and it is interesting guessing what lies ahead for the Observer's future- not the demise, but what direction or "shift' they will take.

Given all your responsibilities, it's amazing the job that you do. If you ever need some assistance with a story, we have a professional on board that freely does that for us. He's a lot like Brett in that he's a walking encyclopedia of Charlotte's sports. However, since you brought up the "gray whiskers" comment, I'd say you've become an historian yourself

And since we are talking sports and stuff...can you get me a great deal on an Ipad?

 

This discussion has been very enlightening. I've enjoyed reading the questions and responses and I hope the information given had been helpful to our members and to Langston

They most certainly have for me. Keep 'em coming.

I wish we could have started this back in February instead of as the season is winding down. But the good news is we're getting ready to go into the Showcase season where there will be many individual stories to report.

I wish so, too, but there's always next year. As for summer, I've got to take some time off. I'll leave you all to your own devices. I'll be back in late July for our football push, but keep me up on the hot baseball stories. No reason why we can't write something pertinent in the summer or fall, right?

Langston, I thank you for being part of our "family" and invite you to drop by as often as you can. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you are a "one man army." Yes, I love those good ol' days as the South Meck Observer and it is interesting guessing what lies ahead for the Observer's future- not the demise, but what direction or "shift' they will take.

Yeah, newspapers aren't going anywhere I don't think. They're going to have to evolve. I think they are evolving. I do also believe that all this free news everyone is getting now is going the way of dinosaur soon. I think you'll have to pay for everybody's content. It won't be one source that does it. They all will. Ultimately, though, people's thirst for news is at all time high and only figures to grow.

Given all your responsibilities, it's amazing the job that you do. If you ever need some assistance with a story, we have a professional on board that freely does that for us. He's a lot like Brett in that he's a walking encyclopedia of Charlotte's sports. However, since you brought up the "gray whiskers" comment, I'd say you've become an historian yourself

Thanks. We have a nice army of stringers (guys who write for us on a pay-per-story basis). If you have someone who might want to get on board, please have him contact me by email. We can always use more.

And since we are talking sports and stuff...can you get me a great deal on an Ipad?

Man, I wish. I don't even have one (yet). To me, they are must-have devices. I want two.

 

Theres a game that just might be worthy of some coverage at Hopewell High School tonight at 7. Any plans to attend this one?

 

I'm off today. Yesterday's rain really messed things up. Had quite the baseball spread planned. Oh well. What can you do.

BTW, North Meck at N. Davidson is ppd until Thursday.

 

Oh well atleast you did cover the vance game. 1 game this year was better than none.

 

What could be better than a day off at the ball field. we'll feed you a hotdog.