Final Exam Current Events -- Woohoo!!!!

To get to the Austin American-Statesman - click the link and then put in the user name and password.

http://nieonline.com/austin/studentconnect.cfm
The user name is MAC-J
The password is Knight1!

Current Events Assignment Final Exam -- May 25, 2016

To answer question number 1, please see "Dueling histories: 1899 house could defeat 1950s pharmacy" on the left side of page A1.

1. I did not expect to see a Ken Herman column on the front page, but this was an interesting story about a complicated issue in Old West Austin. Since the story is complicated, I'll try to make the question simple.

What is the conflict involving historical preservation between the Labay family and the Old West Austin Neighborhood Association. Who do you think has the stronger case? What compromise is being proposed? Do you think the compromise is a good solution to the conflict? Why or why not?

To answer question number 2, please see "UT, A&M join bid to operate weapons lab" on the top right of page A1.

2.  What is this? Longhorns and Aggies working in partnership? It's like cats and dogs living together. What proposed partnership did UT and A&M announce on Tuesday, and who else is in the partnership? What exactly would the proposed partnership do? What do you make of this proposal? Does it seem OK for universities to do this sort of thing? Why or why not?

To answer question number 3, please see "Cosby sexual assault trial can proceed, judge rules," at the bottom right of page A1.

3.  What is the latest news in the Bill Cosby saga? Do you agree with the judge's decision? What arguments did Cosby's lawyers make? Do you think those arguments have any merit? What do you think about this story landing on the front page? Given the news values at play with this story, do you think it merits front-page placement?

To answer question number 4, please see "Lee Elementary to be renamed for Russell instead of Robert E." in the middle left of page B1.

4.  What final resolution to the Lee Elementary renaming saga did the school board of trustees enact Monday night by an 8-1 vote? What can you tell me about the new namesake for the school? Why was that name chosen? What compromise was reached as well? Why was the final vote a bit awkward on Monday night? What do you think about the decision? Like it? Dislike it? Agree? Disagree?

To answer question number 5, please see, "Regents to air views on assault cases by June 3" at the bottom left of page C1.

5.  According to two news reports, what is one likely outcome of the football sexual assault scandal at Baylor University? What is the nature of the scandal? Based on the story (and your prior knowledge if you have any), what do you think should happen to make things right at Baylor? Kirk Bohls expressed his take on the matter

Subjects and documents to study for your final

I think this is the complete list of notes and articles to study for the final.

I will use this same list to write the questions that will be on the final.

FEATURE WRITING:

1. Bobby Hawthorne article on feature writing

    Here's the assignment:

    http://mac-j1.blogspot.com/2016/01/bobby-hawthorne-introduced-us-to.html

    If you want to check out a book to reread the chapter, let me know.

2. Mitch Albom article On Writing

    Here's the article: http://www.mitchalbom.com/on-writing/

    Or you can study your outline of it if you did a good one.

3.  Feature Writing  -- Types of Leads and Feature Structure

     Here's the PowerPoint:

     https://drive.google.com/a/austinisd.org/file/d/0B9jt1jHLEQlIclBhU1FPZTNtMmM/view

FEATURE PROFILE WRITING (sports but applies to any type of profile):

4.  Review this article or your notes on it.

     http://onsportz.blogspot.com/2007/10/writing-sports-profiles.html

OBITUARIES:

5.  Review the presentation:

     PPT: https://drive.google.com/a/austinisd.org/file/d/0B9jt1jHLEQlISFRLOGtjTnNpVlU/view

     PDF: https://drive.google.com/a/austinisd.org/file/d/0B9jt1jHLEQlIMm1Ld041dEZmM3c/view

SPORTSWRITING:

6. How to write a game story

    http://sportsjournalism.org/sports-media-news/mavericks-heat-nba-finals-provides-lessons-in-game-coverage-breaking-down-the-elements-to-create-a-compelling-recap/

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND TERMS

7.  Design outline and terms list

     http://mac-j1.blogspot.com/2016/04/newspaper-design-outline-and-terms.html  

Extra Credit -- Attend this Friday's Career Speaker Series

So Ms. Bonet tells me that this Friday's Career Series speaker is Edmond Sackett, a McCallum parent who is also a photojournalist and multimedia professional with over 30 years experience in the field.

His list of journalistic credentials includes contributing work that led to four Pulitzer Prize nominations. Here are a few of the images that I found on his website:

Rescue personnel are lowered on a crane
with an electrocution victim from a high rise construction site
in Austin, TX. Photo by Edmond Sackett.

Laci Spencer tries to duck the affections
of her two-year-old brahma cow Baby
as they wait their turn in the show ring.
Photo by Edmond Sackett.

Mitch Goldblatt keeps his eyes on the ball as he returns a shot
during the annual doubles competition of pickleball
for the Senior Games in Kissimmee Florida.
Photo by Edmond Sackett.

To encourage you to attend Friday's session, I will offer all photojournalism and journalism students a triple-counted 100 minor grade just for attending the session, being a good listener, and filling out the Career Speakers from that Ms. Bonet will make available at the presentation.

I will further offer a second triple-counted 100 if you do the following to prepare for Friday's presentation.

Visit the website that contains an archive of Mr. Sackett's work:

http://dawsonmultimediapro.com/dawsonmultimediapro.com/Media.html

(1) Post the 10 best pictures that are on the site (in your opinion) and explain why each image is a great example of photojournalism (either in terms of photography or journalism or both).

(2) Post the link to one of the videos that you find most effective and explain why you thought it was an effective video (either the message or the way it conveys the message or both).

The post has to be made before lunchtime on Friday for it to count for the offered extra credit.

Newspaper Design Outline and Terms

A framework for our class discussion:

THE MOST IMPORANT CONCEPT -- MODULAR DESIGN

What is a MODULE?

Elements present on a well designed newspaper page:
You don't have to define these unless you don't know what they are but I include them because they are the essential building blocks of page design: 

Headlines, Subheadlines, Lines, Boxes, 
Photos, Captions, Stories)

Five principles of newspaper PAGE DESIGN

DOMINANCE

CONTRAST

BALANCE

UNITY

-- discuss BASTARD MEASURE here

RHYTHM

The 8 types of NEWSPAPER MODULES

1. Even legs of text

2. Story on top

3. L-Shaped Text Flow

    -- discuss raw wraps here

4. U-Shaped Text Flow

5. Photo on Left

6. Photo on Right

7. COB photo

8. COMBO plate

Teaser

Flag

Folios 

Bylines

Jumps 

Story dividers

Screens 

Infographics

Masthead/staff box

Bastard measure

Raw wrap

Reefer

Wild art

Pull quote

Ears

Banner

Kicker headline

Wicket headline

Tripod headline

Hammer headline

Modular design

Text wrap

L-shaped text flow

U-shaped text flow

Possible story topics

News                                                                            

Renaming of Lee Elementary school

Projections/local opinions of how a Trump/Clinton general election would go

Prop 1 fall out – what now?

UT murder case – does it impact outlook for UT-bound seniors

Attendance policy update – how are students coping/adapting/subverting the attendance policy

Mr. Stanchos and the current events team placed third at regionals (could be a good feature)

U.S. News and World Report rankings of AISD schools and what if anything it means

                -- Do students care? Does the faculty care? Do parents care about this stuff? If so, why?

                -- LASA, Anderson, McCallum, Austin

The PUD lots of impact near McCallum district and Anderson

Feature

Profile on an interesting teacher/faculty member

n  Japanese teacher

n  Mr. Featherstone

n  Mr. Pass

n  Mr. Pew

n  Ms. Northcutt

n  Ms. Susman

n  Cafeteria staff/manager

Profile on an interesting student

Prom

Alternate prom?

Saturday School – an observational feature profile with a news angle as it relates to the attendance policy

The UIL music gauntlet of superior results

Dress code

                https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CTKKL62

Day in the Life of a Second-Semester Senior

A&E

Profile a local musician or a MAC musician who is doing something great

What’s up with our Grammy? When does our term as a Grammy winner end if it does?

Comcast buyout of DreamWorks – Is it likely? Will it hurt movie quality/creativity/originality?

SPORTS

Baseball epic showdown on Friday – Two 14-1 teams, one district champ

Profile of the seniors in baseball

Softball playoff game on Thursday

Profile of the seniors in softball

Newspaper Design Continued -- Other HS Papers and Vocabulary

As a Wednesday warm-up, I want you to look through some other high school newspapers and I also want you to look up some terms so on Friday you are prepared to get started with a newspaper design project.

Let's start with other high school newspapers.

Go to the following link and spend 15 minutes looking at other high school newspaper:

Here: http://issuu.com/aaronmanfull/stacks/53a902cf8a0146de804bdba9815faf03

Or here: http://studentpress.org/nspa/category/pacemaker-winners/

Assignment: In a new blog titled "Other high school newspapers" answer the following:

1. What is your favorite newspaper front page? Why? 
2. Which paper immediately grabbed your interest? Why? 
3. What is your favorite headline from that newspaper? Why are you interested in it? 
4. How many stories are on the front page of your favorite? 
5. What do you notice that all newspaper front pages have in common? Look at design, size of photos, size of story text, etc.
6. What are things that vary (or are different) on the front pages of different newspapers? Look at design, size of photos, size of headlines, etc. 
7. Were these similar to what you saw last class when you looked at daily newspapers from around the world? 

Now lets get some terms out of the way:

Broadsheet - the largest newspaper size - 3+ stories

Find 3 newspapers from the link above that are Broadsheets - list them on your blog

Tabloid - smaller newspaper size - 2 or less stories

Find 3 newspapers from the link above that are Tabloids - list them on your blog

NewsMagazine - glossy cover - no stories, photo only might be glossy inside or maybe newsprint.

Find 3 newspapers from the link above that are NewsMagazines - list them on your blog

Elements present on a well designed newspaper page:

You don't have to define these unless you don't know what they are but I include them because they are the essential building blocks of page design: Headlines, Subheadlines, Lines, Boxes, 
Photos, Captions, Stories)

Look up the following terms and give me a working definition of the word. Please make sure you associate the term with newspapers. You may need to put the word newspaper in the search engine (especially for some of them which have alternate meanings). Put the answers on your blog

Teaser

Flag

Folios 

Bylines

Jumps 

Story dividers

Screens 

Infographics

Masthead/staff box

Bastard measure

Raw wrap

Reefer

Wild art

Pull quote

Ears

Banner

Kicker headline

Wicket headline

Tripod headline

Hammer headline

Modular design

Text wrap

L-shaped text flow

U-shaped text flow

On Friday we will be looking at The Shield and looking at how the above items are utilized in our newspaper. I will also be giving you more info on your newspaper design assignment.

Intro to Newspaper Design

Overview: I am going to put a satire lesson together, and it should be fun when I do, but another topic I want to cover this six weeks is Newspaper Design. Visit the Newseum's Gallery of newspaper front pages from around the world. Take 15 minutes to look at the different front pages.

You can start this if you have time today. If not, we can do it on Monday.

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

Click on the Map View and look at the following:

• Newspapers from at least three different states in the United States.
• Two newspapers in New York City. 
• Two newspapers in Texas.
• Two newspapers in Europe.
• Two newspapers in Asia.

Assignment: In a new blog titled "Front Pages of the World" answer the following:

1. What is your favorite newspaper front page? Why? 
2. What is your favorite headline from that newspaper? Why are you interested in it? 
3. How many stories are on the front page of your favorite? 
4. What do you notice that all newspaper front pages have in common? Look at design, size of photos, size of story text, etc.
5. What are things that vary (or are different) on the front pages of different newspapers? Look at design, size of photos, size of headlines, etc. 

Current Events 6.1

I know what you're thinking. Mr. Winter, we just did a current events assignment. Well, it was more than a week ago, so it's no longer current. Besides, it's a new six weeks and you should be reading the paper every day. So, to encourage that practice, here we go.  

To get to the Austin American-Statesman - click the link and then put in the user name and password.

http://nieonline.com/austin/studentconnect.cfm

The user name is MAC-J

The password is Knight1!

Current Events Assignment 6.1 -- April 21, 2016

To answer question 1, please read "Jackson out; slave savior to be face of $20 bill" on the lower left corner of page A1.

1. How is the design of U.S. currency going to chance if Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's proposal is carried out? And how might the proposal prove the power of musical theatre to effect change (Mr. Denning must be happy today.) This is a $40 question as you should discuss the $20, the $10 and the $5 thoroughly.

To answer question 2, please read "3 officials charged in Flint lead crisis" on the lower right corner of page A1.

2.  What is the latest news in the Flint water crisis? According to Detroit defense attorney Neil Rockind, why is the latest news a "rare" development?  This article does a good job of summarizing this whole debacle briefly. I counted at least three horrible mistakes made by Flint officials which led to this whole mess. What horrible actions (or inactions) caused this to be a full-blown disaster. Last question: What is the Michigan governor doing over the next 30 days? Why? Do you think it will help?

To answer question 3, please read "Clinton, Trump riding high after blowout wins" across the Btop of page A4.

3.  Why are the Clinton and Trump campaigns "invigorated" after Tuesday? How close are each of the front-runners to securing their respective nominations? What's up next Tuesday for the candidates? What familiar argument did Trump make again Wednesday in Indianapolis? What streak was halted by Clinton's win in New York?

To answer question 4, please read "Teachers union sues over new evaluations" at the bottom right of page B1.

4. Why is a teacher's union--the Texas State Teachers Association--suing the head of the Texas Education Agency? What does the union hope to accomplish with the lawsuit? What does the story say about the Austin Independent School District? How does AISD compare to other districts when it comes to teacher evaluations? What is "a value-added model" and how does it relate to this story?

To answer question 5, please read "Report: Volkswagen makes deal to pay U.S. customers" at the bottom right of page B7.

5. My son and I play Punch Buggie incessantly in the car (I lose virtually all the time), but after reading this article we may have to stop because I'm not sure we should create any fond memories that involve the German automaker Volkswagen. What deal is the automaker Volkswagen like to announce today at a federal court hearing in San Francisco? How much money is involved? Why might some individuals receive more money than others from the German automaker? And why do they have to make payments anyway? Why is the amount of money (it's a lot) apparently just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how much the automaker is going to have to pay? 

6.  Pick an article that you want to read (more than other articles anyway), read it and then write a three-sentence (minimum) summary of the article and a three-sentence explanation (minimum) about why you chose that article to read or why you thought it was newsworthy or important enough to select for this assignment.

Current Events 5.2

To get to the Austin American-Statesman - click the link and then put in the user name and password.

http://nieonline.com/austin/studentconnect.cfm

The user name is MAC-J

The password is Knight1!

To answer question no. 1, please read, "To get to the Austin American-Statesman - click the link and then put in the user name and password.

http://nieonline.com/austin/studentconnect.cfm

The user name is MAC-J

The password is Knight1!

To answer question no. 1, please read, "To get to the Austin American-Statesman - click the link and then put in the user name and password.

http://nieonline.com/austin/studentconnect.cfm

The user name is MAC-J

The password is Knight1!

To answer question no. 1, please read, "Sources: Student was strangled," across the top of page A1.

1.  This story is grisly and unsettling, but I don't think we should ignore it. What new details are revealed in today's Statesman regarding the murder of UT freshman Haruka Weiser? Who are the sources that revealed this information and why are they unnamed in the story? Why do you think they provided this information? Why do you think this story has attracted such media attention (think back to our discussion of news values if you can remember them)?

To answer question no. 2, please read, "Study: Technology firms offer women lower salaries," on the bottom left of page A1.

2. According to the hired.com wage analysis, what inequity do technology employers create? What is hired.com and why were they able to conduct this study? I thought the most interesting part of the article was the part about the possible causes of this inequity. According to the article, what are the causes of this inequity? Do they change how you view the technology companies that are making these hires? Something else kind of bugged me about this article. Did it seem to you like it was promoting hired.com a bit too much or do you think it was unavoidable given the nature of the story?

To answer question no. 3, please read, "N.C. governor retreats from part of bias law," on the top left of page A4.

3. North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory issued an executive order on Tuesday. What specifically did the order do to change the controversial House Bill 2 that he signed into law? How did the ACLU respond? What do PayPal, the National Basketball Association, Deutsche Bank and Bruce Springsteen have to do with this story? How might they explain the governor's executive order?

To answer question no. 4, please read, "Boko Haram increasingly uses child bombers," on the top right of page A3.

4. According to UNICEF, what 11-fold increase has been observed in the past year? What has been a terrible consequence of this trend? Why do terrorism experts reject the term suicide attacks when referring to these bombings? What is Boko Harum and how is it different and related to al-Qaida? What motivates people to join it (according to a new Mercy Corps report)?

5. Pick any story that grabs your interest. Summarize it and say what you liked and/or did not like about it.

6. Longtime Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls has a piece in today's paper (see page C1). His piece today is basically a top 10 list instead of a unified column, but it still has many of the qualities of a sports column. What qualities distinguish this piece in terms of style and viewpoint from the other stories you read for this quiz? Which of his observations did you find most interesting? Which would you cut first if the piece were too long and needed to be shortened?

Finish this by period's end. Remember that you have the next step of your column-writing assignment due today as well.

COLUMN-WRITING ASSIGNMENT

Write a column that emulates the column of a distinguished professional columnist.

1. Find a favorite sports columnist (or at least one whose work you find admirable or effective). Once you have identified a sports columnist, please respond to this post with the name of your selected columnist. Make sure that no one else has chosen your columnist before you move on to step two. First come, first serve on columnists.

Here is my list of some of my favorites (feel free to find your own):

Mitch Albom

Kirk Bohls

Christine Brennan

John Canzano

Tim  Cowlishaw

Sally Jenkins

Miramon Nuevo

Bill Plaschke

Joe Poznanski

Rick Reilly

William C. Rhoden

Bill Simmons

Dan Wetzel

Jason Whitlock

Michael Wilbon

Mike Wise

Dave Zirin

2. Read several of the columnist’s pieces until you isolate one that you think is both excellent and representative of the columnist’s style, approach and body of work.

3. Be prepared to share the column and why you selected it as excellent and representative of the columnist’s work. Each class member will present their column and lead a brief class discussion about it.

4. Compose and original column based on the model column you selected. The topic of the piece you write should be original. The way that you write should be inspired by the columnist you chose to emulate.

5. Beginning on the first line of a separate page, identify your columnist and the model column and explain why you chose the columnist and the column as your model.

6. Include the model column as an appendix to your column.

7. Include a reflection in which you explain how your column emulates your model columnist in style, and explain briefly the purpose (or total effect) intended for your column. Describe how the style works to enhance the delivery of your subject.  Evaluate how your column compares to your model column.

8. You may write one additional column for extra credit. But please do not write two columns on the same subject or with too similar an approach or structure.

The components of this assignment will count on the final six-week grading period.

Original Column is a major assignment.

Class presentation is a minor assignment.

Reflection is also a minor assignment.

Please indicate the columnist of your choice by the end of class on Monday, April 11.

Please indicate the model column you have selected by the end of class on Wednesday, April 13.

We will begin sharing the columns on Friday, April 15.

Your original columns are due Tuesday, April 19.

Best Sports Day Ever Piece

Due dates:

Fully developed first draft – April 7 (beginning of the period)
Revised and polished final draft – April 13 (beginning of the period)

Major Grade

Assignment:

Write a personal narrative about your best day in sports. It can be about a day you played, watched or somehow experienced a sporting event.  The sporting experience need not be central to your story, but it needs to be a part of the story.

Criteria:

Your story should be rich in concrete detail, imagery and appeals to the five senses. The better you recreate all of the sights, sounds and sensations of your story the better.

Your story should begin in a captivating way and end with a conclusion that resonates with the reader, giving them something upon which to reflect or ponder before leaving your story.

Your story should be polished, free of careless, avoidable spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.  I strongly recommend reading it out loud to someone else or even just to yourself so that you can hear how your writing sounds to others.

Your story should be told in your voice. The style should be informal and the tone conversational and colloquial.  Whenever you write a personal narrative, you aren’t just trying to convince the reader that your story is worth reading. You are convincing them that you are interesting and worth “listening” to.

Your story should be on time.  I will deduct two points per school day that your story is past the assigned deadline of April 7.  

The fully developed draft is due April 7.  The revised draft is due April 13.

Please print your submission before coming to class so we can do a peer edit as part of the revision process.

The rubric for the polished draft is below:

Topic: Write a piece describing your best sports day ever.

STORYLINE/NARRATIVE 5 6 7 8 9 10
VIVID IMAGERY/DETAILS 5 6 7 8 9 10
GRAMMAR/STYLE/PUNCTUATION 5 6 7 8 9 10
VOICE                         5 6 7 8 9 10
DEVELOPMENT/APPROPRIATE LENGTH 5 6 7 8 9 10

Finding the Flaw -- Is it With the NFL or with The Times?

So a recent Times story on the NFL's response to concussions among pro football players has caused some unprecedented reaction from the league. First, the NFL bought a full page ad in the Times specifically to rebut the article (which they had never done before), then the league directly demanded that The Times retract the story or that the reporters preserve their notes (basically threatening to sue the paper if they don't retract).

Considering that we have spent a good deal of time talking about the reporting process and recent failures to execute that process properly and considering that we just started talking about sports writing, this is just too good an opportunity to pass up (plus I want to force myself to read the article and answer the same question I am about to pose to you).

Read the Times article and the NFL responses to it.

Then write a response that answers this question: Where is the flaw here? With the NFL's response to concussions or with the reporting and writing of the Times story?  In other words, did the Times get the story right? Or should they retract the story as the NFL has demanded?

THE STORY: N.F.L.’s Flawed Concussion Research and Ties to Tobacco Industry

THE RESPONSE: NFL statement on New York Times' concussion research story

THE LETTER DEMANDING A RETRACTION: NFL letter to NYTimes demanding a retraction

UPSHOT OF THE LETTER: "We demand that the story immediately be retracted, and we
reserve our rights more broadly. We also request that the Times's reporters and editors
who worked on this story preserve their notes, correspondence, emails, recordings and
work papers and all other electronic and hard copy documents generated or received in
connection with their work."

ASSIGNMENT: Outline Gisondi article on sports game stories

Below is a link to one of my favorite articles on sports game story writing. I think it goes beyond the template approach that produces a solid game story but not a spectacular one.  To write a superior game story, you have to try to isolate something that makes the game you are covering unique. 

http://sportsjournalism.org/sports-media-news/mavericks-heat-nba-finals-provides-lessons-in-game-coverage-breaking-down-the-elements-to-create-a-compelling-recap/

ASSIGNMENT: Read the article then outline it on paper or type your outline and post it to your blog. You may use the outline on a quiz that I will give over the article at the beginning of class on Wednesday.

I thought it may interest some of you to know that I once took the craft of writing sports game stories very seriously. Not very far from McCallum High School but very long ago, I was the University of Texas general sports reporter charged with the task of covering Longhorn baseball. It was a great job. I got free Whataburger chicken sandwiches every game, got to watch baseball from a great seat for free and got to talk directly with the players and coaches after every game.

I posted one of my stories that survived the crash of my hard drive somehow. :(

See how well I did of meeting Gisondi's criteria for writing a great game story.

March 19, 1990

Texas drops third game to unranked team as WSU pulls out win

By Dave Winter

Daily Texan staff

For five seconds Sunday, the Longhorns slide toward mediocrity was frozen between second and third base along with Washington State baserunner Kurt Steck and Texas pitcher Mark Smith.

Unfortunately for No. 10 Texas (22-10), Smith ended the tableau by throwing the ball over shortstop Kyle Moody’s head into center field, initiating the Longhorns’ 7-4 loss, their third in four games, all to unranked opponents.

With one out and runners on first and second in the first-inning, Smith (3-2) caught Steck leaning toward third and ran toward him, stopping two steps short of tagging him out.

“My mind just kind of blanked,” Smith said. Steck “wasn’t moving or making a commitment either way, and instead of breaking toward him I was waiting for him to break, and he didn’t.”

The errant throw moved Steck to third and Scott Hatteberg to second. Two singles and a run later, Smith struck out first baseman Rob Nichols, which should have ended the inning.

Instead, it was Smith’s outing that ended when Greg Hunter lofted a three run home-run that glanced off and over the right field fence.

Smith got only two outs and yielded five Cougar runs.

“I don’t know if you could call it a pitching performance. I wasn’t out there that long,” said a dejected Smith.

The five-run cushion was enough for Cougar right hander Todd Springs (2-1) whose eight-hitter Sunday surprised everybody present.

“His best pitch is his curve ball, and didn’t have it today,” said Coach Chuck “Bobo” Brayton, whose Cougars are now 12-8.

The sophomore had posted one win against two losses in his career at Washington State.  The Austin children who now own his autograph probably don’t know that Springs’ career earned-run average was 6.48 before Sunday.

Brayton was at a loss to explain why Texas was held to eight hits, three of them hit hard, and only 11 base runners.

“It’s a mystery to me. I’m surprised that they don’t have the batting cage out there right now taking batting practice, “ Brayton said.

Texas Coach Cliff Gustafson probably would have agreed with Brayton had hitting been Texas’ only problem. Texas beat WSU 8-1 behind a strong outing from Brian Dare (2-1) Friday, but fell by the same score Saturday as Texas used four pitchers, who hit four batters. Texas’ record against Division I opponents is now 15-10.

The loudest cheers Sunday from 1,211 Disch-Falk fans Sunday were for the Texas men’s basketball team.  The standing ovation resulted in two Texas runs in the fifth inning, cutting the Cougars lead to 5-4.

Travis Mays’ game-winning free throws in Indianapolis confused Springs into walking Kyle Moody, and Guillermo Myers’ blocked shot to seal Texas’ 73-72 victory incited a louder ovation and a second walk to Calvin Murray. Both runners scored after a ground-ball single cured off the end of Mike Morland’s bat.

Lubbock Christian (15-13) will bring a five-game win streak to Disch-Falk Field for a 7 p.m. game.  J.J. Munoz (2-4, 5.16 ERA) will oppose Kirk Dressendorfer (5-2, 3.55). Although their numbers don’t reflect it, each right-hander is his team’s ace.

How to Write a Sports Game Story (several resources in one post)

We are going to start a sportswriting unit today by discussing how to write game stories. I have posted five web resources below describing how to write this type of story. We will refer to some of these in today's class.

When writing a sports article, it is your job to obtain the statistics.

The headline should be an abbreviated sentence summarizing the game.  Who’d we beat?

The lead paragraph should tell who, what, when, where.  Set the score off with commas in your first sentence.

The how and why will probably be the top players’ statistics and the coach’s comments.  The top players’ statistics should be the second paragraph.  Have the coach’s comments be the last paragraph.

Use strong action verbs!

Brief example of a basketball template:

         The Andes Central Eagles soared past the (opponent), 85-34, (date) at (town/home). 

     (WHO)                              (WHAT)                                  (WHEN)            (WHERE)

Leading scorers were _____________ (player name) with ___ (number of points);  _____________ (name), ________ (number); and ___________ (name), ____ (number).

Top rebounders were _____________ (player name) with ___ (number of rebounds);  _____________ (name), ________ (number); and ___________(name), ____ (number).

_________________ (player name) had _________ (number) assists, while _________________ (player name) had ____________ (number).

      Coach _____________ commented, “______________________________________ .”

Below is an article from the September 11, 2007, Daily Republic:

                              Andes-Central Beats Bridgewater-Emery, 3-1

              

Jenna Winckler had eight kills to pace Andes Central in its 3-1 victory over Bridgewater-Emery Monday night. 

The Eagles won by scores of 15-25, 25-7, 25-20, and 25-15. 

Amy Chykta had four service aces and 10 set assists, and Danielle Walder had 13 digs for Andes Central.

Jessie VanLeur led the Huskies with five service aces, seven kills, and three blocks.

Robbie Letcher had nine kills, and Kayla Olinger paced the defense with 16 digs.he Eagles are now 4-7 and host Scotland today.

Bridgewater-Emery is 2-3 and hosts Freeman tonight in Emery.

Andes Central’s junior varsity also won its match over the Huskies by scores of 25-17 and 15-15.

You may want to use the above article as a guideline for future volleyball stories.  Notice that the leading players’ kills, service aces, set assists, and blocks are mentioned.

Since our paper comes out only once a month, we won’t worry about the next game or the record because these probably wouldn’t be accurate by the time people read the paper.

Below are some action verbs that will make your sports headlines and articles livelier:

Smash                          Score                           Shave                          Earn

Trounce                       Fly by                          Battle with                  Squeak Past

Pulverize                     Soar Above                 Slide by                       Blast   

Trample                      Sail Past                       Sneak past                   Shatter

Write 10 synonyms for the word beat that could be used in the following headline:

            Eagles Beat the Hawks.

Write 3 better versions of the following sentence: Jenna had 11 rebounds, Chrissie had 9, and Casandra had 7.  Strive for strong, vivid words and variety.

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Write 3 better versions of the following sentence: Derrick had 22 points, Colter had 21 points, and Colten had 20 points.  Strive for strong, vivid words and variety.

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Write 3 better versions of the following sentence:  The Eagles lost to the Hawks.  (Feel free to change the subject order, if desired.  Hopefully, we will never need to use one of these sentences, but if we do, we want to be as tactful as possible.)

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Number the typical order of how facts are written in a sports article.  Which should come first, second, etc.  (Hint:  The date should never be first!)

_____  when               _____  who                 _____  what          _____ coach’s comments

_____  where              _____ how                  _____  why

Sports Article Template

http://www.weeklyreader.com/pdfs/sportsunit.pdf

Before you can successfully write a sports article, you must be able to dissect one. Select a short article that interests you from the sports section of your local newspaper. Read it carefully and label it using the following categories.

Label              Definition/Example

LEAD             The lead of a sports article is creative and interesting. It grabs the reader’s attention by describing a scene, introducing a player, or using a quote. It should transport you to the game.

Example: A heavy hush blanketed Fenway Park in Boston. The fans in the packed stadium stood silently, shoulder to shoulder under a charcoal-gray sky, as Manny Ramirez, the home run hitting Red Sox outfielder, stepped up to the plate. There were two outs and two men on base. The Sox were losing by one run.

NUT        The nut of a sports article is the paragraph that summarizes the main conflict and story. It is the place for vital information that doesn’t appear in the first paragraph—and if a reader wanted to stop reading at this point, they should walk away with all the necessary answers.

Example: This was the last game of the 2003 American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and their archrival, the New York Yankees. Not since 1918 had the Red Sox advanced to the World Series—and fans were watching with bated breath to see whether the curse would be broken. This was not to be.

INFORMATION  The body of a sports article sounds like a real news 

(Who, What, When, article.  It includes complete information and details

Where, Why, How) about a game, in logical order.

                         Example: Who was the star player? How did the game end?
                         What was the final play? The winning score?

CONCLUSION    The conclusion lets the reader know what will happen as a result

of the events described. It does so in a creative and interesting

way.

Example: Everyone was surprised when the ball landed in Bernie Williams’s glove. A collective groan rose up from the Red Sox fans. Their team had lost. The Yankees had won again.

 How to Write a Game Story

Writing Your Game Story

http://www.joomple.com/how-to-write-high-school-game-story.htm

The information presented here explains how to write a basic high school (or other) sports article.  You can apply this information to writing game stories, articles, or other general news about your high school sports team.  Last night's game, next week's "signings" (athletes confirming their intentions to attend a certain college), upcoming rivalries, or other general, newsworthy pieces can be posted on Joomple.

High school game stories are easy to write, once you get the hang of it.  Basically, a high school sports game story has an opening and closing paragraph with the body of the story in between.  I'll show you how to do this in a minute.  But first . . .
An important part of good journalism is to ensure there is no slant towards one team.  In other words, if you are from one school which is playing another, try not to focus on your school as the "best team".  Be fair to each school's team.  If your team pounds the rivalry, you can mention that.  But, if your team is pounded by the rivalry, mention that.  Just be fair and impartial.

Don't use terms like "we" or "they".  Again, this indicates your ownership to one of the teams.  "we were down 14-0" is not a good statement.  "The Eagles were down 14-0" is the best method.

Opening
The opening paragraph should identify the "who, what, when, where, and how" of the event.  Everyone knows the "why" - each team wants to win!  So, generally there is no "why" in high school (or other) sports articles.  The opening paragraph should be no longer than a couple of sentences - three at most.  Preferably, one sentence will do the job.  Along with the title, the initial paragraph will grab your readers attention, making them want to read more.  It needs to include the town or city (in caps) and the date. (WE WON’T USE THEIR STYLE FOR THIS PART.) Here is an example:

AUTAUGAVILLE - August 26, 2007:  Junior RB Mike Smith rushed for 186 yards and scored three TD's to help Akron defeat Autaugaville 38-14 in tonight's high school football season opener at James Memorial Stadium.

You can see that I have the name of the town and date listed first in this format:

AUTAUGAVILLE - August 26, 2007:

Next, I chose to identify one of the game's star players, Smith, emphasizing his accomplishments.  I also identified the two teams, final score, and name of the stadium.  Notice that I also mentioned it was a "football" game.  This is important for several reasons.  Primarily, your readers may not realize you are referring to a football game.  Obviously, you can't score TD's anywhere else!  But, all of your articles should indicate the sport played during the opening paragraph.
Your opening can start in myriad ways.  Here is another example, focusing on the teams/mascots:

AUTAUGAVILLE - August 26, 2007:  Akron piled up more than 600 yards in total offense and held Autaugaville to less than 50 as the Rams demolished the Eagles 38-0 in tonight's football opener at James Memorial Stadium.

Notice how I mentioned the names and mascots, though peppered throughout the sentence. 
Either of these two could work as an opening paragraph - even if they are just one sentence long.  Others will work well.  It just takes practice.  The important thing to remember is you need to immediately grab the reader's attention.  You can do that by identifying who played (Akron and Autaugaville), what they were playing (high school football) and what the outcome was (38-0), when it happened (August 26, 2007 and/or "tonight's"), where it happened (James Memorial Stadium), and how (Akron piled up 600 yards . . .)

Body

The body of your game story will outline important parts of the game, significant accomplishments of players (including more about the "star player" you mentioned in your opening), and other game specific information.  Include scoring performances, plays, drives, stats, goals, shooting/hitting/batting/rushing percentages, and other game data.  Also, don't hesitate to build the setting for the game.  Include the number of fans in attendance, temperature, weather, etc.
Here is an example:

More than 5,000 Autaugaville fans welcomed the Rams to the historic 50th meeting between the two teams.  With the temperature at a chilly 48 degrees at kickoff, the packed stadium came alive when the teams took the neatly manicured field.

Akron opened the game with a 6-minute, 9-play, 68-yard drive resulting in a Rams touchdown.

Taking the ball at the Akron 32-yard line, Rams senior QB William Braxter completed 5 of 5 passes, moving the ball to the Eagles 44.  Then Smith pounded Autaugaville's defense on three runs, and the Rams were 1st and goal at the 8-yard line.  Braxter then found junior WR Dale McDonald at the corner of the end zone for the score.  Kicker Daniel Washburne's PAT put Akron up 7-0.

Forcing the Eagles to punt late in the first quarter, Akron's Smith broke free for an 81-yard TD run on the Rams' second play from scrimmage.  Washburne's kick was good, making it a 14-0 ball game.

Autaugaville scored late in the half when junior DE Billy Stewart sacked Akron's Braxter, forcing a fumble.  Team mate senior Safety Matt Wilson snatched the loose ball and returned it for 56 yards and the score.  Senior kicker Dallas Petrowski's kick split the uprights to bring the Eagles within 7.

Akron's Smith rushed for 144 yards on 8 carries during the first half, while team mate QB Braxter was near perfect completing 12 of 13 pass for 345 yards.  The Eagles were held to just 15 yards rushing and 27 yards passing in the first half.

"We quickly discovered their secondary was easy to penetrate," said Akron's Braxter after the game.  "I kept finding my receivers open and of course, took advantage of that."

Akron scored on three times during the third quarter, including two coming from the defense.  Junior LB Michael Devree intercepted an Eagles pass at the Rams 12-yard line, returning it 88 yards for a touchdown early in the quarter, while team mate senior DE Jake Alexander returned a kick 90 yards for the score.

Up 28-7, Akron's Braxter needed just two plays to capitalize on another Autaugaville three and out.  After completing a 76-yard pass to Smith, Braxter threaded one to WR Tim BeQuilliard in the end zone as time expired on the third-quarter clock.  Washburne drilled the PAT and the Rams were now ahead by 4 scores.

You can continue the game, covering each score and mentioning important plays.  There are several key features of a good sports article:

   - Stats.  When you are finished with the body of your article, go back and pepper as many stats as possible throughout your article.  You'll likely have total yards for quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers.  In baseball and softball, you'll want to include the top two or three batters and their runs, hits, etc., as well as pitching strikeouts, ERA's, etc.  In volleyball, you want kills.  In soccer, you clearly will need goals scored.  In basketball, you'll want field goals for the top few players.  These are just a few of the types of stats you should be looking for while at the game.  Like I said, you can get a lot of these from the press box.  And, if you are in or near the press box, your job will be that much easier.  You may also be able to get this information from interested fans (moms and dads sometimes keep stats at baseball games, for example).  Better yet, you should try to keep track of it yourself, where possible.  In football, writing down play-by-play accounts of the game will give you everything you need in regards to stats.  But, you have to make sure you have rosters for each team.  This will permit you to use a term like A-13 for Akron's QB Braxter, instead of having to write his name each time.
   - Plays.  Every scoring drive should be covered.  If you are writing a basketball, volleyball, or other "back and forth" sport, this may not be possible.  But, try to mention important parts of the game.
   - Abbreviate where appropriate.  Use "TD" when including stats in your sentence.  Use "touchdown" when discussing general scoring information.  Use "DE, TB, QB, etc." instead of "defensive end, tailback, quarter back, etc."
   - Watch for redundancy.  Use this:

"The Rams did this . . . putting Akron up 38-14,"

instead of:

The Rams did this . . . putting the Rams up . . ."

Also, once you describe the player's class, position and name (senior QB William Braxter, for example), don't use this whole description again.  Instead, use his last name (Braxter), or his team and name (Akron's Braxter).  When finished writing, you should check your article for this specific redundancy.  Notice how in the first paragraph of the body (above) I used the name "Smith" instead of "Junior RB Mike Smith" (which is part of one of the opening paragraphs I may use).  If I were to use an opening paragraph like the second example above, where Smith is not even mentioned, then I would want to include his full description (team, class, position, and name) in the first paragraph of the body text.
   - Pepper quotes from your post-game interviews throughout the game story - don't just put them all at the end of the article's body.  For example, the following quote from an interview with the Akron quarterback was placed just after a mention of his first-half stats:
"We quickly discovered their secondary was easy to penetrate," said Akron's QB Braxter after the game.  "I kept finding my receivers open and of course, took advantage of that."

This quote complements Braxter's stats and helps break up the monotony of the article.
   - Use proper quote etiquette.  Notice how I placed the quote symbols (") around the opening statement by Braxter above?  The comma separating the opening statement from:

 ... said Akron's QB Braxter after the game.

is always placed inside the quote (...penetrate,").  Then, use quotations around the second part of the quote:

"I kept finding ... advantage of that."

Breaking up a quote in this manner makes for good reading, as opposed to writing down everything the person said and then ending it with:

... advantage of that," said Braxter after the game.

or beginning it with:

Braxter said after the game, "We quickly discovered their secondary was easy to penetrate.  I kept finding my receivers open and of course, took advantage of that.  So I always looked for the middle of the field on passing plays that were covered well.  It worked for us in the first half, so I kept targeting the secondary during the second half.  All in all, it was a successful strategy for us . . . "

The above quote is too long and somewhat gloating.  Break it up with leading text such as

... said Akron's QB Braxter after the game.

   - Clean up quotes.  If a 10-grade defensive end uses poor judgment in the words he chooses, you may not want to include that part of the quote.  And, don't hesitate to use filler text where you know it is appropriate.  For example, if someone states:

"... we knew we had it after that"

then readers may not know what that person is saying.  You would emplace something like this in your quote:

"... we knew we had it (won the game) after that"

Additional items you can include in your game stories:
   - Complete stats.  Provide a list of known stats at the end of your article.  If you have your digital camera, just take a snap shot of the stat sheets for both teams.  At football games, there will most likely be someone from each team in the press box, calculating their stats.  Ask them if you can make a quick photo of them when they are finished.  Or, write them down.
   - Game Summary.  You've seen these.  They are basically outlines of the game's scores.  For example:
FIRST QUARTER
2:08 - Rams - Braxter 8-yard pass to McDonald.  Washburne PAT
0:01 - Rams - Smith 81-yard run.  Washburne PAT
Etc . . . . . . . .
   - Photographs.  Usually, one of your best shots goes at the top of the article.  You can put additional photos throughout the article.  You can also post photographs in the Joomple gallery.
   - Video.  If you want to upload a video clip (or several clips), that is possible as well.

Closing

The closing paragraph should include each team's records (overall and conference/league), and who they will play next.  Here's an example:

Akron (1-0/0-0) travels to Montgomery to face the Knights next Friday, while the Eagles (0-1/0-0) will host Hoover at James Memorial Stadium.

The bracket "(0-1/0-0)" represents the team's overall record and conference/league record.

You can add additional comments about each of the teams Akron and Autaugaville will play if you have that information.  Also, do hesitate to mention if either of the games will be played on a special night (such as homecoming).  This helps draw out the fans, which improve ticket sales for the school as well as increase support for the teams.

If either of the teams are ranked in the state polls, or are leading their particular conference or league, mention that in your article.  If it is a county or cross-county rivalry game, indicate this as well.  Perhaps this is a unique meeting between the two teams (such as the first, 50, or 100th time the teams have played each other), you should talk about that.  Discuss their records vs. each other (i.e. "Akron is 43-7 versus the Eagles" . . . or "Autaugaville has won the last 12 meetings" . . . )

Opinionated information can also go in the closing.  In other words, if you want to mention your views for how the conference or league is shaping up, do so.  If you want to talk about a particular player's stats, go ahead.  Talk about each team's performances.  Discuss strategies for upcoming games.  You can write about anything you want here - so long as it relates to the game, teams, etc.

Choosing a Title

Now that you have finished your game story, you will want to assign a title.  A title should include a quick statement about the game.  It should be no more than 5 or 6 words and contain eye-catching information.  Here's one:

RAMS WIN!

It's simple and easy to read.  Of course, it doesn't explain who the team beat.  This type of title should be reserved for games where everyone knows what you are talking about.  For example, if it is a major game such as a conference or state championship, this will work.  But, if it is a regular season game, use something like this:

AKRON POUNDS EAGLES

This indicates Akron defeated Autaugaville (most, but not all, of your fans will know the Eagles are the Autaugaville Eagles).  Something like this is clearer:

AKRON POUNDS AUTAUGAVILLE

However, it does little to indicate which sports you are talking about.  If you want to make it even clearer, use:

AKRON POUNDS AUTAUGAVILLE 38-14

The score helps readers understand immediately that you are talking about football.  Fans know that it is football season, and tennis or soccer scores don't relate.

Notice how I used the term "pounds".  Think about this.  In the wild, a ram may pound his head against another ram.  Using complimenting verbs is better than the boring terms "defeated" or "beat" or "won" or "lost".  Since the Rams did defeat Autaugaville Eagles, you could also compliment your verb towards the Autaugaville team.  Such as:

AKRON GROUNDS AUTAUGAVILLE

It's a bird we are talking about here, so the verb "grounds" works well. 
Here are several others:

LIONS MAUL . . .
GIANTS STOMP . . .
ROCKETS DESTROY . . .
JETS DESTROY . . .
TROJANS OVERWHELM . . .  

Or:

ROCKETS SHOOT DOWN JETS . . .
MOUNTAINEERS DESADDLE WARRIORS . . .
LIONS SILENCED BY INDIANS . . .

The idea is to try to come up with a title that is clear, concise, and exciting.  Look to imitate common phrases from T. V. Commercials or local or national idioms (sayings).  You can even use something from Hollywood Movies . . . just use your imagination.  Otherwise, just post the teams and results . . . like Patriots Defeat Lions 45-13.
A subtitle could be used if you prefer.  Usually, a player's or team's stats or game accomplishments go here.  For example:

AKRON DOWNS EAGLES IN SEASON OPENER (Title)

Rams Collect 600 Yards Total Offense (Sub-title)

You can also use milestones (important achievements) of teams and/or players:

BEARCATS MAUL PATRIOTS IN BIG WIN (Title)
QB Braxter Surpasses 8,000 Yards (Sub-title)

When you put all this together, you get something like this:
------------

AKRON DOWNS EAGLES IN SEASON OPENER
Rams Collect 600 Yards Total Offense

AUTAUGAVILLE - August 26, 2007:  Junior RB Mike Smith rushed for 186 yards and scored three TD's to help Akron defeat Autaugaville 38-14 in tonight's high school football season opener at James Memorial Stadium.


More than 5,000 Autaugaville fans welcomed the Rams to the historic 50th meeting between the two teams.  With the temperature at a chilly 48 degrees at kickoff, the packed stadium came alive when the teams took the neatly manicured field.

Akron opened the game with a 6-minute, 9-play, 68-yard drive resulting in a Rams touchdown.

Taking the ball at the Akron 32-yard line, Rams senior QB William Braxter completed 5 of 5 passes, moving the ball to the Eagles 44.  Then Smith pounded Autaugaville's defense on three runs, and the Rams were 1st and goal at the 8-yard line.  Braxter then found junior WR Dale McDonald at the corner of the end zone for the score.  Kicker Daniel Washburne's PAT put Akron up 7-0.

Forcing the Eagles to punt late in the first quarter, Akron's Smith broke free for an 81-yard TD run on the Rams' second play from scrimmage.  Washburne's kick was good, making it a 14-0 ball game.

Autaugaville scored late in the half when junior DE Billy Stewart sacked Akron's Braxter, forcing a fumble.  Team mate senior Safety Matt Wilson snatched the loose ball and returned it for 56 yards and the score.  Senior kicker Dallas Petrowski's kick split the uprights to bring the Eagles within 7.

Akron's Smith rushed for 144 yards on 8 carries during the first half, while team mate QB Braxter was near perfect completing 12 of 13 pass for 345 yards.  The Eagles were held to just 15 yards rushing and 27 yards passing in the first half.

"We quickly discovered their secondary was easy to penetrate," said Akron's Braxter after the game.

"I kept finding my receivers open and of course, took advantage of that."

Akron scored on three times during the third quarter, including two coming from the defense.  Junior LB Michael Devree intercepted an Eagles pass at the Rams 12-yard line, returning it 88 yards for a touchdown early in the quarter, while team mate senior DE Jake Alexander returned a punt 90 yards for the score.

Up 28-7, Akron's Braxter needed just two plays to capitalize on another Autaugaville three and out.  After completing a 76-yard pass to Smith, Braxter threaded one to WR Tim BeQuilliard in the end zone as time expired on the third-quarter clock.  Washburne drilled the PAT and the Rams were now ahead by 4 scores.

The eagles scored their final TD late in the game when senior QB Danny Jacobs connected with Wilson from 16 yards out.  Akron responded with a 65-yard drive resulting in a Washburne 35-yard field goal.  Final score was 38-14, Akron.

Akron (1-0/0-0) travels to Montgomery to face the Knights next Friday, while the Eagles (0-1/0-0) will host Hoover at James Memorial Stadium.

SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
2:08 - Rams - Braxter 8-yard pass to McDonald.  Washburne PAT
0:01 - Rams - Smith 81-yard run.  Washburne PAT
SECOND QUARTER
4:22 - Eagles - Wilson 56-yard fumble return.  Petrowski PAT

THIRD QUARTER
6:56 - Rams - Devree 88-yard interception return.  Washburne PAT
5:14 - Rams - Alexander 90-yard punt return.  Washburne PAT
0:01 - Rams - Braxter 8-yard pass to Bequilliard.  Washburne PAT
FOURTH QUARTER
3:56 - Eagles - Jacobs 16-yard pass to Wilson.  Petrowski PAT
1:15 - Rams - Washburne 35-yard field goal
Mind you, this is just an example and doesn't include every option you have at your disposal.  Use your discretion.

News writing – how to write a sports report in 4 steps http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/232021?articleid=232021&title=news%2Cwriting%2Chow%2Cto%2Cwrite%2Clike%2Ca%2Cjournalist%2Csports%2Cwriting

by Nazvi Careem

News writing style is just as important for sports reporting as it is for general news, business stories or any other journalistic work. The advantage of sports writing is that you are allowed a little it more leeway in your choice of words. In crime or business writing, you are restricted in your use of adjectives and adverbs and are encouraged to focus more on nouns and verbs. Sports writing, however, allows you to go to town in describing plays, the atmosphere, fans and other colorful aspects of a sporting event. For this article, we will go through, step by step, how to write a straightforward sports report using quotes. Ideally, any sports story would have quotes from the winners and losers. Indeed, many sports articles are written around what athletes say rather than what they have achieved on the field of play. However, you also have sports articles written without quotes. When rookies learn how to write like a journalist, especially in sport, they are likely to come across the structure that we will show you here. We will adapt the NBA game between Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers on April 1 as our example article. 1. Intro – the most important news aspect of a sports game is the score. Who won? How did they win and what effect did the victory have? Also important is whether we are writing from a Boston perspective or Cleveland. In this case, we will go with Cleveland. “Cleveland Cavaliers lost 98-96 to the Boston Celtics after Delonte West’s sank two free throws in the final seconds, dropping three and a half games behind the Pistons for the best record in the Eastern Conference.” 2. More info – The above is enough for those who have a passing interest in the sport. However, NBA fans would want more information and you could give it to them in one or two paragraphs. “The Cavaliers were without star player LeBron James, suffering from a knee injury, while the Celtics were minus Paul Pierce. Gerald Green led the way for Celtics with 25 points while Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and nine rebounds. The Cavaliers, for whom Larry Hughes scored 24 with Sasha Pavlovic scoring 17, have already qualified for the play-offs while Boston are out of the running.” 3. Quote – This is where you can provide a quote from the coach or a key player from both teams. You can precede each saying with a lead-in paragraph or go straight into the quote. “Celtic forward Al Jefferson, said: ‘They were missing their best player and we were missing our best play. We just stuck in there.’ Cavs coach Mike Brown said James’ absence was a key factor in their loss. ‘We miss LeBron. We miss LeBron every time he doesn't play. He's our guy,’ said Brown.” 4. The rest – Once you got the main information and key quotes out of the way, you can go on to describe the game. Even better would be to describe just one or two plays and include more quotes. The thinking behind sports articles is that people would have watched the game on TV anyway and would not want boring game description. Therefore, quotes from the people who matter, such as athletes and coaches, would offer better reading value. There are many types of sports news writing that is offered around the world everyday. We have merely showed you its simplest form. Certainly, it is a rewarding form of news writing for journalists who love their sport. And the structure they use allow them to adapt their skills to any type of journalism writing. Nazvi Careem is an experienced journalist, writer and writing coach who has written for newspapers, magazines and global news agencies such as Reuters, Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. To download a free chapter of his book on news writing secrets, check out his website dedicated to the art of news writing.

View more articles from Nazvi Careem

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How To Write a Sports Article

http://www.howtodothings.com/node/3374/print

By Beth Danesco

February 24, 2007

EMAIL ARTICLE

PRINT ARTICLE

Before the age of ESPN, the Internet, and instant replay, it was the reporter in the stands writing up the game for the local paper, and, okay, also the guy covering it live on radio, who made fans feel like they were right there, cheering on their favorite team, game after game. If you're interested in writing a sports article, you will utilize general journalism "tricks of the trade" and also some specific sportswriting techniques.

1.     Have a strong lead. Like any article, you want to start your sports article out with a strong lead, one that encapsulates the available information on "who, what, where, when, why and how." Look at sports articles in almost any paper to see how they introduce the game or event they are covering with their lead paragraph. They get the reader's attention with a strong but concise summary of the story to follow.
 
Also, note that a lead always places emphasis on an important or interesting aspect of the story. For instance, a specific Boston Celtics loss may, in itself, not be as significant or interesting as the fact it is the fifteenth loss the team experienced in a row. The article would tell the story of the game, but the lead would introduce the game with the most important or interesting fact about it, that it's continuing a horrible streak, and would expand on that fact in the article.

2.     Write clearly and concisely. If you've ever read Sports Illustrated, you know that some sports articles can be what you might call "literary non-fiction:"  lengthy, poetic, filled with metaphor and digressions into back story. If your particular assignment requires that kind of writing, go for it. But if you read the daily sports section of your city paper, you will also notice that most sports articles reporting on the sporting events of the past day are concisely written. Yes, sports articles include context and metaphor and technical sports terms, but they're also to-the-point and generally stick to basic vocabulary.

3.     Know the context. Like any news article, a sports article will require you to have a basic working knowledge of the universe on which you're reporting. This may mean not only knowing all about the current players, coaches and standings but knowing some history, as well. This may be common knowledge to you, but if not, you may need to do some research.
 
You will also need to know about the sport itself including rules, history, league standings, current controversies and other information. You may already know much of this if you're a sports enthusiast--but be aware that a journalist may need more in-depth knowledge than a casual fan. Be sure to have a solid grasp on the sport you're covering before you start to cover it.
 
Also, keep in mind that many sports teams have press departments that will provide journalists with extensive information about their organizations including current players and team history.  

4.     Give the major play by play. Obviously, there are hundreds of plays in any match or game, and no article will include them all. Your job as a reporter is to report the basic chronology--beginning, middle, and end, of the sports event--with details about the major moments: turning points, big plays, big mistakes, momentum-builders. In other word, you're providing something of a verbal highlight reel. This will mean you need to pay careful attention to who does what, when during the event. You then must figure out which moments to include and which to leave out. You have the advantage of hindsight when putting these events together: "That shot turned out to be the fatal blow..." Your thorough understanding of the game and how it's played will also be important when you are evaluating what events are key. You will also need to connect the events smoothly as you help your audience to create a mental picture of what happened.

5.     Use quotes as possible. Most news articles, no matter the subject, include quotes from people involved.  Most pro sports teams hold post-game news conferences or speak to reporters in the locker room after the game. Asking good questions and collecting answers from players and coaches is an important part of writing a sports article. Be prepared when approaching your interview subject.  Know what you're going to ask and listen to the answer--it may not be what you expected to hear--and be conversant enough in the subject to have a good follow-up question, no matter what the answer ends up being. Incorporate these quotes into the body of your article.

6.     Check your facts. Also like regular news articles, sports articles should correctly present the facts. Sporting events usually generate a lot of statistics. They can also be very fast-paced, involve tens of different players, and follow rules you might need to double-check if you're going to reference them. A clean, concise sports article will have its facts straight.  

Sports articles provide information and insight to rabid and casual fans alike. If you're a rabid fan yourself, and want to try writing sports articles, step up to the plate. Even if you aren't a sports nut, in a sports-crazy society, having the ability to write a solid sports article can be an asset for any freelance writer.

Quick Tips:

To report well on a sport, you must know the sport thoroughly.

Check your facts: Sports involve many people, stats and technicalities.