What's in a name?

This week at SJI, we've been exposed to dozens of speakers and countless pieces of advice. Having tried to write down and retain all that information through the course of eight days can be challenging.

Everything, though, seems to lead back to one maxim: How much do you value your reputation?

Don't ask stupid questions and be known as the one who was unprepared. Don't make a mistake and be known as the one who was careless. Don't duck out of work early and be known as the one who did "just enough." Always press your "on" button.

That goes for our conduct both in and out the newsroom, both on and off the job. By extension, all the work we produce also reinforces our reputation — whether good or bad. David Ubben, a 2009 SJI grad and ESPN's Big 12 blogger, has told us over and over again that sports journalism is a small world. You never know who's watching.

“If you’re going to put something up with your name on it, make sure it’s right," St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell said Wednesday.

And that's the real kicker, isn't it? It's your name. As John Proctor said, "I cannot have another in my life."

The Last Night

I'm writing this last blog post from my classmate's laptop. Seven nights ago I couldn't have pictured this seen, but as we gather in this hotel room watching Family Guy and talking, I can only think about how far we've come as colleagues, and let's face it--friends.

A week ago we didn't know each other, young journalists from across the country with nothing else in common except SJI and a passion for our work. We had preconceived notions. We had our fears about what this week would be and how we would come out in the end.

As I look across at my classmates laughing and sharing our stories from the week, I realize that we're all going to be just fine. 

It doesn't matter what the future holds for us. Internships will be hard. The haters will come out like they always do, and sometimes we'll struggle. I find comfort in that I'll always have my SJI brothers and sisters  to depend on. We share a bond after these short, yet eventful days. We'll laugh when remembering Mr. Carter's crazy quotes.

"Season on the brink!"

We'll remember Greg Lee's stat filled sports checks and the occasional swear from Sandy Rosenbush when whenever we weren't moving fast enough to an appointment. I don't mean to steal his thunder, but I have to echo Nick Creegan when I say that joining the 2012 SJI Class was the best decision of my life. My college, my colleagues, and my new family has invested so much in me. I only hope I can make them and myself proud.

I got it.

Mr. Carter told us from Day One of SJI that some of us will get it, some of us will get it later and some of us will never get it.

I never really understood what "it" was, but I also knew that I was that person who usually gets "it" later. And it's true. I got it, later. 

There are 11 of us in the 20th class of SJI, including three instructors. Mr. Carter told us in the beginning of the week to take a look around the classroom and embrace the diversity because it will be the most diversity we will see. Sandy Rosenbush told us we're entering into a family. 

"Not true," I thought. I've been in diverse settings in college classrooms, churches, study groups and sports teams. After graduating college, I think I know who my real family is. 

But as the week went on, I reflected on my previous internship. 

I was interning in the corporate world for five months and realized how much I had to adjust to the culture of my working environment. I kept brushing off the fact that part of it had to do with me being the only Asian-American in my intern class and one of the few in the office building. The way I was raised, the lessons and values I learned growing up were different than my peers. 

It took SJI and a few "hehe's and haha's," plenty of "QUESTION NUMBER ONE's!" as well as the threats of "U-Haul's" for me to get it. I saw how this diverse group of aspiring journalists handled the pressure. 

We all knew why we were here. We all knew why they didn't have to call any U-Hauls. And we'll all remember this family as we disperse throughout the nation. 

Guys, I finally got it. 

We Came, We Saw, We Got Sports Checked

We came, we saw, we got sports checked.

The eight grueling, yet rewarding, days for 11 aspiring journalists have come to an end. This is a bittersweet moment.

It is sweet because we all get to start our highly anticipated internships at news outlets across the country, but it’s bitter because this could be the most diversity we see in a newsroom… ever.

We had the privilege of being supervised and mentored by some of the most influential people in the sports journalism world such as Sandy Rosenbush of ESPN, Leon Carter of ESPNNewYork and Greg Lee of the Boston Globe.

It would be impossible to jot down everything we’ve learned in the past eight days in just one blog post but there are a couple lifelong lessons I picked up here.

In the words of Leon Carter, “It is not where you start… It is where you finish.”

I came into the Sports Journalism Institute with a minute amount of sports writing experience because I have always been interested in broadcast. It was not easy, but I am pleased to say that within just eight days, I have made a significant improvement in covering games and writing stories. I’m excited to keep my craft growing by learning more at ESPN.com by writing and reading more.

Another valuable lesson: “There are those who get it, and those who don’t.” This is what separates the dreamers from the go-getters. You can always say you want something badly, but just be all talk. If you’re really about getting somewhere in this business you need to get it—as in, “dress like you belong,” as well as “listen more than you talk” and “have no sense of entitlement.”

It’s time for us to represent SJI, but most importantly represent ourselves.

I’ll Have Another lesson

Olivia Lewis
As a sports fan I have always enjoyed a good competition. That being said, before SJI I did not know anything about horse racing, except that they run. But the anticipation and build-up of the possibility of a Triple Crown for the first time in 34 years this weekend sparked my interest. Now that the infamous I’ll Have Another is out of the Belmont Races because of a left leg tendon injury, I’m back to not knowing much about the sport.
If I were sent on an assignment involving a horse race, I would have to do a lot of background work before heading to the race. When St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell visited the SJI class earlier this week, he shared his first experience covering an equine event. I learned a lot from his chat. Specifically, he said to find the story. Just because I may not know everything about horse racing right now, that doesn’t mean I can’t learn and build my way up. There is still a story to be found whether I understand everything that’s happening or not. I have to work my way up, and being observant will help me find a story that other reporters might be quick to overlook.

Connecting with readers, while maintaining respect and credibility

Olivia Lewis

Social media can be a scary thing in journalism. In 140 characters or less, Twitter can start your career or end it within seconds. On Thursday SJI students heard from Joy Mayer, director of community outreach at the Missourian. Serving what seems like a tight-knit community in Columbia, Mayer stressed how important it is for her and her staff to connect with readers.
While journalists are taught to keep themselves out of their work  to inform the community in an unbiased way, Mayer is experimenting with new techniques that connect her staff to its audience through social media. It’s all about inviting the readers to join a conversation.
While it’s not always necessary to give readers control of what is produced, journalists should be in touch with what’s important to the community. When that doesn’t happen, credibility and respect are at stake.

Goodbye Sunday Paper, Hello Sunday iPad

The Sunday paper has always been a big deal for my family. Usually the thickest paper of the week for small town Winston-Salem, NC. Sunday was the only day everyone had time to read the paper from front to back.

The recent national debt and the rise in digital media have made the physical aspect of the Sunday newspaper nearly obsolete. Consumers no longer have to wait for their Saturday night news to come to their door Sunday morning, when they can read about it online in the same night.

MLB.com vice president and executive producer, Jim Jenks, worked his way to digital media while it was in its prime, leaving what he could see what was turning into a dwindling newspaper business for new and improved digital media sources.

Not to get the two confused, Jenks made it clear that newspapers are still extremely important, but the physical aspect of a newspaper is not. There is no monetary gain of the physical paper anymore. Digital, or multimedia, is relatively better than the physical print medium because it reaches people so much faster, while still keeping the paper in business.

Jenks went on to explain how companies like MLB.com make their money. He explained that just like a physical newspaper, advertisements and sponsorships are a major component of their income. 


Subscriptions, online converse, ticket sales, as well as owning the rights to their content while sharing with their partners have given the company the ability to make money in numbers physical papers are incapable of reaching.