Mine That Bird Coverage; NMAA Suspends Athletics
Sports editor Darren Vaughan texted me at 4:52 p.m. Saturday: "Mine that bird just won the derby".
I asked if he was joking. "I kid you not," he replied back at 4:53.
I walked around the Farmington Sports Complex tennis courts telling people, unable to contain my excitement. I'd just talked to the horse's trainer, Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr., on the phone Friday for a Kentucky Derby preview article. Local thoroughbred authority Steve Bortstein even told me Mine That Bird 'will not win' the Derby.
Within two hours, Darren called me. I needed to leave the twice-delayed district tennis tournament before it ended and write a story on Mine That Bird for the front page of the paper.
Desperate for sources, the local well ran dry when I couldn't reach SunRay Park's director. I called Woolley Jr. several times Saturday night, and his voicemail was full. Right as I was about to give up on him and keep scrambling elsewhere, Darren said, "Well, just keep calling him."
Woolley Jr. picked up on the third ring. Whether he'd already started celebrating or he was tired or both, he sounded haggard and rushed. He graciously let me ask three questions before practically hanging up on me as four people interrupted to congratulate him during the course of my interview, which lasted 2:21.
It was a thrill to write the article and talk to Woolley Jr., who seems laid back and straightforward. Here's how it works in the newsroom: I had about an hour to write the story, working on two hours of sleep and having been on the job since 8:45 a.m. After I finished, I wrote up the tennis article and finished up the design, leaving the office early at 11:30 p.m. Darren didn't sleep the night before, fearing he wouldn't wake up at 4:30 a.m. to drive to the Shiprock marathon.
That said, I failed as a reporter in that I wrote a one-source article that was also choppy. I feel like a more veteran reporter would've crushed me. Also, reading the Associated Press articles and the national media columns and features, I realize how much better they are and the work I need to do to get to their level. Granted, they have better access, but I'm a competitive person and it frustrates me to not be as good.
The headline "Bloomfield's Mine That Bird" also bothered me. I should've caught that when I checked over my story, but technically, Mine That Bird is from Roswell, where the owners live. "Bloomfield-trained Mine That Bird" would've been more correct.
The story may not have happened at all if a woman hadn't faxed me a tip about Woolley Jr. I didn't realize that we had a local trainer in the Derby until I walked into the office Friday and saw the fax taped to my computer monitor.
"I was wondering why here has not been a single article in the newspaper regarding a local resident who has a horse running in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow. ... Everyone else in the country has written an article and done TV interviews, but even with Sun Ray track right here in Farmington, we still hear nothing from The Daily Times about this horse and his local trainer. The race is tomorrow, so the least you could do is do a write up for tomorrow's paper about Woolley and Mine That Bird."
Kudos to "Concerned Reader" for helping us do our jobs and being a better reporter than I. Here is my Friday preview and my column on why Mine That Bird is worthy of a Hollywood movie.
Incidentally, I wrote my second A1 story in two days tonight. Darren is off on Sundays and Mondays, so when the NMAA suspended all athletic events and I found out 15 minutes before the news deadline of 10:30 p.m., I had to move quickly again (sports deadline is 11:30 p.m.).
In a hurry, I wrote that the suspension includes the state baseball and tennis tournaments and the District 1-4A track meet. There are other district meets that have been suspended, and the district golf tournaments, at least the local one, has also been moved. Why I settled on District 1-4A track in the rush of the moment I do not know.
Needless to say it's been an exciting and busy few days at the Daily Times sports department, but thanks for bearing with my bouts of incompetence.
The big athletic events will likely resume one week after they were originally scheduled. I wonder if this will shift the prep schedule one week into the beginning of summer? I'll try to find out more on this tomorrow (or later today, incidentally). I previously planned to cover the district golf tournament and write the prep newsmaker feature, but I should have some extra time on my hands now.
Well, I'm off to grab some Burger King on my way home. Enjoy your Monday.
Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher
I asked if he was joking. "I kid you not," he replied back at 4:53.
I walked around the Farmington Sports Complex tennis courts telling people, unable to contain my excitement. I'd just talked to the horse's trainer, Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr., on the phone Friday for a Kentucky Derby preview article. Local thoroughbred authority Steve Bortstein even told me Mine That Bird 'will not win' the Derby.
Within two hours, Darren called me. I needed to leave the twice-delayed district tennis tournament before it ended and write a story on Mine That Bird for the front page of the paper.
Desperate for sources, the local well ran dry when I couldn't reach SunRay Park's director. I called Woolley Jr. several times Saturday night, and his voicemail was full. Right as I was about to give up on him and keep scrambling elsewhere, Darren said, "Well, just keep calling him."
Woolley Jr. picked up on the third ring. Whether he'd already started celebrating or he was tired or both, he sounded haggard and rushed. He graciously let me ask three questions before practically hanging up on me as four people interrupted to congratulate him during the course of my interview, which lasted 2:21.
It was a thrill to write the article and talk to Woolley Jr., who seems laid back and straightforward. Here's how it works in the newsroom: I had about an hour to write the story, working on two hours of sleep and having been on the job since 8:45 a.m. After I finished, I wrote up the tennis article and finished up the design, leaving the office early at 11:30 p.m. Darren didn't sleep the night before, fearing he wouldn't wake up at 4:30 a.m. to drive to the Shiprock marathon.
That said, I failed as a reporter in that I wrote a one-source article that was also choppy. I feel like a more veteran reporter would've crushed me. Also, reading the Associated Press articles and the national media columns and features, I realize how much better they are and the work I need to do to get to their level. Granted, they have better access, but I'm a competitive person and it frustrates me to not be as good.
The headline "Bloomfield's Mine That Bird" also bothered me. I should've caught that when I checked over my story, but technically, Mine That Bird is from Roswell, where the owners live. "Bloomfield-trained Mine That Bird" would've been more correct.
The story may not have happened at all if a woman hadn't faxed me a tip about Woolley Jr. I didn't realize that we had a local trainer in the Derby until I walked into the office Friday and saw the fax taped to my computer monitor.
"I was wondering why here has not been a single article in the newspaper regarding a local resident who has a horse running in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow. ... Everyone else in the country has written an article and done TV interviews, but even with Sun Ray track right here in Farmington, we still hear nothing from The Daily Times about this horse and his local trainer. The race is tomorrow, so the least you could do is do a write up for tomorrow's paper about Woolley and Mine That Bird."
Kudos to "Concerned Reader" for helping us do our jobs and being a better reporter than I. Here is my Friday preview and my column on why Mine That Bird is worthy of a Hollywood movie.
Incidentally, I wrote my second A1 story in two days tonight. Darren is off on Sundays and Mondays, so when the NMAA suspended all athletic events and I found out 15 minutes before the news deadline of 10:30 p.m., I had to move quickly again (sports deadline is 11:30 p.m.).
In a hurry, I wrote that the suspension includes the state baseball and tennis tournaments and the District 1-4A track meet. There are other district meets that have been suspended, and the district golf tournaments, at least the local one, has also been moved. Why I settled on District 1-4A track in the rush of the moment I do not know.
Needless to say it's been an exciting and busy few days at the Daily Times sports department, but thanks for bearing with my bouts of incompetence.
The big athletic events will likely resume one week after they were originally scheduled. I wonder if this will shift the prep schedule one week into the beginning of summer? I'll try to find out more on this tomorrow (or later today, incidentally). I previously planned to cover the district golf tournament and write the prep newsmaker feature, but I should have some extra time on my hands now.
Well, I'm off to grab some Burger King on my way home. Enjoy your Monday.
Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher
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