2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Out with old, in with new
Katie Barry, From the Sports Desk
Issue date: 4/24/07 Section: Sports
The hardest part about running a campus newspaper is trying to get students to care about their school.
I took over sports editor in the fall of 2005, and felt like the section needed the same kind of vamping the rest of the paper got when Sergio Bichao redesigned it into the tabloid format.
With the restructuring of Player of the Week and the addition of Sideline, it gave the same kind of inside scoops and people-oriented feel that readers respond to. It's a weekly paper. Solely running game recaps would put readers to sleep.
Being a heavy commuter school has affected the Raider morale. Students drive to Newark, do their academic business, then jet before the sun sets. Perhaps it's the town's reputation or lack of places to dine, shop or lounge, but athletes feel the brunt of this. By attending most R-N athletic events, it's evident.
As the women's basketball team clears the court for the men's team, they're run down by the stampede of fans. But that's only men's basketball, who draw in the biggest crowds and maniacal fans. Every other sport plays to bleachers with boyfriends/girlfriends, other athletes, or parents. No casual fans. No school spirit.
More R-N students traveled down to New Brunswick for the Louisville game than all other Newark sports combined (with the exception of men's basketball).
Some critics thought that asking athletes about politics, religion, their love lives, or superheroes was absurd, but by doing so, readers are learning at least one memorable thing that they wouldn't have known or cared about otherwise.
While distributing papers last year, one girl ran up and said, "Oh my gosh, I read last week's paper about Tommy Reynolds. He's soooo cute. When are their games?" The schedule is outlined clearly, but this kind of fan reaction is the kindling in the bonfire fun that games should be.
Guys and girls equally have oogled at female and male Players of the Week, and asked if I could set them up, as if I were the matchmaker. Every week I heard at least one person say, "I've always seen that person in my class, but never knew they played a sport." And I've given the same response: "Go see 'em play!"
I took over sports editor in the fall of 2005, and felt like the section needed the same kind of vamping the rest of the paper got when Sergio Bichao redesigned it into the tabloid format.
With the restructuring of Player of the Week and the addition of Sideline, it gave the same kind of inside scoops and people-oriented feel that readers respond to. It's a weekly paper. Solely running game recaps would put readers to sleep.
Being a heavy commuter school has affected the Raider morale. Students drive to Newark, do their academic business, then jet before the sun sets. Perhaps it's the town's reputation or lack of places to dine, shop or lounge, but athletes feel the brunt of this. By attending most R-N athletic events, it's evident.
As the women's basketball team clears the court for the men's team, they're run down by the stampede of fans. But that's only men's basketball, who draw in the biggest crowds and maniacal fans. Every other sport plays to bleachers with boyfriends/girlfriends, other athletes, or parents. No casual fans. No school spirit.
More R-N students traveled down to New Brunswick for the Louisville game than all other Newark sports combined (with the exception of men's basketball).
Some critics thought that asking athletes about politics, religion, their love lives, or superheroes was absurd, but by doing so, readers are learning at least one memorable thing that they wouldn't have known or cared about otherwise.
While distributing papers last year, one girl ran up and said, "Oh my gosh, I read last week's paper about Tommy Reynolds. He's soooo cute. When are their games?" The schedule is outlined clearly, but this kind of fan reaction is the kindling in the bonfire fun that games should be.
Guys and girls equally have oogled at female and male Players of the Week, and asked if I could set them up, as if I were the matchmaker. Every week I heard at least one person say, "I've always seen that person in my class, but never knew they played a sport." And I've given the same response: "Go see 'em play!"
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