I forgot that I had interviewed the Cavs' beat writer, Brian Windhorst back in January 2005. Here it is.
Final Beat Project - Interview with an Expert
I interviewed Brian Windhorst, the Cavaliers' beat writer for the Akron Beacon newspaper. Not only did he give me a quick response, but he was also really nice about it too!
_______________________________________________________
1. What college did you go to? Did you major in journalism, thinking that’s what you wanted to do?
I went to Kent State, I graduated with a degree in journalism in 2000 (I'm 26). I was lucky enough to realize I wanted to be a sports writer when I was in high school.
2. When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in journalism?
I always loved the box scores when I was a kid and I kind of an obsession with stats. Even though today I try to really limit the stats in my stories. So I read the sports page often from a young age and I developed a liking for it.
3. How did you decide to become the beat writer, covering the Cavaliers, for the Plain Dealer?
Ouch, man. I work for the Akron Beacon Journal. Forget that PD stuff, I kick their butt everyday! It isn't something you decide, those jobs are hard to get. There about 65 travelling NBA beat jobs in the country, an average of about two per team. We have two in Cleveland, they have six in New York, but only one in places like Milwaukee and San Antonio. It is something you have to work up to. I covered high schools and colleges before getting to the NBA.
4. What was your job title when you first became a journalist? What is your eventual “goal title”?
I started working at the Beacon Journal as a clerk when I was 16, answering phone calls and taking high school box scores. I worked my way up to "agate editor," which means you edit box scores. Then to high school reporter. Then to college reporter. And, now, NBA beat writer. It is what I want to be doing for awhile, but you never know what the future holds. Many reporters want to become columnists.
5. What is the best part about being the Cavaliers’ beat writer? What is the worst part?
The best part is the travel. I get to make 45 road trips including the preseason. I just spent two weeks on the West Coast and will spend next week in Florida. Of course, you also have to go to places like Minneapolis in Feb. Also, you get great seats at the games.
The worst part can be dealing with the players. They read what you write and get angry at you and so do the coaches and general managers. They're all millioniares, so few of them have respect for you. But some are good guys.
6. What is the work load like? What hours of the day does the most work need to be done?
The work load is huge. I work virtually every single day from October to April. Maybe I get 4-5 days off during the season. It isn't eight hours a day all the time, but sometimes it is a lot more. You have to be committed. But I also get most of the summer totally off.
7. What would you recommend for someone to do to prepare for a future career in journalism?
Start working at a paper. Whether it be your local paper or college paper. Start as early as you possibily can.
8. What type of qualities are most important for becoming a journalist?
You have to want to work and you have to love to read. I spent two hours a day reading. The more you read, the better you write. Also, you have to know about relationships. Forming good relationships is the only way to get good stories.
9. What is one thing you'd like to accomplish in the field of journalism before you retire?
I'd like to write a book someday. I have no idea on what yet, but I've got a lot of time.
10. Is your job more fun when the Cavaliers are winning (and everyone is having a good time)?
It is easier to deal with players and coaches when they are winning. But sometimes going hard times is when you can get the best stories and create relationships and bonds that last. You can never be a player's friend, but if you're there every day and being fair, even the darkest days, they tend to cut you a break.
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
4.02.2009
Bracketology 101
March Madness brackets do funny things to a person’s head.
For people like me, who know next to nothing about college basketball, the “anyone can win” mentality gives hope that this year could be the year you win your pool. For people who watch college basketball throughout the year, that “insider knowledge” seems like enough to separate you from the rest of the pack and win your pool that way.
Too bad things don’t normally work out like that.
It’s common bracketological theory that you need to pick upsets. Up until last year, that seemed like a safe bet. However, for the first time in history, all four #1 seeds last year made it into the Final Four, which effectively threw that theory out the window.
This year, when it looked as though that was going to happen again – as all #1, #2 and #3 seeds advanced to the Sweet 16, and all four #1 seeds made it to the Elite 8 – Michigan State and Villanova upset their respective #1 seeds (Louisville and Pittsburgh) to advance to the Final Four.
So what is a bracketeer supposed to do? Well, there are a few things that even a novice bracketeer can pick up on. First of all, there are inevitably the “upsets” that really aren’t all that… upsetting. Teams that are seeded #9 or #10 could easily beat their first-round opponents; in fact, two #9 and three #10 seeds advanced to the second round this year.
Then, every year, there are the unexpected upsets – those that see #4 or #5 seeds fall. This year, only one #4 seed fell (Wake Forest lost to Cleveland State) but three #12 teams knocked off #5’s (Arizona beat Washington, Wisconsin beat Florida State and Western Kentucky beat Illinois).
How do you know which of these teams to pick? Well, sometimes, it’s blind luck. Had I done any research at all and found out that Cleveland State was the Vikings, I would have picked them (I’m a Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Vikings fan). It might have looked absurd on my bracket, but I wouldn’t have had the Vikings winning a second-round game. Worst case scenario: Wake Forest’s superiority holds up and they advance, so I hope they get knocked out quickly.
Western Kentucky, as obscure as it sounds, is a very strong basketball school. Last year, WKU knocked off fifth-seeded Drake University in the first round, then advanced to the Sweet 16 by knocking off San Diego, a fellow Cinderella story. This year, led by Orlando Mendez-Valdez and A.J. Slaughter, the team not only beat Wake Forest in the first round but was poised to do the same to #4 Gonzaga, until the Bulldogs hit a go-ahead lay-up with only 0.9 seconds on the clock to eliminate WKU. What’s the moral of this story? If you see Western Kentucky on a bracket in the future, don’t hesitate to pick them – regardless of how much of a long shot they may seem.
Here’s a tip that seems obvious (and if you’ve read this far, you know this by now): unless you have some great inside tip, always pick the top three seeds in each region to advance – at least in the first round. No #1 has ever fallen to a #16 (though several teams this year came a little too close for comfort), and only four #2 seeds have fallen to a #15 (with the most recent coming in 2001 when Hampton beat Iowa State).
The hardest part of the tournament to predict is when the games really come down to the wire, and a team like #3 Villanova is playing #6 UCLA. Sure, Villanova was a higher seed, but things still seemed close. At times like these, however, you have to look at external factors. Like what? Consider that Villanova was essentially hosting the match (it was played in Philadelphia) and that home-court advantage should be more than enough to propel them to the next round.
What’s great about bracketology, though, is that even if you follow these guidelines, do your research and make educated guesses, things still might not fall into place. That’s what gives March the madness, if you will, and makes the tournament fun for everyone to watch.
For people like me, who know next to nothing about college basketball, the “anyone can win” mentality gives hope that this year could be the year you win your pool. For people who watch college basketball throughout the year, that “insider knowledge” seems like enough to separate you from the rest of the pack and win your pool that way.
Too bad things don’t normally work out like that.
It’s common bracketological theory that you need to pick upsets. Up until last year, that seemed like a safe bet. However, for the first time in history, all four #1 seeds last year made it into the Final Four, which effectively threw that theory out the window.
This year, when it looked as though that was going to happen again – as all #1, #2 and #3 seeds advanced to the Sweet 16, and all four #1 seeds made it to the Elite 8 – Michigan State and Villanova upset their respective #1 seeds (Louisville and Pittsburgh) to advance to the Final Four.
So what is a bracketeer supposed to do? Well, there are a few things that even a novice bracketeer can pick up on. First of all, there are inevitably the “upsets” that really aren’t all that… upsetting. Teams that are seeded #9 or #10 could easily beat their first-round opponents; in fact, two #9 and three #10 seeds advanced to the second round this year.
Then, every year, there are the unexpected upsets – those that see #4 or #5 seeds fall. This year, only one #4 seed fell (Wake Forest lost to Cleveland State) but three #12 teams knocked off #5’s (Arizona beat Washington, Wisconsin beat Florida State and Western Kentucky beat Illinois).
How do you know which of these teams to pick? Well, sometimes, it’s blind luck. Had I done any research at all and found out that Cleveland State was the Vikings, I would have picked them (I’m a Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Vikings fan). It might have looked absurd on my bracket, but I wouldn’t have had the Vikings winning a second-round game. Worst case scenario: Wake Forest’s superiority holds up and they advance, so I hope they get knocked out quickly.
Western Kentucky, as obscure as it sounds, is a very strong basketball school. Last year, WKU knocked off fifth-seeded Drake University in the first round, then advanced to the Sweet 16 by knocking off San Diego, a fellow Cinderella story. This year, led by Orlando Mendez-Valdez and A.J. Slaughter, the team not only beat Wake Forest in the first round but was poised to do the same to #4 Gonzaga, until the Bulldogs hit a go-ahead lay-up with only 0.9 seconds on the clock to eliminate WKU. What’s the moral of this story? If you see Western Kentucky on a bracket in the future, don’t hesitate to pick them – regardless of how much of a long shot they may seem.
Here’s a tip that seems obvious (and if you’ve read this far, you know this by now): unless you have some great inside tip, always pick the top three seeds in each region to advance – at least in the first round. No #1 has ever fallen to a #16 (though several teams this year came a little too close for comfort), and only four #2 seeds have fallen to a #15 (with the most recent coming in 2001 when Hampton beat Iowa State).
The hardest part of the tournament to predict is when the games really come down to the wire, and a team like #3 Villanova is playing #6 UCLA. Sure, Villanova was a higher seed, but things still seemed close. At times like these, however, you have to look at external factors. Like what? Consider that Villanova was essentially hosting the match (it was played in Philadelphia) and that home-court advantage should be more than enough to propel them to the next round.
What’s great about bracketology, though, is that even if you follow these guidelines, do your research and make educated guesses, things still might not fall into place. That’s what gives March the madness, if you will, and makes the tournament fun for everyone to watch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)