Covering Alabama (1926)

In an effort to do something different, here's something I wrote for our newspaper blog about what it's like to cover an event like Saturday's Iron Bowl.

With kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m., time would be critical. Even if the game ended in three hours (which would be ridiculously fast), that's 10 p.m., and normally the entire sports section has to completely done and sent to the printer by 11:30 so we can have the paper on subscribers' doorsteps in the morning. Since it was a special event we would get a little extra time, but since the game was being broadcast on ESPN, which meant lots of commercials, we assumed the worst, that it would last at least four hours.

So Executive Sports Editor David Wasson put together our game plan. In addition to photographers, we sent five sports writers and one news writer, Jason Morton. Jamon Smith would write the Page 1A news story, with Jason Smith handling the local scene in Tuscaloosa. Between writers and photographs, that's already more than 10 people covering one event. As usual, Cecil Hurt would write his column, and I handled the game story. That left Tommy Deas to write two Alabama sidebars, Aaron Suttles to hit the home-team locker room for two Auburn sidebars, and Michael Southern to blog during the game, write a final sidebar and contribute an item or two to the notebook (for those not into newspaper lingo, a sidebar is a secondary story usually focusing on one thing, and notes are all the small items we can't fit in anywhere else).

Noon _ Five of the six writers meet at the office in Tuscaloosa. Since Auburn is synonymous with traffic problems, we left seven hours prior to kickoff.

4 p.m. _ With Aaron and Michael crammed into my car, we quickly cruise down through Prattville (I goof on the turn for Steak & Shake, and instead of turning around settle for Hardee's, oh the sacrifices we make) and arrive at Jordan-Hare Stadium in good time, and walk through the crowd to go to work. Thankfully, media is in a new parking lot because in the past we had a problem with fans claiming our spots, and if we argued with them you never knew how you would find your car after the game.

5 p.m. _ After stopping for ribs, Tommy and Jason arrive along with Cecil, whom they met up with in Montgomery. While everyone's watching Kentucky-Tennessee go to four overtimes, I'm dispelling the rumor that some of the Alabama players had been suspended for the game.

7 p.m. _ Kickoff at 7:10. With the wind blowing straight into the press box, it's very cold and Aaron doesn't have a jacket. We tease him unmercifully. Before kickoff, I write up what will be the majority of the lead note regarding Alabama's bowl possibilities. However, a lot will obviously depend on the game's outcome, and I remind myself to double-check everything at the end.

8:45 _ Halftime. With both teams trying to run the ball, the game is moving along very quickly, which is something you can't mention in the press box because you'll jinx it (trust me, the sports gods are cruel that way, especially in baseball). David, sitting in his command chair back in Tuscaloosa and enjoying Florida's win against Florida State, informs us that the deadline for all stories is midnight. It'll be a challenge, and I write up 3-4 paragraphs on the first half and a possible lead for the game story. There are times I'll write 4-5 different leads for a story depending on how a game changes, but for the most part this one held true. Besides, there won't be time to mess with it too much.
Also, the writers huddle and discuss possible sidebars because through the first half there were very few good storylines. Michael is focusing on the defense for his story, but Tommy has very little to work with. Hopefully that will change.

10ish _ When Keith Saunders is called for roughing the passer, I start heading down to the field because I already know what's going to happen. My lead will hold up, the flavor of what I see and hear will add to the story, and, quite frankly, I love being on a field during a game (FYI, reporters are allowed for the final few minutes. That's in part why the sidelines look so much more congested at the end of a game). Replay officials review the touchdown call they nullify as I walk through the concourse, and Auburn punches in the decisive score before I can navigate down a first-level aisle to the ground level. The first thing I notice is that the wind is a lot worse that it appears upstairs. That and I see a whole lot of orange.

10:21 _ The game ends. Now the fun begins. After watching Auburn celebrate and Alabama head off, it's time to hit the interview room, where Saban will have his press conference roughly 15 minutes after the conclusion of the game. Tommy tells me he's greatly concerned about which players will be available, because he can't do a story without quotes. He's right, and now I'm worried too. We figure one story will be on the running game, and talk about backup plans, but everything else will be a question mark.

10:38 _ Dave asks for the rundown of stories, but I can't answer as I obviously don't know yet myself. That and I missed his message because I'm already wedged into a tiny room designed for about 20-25 people with 75-100 journalists and scores of television cameras. Coach Nick Saban is contrite with his remarks and answers about 10 questions. His comment on going recruiting this week stands out to me and I immediately know that will be the last line in my story.
Then the sports information department brings in players to be interviewed. Normally, it's between 12 and 20 players, especially after a win. Instead, we get Travis McCall, John Parker Wilson, Darren Mustin, Wallace Gilberry and Glen Coffee. That's it, or it was when I left the room at about 11 p.m. (Note: I later saw some DJ Hall quotes, so I probably just missed him).

11:10 _ Back upstairs in the press box, check with everyone to see how they're doing and give Dave the rundown, although most of the guys have already done so on their own. Tommy got Coffee for the running backs story, and somehow was going to do a story on how the Alabama players were sick of losing to Auburn. How he would pull that off was beyond me, and the deadline is already looming.

11:50 _ After transcribing three quotes just to make sure I got them right, cranked out the game story in about 30 minutes, gave it a quick read to make sure I didn't have any major mistakes and sent it to the office. As usual, Cecil's the first one done, but everyone else is frantically trying to type with cold fingers and wondering why we don't have the final packet of game stats that are supposed to be handed out after the game.

Midnight _ Finished the notes, checked to see that everyone had sent their stories (incredibly, they all made it on time, or within a couple minutes of deadline), checked my lead note just in time to get the game stats from an Auburn intern. Five minutes later sent a quick correction after realizing I didn't factor in something about Tennessee for the bowl note.

12:15 _ We get the all-clear from the newsroom, but make sure our cell phones ringers are on just in case. By 12:45, David, Harold Stout and Edwin Stanton have laid out the four inside pages -- which includes editing, placing photos, checking cutlines and writing headlines -- along with the photo page, and the front page. With Michael and Aaron back in my small car, we start the long trek home, and it isn't until 1 a.m., when I get a phone signal again, that I find out that the headline is "Deep-Sixed." I like it.

Michael and I realize we had the same Darren Mustin quote in our stories and we duplicated a couple of items about the offense in the notes, but under the circumstances we'll live with it. Knowing Dave, Harold and Edwin the way we do, we know the section will look really good.
3:30 a.m. _ Except for seeing the remains of a horrific accident on 495 (which will unfortunately stay with me for a long time), the drive home is otherwise uneventful and we drop Michael off at the office. After taking Aaron to his place, I head straight for a store to buy orange juice to combat the sore throat that had been bothering me since the fourth quarter. I expect a lot of writers will be under the weather for the next few days. I'm home at 4 a.m. and in bed by 5 a.m. Just another day.

[FYI, if this is something you enjoyed, you may want to check out my book, "No Time Outs: What It's Really Like To Be A Sportswriter Today."

FYI, the photo is from a practice during the 1926 season. Alabama returned to the Rose Bowl and tied Stanford, earning a share of the national championship. Courtesy of the Paul W. Bryant Museum.