How did sports play a role in 9/11?

Before the weekend came to a close, we were reminded of the day 10 years ago yesterday, when many American lives forever changed, a day that will never be forgotten. It seems so crazy. It's already been 10 years since the day America was attacked. It doesn't seem that long to me, but day by day and as time moves on, the healing process for thousands of Americans- gets just a little bit easier.

As a nation, we came together after 9/11. We rallied around one another for support, we grieved together, we cried together, but most importantly, we helped one another out. For the rest of that day, for the rest of that month, and many months forward...many people needed our help. The pain was so severe from the attacks that you couldn't help but get emotional, whether you were a firefighter at ground zero, or a teacher across the country. The nation truly came together.

One way people coped...is through sporting events. Little did we know that a baseball game in New York or a football game in Washington D.C. would help so many Americans get their minds off their problems. Of course sports were shut down for a solid week, but by the time they came back, America was ready to get back to a sense of normalcy. The New York Mets played their first game after the 9/11 break at home against the Atlanta Braves, and boy was it an emotional night. I can remember ESPN cutting in and showing the pre game ceremonies. I remember tears in player's eyes as they went to the middle of the infield and started hugging one another. It was a very eerie feeling. Btw, if you want a quick synapse of that game, click here.

But if you were a New York Met fan, the defining moment in that game was when catcher Mike Piazza hit a two-run home run with the Mets down 2-1. Piazza corked a fast ball deep into left center field over the wall, and the Mets went onto win 3-2. Former teammate John Franco said the home run sent chills up and down his spine. Even though, the Mets would not make it to the World Series like they did the year before, there were two other baseball moments New York had later on that fall...which would also lift some people's spirits.

Watch a video from MLB.com on the game from September 21, 2011.

Fast forward to October 31, 2001. Across town in the Bronx, the Yankees were making a play for their fourth World Series title in a row. They were facing the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. The D-Backs had a commanding two games to one lead in game four of the World Series at the 'old Yankee Stadium.' With two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees trailing 3-1, up walks Tino Martinez to the plate for the Yankees. On the first pitch, he hits a blast over the center field wall to tie it at three, and the game goes into extra innings.

Then, you all knows what happens in extra innings. At midnight...November 1, 2001, up walks Mr. November to the plate, Derek Jeter, the Yankee captain. On a full count to #2 in the bottom of the 10th, Jeter takes a slider and slices it down the right field line. The crowd waited to see whether it was going to land fair or foul, but it stayed fair down the line and cleared the wall for a home run. Yanks take game number four 4-3.

See the bottom of the ninth and tenth of game four of the 2001 World Series. October 31, 2001.
 
Need I say more? Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth the next night, Scott Brosius hit a two run shot to left field to tie the game, and the Yankees would go on to win that one in extra innings. Was it a coincidence that both these things happened in 'the city that never sleeps,' after it suffered its worst day ever? I think not. Unfortunately for New York, the Yankees would blow a ninth inning lead in game seven of the World Series and ultimately loose. However, it's moments like these that brought the city together.

Chilling. The next night. November 1, 2001.

Everyone's story is different...as to how people coped through 9-11. Some used friends, some used family, but for many people, some even used sports. After all, for many Americans, it's what they know how to do best. Did sports fully heal the country after 9/11? No, but it became a place where people could take their minds off the brothers, sisters, and friends they lost on that fateful day. Watching the 9/11 tributes before all of the NFL games yesterday gave me chills while I sat down. It's one of those moments in life...that makes you proud to be an American.

Do sports make you feel the same way? Send me an email.

It's always nice to see family

It's the end of Memorial Day weekend, and I'm writing from Kansas City, Mo. It's my hometown, and I'm just about to head back to Columbia, Mo. I came home for the long weekend because I hadn't seen my family sine late July. It was good to see everybody because I miss them a lot. It always seems like I never have enough time for family. Hopefully I don't regret that in the next couple of years.

I say that because I'm sure I'll be working full time, and then I really won't have any time to see my family. It's sometimes rough working at KOMU when you're so young. The station's always looking for students to fill in at different times, and if you're not careful, you can overwhelm yourself. You often look good filling in and trying to make yourself known at the station, but I also think you'll have many opportunities to 'step up' and take on an extra shift once you get out into the real workforce.

This conversation brings me back to February of this year when Mid-Missouri got 20 inches of snow. Of course that entire week, we had chances to go cover different parts of the area that got pelted with snow. I already had a couple of responsibilities that week with KOMU, but I decided not to take advantage of the extra live opportunities. I regret that in a way, but I also knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep at all Wednesday of that week. During the winter and spring of 2011, I reported on Wednesday nights and live reported Thursday mornings. I thought that was enough as it was.

There are so many opportunities to 'step up' at times when KOMU needs extra reporters. However, I've also been told that you can't take every opportunity. Why? Because if you do, you won't have time for the other things in life that are important. Too often in this business, I've been told that people regret not spending more time with their family. This business can suck the life out of you if you're not careful. As much as I care about telling a compelling story, it cannot be my entire life.

I'm all about 'giving it your all' when it comes to your job, but then again...it is only your job. Money is not everything. When a person is at a low point in their life, often times the only person there to help...is a family member. Your family should always be in the back of your mind, no matter what kind of situation you're in. That gets lost in the midst of trying to cover a big story sometimes. If I may quote my old professor Greeley Kyle, "Sometimes, you just have to say no."

Reporters and producers give up a lot to do their jobs sometimes. I'm glad I know that going in because I somewhat know what that's like already. Working nights for many years doesn't allow you to see your kids or see your husband/wife. Those things will weigh fairly heavily when I start looking for my first job. At the same time though, I'm young, and since I'm not married, I'm not committed to a family of my own yet. That might mean if there's a big story I can take advantage of in the near future, now is the time to do it...not later. Sound condescending? I've got a lot of decisions to make.

Does this ring a bell to anybody?

This is one of the stories I did that week. One of my favorites...

My oldest brother Jason and youngest brother LJ at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City this summer.

I need to build a website??? Oh no!!!

The 'Get a Job' lecture Monday was very fascinating. I learned a lot about how to approach future employers and how to handle yourself when you're on the spot. What might have been even more interesting than this though is that I'm going to be looking for jobs here in a very short time. Sounds like a daunting task right? It sounds very stressful and time consuming, especially when you're still taking classes.

Thanks to #jenclass, it can be a little less stressful because Jen Reeves is supposed to help us through it. Of course, one of the things you have to do when looking for jobs is build a website. I have never done one before, and it seems like it's going to be a bit of a challenge. I have never posted video to my own website or done anything like that. I sure have posted videos though to YouTube before though. I've got a whole channel for that. Posting to YouTube though is a bit different from posting it on your own website. Oh well. We'll just have to see how things go. I will learn how to embed though in the near future to put my YouTube videos onto my website. Boy if I were getting any more down on myself, you'd probably think I'm a very negative person right? I don't like to think of myself as negative...just very hard on myself.

What are some of the positive things I know right now? In three months, I will have a website that I can show off to employers...hopefully. That's more than a lot of people can say at this age. I'm so excited to have it because I've worked at storing all my videos so carefully over the past year. Storing those videos has taken a good amount of time as well. The website or portfolio is the chance you get to show off all the amazing work you've done so far. It will also show people what I'm capable of doing in the near future.

The point is...I feel like I've got a lot to learn. But, isn't that the point? If I knew everything already, wouldn't I not need the class? Actually nobody ever knows everything, so it'd be a lose-lose in that situation. I wouldn't have taken #jenclass and I wouldn't have learned anything. This way, it's going to be a win-win for me. I'm in #jenclass and I'm going to learn a lot. The class is going to be full of challenges, but so will my first job. Life is full of challenges as well. It's not about the challenges that life throws at you, it's about what you make of those challenges. I do believe that, and whether or not I see it now, I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel.      

Want to look at the story I did that somewhat involved some technology? Check the one out above.

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Last First Day of School

So, it's been about a full year since I last wrote a blog on this site. I'm a journalism student at the University of Missouri and a reporter over at KOMU 8 News, Mid-Missouri's NBC affiliate. It seems so long since I last had to do one of these. I feel like I've learned so much since taking Greeley Kyle's class in Broadcast Two. Really, that wasn't that long ago.

So, one of the main things I hope to continue from this class? Continuing to blog after I'm not required to do it. I remember Jen Reeves coming into our Broadcast Two class and telling us about how blogging will help market you and make you look better to employees. I grazed over that lecture in Broadcast Two because I thought there were other more important things I needed to devote my time to.

I kind of resent that now. I know most of the students I'm working with probably grazed over that lecture as well. Let's be honest, Greeley Kyle is pretty intimidating. Now though, I'm taking Jen's class. She's the Interactive Director at KOMU and knows everything 'social media esque' on the web. I need to know more about the web side of things because I've really let that slide in my past year at KOMU. I tweet when I'm required to, but I do not use the # or the RT enough. Therefore, I'm not advancing myself enough on the social media side. Let's be honest, that's the future of TV news as well. Funny it might not have much to do with television. It all has to do with the web.

So, in a nutshell, I'm starting up my blog again A. because I have to and B. because I should. That's the more important one. It will be interesting to see whether I can keep that up as the year goes on. I guess you'll have to keep up with me to see if that happens.

P.S. one thing I do do well on the internet...posting all of my videos. It's kind of a problem.
Have you seen some of them yet? Click here if you haven't.
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My very last post of the semester: Going the extra mile

I cannot believe I am writing my last blog of the semester. The time really just flew by. Again, for the last of my reflections of my ethics and behavior, I have nothing poor of to report. I do want to talk about making sure I've got the video I need before I tear down my equipment though because I feel like the way I did it the first time will probably work.

Thursday I shot a standup at the Cole County Courthouse about why Jefferson City had sued its own county. The first take where I didn't stutter, I had the camera zoomed out a little too far. So, I redid the standup the second time and actually said 'the city has filed a suit in order to not have to pay more taxes.' The city really filed the suit, so they can keep more money in the future that they had not received from a county miscalculation. Would the city use some of this extra money to pay off more taxes? Probably. But would they use this extra money to not have to pay more taxes? That seems like a stretch.

After hearing my story air in the 9 o'clock on the CW, I used the wider standup where I could have been framed better because that standup had the right information in it. I didn't have to rush too much to simply put one of my standups in, but I had the gut feeling I should use the one with the right information in it more than the one that didn't. After watching the story, I went to my managing editor Elizabeth Frogge. I wanted her thoughts on what I should do. Fortunately for me, we were both on the same wavelength. She said I shouldn't sacrifice for a shot's framing, especially if the shot of the frame with the right information in it doesn't look terrible, which it didn't. I'm glad I gave the people all truthful information in my story in both the 9 and 10 pm shows.

This doesn't cover though what I should have done to get the right information and an even better framing. I had to hurry to go get b-roll of my CCC, Jefferson City Counselor Nathan Nickolaus, so I left after shooting my second standup. I did the standup near other people and felt a little awkward doing it. Therefore, I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. So I did. Had I been able to do it over again, I would have re shot the standup until I got the information right with a good tight framing. If I truly want to be a journalist, I'm going to have to get over that fearfulness. I kind of wish I could go shoot that standup again and nail it with a good tight frame to prove to myself that I'm not scared of doing something uncommon for a TV story. Besides, my CCC had more time than he previously thought, so I really did not need to be in a hurry to leave the office. Ugh.

See my story
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My last journalism reflection: Sports on NPR?

This week I'm really extending my boundaries. I actually went to the NPR Website to look, or listen I should say to a couple stories. Lucky enough for me, I first see a sports story on the World Cup bids going to Russia and Qatar for 2018 and 2022. First off, I really enjoyed the pieces, both of them. I'll get to the second here in just a bit, but the first one intrigued me because it gave me a perspective I may not have seen if I watched this story on Sportscenter. Because we live in America, I feel like the media would have at least some sort of negative slant to the U.S. not getting the world cup bids for either year. NPR told the story from a different perspective, another country's. The story sounded great.

NPR told the story from Russia and Qatar's perspective, two countries not known for their soccer. Qatar became the first country in the middle east to win a world cup bid Thursday. In the press conference, it seemed like the Qatar committee sounded so happy that FIFA (Federation International Futbol Association) had 'given them a chance.' The story coming from people there that have such happy feelings about winning the bid makes me happy for them getting it. NPR didn't do the story about how the 'U.S. did not get the respect it deserves in the soccer world once again.' Most other stations probably would have.

And now to the meaty story. Go figure that on the night where I'd want to watch one of the biggest NBA games of the season, I wouldn't be able to do it. Last night, Lebron James came back to his home area of Northeastern Ohio to screams of boos from the Cleveland Cavaliers fans. Can you blame the Cavaliers fans? No not really. Heck, I held extremely mad feelings myself towards the man who jumped ship from the city that loved him and in doing so broke the hearts of millions of Clevelanders. Hearing the package first though on the radio instead of TV brought a new meaning to the story. You have to visualize what had happened as you listened to the story. I'm not sure if I would have felt the same magnitude had I watched a package on this first instead.

After hearing all the boos, I almost got chills up and down my neck. It makes me want to actually watch the piece on television even more now. I can only imagine how bad he got hassled last night. Anyways, listening to these sports stories on the radio first just fascinated me because having to dream up the picture in your mind makes the story more impacting in a way than seeing it on television, if the reporter does it correctly. However, it might have been nice if the reporter had a CCC!

Listen to the story


King James 'smiling' as everyone boos him at the Quicken Loans Arena Thursday night.

I need to ask more questions

To me, I did nothing as bad or as controversial as some of the things I've talked about in my last two blogs on my own journalism experiences. This one just shows I need to be a little bit more careful when I report information. This past Monday, I covered the Columbia City Council meeting. I reported on the city thinking about raising parking garage rates in downtown because they've made a lot less money on this than they previously had thought they would. The situation has city officials wondering how they can transfer money over to the parking garage fund.

A couple of officials think they've come up with a plan. They want to transfer $400,000 from the city's parking meter fund, which makes a much greater amount of money for the city.They want to transfer that over to the city's general fund. After that, the city can then take that money and use it to help pay off the struggling four parking garages in downtown. The findings during the council meeting came during the 'reports' section of the agenda. In the web story I posted that night on komu.com, I reported the city had moved the money over. At the meeting, it sure sounded like they planned to do this. Unfortunately for me though, they never voted on anything. Good thing the morning producer called and asked me about it and asked if we should change it. I had already gotten back to my house and had started to prepare for bed.

What did I learn from this? You need to be much more careful with the way you word things. I'm not sure if the city officially transferred the parking meter funds over to the general fund or not. I'm not sure if mayor Bob McDavid has the authority to just do this, or if the city council has to vote. What did I need to do? I needed to ask the representatives after the meeting what became of this!!!! That would have cleared things up for me and allowed me to report the story the right way in the first place.

I say this issue did not impose as big of an ethical issue as my last two journalism experience blogs because nobody appears upset with me in how I reported the story for the 45 minutes it appeared online wrong. I'm very thankful the morning producer called and asked me about it because then we would have reported it wrong in the morning five or six times in a row. In a morning newscast, you run the same story six or seven times because the show goes on for at least two hours. Ours goes three. Then as more people could have heard it, they could have questioned whether or not I truly reported something that happened or not. Then I could have gotten in trouble!! Crisis averted.

 Mayor Bob McDavid has the task of figuring out where the city will get money to pay off the downtown parking garages.

See the revised online text story

See the video

See the rest of my videos

What'd you think of both?