When I tell someone I want to be a sportswriter, I always feel the need to clarify.
There’s a stereotype that comes to mind when you hear “sportswriter.” You attend games, watch and take notes, interview players and write game recaps. You pass around popcorn in the press box, fake laugh at the old, curmudgeonly reporter’s bad joke, then hustle to the locker room to get that juicy quote.
But that’s not exactly what I want to do.
It’s no knock on traditional sportswriting. There is a great demand for information on game scores, players, injuries, trade rumors — you name it. Sports reporting, especially on platforms like Twitter, is paramount to how fans consume games.
I could say that I want to be a writer, but that’s too general. Do I want to write a book? Pen articles for a science journal? Set up in a desolate Montana cabin to be one with nature and document my experiences?
Nope, not specific enough. But the problem is that I also don’t like pigeonholing myself. The easiest way is to say I want to write with voice. I want to give commentary. I want to insert my personality into the Internet conversation.
I’ll usually say I want to be a sports/comedy writer, which is difficult because slashes don’t translate well out loud. But I don’t only like writing about sports. Sometimes I like to write from personal experience. Sometimes I want to write about pop culture. Other times I leave the sarcasm back at home.
But when writing about sports, I think it’s important not to take them so damn seriously. We should remember that we’re writing about a game that’s meant to entertain and help you forget your troubles. Like a thrilling movie, you get wrapped up in a football game, and you’re not thinking about your mortgage. You’re not wondering who’s going to pick up little Sally from school (it was you, and you’re two hours late). Your mind is totally entrenched in this game, with arbitrary rules and time constraints, played by some of the best athletes in the world.
At the core, sports are for escape. That doesn’t mean they’re not important. I think giving people something to get excited about is important. And this is why I approach sports writing in a fun, comedic way.
I started my blog Red Cup Sports with a few friends freshman year. Originally, we wrote longer, more analytical sports pieces. But now I use it for non-sports comedic pieces, short reactionary posts and sometimes more serious stuff.
For example, I have a blog about cookies not dropping from a vending machine right next to a blog about a Kobe Bryant feature, which I had a more serious stance on. So I clearly don’t think you need to always be serious or always be funny. I think there is room to mix and match. People are generally smart enough to realize when you are making a joke and when you are not.
But even articles that are meant to be funny or lighthearted can shed light on things and reveal truths. For example, I wrote a post about former NFL wide receiver and now ESPN commentator Cris Carter saying players need a “fall guy” in their crew. I wrote part of it with a humorous voice, but I was also trying to make a point.
As I sit here in the College of Communication lounge a little over two weeks away from graduation, I realize there are many avenues I could take. I could put the writing aside and settle down with a classic nine-to-five job, which is actually more like an eight-to-six if you count commuting. Or I could snag a part-time gig and keep writing on the side.
Or I could not settle. I could throw myself into my writing and keep looking for different sports blogs to write for. But there are only so many outlets where you are encouraged to write honestly with your own voice. And pay won’t be very high to start, of course.
I could also dive straight into comedy. I’ve only done standup once, but I really liked it and want to keep writing bits and try it again. Maybe I’ll do some standup in New York this summer and also blog my face off.
Or I could spend my time making money at a more secure job.
It’s all coming full circle in the Sports Comedy Corner. That is the name of this column, after all. I guess, in the end, I am a writer. And I have to follow my passion, even if that means not totally knowing what I’ll be doing post-college.
Uncertainty makes for better stories anyway. And I could use some more things to write about.
