Ripping players

Someone made a comment about jumping on past players, and I thought about and maybe this can give you a little bit of insight into my job.

Actually, it happens about an average of once a year and it's something that I think a great deal about before and then twice as much after it happens. Not a fun part of the job by any means, but it is part of the job. It should be hard to rip someone, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. Just as praise is part of the job, so is criticism.

I tell younger reporters that when it doesn't bother you, it's time to get out of the business and go do something else. When you become so jaded, then you've lost a key part of yourself, something that makes you a good writer, a fair writer to the people you are writing about and to the people who are reading you.

When I do, I try to make sure to talk to the player before and after so they know where I'm coming from, and they can say their piece ASAP afterward. Even had one guy take a swing at me once, but we worked through it. Luckily, I was shaking so bad it was easy to fall back out of the way. LOL. We went to lunch and it was over. No, I won't tell you who it was.

I think about it so much I can probably give you exact details each time it has happened over the years. And I think about it so much because I question myself constantly on if I was fair, was it the right thing, did I do enough to show their side?

I'm sure some folks at IPFW feel like I did it to them last week. You just have to be honest with yourself so you can be honest with your readers.

Two years ago in the playoffs I got on Goody, Chaulker and Dusty pretty good when the Komets were down 3-1 to Rockford. They were not too happy, obviously, but we talked about it. I really respected the way they handled it.

Like I said, it happens about once a year depending on circumstances. In 1994-95 and 1996-97 it happened about once a month. Abolutely hated those years, but another thing I tell younger reporters is that you find out how good you really are with really bad teams. If you can make them interesting, then you've got something because it takes twice as much work and creativity. Winning teams are easier to cover, obviously.

That's why I can get a little annoyed when Hit teases me about being Superfan. That part got burned out of me a long time ago because you can't maintain a high level when you only ride the emotions of wins. You have to have that level whether the teams wins by one or five goals or if it loses by one or five. That doesn't mean I can't recognize and read the emotions of others in those situations. I just have to be detached enough to be able to see everything accurately, and you can't do that if you are riding the emotions like a fan.

All, right, enough garbage. Back to our regularly-scheduled program. Going to bed early tonight so have fun.