Week 9: My pals Suzy & Michele

The woman's role as a NFL reporter

As a journalism major in college, I shirked from any sports reporting because... I was afraid.  My excuse was that I didn't know the lingo, even though the AP manual has a whole section dedicated to it.  Sports reporting was the only type of news writing I wasn't forced to learn and I regret that I didn't force myself.

A scene from "All the President's Men," a film that
inspired me to study journalism.
Courtesy of influence-film.com.

This is unfortunate because sports news seems to be the only genre that is gathered in the traditional way I was taught in college.  Like the good ol' days, sports reporters actually attend the games in the press box, conduct interviews, do "stand-ups" in front of the stadium, and write stories for the "wire."  We still watch football games like we did in 1960 - camera shots accompanied with a commentator for the play-by-play (there are improvements, but you get the idea).

Those old fashioned methods are what I love about journalism - the textbook method of conducting an interview or attending a city council meeting and then informing the reader of something important that could affect their daily life.  The traditional news method that has almost disappeared except when it comes to sports.

Suzy Kolber at the Pro Bowl.
Courtesy of suzykolber.net.

Sports reporting is so traditional, women are still only featured as sideline reporters on all of the major networks.  I don't know if the male viewers pay any attention to these ladies besides their looks, but I most certainly do.  I think it would be exciting to collect bits of news along the sidelines, interview star quarterbacks, and get to be on the field during the games.  I understand it must a tough job being away from family in a different city every week and having to endure hours of hair and makeup while trying to prove yourself as a professional journalist in a man's world.

I'm definitely not a feminist (and I don't believe women should be in the locker room), but female journalists are definitely capable of more than sideline reporting and daytime ESPN variety shows.  I would love to see Suzy Kolber at the desk alongside Mike Tirico commentating during Monday Night Football.  Suzy and the other female sideline reporters like Michele Tafoya, Wendi Nix, and Pam Oliver all have degrees in journalism and years of experience.  Some of their male counterparts have "earned" their TV jobs from just having played the game for a few years.  Just because you played or coached pro football doesn't mean you're qualified to be a commentator - and that means you, Jon Gruden.