This morning in class we offered our opinions on an article that ran in the Free Press this weekend written by a first year.
The article was titled, "what's wrong with the newspaper?" This point of view article was written due to the recent layoffs the Free Press has made.
First of all I applaud Stefanie for taking on this task. Never would I have ever imagined myself writing for the Free Press just weeks into my first year of CreComm. That takes some balls.
Although I'm a firm believer in, "everyone is entitled to their own opinion," and so I do have a slight issue with being spoken for. If I didn't say it, I don't appreciate anyone putting words in my mouth.
Countless times Stef used, "we" in her article and when she included "we" she was talking about the general younger demographic. Me. And my classmates too.
She was right on some points. Our demographic does use social media a little more than our elders, I won't dispute that. What I will dispute is her claiming, "we" don't like to read longer pieces in the newspaper anymore, "we" just want short form, 140 character tweets and stuff like that.
In our discussion as a class there were some of us agreeing, yes we like tweets because a tweet can generally sum up a story, but after realizing what that story was about wouldn't you want to click on that link and read more? In Stefanie's case no. In most of my classmates cases, yes.
We've been told as students since we started this program that "print and journalism are dying," but just because the larger newspaper outlets may need to make some cuts due to social media growing strong doesn't mean "we" should completely disregard the smaller local papers we have around us that produce just as good or even better content than the Free Press or the Sun.
Many of us chose journalism as our major because we have a passion for writing and a strong belief that there's a place for our writing out there. Somewhere.
Please don't assume that us "kids" don't like to read the newspaper just because another "kid" argued her point in a very flowery and effective way. We all feel our own way about news today and how it reaches us so don't categorize us without asking us personally. It's not fair.
So I'm sorry if you agree that journalism is dying- but I don't and if that's the route you want to take than I'll stay on the other side of the road and go my own way.
Monday 24 September 2012
Monday 17 September 2012
When the Bombers are duds and the Jets can't fly- we go Fishing.
Five years. I've been working with the Winnipeg Goldeyes for five seasons and they have finally won me a ring.
For the franchise itself, the wait has been 18 years since they last brought home the trophy.
The team was founded in 1994 and that year the Goldeyes won it all. It hasn't been since then that they've been able to do it.
Time and time again we've been favored to win it all and time and time again something has gone wrong and ruined our chances of it happening.
This year my boys went in to playoffs as the underdogs. They barely clinched playoff contention by snagging the wildcard spot. They played Fargo first round and many people had doubts they'd be able to win even one game against the Redhawks- but we swept them.
They defied the odds and took everyone by surprised when they did it a second time against the Wichita Wingnuts. They went a perfect 6-0 in the post season. That is ridic.
As we listened to the third game of the championship series on the radio in my living room, me and the girls came to a conclusion:
"I swear if we don't make the front page of both papers (sun and fp) tomorrow we are marching down there to start a riot."
But it's fair to say that right? When the Bombers lose game after game by ridiculous amounts like 50+ points they make the front page. And even though hockey season won't be with us this year the same could be said about our beloved Jets if that ever happened.
So correct me if I'm wrong- but displaying a losing team on the front page and not displaying a winning team is just stupid.
Yes I said stupid.
Thankfully no riot was needed because my boys were on the front page of both of the papers and on the front pages of the sports section.
Media was in full force at the victory party last night and everyone wanted to get a piece of the glory.
The loyalty and passion behind the team this year was something I haven't seen this strong with this franchise since I've been a part of it.
And finally thanks to their win, they can be recognized as the talented franchise they are. Kinda sad it took this long for the papers to realize that the Fish are a team worth writing about. But all the same, glad to see my boys getting the positive media attention they deserve.
The five year wait was well worth it, just don't want to have to wait that long again.
I'm ok with it happening again next year.
Hats off to the Winnipeg Goldeyes , 2012 American Association Champions.
I've had a taste of what winning is like. And I want more.
 |
| Me, Laura, Andrew, Janessa. |
The team was founded in 1994 and that year the Goldeyes won it all. It hasn't been since then that they've been able to do it.
Time and time again we've been favored to win it all and time and time again something has gone wrong and ruined our chances of it happening.
 |
| Paige, Me, Laura, Janessa. Standing at the park after the Fish swept Wichita. We were on cloud 9. |
They defied the odds and took everyone by surprised when they did it a second time against the Wichita Wingnuts. They went a perfect 6-0 in the post season. That is ridic.
As we listened to the third game of the championship series on the radio in my living room, me and the girls came to a conclusion:
"I swear if we don't make the front page of both papers (sun and fp) tomorrow we are marching down there to start a riot."
But it's fair to say that right? When the Bombers lose game after game by ridiculous amounts like 50+ points they make the front page. And even though hockey season won't be with us this year the same could be said about our beloved Jets if that ever happened.
So correct me if I'm wrong- but displaying a losing team on the front page and not displaying a winning team is just stupid.
Yes I said stupid.
Thankfully no riot was needed because my boys were on the front page of both of the papers and on the front pages of the sports section.
Media was in full force at the victory party last night and everyone wanted to get a piece of the glory.
The loyalty and passion behind the team this year was something I haven't seen this strong with this franchise since I've been a part of it.
And finally thanks to their win, they can be recognized as the talented franchise they are. Kinda sad it took this long for the papers to realize that the Fish are a team worth writing about. But all the same, glad to see my boys getting the positive media attention they deserve.
The five year wait was well worth it, just don't want to have to wait that long again.
I'm ok with it happening again next year.
Hats off to the Winnipeg Goldeyes , 2012 American Association Champions.
Tuesday 11 September 2012
Was tonight real life?
"I'm still sweating. Curse you for making me love sports from such a young age! I blame these emotions on you."
This is the text message I sent my dad about 45 minutes after the fish won their first game of the series against Wichita.
Tonight the Winnipeg Goldeyes started off their championship series against the Wichita Wingnuts. Best of five series - game one in the bag.
I paced- literally from the 5th inning till the end of the game, which in the end totaled 10 innings because we'd tied it up in the 8th and couldn't score a runn in the 9th.
The antsy antics I have when watching sports have been inherited from my father. He is the same way. When he coaches hockey he paces on the bench, when he watches at home he sometimes has to leave the room. I'm the same way, it's clear I've been built from the same mold as my dad.
Butterflies were in my stomach all day leading up to the first pitch. And as soon as the 1st inning was underway there was no way I was gonna be feeling any better. The butterflies progressed from a light, nervous feeling in the tummy to a large stomach-sized lump in my throat. At one point I honestly thought I would either throw up or pass out. My stress level was beyond capacity tonight and I was afraid my superstition of wearing the same outfit as I did our last win was not working.
When Canizares connected with the ball in the bottom of the 10th inning tonight there was no doubt that baby was gone as soon as you heard it.
Seriously though, a freakin walk-off homerun? Why do people insist on doing this to me. I nearly died from excitement when that happened. I jumped and cheered and hugged everyone in the tunnel. That moment was more than excitement, happiness, or bliss. That moment was a long time coming.
I seriously can't imagine wanting to be anywhere else than behind this team and I wouldn't have it any other way. You grow to respect these boys not only as fantastic athletes, but as genuine people. They play the game because they love it. And that in itself makes being a part of this franchise so rewarding- knowing everyone that's a part of it is a part of it because they want to be.
This place has become my home and these people have become my family and without my dad instilling such a strong passion for sports in me at a young age I wouldn't be this way.
Most people say you can't choose your family. But I did.
This is the text message I sent my dad about 45 minutes after the fish won their first game of the series against Wichita.
Tonight the Winnipeg Goldeyes started off their championship series against the Wichita Wingnuts. Best of five series - game one in the bag.
I paced- literally from the 5th inning till the end of the game, which in the end totaled 10 innings because we'd tied it up in the 8th and couldn't score a runn in the 9th.
The antsy antics I have when watching sports have been inherited from my father. He is the same way. When he coaches hockey he paces on the bench, when he watches at home he sometimes has to leave the room. I'm the same way, it's clear I've been built from the same mold as my dad.
Butterflies were in my stomach all day leading up to the first pitch. And as soon as the 1st inning was underway there was no way I was gonna be feeling any better. The butterflies progressed from a light, nervous feeling in the tummy to a large stomach-sized lump in my throat. At one point I honestly thought I would either throw up or pass out. My stress level was beyond capacity tonight and I was afraid my superstition of wearing the same outfit as I did our last win was not working.
When Canizares connected with the ball in the bottom of the 10th inning tonight there was no doubt that baby was gone as soon as you heard it.
Seriously though, a freakin walk-off homerun? Why do people insist on doing this to me. I nearly died from excitement when that happened. I jumped and cheered and hugged everyone in the tunnel. That moment was more than excitement, happiness, or bliss. That moment was a long time coming.
I seriously can't imagine wanting to be anywhere else than behind this team and I wouldn't have it any other way. You grow to respect these boys not only as fantastic athletes, but as genuine people. They play the game because they love it. And that in itself makes being a part of this franchise so rewarding- knowing everyone that's a part of it is a part of it because they want to be.
This place has become my home and these people have become my family and without my dad instilling such a strong passion for sports in me at a young age I wouldn't be this way.
Most people say you can't choose your family. But I did.
Monday 10 September 2012
The Fish are in the Finals.
This year the Winnipeg Goldeyes are going to the championship. On Friday night the Goldeyes won their third game in a row against Fargo in the first round of playoffs. It was a 4-1 win and in a best out of five series, that means a sweep.
As the last two batters of Fargo went up to the plate in the ninth inning the crowd was on their feet. You could feel the suspense in the air, the excitement spilling from everyone in the building every time a strike was thrown.
A pop up was caught and the final out was on the board. Eruption.
And eruption of noise coming from the crowd, the players, and us the office and game day staff. Cheers and tears were about the only thing I could make out for the next fifteen minutes. Everyone was more than overwhelmed with the fact that we'd just swept Fargo considering many people doubted we'd even be able to win one game against them let alone three.
The Winnipeg Goldeyes have had the best attendance in the league for the last three years and if it wasn't for the Winnipeg sun, free press, metro, and other coverage many people wouldn't know about them.
The sold out crowds that keep coming back and packing the house for more independent baseball are all thanks to not only the loyal fan base Winnipeg has- but the journalists that come to every game to produce an interesting story for the next days paper.
Without the journalistic evidence that the Goldeyes are worth watching- I wouldn't have the best job in the world.
Five years working for this franchise and finally we're in the finals. This has been a long time coming. I hope my boys can pull out a championship this year. They deserve it.
 |
| Shaw Park. This is my home. |
A pop up was caught and the final out was on the board. Eruption.
And eruption of noise coming from the crowd, the players, and us the office and game day staff. Cheers and tears were about the only thing I could make out for the next fifteen minutes. Everyone was more than overwhelmed with the fact that we'd just swept Fargo considering many people doubted we'd even be able to win one game against them let alone three.
The Winnipeg Goldeyes have had the best attendance in the league for the last three years and if it wasn't for the Winnipeg sun, free press, metro, and other coverage many people wouldn't know about them.
 |
| Ace Walker painted this on the field free-hand. He does a piece every season, he is an unreal artist. |
Without the journalistic evidence that the Goldeyes are worth watching- I wouldn't have the best job in the world.
Five years working for this franchise and finally we're in the finals. This has been a long time coming. I hope my boys can pull out a championship this year. They deserve it.
Thursday 6 September 2012
"It's a great night in Fort Whyte"
The Fort Whyte byelection took place on Tuesday night and the polls are in - Brian Pallister of the PC Party won, by a "landslide."
There was not much doubt in Fort Whyte that Pallister would win. He had a strong support system at his headquarters and it was quite evident that he was confident he would win when a Pizza Hotline employee showed up with 20+ pizzas well before the polls had even closed.
Leading up to the byelection there had been a lot of attention and focus on Pallister considering he is the replacement of previous Tory leader Hugh McFadyen, and many were curious to hear what he would have to say after McFadyen stepped down after losing last year's provincial election.
The chants began to break out at the headquarters as the votes began to tally up - Pallister was winning, followed by Liberal candidate Bob Axworthy, followed by NDP candidate Brandy Schmidt, followed by Green Party candidate Donnie Benham, and in dead last the one and only Independent Party "MrJetzTV" - Darrell Ackman.
The race stayed fairly the same throughout the night, with Pallister always in the lead ahead of Axworthy and the others. By the end of the night when all the votes were in the totals read as follows:
Brian Pallister - PC - 3626
Bob Axworthy - Liberal - 2074
Brandy Schmidt - NDP - 739
Donnie Benham - Green Party - 113
Darrell Ackman - Independent - a WHOPPING 19.
Why anyone allowed Ackman to run in this thing to start off with is beyond me but I'd rather not get into that because it's neither here nor there...
After waiting what felt like forever for Pallister to finally come into the room and step up to the podium, he did. He was greeted with cheers by his faithful supporters and up to the podium he went without a hesitation.
He dove into his speech starting with, "it's a great night in Fort Whyte," and continued on to quote basically every famous person he could think of - hardly producing his own material. After about the seventh cliche I could barely listen to him talk about nothing important for very much longer and just when I thought my arm would fall off in the scrum - he walked away!
Brian Pallister stood at the podium and talked for seven minutes straight and then ditched the media. Just walked away.
One reporter suggested, "How 'bout a few questions." Pallister replied with ignoring his existence and the rest of us media.
Needless to say none of us were too please when we were told, "he's not talking to media until tomorrow." By his rep Brandy... or Mandy. Something with an "Eeee" at the end.
Overall the atmosphere was quite exciting and positive but considering politics don't excite me in anyway, I was not pleased when I couldn't get a question in - I had such a good one ready to go!
Hopefully that's the last election I have to cover in a while because quite frankly I'm no good at it and I'm even worse at calling in a rant about something I'm not fully educated on. That was a sucky feeling. But you know what a good feeling is? Going to bed. Which is what I'm about to do now.
G'night!
There was not much doubt in Fort Whyte that Pallister would win. He had a strong support system at his headquarters and it was quite evident that he was confident he would win when a Pizza Hotline employee showed up with 20+ pizzas well before the polls had even closed.
Leading up to the byelection there had been a lot of attention and focus on Pallister considering he is the replacement of previous Tory leader Hugh McFadyen, and many were curious to hear what he would have to say after McFadyen stepped down after losing last year's provincial election.
The chants began to break out at the headquarters as the votes began to tally up - Pallister was winning, followed by Liberal candidate Bob Axworthy, followed by NDP candidate Brandy Schmidt, followed by Green Party candidate Donnie Benham, and in dead last the one and only Independent Party "MrJetzTV" - Darrell Ackman.
The race stayed fairly the same throughout the night, with Pallister always in the lead ahead of Axworthy and the others. By the end of the night when all the votes were in the totals read as follows:
Brian Pallister - PC - 3626
Bob Axworthy - Liberal - 2074
Brandy Schmidt - NDP - 739
Donnie Benham - Green Party - 113
Darrell Ackman - Independent - a WHOPPING 19.
Why anyone allowed Ackman to run in this thing to start off with is beyond me but I'd rather not get into that because it's neither here nor there...
After waiting what felt like forever for Pallister to finally come into the room and step up to the podium, he did. He was greeted with cheers by his faithful supporters and up to the podium he went without a hesitation.
He dove into his speech starting with, "it's a great night in Fort Whyte," and continued on to quote basically every famous person he could think of - hardly producing his own material. After about the seventh cliche I could barely listen to him talk about nothing important for very much longer and just when I thought my arm would fall off in the scrum - he walked away!
Brian Pallister stood at the podium and talked for seven minutes straight and then ditched the media. Just walked away.
One reporter suggested, "How 'bout a few questions." Pallister replied with ignoring his existence and the rest of us media.
Needless to say none of us were too please when we were told, "he's not talking to media until tomorrow." By his rep Brandy... or Mandy. Something with an "Eeee" at the end.
Overall the atmosphere was quite exciting and positive but considering politics don't excite me in anyway, I was not pleased when I couldn't get a question in - I had such a good one ready to go!
Hopefully that's the last election I have to cover in a while because quite frankly I'm no good at it and I'm even worse at calling in a rant about something I'm not fully educated on. That was a sucky feeling. But you know what a good feeling is? Going to bed. Which is what I'm about to do now.
G'night!
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