BASKET B A L L T IMES Visit: www.usbwa.com password: fordfield VOLUme 46, NO. 4 May 2009 Here to increase membership, watch over beat writers Vol. 30, No. 7 It is an honor and March a privilege to 2008 serve as your presi- was a chance for us to get dent and the reality is still setting in. younger as an organization $4.00 But the true reality is that we as an organization are and usher in a new era of facing some serious challenges in the months ahead. I say basketball journalists. President “months,” not “years,” because our profession is going Come fall, when class- through rapid, dramatic changes. es begin at campuses across Newspapers are folding. Many are downsizing. “Fur- the country, my hope is Steve Carp lough” and “buyout” are now part of our lexicon. We cau- that we can convince these tiously peek at our e-mails from management, wondering young student-journalists Las Vegas Review-Journal what the next austerity measure brings. to join us and be part of the Longtime members of our fraternity are suddenly ex- college-basketball experi- journalists. Or they’ve been moved off the college-bas- ence. The membership fee ketball beat. At the recent Final Four, a lot of newspapers is just $15, and while that were not represented. A lot of writers who had covered might seem like a lot for a college student, I’m sure those feature writer, or the rival beat writer or the kid covering the event for decades were not in attendance. Others who who want to be part of USBWA will find a way to join. for the college paper, think of the growth we can experi- were fortunate to go left early because of costs. And while it’s important for us to become younger, ence. One. It’s such a small number. But when multiplied, It is in this environment that our organization has to I don’t want to forget our experienced hands, those who it can represent hundreds. function. Journalism is an ever-changing craft as it contin- were once part of USBWA but for some reason either My other hope for the coming year – besides con- ues to evolve into something more instantaneous, leaving forgot to renew or simply moved on. We want you back. tinuing Dick’s work – is to be an advocate for the college- newspapers to figure out how to re-invent themselves. We want to make you feel part of this organization again. basketball beat writer who deals with the game on a daily Where many of us see despair for our profession, We value your expertise and your participation. basis and create a set of minimum standards for a positive I see opportunity. Opportunity for us to grow our ranks Under Dick Jerardi’s expert stewardship as USBWA working environment. with younger faces, fresher ideas and blend in more di- president the past year, we were able to bring in over 100 It should include a suitable place to work from with verse facets of the business. new members. That puts us near 800. legitimate proximity to the court. A source for power with A few months ago in Tipoff, I advocated pursuing We can be bigger, stronger. If each of us could con- working wi-fi capabilities. Receiving statistical informa- college journalists to join our organization. I pointed out vince just one person to join us, whether it’s a colleague tion in a timely fashion both during and after games and a that not only was this a way for us to grow our ranks, it at your own newspaper such as a columnist or basketball fair policy for postgame access to players and coaches. With 31 leagues come 31 different policies. And Carp named USBWA president for 2009-10 within those leagues come issues and problems unique to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal was Jones, Harrisburg Patriot News; Robbi Pickeral, Raleigh certain schools. Some universities have control over their elected president of the USBWA for 2009-10 at the annu- News & Observer; John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader; own buildings. Others rent out facilities. Still others share al business meeting held in conjunction with this year’s Kirk Wessler, Peoria Journal Star; Dave Sittler, Tulsa the operation of their gym with another entity. I under- Final Four in Detroit. World; Wally Hall, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; John stand that. My hope is that by developing some minimum Carp succeeds Dick Jerardi of the Philadelphia Daily Henderson, Denver Post; Hank Wesch, San Diego Union- standards we can head off problems before they occur. News. Tribune; Dana O’Neil, espn.com; Luke Winn, SI.com; The wi-fi is going to go out from time to time. It hap- Other USBWA officers elected were Bryan Burwell, and Scott Chipman, Big Ten Conference. pened courtside at the Final Four semifinals. The printer St. Louis Post-Dispatch, first vice president; Lenox Rawl- Jerardi was presented with the Ray Marquette Me- spitting out the final stats might go haywire. ings, Winston-Salem Journal, second vice president; and morial Award. The award is given to the outgoing presi- Those things happen. I’m talking about making sure John Akers, Basketball Times, third vice president. dent of the USBWA in memory of Ray Marquette, who visiting writers know they can get to their coach outside Elected to the USBWA Board of Directors for 2009- was a sports writer for the Indianapolis Star and USBWA the locker room without someone in a yellow jacket tell- 10 were Kevin McNamara, Providence Journal; David executive director when he died in a plane crash in 1977. ing them they can’t go there when the policy clearly states they can. Or making more than a couple players available after games when the locker room is closed. Writing contest deadline set for June 15 Having covered a college basketball beat for many The deadline for submitting stories and columns Winners will be announced in an issue of The Tipoff years, I know the frustration that comes with the unex- published during the 2008-09 basketball season for the and posted on the USBWA website. pected happening. If we can reduce the number of sur- USBWA Best Writing Contest is June 15. Entries can be submitted by e-mail or regular mail. prises by being proactive, perhaps we can reduce the Entries can be submitted in five categories: column Please include the name of the category and the author of amount of stress and disappointment. writing, moderate-length features, magazine-length fea- the story, the publication or website in which the article I look forward to working with all of you this coming tures, spot news/game coverage and enterprise/investiga- appeared and the date of publication with each entry. year. If you ever have an issue or a concern or a sugges- tive stories. Send entries to: tion on how to make the USBWA a better place to be part Only dues-paying members of the USBWA are eli- Joe Mitch of, call me or drop me an e-mail. Or, if you’re visiting Las gible to enter the writing contest. Members may enter USBWA Writing Contest Vegas, I’d love to meet up with you in person. more than one category but may submit only one entry 1818 Chouteau Ave. This is your organization. Together we can make it per category. St. Louis, Mo. 63103 something we can all be proud to be part of. In the mean- Plaques and cash prizes will be awarded in each cat- (314) 421-0339 time, everyone hang in there and let’s hope we can all egory. or e-mail entries to [email protected] ride out this economic storm that is rocking our industry. BASKET B A L L T IMES The United States Basketball Writers Association 1818 Chouteau Avenue Detroit was place to be St. Louis, Mo. 63103 Visit us at: www.usbwa.com 314-421-0339 Fax: 314-421-3505, 314-421-6120 for annual awards breakfast Detroit might not have been the most popular PRESIDENT – Steve Carp, Las Vegas choice for the men’s Final Review-Journal; O: 702-387-2913; Four for fans and maybe Joe Mitch H: 702-243-9109; C: 702-528-2790; even the media, but it [email protected] turned out to be a good one USBWA FIRST VICE PRESIDENT – Bryan Burwell, for this year’s U. S. Bas- St. Louis Post-Dispatch, ketball Writers Association O: 314-340-8185; H: 636-536-0332, college basketball awards Executive Director C: 314-603-0463; breakfast. [email protected] The annual event at- SECOND VICE PRESIDENT – Lenox tracted a sold-out crowd Rawlings, Winston-Salem Journal; of more than 300 people to H: 336-272-2029; C: 336-580-5023; [email protected] see presentation of the USBWA’s player and coach of the sented izzo with the award. THIRD VICE PRESIDENT/ TIPOFF EDITOR year awards at the downtown Detroit Athletic Club. The breakfast began with the introduction of several – John Akers, Basketball Times, It was one of the USBWA’s most successful and en- members from MSU’s 1979 national championship team. C: 612-718-4661; H: 704-849-8627; tertaining Final Four breakfasts, where fans have a chance They received plaques commemorating the 30th anniver- [email protected] to see up close and personal some of the top names in col- sary of their NCAA title. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – Joe Mitch, lege basketball. Seth Davis of CBs and Sports Illustrated set the Missouri Valley Conference, Oscar Robertson was there to help present the player stage for the occasion with a look back at the champion- O: 314-421-0339; H: 314-227-9113; of the year trophy named after him to Oklahoma’s Blake ship game with Indian State and the match up between C: 314-795-6821; [email protected] Griffin.