Media Savvy
Still A Fan, But...
By Andrew Stockey

I have a confession. I am a member of the one of the most-hated groups in this country.

The media. The stinking media.

While I cover high school sports more often than I report on Barry Bonds, pro athletes lump me in with this group known as the media. We have been blamed for everything from the fall of western civilization to global warming. We're called intrusive and overbearing - and those are some of the nicer things they say about us.

I'm not here to fight the battle between the media and athletes. It's a fight that will be waged forever, with little chance for resolution. Our relationship has been adversarial - with each side deserving some blame.

But the media isn't out to get anyone. We are fans at heart - always have been. We love sports and each of us has enjoyed a moment when the game became part of us.

That moment for me was 1978. Growing up in Connecticut, my favorite team was the Boston Red Sox. They led the New York Yankees by 14 games at one point that summer. However, these were the pre-2004 Red Sox. The Curse of the Bambino. Sure enough, the Sox lead dwindled to nothing. The Yankees miraculously caught them and forced a one-game playoff.

Despite having home field - and the lead on that October afternoon - Boston faltered. This time with one swing of the bat. A home run by Bucky F. Dent (you know what the "F" stands for) gave the Yankees a lead they would never relinquish. Following the final out...I cried.

It was a first for me. Sure, at age 9, I had cried before because of more important events - not getting a cookie, skinning my knee, going to bed early - but this was a first. A tear induced by the outcome of a sporting event.

Those tears continued to flow for the next 27 years - at least symbolically. Sporting events move me in a way no other activity does. Sports were a passion for me then and it's what continues to drive me even today.

When I cover a Steelers' game, I'm not looking to play the blame game or get an athlete in a post-game contest of "gotcha." I would much rather report on an exciting victory or a heartbreaking defeat. I go to PNC Park not looking for another reason to blast the Pirates, but rather hoping I will be a witness to a magical moment.

We all - at some point - have been touched by the magic of the games we cover. We are all sports fans at heart.

Unfortunately, the games we grew up admiring have been tarnished and tainted by real life. Steroids, drugs, crime and avarice. On the other side, coverage of sports is affected by ratings and the drive to cover controversy. These are realities that affect sports and sports journalism.

So athletes and fans out there, don't blame the media for everything. Sure, much of what is bad about sports gets more play than what is good, but that is not our desire. It's our job. While we are all fans first, we have a higher duty as journalists. For better of worse, that supersedes our passion as fans.

Andrew Stockey is sports anchor for WTAE-TV.