fshorr's blog

I want to start off by saying I don’t think you’re putting it bluntly at all Jake, as I’ve had many professors, friends and family say those exact words to me when I tell them what my major is. While there are certainly other factors at play in finding a job in the field of communications or journalism, you can’t help but notice that a huge factor is knowing somebody or knowing somebody that knows somebody. I’m experiencing this first hand as I have been applying for numerous full-time jobs and I have begun to go back to past internships, family friends, or other contacts who have mentioned throughout my college career to come back and contact them once I was about to graduate. It’s a competitive world out there and I for one am going to use any connection I have to try and get a leg up. As Jared said, “be aggressive.”

In terms of the seminar, I took away a few major themes that I could relate to. One big one was when Jared talked about always having a chip on his shoulder and how it’s helped him to be as successful as he is today.

Being an athlete my entire life, I was like Jared in the fact that I always played with a chip on my shoulder, no matter how big or small the stage was. Sometimes it was when I was young and playing pickup baseball or basketball with my friends. If someone got picked ahead of me while making teams, I would always go out and do my best to outperform whoever it was that was picked over me. When it came to high school sports, anytime an opposing player or coach, or even my own coach, criticized or doubted me, I made it my job to go out and prove them wrong. I’m a competitive person, (some may so overly competitive) but it’s helped me get to where I am today. I take any type of criticism or doubt I get from people about my work, and I use it as motivation to get better the next time and prove them wrong. So while having that big chip on your shoulder can be harmful at times, it doesn’t have to be if you use it to motivate you to put out your best work. That’s what I try to do and it seems as though Jared does a good job of it as well.

Something else I took away deals with social media and it’s something I always look for when deciding who I want to follow on Twitter when it comes to sports reporters or personalities. I’m referring to Joon speaking about how he doesn’t only limit himself to baseball on his twitter account, but that he tweets about a vast array of other topics as well.

When it comes to following sports reporters or personalities on twitter, obviously the way they present news about my favorite teams or sports and the type of news they present is the number one reason I will follow them. But another big factor depends on how entertaining they are as well. I, for one, can’t stand the people who only tweet on a game day or night, live tweet the game, and then put up a recap or feature and that’s all you’ll hear from them until next game. Where’s the emotion? Where’s the humor? I absolutely love baseball writers who comment on the Super Bowl, or football writers who give their opinion on the Grammy’s, or a hockey writer who just likes to talk about everyday things. It shows you have a personality outside of your specific craft and that you are in touch with what’s going on in the sports world and general world around you. I think that makes a good journalist, being able to not only talk about what you specifically cover, but being in tune enough to talk about other things as well. Joon does that as well as Jared and I think it’s no coincidence that you find them on the 75 best twitter follows in Boston sports.

As Professor Shorr said, we are all newcomers now in a digital age of journalism. If we follow the paths of Jared and Joon, that is being aggressive, not being afraid to ask for help, and always using that chip on your shoulder (in a positive way), then I think we’ll be alright. And hey, maybe one day you’ll see your name on the list of the 75 best twitter followers in the state. That’s what we’re all aiming towards right?

Listen to the second episode of Smooth JA! https://soundcloud.com/andrew-battifarano/smooth-ja-episode-2

I’m splitting off from Judy and Andrew again this week because I’ve managed to come down with a convenient flu bug that took my voice away somewhat — not exactly conducive to a podcast format.

Nonetheless, ever since I heard that Joon was going to be one of our panelists this season, I was completely thrilled for him to visit our class. I consider Joon to be one of my very good friends, and he and I communicate pretty frequently about sports, the business of journalism, and the challenges within it. I’ve been joking about how funny it was that the kid I hired two-and-a-half years ago when I was Sports Editor at The Daily Free Press is now speaking to my class — but as much as I joke about how I’m his former boss, I will forever be proud of everything Joon has accomplished, because he’s earned every ounce of it.

I heard plenty of whispers of “who is this guy?” when Prof. Shorr asked if Joon was even 21 yet and he replied, “no.” I understand everyone’s hesitation, to an extent, but I think it’s a bit premature to be judgmental or annoyed by Joon when he’s worked so hard to get where he is today. I’m frequently inspired by how willing Joon is to reach out to people, which he reiterated multiple times during the seminar. He’s been able to get some of my favorite journalists on his podcast, which wouldn’t be possible had he not simply asked. Like everyone has been saying, it’s pretty admirable how Joon is willing to let his guard down and just asks when he needs help. That’s certainly something I’ve been trying to learn — I hate asking people for favors, and I hate feeling like I’m inconveniencing people. But it’s reassuring to hear from both Joon and Jared Carrabis — whom I’ve sort of neglected to mention at this point, maybe just a bit of a friendship bias here? — that the worst you’re going to get is a no, and you just have to keep hustling.

Something else Joon pointed out that I think is crucial — and a lot of us take for granted — is how he feels very fortunate to be in a position where he can get away with not being paid for his work. He, and many of us, are in a position where the experience is what you’re hoping to gain at this point, and money comes secondary. That was a minor talking point from him, but something that struck me nonetheless, that we should feel grateful for the opportunities that we’ve had to this point and take full advantage of what we’ve been given.

As for various other takeaways, I think both Jared and Joon reflect an important shift in sports media — a more internet, viral-based focus. There’s a way to build a following on Twitter, without even necessarily the traditional journalism education, as is in Jared’s case, and anyone can build their brand with the right amount of work being put into it. Jared also showed me that you can be both a fan and good reporter. While I’m still hesitant about the merits of Barstool as a whole, I think Jared’s doing a lot of things the right way. I thought it was interesting, too, that he made the distinction of being a “writer” instead of a “journalist” — I think the label of “journalist” comes with a lot of implications that Jared noted he doesn’t necessarily fit by rarely going into the clubhouse, and I think it’s good when people recognize their limits and strengths and find a position that is comfortable for them. For Joon, that position comes from using his extensive connections and traditional media base. For Jared, that’s using his extensive knowledge of the Red Sox and their history plus his personality to build a name for himself. There are plenty of avenues and destinations, but the common denominator is hard work.

To kind of piggyback off of what Jake and Vanessa were saying, I agree that this seminar was a huge wake up call.

I remember before the seminar started, I was talking to Ashley and we were both confused as to how having such young guests was beneficial to our learning about the profession of sports journalism. However, once Jared Carrabis and Joon Lee started talking, it became apparent that we had a lot we could learn from them.

Joon is younger than I am and Jared is only a couple of years older, but their resumes are impressive for their age. Both Joon and Jared talked about getting involved with blogging at an early age. Joon had an internship when he was still in high school and Jared had been a Red Sox blogger back in the prehistoric MySpace days… so essentially, a really long time ago.

Oftentimes aspiring journalists, including myself, feel intimidated to put themselves out there. I always thought, “Why should I write about it? Why would anyone want to listen to me when they could listen to seasoned professionals in the business?” I learned from Joon and Jared that this is not the case. There are people out there who will read what you’re posting or Tweeting. Hell, Jared and Joon wouldn’t be two of the “75 Best Twitter Follows in Boston Sports” if someone along the way did not read their content. Even if no one reads it, it doesn’t mean young journalists shouldn’t try. Anything we write is content for our resume. As Jared said, “People who sit back and wait for opportunities will never get those opportunities.” I learned: be aggressive and make your own opportunities. And when those opportunities do come, make sure you have a kick-ass portfolio, whether it be like Joon’s profile on Mookie Betts or Jared’s Red Sox podcast.

This week’s seminar was a massive wake up call for me, as I said earlier. Joon and Jared were nice enough to come offer our class advice, but they are still our peers. This means that these are the kinds of people we will be competing for jobs with this year or next. That in and of itself was the biggest thing I learned from the seminar. It inspired me to beef up my resume and my Twitter presence. I actually now have set the goal for myself to start tweeting at least once a day about some development in Boston sports. I also have taken it upon myself to start reading some of Joon and Jared’s work, hoping to learn something. I’m sure I will.

Overall, this seminar taught me it’s okay to be aggressive. As young journalists, we cannot wait for opportunities to come our way or be afraid to ask for them in fear of being told no. We also can’t be afraid to ask in fear of being thought of as annoying. I’d much rather be annoying and employed than not-annoying and jobless. As Joon said, “You never want to feel regret that you wanted to do something but were too afraid to ask for it.” Preach, Joon.

“Create situations. Don’t wait for situations.” Jared Carrabis told our class at the end of last week’s seminar.

This was the quote that stood out to me the most from the conversation that night.

Why?

Because it reminded me (and I hope it reminded all of us) that I always have to be my biggest advocate in the cutthroat world of sports journalism/business. No one is going to hand me anything—I have to work for it. However, it’s not enough to say that my hard work will speak for itself. Doing the work is only half the battle—I have to be willing to defend and promote it.

As Professor Shorr alluded to in his post, it’s up to each of us to not only build but also to promote our personal brands. And that begins now, not after we enter the working world.

And that’s exactly what Jared Carrabis and Joon Lee did—and continue to do. Just look at Lee’s website—what a cool idea to incorporate his signature onto his homepage and make his brand stand out.

It’s not being selfish to push for yourself and ask for what you want. It’s being competitive. Just like the athletes they write about, sports journalists, like Carrabis, Lee, and many of our previous seminar guests, are competitors. They won’t back down without a fight. They’re willing to put in the time, effort, and—as Joon put it, “reps”—to keep moving forward and get to where they want to go.

Everyone’s career goals may be different, but I’ve noticed that the common trait that unites so many of our guests throughout this seminar is grit. They’ll do whatever it takes to gain experience, enhance their careers, shake the right person’s hand, and, at the end of the day, get the job done.

They’ve learned to balance being liked but also not caring about what other people think, which is a very hard thing to do. Jared admitted, “You have to get over the fact that you are being impolite or rude,” when answering the question of how he got over the hurdle of being a newcomer. However, he immediately followed that up by stressing the importance of “having people like you.”

Personally, striking this balance between likeability and assertiveness is SO much easier for guys, hands down. As a female entering the male-dominated golf industry, I know I’m going to face a lot of unspoken bias. It is going to be a lot more difficult for me to be liked AND—as Jared put it—“aggressive,” without running the risk of being called “bossy” or “demanding.”

In my corporate communication class we recently read a Fortune.com article titled, “The abrasiveness trap: high-achieving men and women are described differently in reviews.” The article discusses the role gender plays in employee feedback and cited some interesting results from a study analyzing performance reviews. The results? Women received more critical feedback than their male counterparts (87.9% versus 58.9%). Additionally, while most men were given “constructive suggestions” for “additional skills they can develop,” women were told to “pipe down.” As an example, one female employee received this review, “You can come across as abrasive sometimes. I know you don’t mean to, but you need to pay attention to your tone.”

What’s wrong with being a bit abrasive? As Carrabis said, “You can’t just be complacent and blend in. You have to know that you belong and if someone wants to challenge that, have at it.”

This is the attitude I must continue to adopt and work on. Obviously, I’m going to stay true to myself and my morals/values, but I also aim to be more aware of this bias. I must be unafraid to push for what I want, because who else will?

I like the way Jen McCaffrey, MassLive’s Red Sox beat reporter and often the only female in the Sox’s clubhouse, put it, “Keep grinding.”

That’s exactly what I’m going to do.

I wasn’t able to attend class when Jared Carrabis and Joon Lee visited, and I can see I missed out. The ages of both panelists coupled with their resumes are quite impressive.

Based on what my classmates wrote, Joon seemed intent on just wanting to write, and had a passion for doing so in any way possible. I admire that tenacity and drive and take it as the motivational push that I need to start marketing myself as a writer. Being in college still, I think Joon has really set out to make sure he puts himself in a position to get what he wants out of a career, and I have the utmost respect for that.

Jared Carrabis, on the other hand, I have a tough time speaking about, mostly because of some of his writing on Barstool Sports, a website for which I have little respect. Professor Shorr mentioned in his post that:

“Colleges are supposed to be the places where students learn a craft, acquire the tools…I’m not sure it works that way anymore, not entirely.”

I can see how Carrabis might have bypassed learning some of the craft of writing. Although he stated that he is a writer, not a journalist, I find it difficult for many sports fans or the average American reader to decipher between the two, especially with the influx of freelance bloggers taking over salaried sports reporters’ positions in newsrooms. Because of this, I feel Jared has more responsibility as a journalist than he thinks.

Unfortunately, Carrabis has chosen to use his position as a writer to cover more than just the Red Sox. In a piece published on the same day he paid a visit to our class, March 31st, he wrote about a woman who schooled a guy who asked her to name all the NL East teams. After the woman did so and told off the guy in the process, Carrabis had this to say:

“Okay, before we get into this story, let’s just address the elephant in the room. This girl has MONSTER titties. Now, to the text exchange. I’ve dated a girl who was a huge baseball fan before, and I’ve dated a girl who couldn’t name a single baseball player from any point in time. Honestly, I kind of prefer the non-baseball fan, because the baseball fan girlfriend is always going to try to impress you with her sports knowledge, and make everything a competition, because of some sort of inferiority complex, when guys really don’t care about that stuff. No guy is sitting there being like, wow, she knew that Harmon Killebrew was the 1969 AL MVP. I wish she’d 69 my face off right now. And the ex who was the huge baseball fan thought that her sports knowledge was earning her bonus points or something. You know what earns you bonus points? Having monster titties.”
http://www.barstoolsports.com/baseball/this-girls-tweet-is-going-viral-because-she-swerved-a-dude-by-naming-all-the-teams-in-the-nl-east/

I wish I didn’t have to use that quote verbatim because it’s vile and offensive, but in order to make my stance on Carrabis clear, I felt I needed to do so. Whether this piece was his idea or someone higher up asking him to write about it for “hits”, Carrabis’ words did an injustice to females– sports fans and journalists included—everywhere. Not only does Carrabis tell the woman in the article that her knowledge of sports will be a roadblock to any guy she wants to date, but he tells her a physical part of her body is more important than her love and knowledge of sports. What message does that send to younger, adolescent male audiences? Will they grow up thinking this is just “the way things are” and to go with it? I can only imagine that this piece was written for a specific group within the male audience, and that this would produce “hits” for Barstool Sports.

This got me thinking, where is the line between catering to your audience and tearing other groups of people down? Females in general and in the media (especially sports media) have a tough time as it is, so what drives someone like Jared to make it more difficult for women to be taken seriously? To me, this helps explain why there has actually been a .6 % decline in the number of females in newsrooms since 1999 and that the 2012 AP Sports Editors Racial and Gender Report gave both the total staff and sports editors an “F” rating for gender inclusion. There is this mentality in society, I believe, that women are not meant to like or report on sports, which Carrabis’ piece reinforces. In my opinion, it’s people like Carrabis who, although he deserves some credit for his ambition and tenacity at such a young age, will continue to smear groups of people and still be lauded for his hard work and dedication.

“You’re are already newcomers,” writes Professor Shorr in his blog this week. I agree with Professor Shorr but I think that the title newcomer comes even earlier than college. Jared Carrabis, of Barstool Sports, said he started writing Red Sox Nation when he was 16 years old on Myspace. Today, it is easier to write and become famous on the internet that the term “newcomer” should come into play before college. Not many places will take on interns at 13 years old, but it does not mean we can’t start the process there. I feel that as soon as you get a social media account or an iPhone, which happens at 8 years old for some kids today, you can become the newcomer. You have the ability to create something that people can really enjoy and can go viral all over the world.

However, that doesn’t mean you are only a newcomer because you create something. You can be a newcomer just by making connections. Carrabis explained that at 18, he was, “shaking hands and collecting business cards.” Today, half the battle is who you know and that’s exactly what Jared is talking about. All that shaking hands and collecting business cards can happen at a fairly young age, and if you’re only 13 years old, it may not mean much to the person on the other side of the handshake, but it is still part of becoming a newcomer. Once you know that person, you have the ability to take a huge leap just by wishing them a “happy holiday” once in awhile. If there is one thing I definitely learned at Boston University, it’s that people always remember the little things and something as simple as an email can go a long way. Making connections is part of the process and it can happen at any age, so in my mind, you can become a newcomer as soon as that happens. But you have to grab that opportunity when you get it and ride it out as long as you can.

This seminar had some fascinating ideas on newcomers and I found both Joon Lee, of the Cornell Daily Sun and Carrabis’ stories very interesting, but they were giving us advice that I felt I have heard time and time again. I am not trying to say I am better than anyone, but I do feel that I have been a newcomer just as long as these guys. That’s not to say I don’t have 100 more mistakes to make or I don’t need to learn anything else, but I feel like everyone was so blown away by these guys when they have the ability to do exactly what these guys did. You just have to do it like they did, by asking and trying. I just want to repeat that I am not trying to say I am better than anyone else, but like these guys, as soon as I walked into high school, I was approaching everyone for a job or internship and because of it I was able to run all the content for my schools MSG Varsity program and intern for the New York Cosmos in the summers going into my junior and senior years. Some people may have more opportunities than others, but everyone has an opportunity even if it’s just a small crack in a window. Like Professor Shorr explained, it can start as soon as you have your own website, Twitter page, or LinkedIn page.

Carrabis and Lee were 100 percent right and they made me feel great because by listening to them, I could feel how much they loved their work. It was not the crazy hype they were getting or the advice that they gave or their impressive resumes that made me enjoy them, it was the love that they showed for what they do and the amount of work they put in to get where they are now. They are obviously not at their pinnacle yet, but they proved the message Professor Shorr has reiterated this whole semester and they have done it at such a young age, “it beats working for a living.” They have achieved a place where they can already say it, but it does not mean they are the only ones who can do this. Many people will have to work their way up and it may not be as far, but it is possible and not based on luck. If you have the same love, passion, and the ability to ask like these guys then you can make it that far. They worked hard and were fearless in their approach so they succeeded. This is what makes them so great and they should have made everyone in the class realize that they can do this too. Carrabis and Lee definitely have talent and amazing skills, but they should not be treated as mythical gods because of it or how long their resumes are. They should be applauded for all the hard work and love they have for what they do. How bad do you want it? Ask Carrabis and Lee and they will give you the right answer.

“I am a writer not a journalist,” Carrabis said. So if Carrabis isn’t a journalist, at least according to him, does that mean he shouldn’t be part of the word journalism? Professor Shorr asked the class to define what journalism is, but I feel like there can be 100 ways to define it. So instead of thinking about a working definition for the rest of my life, I am just going to lay it out there. I think that after listening to all of these lectures, journalism is the act of getting news to someone in any way, shape, or form. If someone tweets, writes, says, or posts something that’s newsworthy or hasn’t been heard before, that is journalism. I know it sounds stupid and you have to go deeper and answer the question what is newsworthy, but that is exactly what I think journalism is. If I am gaining knowledge about something, I feel like it can be considered journalism. It sounds stupid, vague, and a way to get out of answering this question, but that is truly what I think it means. It doesn’t mean I think anyone can be a good journalist, but that’s another question that can have 100 definitions and would take me forever to answer so I am not even going to try and get into it.

I like what Jake said about this seminar being a “kick in the ass”—I think this entire semester has been one giant kick in the ass. Every time I turn around people are scooping up journalism jobs here and there just to get a foot in the door—oftentimes in areas where they really have no interest in going forward, but hey a start is a start.

One thing I took away from this seminar is the importance of grinding—the guys that work the hardest are going to have more and more opportunities come across their radar. I respect that. If you don’t put in the hours outside of the classroom or outside of projects—what’s the point? Now is the time to put your face out there while you are still getting an education. I think that every single one of us is prepared to do this because BU has given us the skills and tools that can carry us into a successful direction. BU has given us the tools and confidence to succeed in the real world and take on jobs that post-grads take while we are still in school.

That BU boast aside, I think now is just as important/easier than ever to make a splash in journalism. We always talk about how this digital age of social media has changed traditional journalism, but when you look at Joon and Jared, they were able to get their starts in journalism from social media, they got noticed by big companies and names because of their online presence. This is such a fantastic platform that I think as young people, this is our opportunity for a foot in the door. Other than a device, online positing is so cheap and sometimes virtually free. Also, you have a great audience in your friends that are connected to you on these sites—this provides an endless amount of opportunity to get your stuff out there, or just to get reps. Joon made a good point there too. He said that he uses every opportunity that someone extends him as another rep. The more practice the better—just like in sports. After all this is sports journalism, right?

Disagree with Venessa – agressiveness isn’t a boston exclusive

While I agre with Frank – college is huge

While I admire Jared and Joon for all they’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time, I think it’s important to remember that it’s not very common that their particular style of reporting always works as a career path. In Joon’s case, his resume is great, and as he said, he’s in a position where he doesn’t need make money. Well I am. But I except that at sometime very soon, his resume will translate into a legitimately consistent, decent paying job.

As for Jared, his situaiton is unique. Barstool is unprecedented. The ability to make that type of money while maintaining that amount of creative freedom is incredible, and hopefully will continue to develop and exist outside of just Barstool sports.

I think Jared is selling himself short when he says that he’s not a journalist. He uses a medium and style of his choice, to produce and communicate a story to an audience, through his specific voice. That to me makes him a journalist. We can argue about the quality of his work, but for me, he absolutely falls under the umbrella of journalism.

There are a couple things in the blog / comment that i really disagreed with this week. Vanessa claims that Jared’s aggressive attitude and style may not translate to other areas of the country. Well if you’re fortunate enough to get the job you want by being passive, good for you. But I, for one, cannot imagine a scenario where aggressive, determined, and motivated behavior does not get you where you want in life. The phrase “you can be anything you want if you work hard enough” is not only repeated in Boston.

I understand the point about Texas. I’ve been to the west a few times, I’ve been to many places in America, and outside of the country. Motivation, determination, and an unwavering desire to achieve your goals always translates. Maybe some places are a litter different, but you can’t take that chance.

While I agree with Franks point about students to really prioritize their work and image outside of the classroom, I personally find college to be an invaluable resource. You can be as motivated and talent as you want, but in the end, and Jared spoke to this, it comes down to who you know. Get out their and shake hands. Send thank you notes. Dress nice. Be professional, but also fun to be around. Never say no.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have a mentor at the Boston Globe (Kevin Paul Dupont) who has opened some doors for me that I thought would always be closed. I’ve had interviews and opportunities I’ve only ever dreamed of, and I’m only a few months in. Through him, I’ve met additional resources in the industry, and have started to utilize them just as much as I have Dupont.

As both Jared and Joon talked about, people need to like you. People have to want to work with you. This may seem like a snooty thing to say, but approaching this industry with the an extremely closed-minded approach about what journalism is and who journalists are, isn’t going to do you any favors. Be creative. Think outside the box. Be an interesting person. Stay true to your beliefs and and principles, but don’t be afraid to branch out. In this particular profession, your voice is going to determine your fate. Don’t be afraid to use it. Make it distinct.