Both sides of the microphone
By Michael Fletcher
For the Emerald
Many athletes see the media as
a vacuum cleaner ready to suck
out all the dirt and scum that lies
on the surface of those hot rumors
floating around. Others look at the
media as just plain old curious
people who act as detectives to
seek the information the public
craves.
I have mixed feelings due to the
fact that I stand on both ends of the
spectrum. Over the summer, I have
been interning at KMTR, the local
NBC affiliate, with sports director
Joe Giansante. Through the intern
ship, I have developed a great feel
for what it’s like being the person
who dishes out the questions that
athletes are somewhat reluctant to
answer. I also know what it’s like
to be on the other end of those
questions, and let me tell you, it is
great when you are winning and it
sucks when you’re losing. But the
bottom line is that the media have
to give credit where credit is due.
As far as athletes go, we have to
understand that if we don’t per
form at a desired level on and off
the field, then that creates room for
us to be criticized whether we like
it or not.
For example, this past season the
Oregon football team lost to UCLA
39-31 in a game that we truly
should have won. I was visibly
frustrated and mad as I drifted into
the media room following the
game.
I was approached by a reporter
who asked, “Did you feel the de
fense lost the game?” I took of
V • * • * 9 S» '9 9
Reporter’s
NOTEBOOK
fense to that because I thought the
whole team could have done a lit
tle something different to change
the outcome. I eventually an
swered his question, but I won
dered to myself, did this reporter
understand that questions like
this can bring out a lot of frustra
tion in someone who is not as
mild-tempered as me?
1 didn’t know if the reporter
was really seeking information or
trying to get under my skin. There
are only a few different stances
one can take when asked obvious
questions: either take the Fifth
like Chicago White Sox outfielder
Albert Belle or do what guys like
NBA veteran Charles Barkley
have mastered and simply reply
with a cliche.
Whether by working with Gi
ansante at KMTR or taking KVAL
sportscaster Walt Fox’s sports
journalism class, I’m starting to
understand what the pros and
cons are in the media, especially
when dealing with athletes and
coaches. I already have an idea of
what types of questions to ask
someone when conducting an in
terview because of that experi
ence of being on the other side of
the questions, so I try not to cross
that barrier that many other re
porters may cross.
We have people out there like
Jim Rome, of Fox Sports’ “The
Last Word,” who constantly push
people to the limit with his ques
tions and badger those who de
cline to answer. The relationship
between the media and the athlete
has changed over the years, and I
feel this is why the athlete-media
relationship has become malig
nant.
In the ’40s, ’50s and '60s, re
porters and athletes would hang
out like buddies all the time. As
players’ salaries started to rise
from thousands of dollars to mil
lions, a big social gap opened be
tween the two professions, and
the media became the enemy.
On the college level, the media
and athletes have had their ups
and downs, but where would col
lege athletics be without the me
dia? Athletes have to realize when
we do something wrong, it will ap
pear in the news, and when we do
something good, it might show up.
Sports Briefs
Oregon women
sign pole vaulter
The Oregon women’s track
and field team has signed pole
vaulter Niki Reed to a letter of
intent, it was announced Fri
day.
Reed, a recent graduate of
Newport High School, set the
state prep record with a vault
11 feet, 9 inches in the Oregon
3A meet at Hayward Field in
May.
The record was formerly
held by current Duck vaulters
Karina Elstrom and Holly
Speight.
Elstrom, a sophomore, qual
ified for both the indoor and
outdoor NCAA Champi
onships this past season, as
did Speight for the outdoor
event.
Reed is the fifth recruit to
sign with Oregon women’s
track and field head coach
Tom Heinonen this spring.
"Niki shows great potential
for the future,’” Heinonen
said. “She’s tall and athletic
and has a great future in the
vault. Lots of people who saw
her at the state meet thought
she's destined to be a 13-foot
er, and she'll make a great ad
dition."
Nike Masters Games
begin this weekend
The Nike World Masters
Games, the largest participato
ry multi-sport event in the
world, will be held in Oregon
August 9 through 21.
While a majority of the
games’ events will be held in
the Portland Metro area, the
baseball competition will be
held in Salem, the kayaking
portion in Bend and the athlet
ics, or track and field events,
will be based at Hayward Field.
Held previously in Brisbane,
Australia, in 1994, the games
attracted 15,000 athletes in 25
sports. The athletics portion of
the competition is expected to
draw 2,000 athletes and their
entourages to Eugene.
Although the event is run by
a non-profit corporation, the
World Masters Games for the
first time has sponsorship from
major companies like United
Airlines, Visa, and the title
sponsor, Nike.
The competition will feature
athletes age 30 and above from
more than 70 countries and is
expected to include 1984
Olympic marathon champion
Joan-Benoit Samuelsson in the
women’s 20,000-meter race.
Effierald
CLASSIFIEDS
Call 346-4343
or stop by Suite 300 EMU
to place your ad today
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120 MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE
Make this the
summer for great
clothes!
The Clothes Horse'
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Find q(D^L stuff in the ODE
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Horoscope by Frances Drake
For Tuesday, Aug. 4, 1998
ARIES
(March 21 to April 19)
You are poised to make a differ
ence, and people will turn to you for
resources. Your generosity and al
truistic spirit will be greatly appre
ciated.
TAURUS
(April 20 to May 20)
You can learn by listening care
fully to someone with a radically
different background. If you’ve been
neglecting a partner, make amends.
GEMINI
(May 21 to June 20)
Unless all parties concerned sit
down and hash things over, rumors
will continue to undermine the truth.
Pay attention to recurring patterns.
CANCER
(June 21 to July 22)
Put emotional and health concerns
foremost. Unless you nurture your
self first, you will be unable to help
when another comes to you.
LEO
(July 23 to Aug. 22)
Love, sex, power and money are
finally within your reach. Just don't
let your ego explode out of control as
you achieve all your worldly desires.
VIRGO
(Aug. 23 to Sept 22)
You will be called upon to push
yourself to the limit. Dragging your
feet will only make a necessary task
seem like more of a chore.
LIBRA
(Sept. 23 to Oct. 22)
Your thirst for new knowledge will
lead you into an unsettling situa
tion. Keep your wits, and you will
escape the adventure unscathed.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 23 to Nov. 21)
Speak your mind, and you’ll be
surprised how many others share
your secret ambitions. Put together
that business plan and catch
someone’s attention.
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22 to Dec. 21)
Making money will be first on your
agenda. While your intentions are
good, you may be missing the point
in your quest for success.
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22 to Jan. 19)
Make the most of a situation that
unexpectedly puts you in the lime
light. An interesting invitation will
be issued by an attractive stranger.
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)
Some emotional turmoil is just a
passing phase. A little patience and
perseverance will go a long way in
smoothing out difficulties,
pioppc
(Feb. 19 to March 20)
Your recent hard efforts will fi
nally be noticed and rewarded. Be
sure to help a friend who comes to
you during a personal crisis.
YOU BORN TODAY are cautious
by nature, always taking time to
mull over the pros and cons of every
decision. This ability will ensure that
you succeed in business matters, but
bear in mind that matters of the
heart cannot always be so carefully
planned.
Birthdate of: Yasser Arafat, PLO
leader; Roger Clemens, baseball
player; Billy Bob Thornton, actor.
C 1996 King Features Syndicate Inc.
120 MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE
$$Give Me Five!®
Run your “FOR SALE” ad (items
under $1,000) for 5 days. If the
item(s) doesn't sell, call us at
346-4343 and we'll run your ad
again for another 5 days FREE!
^Student/Private Party Ads Only * No Refunds
130 CARS/TRUCKS
SEIZED CARS from $175. Porsch
es, Cadillacs, Chevys, BMW's,
Corvettes. Also Jeeps, 4WD's.
Your Area. Toll free 1-800-218
9000 ext. A-2063 for current list
ings.
CARS FOR $100
Upcoming sales of gov’t seized, and
surplus sports cars, trucks, 4x4s. 1
800-863-9868, ext. 1552
1974 GMC 4x4 pick-up
1/2 ton heavy. $2,000/obo.
Call John at 683-8334 (evenings)
130 CARS/TRUCKS
’81 Accord LX AC,PS. very de
pendable, low miles on new engine
$1200. Joe 344-7266
150 TV & SOUND SYSTEMS
CASH! We Buy, Sell & Service VHS
VCR's and Stereos Thompson
Electronics, 1122 Oak, 343-9273
160 PETS & SUPPLIES
FREE KITTENS!!
12 weeks old. 2 white w/ black, 1
black w/ while. Call 687^4726
175 WANTED
Spanish-English Bilinguals
Needed! If you are a right-handed
native Spanish speaker between
18 and 40 years of age and have
a good command of English,
come and help us by participating
in our brainwave experiment. You
can earn up to $35! If you can get
a friend to participate, we will also
pay you $5 per triend. For more in
formation, call the Brain Develop
ment Lab, 346-4248, or e-mail to
hanami@braindev.uoregon.edu
Off the mark_by Mark Parisi
1 K££p i-taviMG fAUbC ZAftoR... rf's
PA79£R M/sloy/NlG. -ThiRCC 7/M^6
lhl7£'RRoP72'D Hy D/NM£fR ,TvJlC^
ir <3oTHi' OUT of Th1£ 6>/oW£fR.-.
& www.offthemark.com v
iA«LV SiGrAS Of
180TRAVELS LODGING
Traveling soon? Start your credit,
receive airline tickets. $239 round
trip anywhere in the USA. $250 oft
Europe. Call now 485-8839.
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The Oregon Daily Emerald assumes no
liability for ad content or response. Ads are
screened for illegal content and mail order
ads must provide a sample of item for sale.
Otherwise, ads that appear too good to be
true, probably are.
Respond at your own risk.
FREE CASH GRANTS!
College. Scholarships. Business.
Medical Bills. Never Repay. Toll Free
1 -800-218-9000 Ext. G 2063
200 WORK STUDY POSITIONS
Now hiring work study qualified
students as office assistants for typ
ing, filing and general office duties.
$7.50 per hour. Flexible hours,
though 8 a.m.-12 p.m. or 3 p.m.-5
p.m. would be most helpful. Fill out
application at 320 Chapman Hall.
See Janice or call 346-2514.
Now hiring work study qualified
students to help our faculty with re
search projects. $8.00 per hour.
Graduate students welcome to ap
ply. Flexible hours. Fill out applica
tion at 320 Chapman Hall. See Ja
nice or call 346-2514.
Campus Recycling Now Hiring
for Fall Term 1998!
Student recycler positions available
for Work Study/Tech Fee only begin
ning Fall term. Leave message with
a mailing address to obtain applica
tion. Contact Campus Recycling at
346-1529.
205 HELP WANTED
38 Immediate Openings
Start at $11.35 tir/app
FT/PT. No experience necessary.
Will train. Retail/custumer service.
Conditions apply. Call Mon-Wed.
6«5-97l9
Software test engineer for leading
edge company. Proficient with MS
Windows, logic skills. Full or pari
time. Fax resume: HR Dept., Aveo
Inc. 687-1551.
205 HELP WANTED
Work with autistic children (ages 4
6) in specific educational program.
Previous child exp. a must. 1 yr
min. commitment. Contact Elaine
485-7760 or Vickie 343-5069
Needed 47 people to lose up to 30
pounds in 30 days. All natural,
doctor recommended, guaranteed.
1-800-444-8135. k
CRUISE SHIP & LAND-TOUR
JOBS- Excellent benefits. World
Travel. Ask us how! 517-324-3090
ext. C60696
The Designated Driver Shuttle is
accepting applications for Drivers,
Navigators and Dispatchers for 98
99 school year. Valid Drivers Li
cense with clean record recom
mended. Pay starts at $6.50/hr.
with performance based wage in
creases. Applications available in
Suite 5 EMU; apply online at http://
dds.uoregon.edu/employ.html or
call 346-RIDE for more information.
DDS is an AA/EOE/ADA employer.
Now hiring Assistant Resident Man
ager for apartment complex. $200
rental discount. Please send resume
and cover letter to: Manager, 90 Sil
ver Lane 1B, Eugene. OR 97404
Student to work part time in Mo
lecular Biology purchasing dept, for
receipt/delivery of items. Prefer sci
ence background. Contact Diana
Tetro 346-5175.
MAKE SOME MONEY
AND HAVE SOME FUN!
The Oregon Daily Emerald Is
looking for people to hand out
football previews at Autzen
Stadium before home football
>. Yjptties. | -s
Apply at: Suite 300 EMU The
Oregon Daily Emerald is an
Equal Opportunity Employer,
committed to a culturally
diverse workplace.
Run poster sales on college cam
puses. Great opportunity to travel.
Guaranteed salary plus expenses.
Call Trent Graphics for more infor
mation 800-821-9489
SEEKING MARY POPPINS
Career salaries up to $3200/ month
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Call Oregon Nannies 343-3755
web site: www.oregonnannies.com