The Golden State Warriors organization has been more blogger-friendly in the last few years as they've opened up "the media" to mean bloggers in addition to established print and online media sources such as The San Jose Mercury or Contra Costa Times. This year, they named the annual Media Day function as "Tweetia Day," which included bloggers like Golden State of Mind.
Besides the excitement of sound bites from players about what to expect in the upcoming season, being a blogger at an event like this can be amazing and somewhat uncomfortable for all the swag but also not knowing your role as a blogger, a journalist in your own right, but not at the same time. Thinking about blogging and want to know what you expect to see at Media Day? Click to find out...
Rich Twu of Golden State of Mind attended Media Day hoping to get a few questions from Golden State Mind-ers answered. But Rich learned more about the etiquette of being a writer/blogger and the perks that come with it.
What kinds of questions should you ask a player? Don't question player's commitment and 'love for the game.'
At one point one of the senior writers (I'm not up to speed with my names and faces) asked Monta something to the effect of, "At what point last season did you get your head back in the game?"
Monta responded with, "I'm not going to answer that," to which Steinmetz sneered -- wait, he's always sneering -- and came to Monta's defense, saying something to the effect of, "That's like asking him if he cares about the game."
So, don't ask these type of questions because other writers may put you on blast more than actual players!
Want to know the difference between bloggers and "real" journalists? Here are how Rich sees it playing out at Media Day:
Traditional media: Interviews with superstars, big questions. Bloggers: Everything else, small questions.
Traditional media: Assumes what fans want to hear. Bloggers: Let fans tell them what they should ask.
Traditional media: Big, heavy, obtrusive equipment. Bloggers: The smartphone, can be tweeting anytime.
Traditional media: Fancy production to be broadcast soon. Bloggers: Tweets and blogposts, instantaneous to 48 hours.
Traditional media: Who said what? Bloggers: What was it like being there?
Seems like bloggers still have a ways to go on the pecking order when it comes to our privileges as writers! But at least we have unlimited access to players like Vernon Goodridge. Who's that, you might be asking.
Over at the table nearest the weight room was Vernon Goodridge sitting all by himself. Literally just sitting there. I decided to go over and introduce myself. After all, after closely following Jeremy Lin's last two years at Harvard, I've developed a keen interest in how rotation players are able to make the NBA their livelihood even if they are not superstars.
Goodridge, a 6'9" power forward, explained his path to the NBA. He had graduated from LaSalle University and was taking some online classes to finish up around April, as most collegians with a shot at making basketball a career do. He then went briefly to the Dominican Republic to play some pro ball. After that brief stint, he went back to Philly and had a tryout with the 76ers. He got picked to play on their Summer League team (which took place in Orlando), then had a good showing where he blocked some shots, then he got picked up by the Warriors.
Rich had minimal face time with Monta, barely catching him on his way out with a question about any new tattoos. But from his adventures, we got a front row to fire away questions at pre-season invitees or the next 15th man on the roster!
At any rate, don't be afraid to get out there if you're a blogger. Join in on the media activities, as soon as you can...at least for the free swag!