WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Fastpitch Johnny. July 9, 2004, Part Three: When the New York Times and the Gannett paper can devote reams of coverage to the boring pro golf tour, the NASCAR circuit, athletes’ steroid problems, soccer, track, gymnastics, as they have done this week, and now the ridiculous coverage of the Greek soccer team (who cares?), and the Tour de France (bicycling racing – now if they bet on the cyclists, that might be a story) — and print as news the most minor of transactions, it is a major crime against womens sports in the New York area not to cover Juggernaut games.
At least give the scores and the standings. Really.
GORDON’S PANTHERS, In blue, from Southern California toured and showcased their legendary fastpitch prowness June 24 to 27 in Edison, N.J. Girls who play for the elite fastpitch travel teams of America are hoping the National Pro Fastpitch league survives for their future in the game they love. Photo by WPCNR Sports
Times does not know a Naut from a Knick. But Knicks play far uglier.
WPCNR interviewed the Sports Editor of The New York Times, Tom Jolly, and asked him why the Times was not following Juggernaut games.
Jolly said it was basically a lack of space, with 11 pro sports teams to cover, and the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees and Newark Bears all demanding coverage. He also said he had not been receiving results on the Associated Press wire, and suggested that the Juggernaut get their games and results on the AP wire.
Asked why the Times printed Yankee, Mets, Liberty and Metrostars schedules and ticket information, and not the Nauts, Jolly said he would consider doing so, if informed of the schedule, but again used lack of space as a consideration.
Again, the Juggernaut management claim the Times has been given extensive material on schedules, players, results. Mr. Jolly knows nothing about it. Are you kidding us, New York Times?
WPCNR did not ask if Jolly considered the Nauts a minor league team, which they are definitely not, being the only professional women’s fastpitch softball league, recognized by Major League Baseball.
All the Sports You Least Want to Know About.
The Juggernaut General Manager Richard Perrotty told WPCNR last week that the Juggernaut sends box scores and game recaps to the Associated Press every game, as well as to the New York Times Sports Editor. Results are even sent to a woman reporter at the times. Whoever is feeding material to Mr. Jolly obviously is making very bad editorial decisions as to what Mr. Jolly sees.
When the New York Times can cover Olympic Gymnastics on their Sports Section front page as they did last Tuesday, and do a feature on kayaking as they did July 1, I suggest they are out of touch. You can do a story on The Juggernaut after the first third of the season if you had any fairness or sense of sports news.
To Run a National Title IX Story and Ignore Nauts Is Hypocrisy.
Tuesday morning, June 29, the Times Sports Section ran an extensive sports story on Title IX as it applies to high school sports, using a softball player in a visual. The story detailed a number of Title IX suits involving school districts being sued by parents of softball teams for unequal facilities compared to boys baseball.
This compounds the Times felony against fastpitch.
Mr. Jolly, you’re ignoring fastpitch in your own town!
The Title IX article was a typical self-righteous Times article that appears to be so politically correct.
The articles goes on to detail the discrimination against girls (not to mention the manipulation and downright physical abuse of players by overpitching them that is typical of high school softball), across the country.
How About Title IX for the Media.
WPCNR suggests that Title IX should be applied to the men who run the media, too, and for the Times to ignore the National Pro Fastpitch league and the local Nauts as they have is simply wrong.
The attitude towards women in sports is still pretty awful. I daresay that we do not care about the hiring of new coaches at colleges I never heard of in the Times results columns, when National Pro Fastpitch standings and results could be appearing in that space.
Tuesday’s section even has a long critique of ESPN’s telecast of the Arena Football Bowl. They could have done a similar story on the YES telecast of the Juggernaut.
Associated Press: “It’s softball, isn’t It?”
Unfortunately, Mr. Jolly won’t be seeing Juggernaut results on the Associated Press wire any time soon. The AP doesn’t consider softball a sport. The Trenton bureau reporter of the Associated Press told WPCNR they do not cover the Juggernaut results, asked why, he said “well, it’s just softball, isn’t it?”
NOT COVERED: Amanda Scott, Juggernaut Pitcher has won eight games in a month in the NPF with a gaudy 0.60 E.R.A. She does not make the AP Wire.Photo, NY-NJ Juggernaut.
Tom Canavan, the Newark-based AP Bureau reporter told WPCNR that he was aware of the Juggernaut, but that the decisions as to what was carried on the AP “Agate” sportswire, as he termed it, were made in New York
Terri Taylor, a woman, is Sports Editor for the Associated Press in New York was contacted by WPCNR and asked for an explanation why the AP was not covering National Pro Fastpitch .
No Demand.
Ms. Taylor told WPCNR Tuesday afternoon, June 29, when asked why the AP wire was not carrying National Pro Fastpitch results, said,
“We don’t have any demand for it. None of our newspapers have shown any interest in it. It would be extremely difficult for us to chase down the results at night. There’s also a lack of space. I just got back from a sports editors convention (in Philadelphia), and the editors said they are even having trouble fitting in women’s basketball coverage.” WPCNR pointed out the Juggernaut had been sending results daily to [email protected], and Taylor said she’d be glad to cover them if they sent her the material and said she had to take another call.
WPCNR pointed out to Ms. Taylor that Aaron Moore National Pro Fast pitch headquarters in Denver, Colorado, has told WPCNR he has been sending league updates once a week and scores daily to the Associated Press and ESPN and major media, care of [email protected].
It’s Clear: Media Ignoring National Pro Fastpitch.
Has-beens and hooligans of the National Football League, washed up heavyweights, bicyclists, sportscar drivers, horses, drafts of players no one knows, and the latest Yankee parasite problem are more interesting to sports editors today.
Upright, outstanding intelligent women players, smart enough to negotiate their own contracts, teach and coach on the college level and still play a caliber of game that is fun to watch, economical to attend, and fun to see at the ballpark are not.
Even though they give 110%.
WHITE PLAINS KELSEY KULK in right for the Brooklyn Beach Girls. June 24. Edison, New Jersey in the setting softball sun. The National Pro Faspitch league is for the millions like Kelsey who dream of a professional league of their own. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
