Endings like this give everyone an adrenaline rush, including the writers.
The writers I've been around did not get into sportswriting because they wanted
to report on a players DUI. They got into them because, as a kid, they had a
passion for sports. Because of games that left them with incredible memories.
Like last night.
But it will also be memorable because of what a writer must go through during
a Monday night game. Does anyone care' Who knows.
First off, deadlines are a bear because of these games. For me, I had to send
a grade box and notes to the Examiner by 11:45 ET. The game story had to be in
at 12:10. OK, I said. No problem. But what if the game is too close to call'
Don't worry, they told me.
So I turned in the grades, which had F's for both quarterback Mark Brunell
and the offensive line. There was a D for the overall grade and a shot at Joe
Gibbs and his offense.
Then came the first touchdown.
Get me rewrite.
I turned to a writer and said, ''They can't possibly do this, can they'''
The first touchdown came around midnight and I immediately sent in a new
grade for the quarterback, raising him to a D and tweaking some other comments
about turning points, etc. All the while I'm polishing my game story, which was
written based off a Dallas win. At 13-0, that appeared to be a safe angle.
For a few minutes it didn't appear I'd need to change much else. The Cowboys
picked up a first down and then got another inside the Washington 40. Except
Flozell Adams was called for a penalty, wiping out the second one. Washington
had new life.
And I started to worry about my deadlines and getting my stories in. I'm all
for a dramatic finish, but I also know the later it goes, the fewer papers my
story gets into.
By now, I started to redo parts of my game story, knowing things could
change.
And then came the 70-yard bomb. Which were followed by expletives up and down
the press box. It's not that anyone wanted to see Washington win or lose.
Reporters don't root, or at least those who are professional aren't supposed to.
But now it wasn't just parts of stories that needed to be rewritten, it was
entire stories. Editors had to be called several times.
So I hammered away, changing the lead, altering paragraphs to reflect a
Redskins win. Then I changed the grades, bumping Brunell to a C+ and altering
comments in the grade box. And I changed the wording of the notes. Funny, I have
to write something under a header called Difference Maker. I already had Mark
Brunell in there, but for the wrong reasons. So I re-worded that.
Just in time for the ensuing kickoff and more panic. And more expletives. Who
the heck would win this game' And would anyone read about it the next day'
Now, with major portions of rewriting being done I had to worry about another
score, which would change the tone of the story again. Also, some grades would
need to change as well.
But, thanks to the Redskins' defense, I could exhale after only four more
plays.
I've never watched an ending quite like that one. I've never endured 20
minutes like that as a writer. It's an ending you always want to see; it's not
an experience I want to repeat.