A Stand-up Day

Photo By: Nikki Romanuk Patriots Practice

 The next week I would be able to go to the Patriots practice with Walt again. Going to the practice was becoming my weekly routine. I would go not only to help Walt out, but also to learn about reporting. Walt would also allow me to shoot some stand-ups which I am trying to get better at.

Preparation

Something I am beginning to notice is that I am not good at talking about sports. The night before I write out different ideas and bullet points I will like to talk about in my introduction segment and in the closing segment, but even with preparation and practice I am not a very skilled reporter. The night before I went to the practice which was Tuesday night, I researched the Patriots and the Colts, I read the press releases that both teams sent out, and I read the transcripts from interviews conducted earlier in the week. 

I know that the Patriots would talk about Aqin Talib, he is the new cornerback the team acquired during the bye week, and I knew he would be a story topic. I wrote down bullet points on him and the team, and practiced talking about the team and Talib. I practiced the whole night, fell asleep figuring out what I was going to say, and spent the whole car ride, ( which is over and hour) practicing.

Walt and I drove to practice, but this week the schedule was messed up. Normally we have Tom Brady talk, then open locker-room, lunch, Bill Belichick press conference and practice, but his week we had lunch Bill Belichick press conference, and practice. Tom Brady did not talk and the open locker-room was not until later in the day. Walt and I ate lunch an hung out for a bit, watched the press conference and made our way to the field for practice. 

Practice 

Photo By Nikki Romanuk Patriots Practice

At practice we knew we needed to get footage of Talib and a list of other players. I decided I was going to talk to other reporters and get the feel for how other people got to where they are. I had recognized a guy that does the Patriots All Access and stuff for the website and talked to him for a bit. I am realizing that most people have no idea what they are going to talk about until that day. A craft I hope to master. 

At one point in the practice, Walt said, are you ready? I thought to myself “ready for what?” Then I realized he meant ready to shoot my stand-up. If I was nervous before, I was more nervous now. I had to shoot the stand-up in front of other reporters, and the Patriots, granted the players were practicing but still. I let my insecurities get the best of me and fumbled my words around. I managed to get a few good takes but nothing nearly as good as the professional reporters. Here is a look at the final product.

 

Photo By: Nikki Romanuk Patriots Practice

Something I am struggling with is not being good. People, like Brendon, Chad, and Walt have to remind me that I am new at this, an you cannot run before you walk. I have to keep going out and doing stand-ups in order to be good. The next time I would be in studio would be Sunday for the Patriots and Celtics games. I am hoping to edit my stand-up and make it into a package. Until next time, as they say on TV, “I’m Nikki Romanuk, Fox Sports.”