In my opinion, that was the most interesting and beneficial segments of the conference call session. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to ask him two questions, including how he’s cultivated relationships with sources to break news and the difficulties of balancing a social/family life in this industry.
I was astounded by the advice he provided on both topics. He said that he connected to various players, coaches, and general managers by initiating conversations with them on topics outside of sports.
For Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, that topic was discussing Louisville. For Ray Allen, who Spears called a “media darling”, that topic was discussion about the inauguration of Barack Obama and the murder of Pakastani politician Benazir Bhutto. Regardless of the athletic figure, he always made an effort to connect with people outside of the sports realm.
"I will always find something to talk about so they get to know you as people and so they think you’re cool and open up to you," Spears said. "One of the things ive been blessed with in my career is to get the players to open up. My minor in psychology helped me more than you know.”
He also mentioned that he’s developed relationships with agents and people at Nike, which could bode well for him this summer once LeBron James decides where he wants to continue his NBA career.
In addition, Spears was brutally honest, telling us about the toll of the sports journalism profession has taken on his life. He said he isn't married and doesn't have kids, but remains satisfied and pleased with the success in his career. Clearly, some sacrifices will have to be made to flourish in this industry.
No comments:
Post a Comment