A Word from the Outlaw 003

 

A writer/reporter/editor will develop beliefs and practices over the years the longer they stay in the business. That’s just the way it is.

While some things evolve – for instance, my views on writing opinion pieces as well as the way I do them and even the platform they are on – some things just stay the way they are and will never change.

For me, there are some I want to take with me into this new venture which started a fortnight ago and hopefully will continue to grow through the rest of basketball season and into the spring.

One of these might be hard to accomplish as it will happen so early in the life of JP Productions Sports. The basketball postseason and, really, all postseason tournaments should be covered in full. Anyone who would choose to cover Dyersburg and Dyer County sports has been given a big gift by the TSSAA in being placed into the same district in almost every sport – especially the ones with the postseason team brackets.

We’re lucky this season in that the district and region tournaments are right here at Dyer County High School. Other than the first two nights of the region tournament – the quarterfinals – it’s just a quick trip across town for Good Old JP.

When it comes to what happens if a team reaches the state tournament, that’s a different story. It’s one we’ll have to see what happens when/if we get that far.

To me, if a team makes the state tournament – any sport and no matter if they’re the favorite to win it or the favorite to get thumped in the first round – you go and cover it. Simple as that.

But, being in the early stages of this new venture, this might not be an option yet. We’ll just have ot see.

Another hill I will die on when it comes to defending how I think sports concerns middle school.

I have had more than one person above me at times not respect the importance of giving middle school sports proper coverage. I admit, there are plenty of times these younger players have taken a back seat to high school on my watch but a lot of times then and especially now, Good Old JP is a one-man show for much of the year – all of it currently here at JP Productions Sports.

Back when I was in Dresden, I had a coach who worked into his “thank yous” during awards banquet how to put this into perspective. His memories of rushing to the newspaper rack every week to see if he made the paper has stuck with me for the past two decades.

The TMSAA Class AA Section 3 tournaments these past few days have only driven that home. The atmospheres have been great at Dyersburg Middle School.

And, let’s be honest. Northview’s boys ended their season on Tuesday night just two wins away from reaching the state tournament. The school’s volleyball team is the state champion and the softball team is about to start a quest back to state after finishing as runner-up last year. Three Oaks has also made state in multiple sports. And, let’s not forget to pack the gym Thursday night for the DMS girls against North Parkway with a shot at not only the section tournament title but a spot in the state tournament on the line.

If those are not enough reasons to put middle school sports in their correct place, then you are probably not going to be won over by anything I say.

Which is fine. As long as someone is there to take the pictures and write the stories – like myself – when our kids do well, that’s all that matters.

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