That's another thing that has changed. The poster was new. I immediately got a call from Gayle Reaves, a founder of the Association for Women Journalists. The executive types weren't too hot on the idea. Accuracy and availability may vary. Well, first of all, so now SAGAL: Describe your job. Yet anyone who gets self-worth through random sex with a professional athlete is not exactly MENSA material. Michele Tafoya, welcome to WAIT WAITDON'T TELL ME! Being in the national spotlight was difficult and a little They see how (or if) players interact; get some idea as to who's happy, who's not, and maybe find out why or why not. It's not a place for socialising. SAGAL: All right. Before a team got used to me, there might be some giggling each time someone made a smart remark or cursed loud enough to get you kicked out of the Watauga Dairy Queen. As I stood outside the locker room, it hit me like a lightning boltwait a minute, Bill Plaschke was in there getting killer quotes and I wasnt! No less than two or three times a home stand, the feeling hits againalmost always as I walk down that tunnel from the upper deck that spits you out in back of home plate. I had to think as much about how to handle the next unwanted advance or suggestive quip as I did trying to figure the Mavericks' averages. One even said, "You know you don't have to do this work," in a tone that sounded like Sting telling Roxanne she didn't have to put on the red light. SAGAL: I did. SAGAL: Well, tonight, Michele Tafoya's special segment, What the Hell is Wrong With You People? We never wanted for anything we really needed, but my parents, raised in the Depression, were cautious about spending. NFL Network reporter, Jane Slater, says that her job being dependent on waiting around an NFL locker room while men are completely naked for an hour to get a. The bouncing, wide-eyed ball girl who wanted to write about baseball more than anything was gone, abandoned in increments on football fields, at locker room doors, in editors' offices, and on barstools. There was a sports editor who would stop by every time he saw me eating, stare at me, and say in all seriousness, "Jenn, if you get fat, we won't love you no more." Follow us on Twitter, @DeadspinStacks, or email us at thestacks@deadspin.com. I was in some pretty heavy company. The NFL launched an investigation into the incident after Sainz, a veteran reporter, claimed footballs were thrown in her direction by a Jets coach during a practice - seemingly deliberately -. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff) How could it be that it was 43 years ago when Sports Illustrated reporter Melissa Ludtke and Time Inc., sued Major League Baseball for denying her access to the clubhouses at Yankee Stadium? According to the Chicago Tribune, Briggs stands behind his comments. It may have been his first night. Sanchez is a media-savvy guy, so I figured he would be a nice ice-breaker. Brock Nelson, a teammate sitting next to him, chimed in: They get mad at us for giving the same answers. In a few more feet, the torsos appear and the warm breeze melts around my face. But I learned to do news as well. Now that is underrated, and the goal of every reporterits what keeps us focused. On this day in 1977, Melissa Ludtke was barred from reporting the World Series from the teams' locker rooms. If I never went in a locker room, it would have been fine with me, Ludtke said. Former Eagles defensive lineman and Super Bowl LII champion Chris Long made an appearance on Jeff Pearlmans podcastTwo Writers Slinging Yang. I mean, I know how penises work. [4] In 1985, the NFL enacted an equal access policy of its own. And yet, 40 years after Robin Herman became the first female reporter to enter an NFL locker room, women are still fighting a war against rampant sexism in the industry, with Twitter. Readmore, With the 65th overall pick, the Rangers chose Adam Tambellini, a 6-foot-2 center whose father and brother each played for the Islanders. Long goes on to mention how most reporters would brush his concerns aside, which would honestly drive me nuts. I stood in the Coliseums tunnel and was hesitant. ", OK, so game over and time to head back down to the clubhouse. Several were guys who had been my superiors at one time or another and were just so gushing with their praise. One of the more interesting nuggets from the conversation between two of my favorites was Longs take on reporters accessing locker rooms postgame. My face broke out. The Mavericks were a delight to be around even when pissed off. But there's a strange sort of comfort in feeling that if they think I'm an idiot, it's probably not because I'm a woman but because I'm just acting like an idiot. Now Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris and linebacker Lance Briggs are the latest to chime-in. September 19, 2010 at 2:43 p.m. TV Azteca reporter Ines Sainz was uncomfortable with catcalls she received in the New York Jets locker room as she waited to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez . I ended up covering minor events full time, even doing the dreaded office score-taking work again. I ran out of material 10 minutes ago. Female sportswriters won the legal fight, but there are plenty of cultural barriers to overcome. It's the way we measure all people, the Homo sapiens equivalent of sniffing butts by the fire hydrant. Donna is a good argument for euthanasia. On Sept. 25, 1978, a judge ruled that women should be allowed to enter locker rooms. SALIE: Men, that was all men, that was all men, sister. When a guy is naked, hes probably more honest than not.. When the coveted Rangers beat came open, I was passed over. Standard Fraley, so no problems there. But the reality was, a newspaper did not have space for the words or freedom on the finer nuances of body-part language. After a while, you just get used to nakedness and its all business. Acceptance will be given if you represent your profession in the highest degree. My dream of covering professional baseball seemed further away than ever. Some simply called me a "stupid bitch" and hung up. I had offered the story first to my sports editor, Mike Perry (standard newspaper policy). OK, so now it was home to take a run and try to clear my head of concerns about just what might be waiting for me at the ballpark. When you've got dirt on them, all the condescending good-ol'-boy stuff goes out the window. She lives with three dogs in her happy bungalow in Texas. Yeah, my ode to the old stadium won it all. No one seems to know when the first female Equipment Manager was hired. SAGAL: Did somebody drop some profanity on you? More than two years ago, I told the sports editor I wanted to return to sports. Although Olson settled a civil suit, fans of the football team made threats on Olson's life in the aftermath. The next day, another player told Eskenazi it was a joke. I asked him if he hoped to play in the majors one day. Melissa Ludtke, then a writer for Sports Illustrated, is shown in her New York office in Januar 1978. He could not allow me to bother the guests. About two yards down, I see legs behind the batting cage. There are plenty of women who have guy friends and have no ulterior motive in the friendshipcontrary to popular belief, women and men can co-habitate in extreme conditions. I'm sure he's been naked in the room where I was at some time. A girl in the He said he would have me thrown out physically. She was assigned to cover the Boston Bruins, the 1990 Super Bowl, and, beginning in the fall of 1990, the New England Patriots. I noted being in the middle of the room when a player came out of the shower, spotted me, and turned around and went back in. I was in the visiting clubhouse waiting to interview one of the Oakland A's this year when one of the players called, "Here, pussy"as though he were calling a cat. / CBS News. A large portion of a reporter's job is coverage of cultural aspects. What kind of a goob would they take me for if they knew? It doesn't make me angry anymore; it just seems silly and absurd. The players dont care, I dont care, heynobody cares! But I don't think it seems very logical to some of the other reporters. Build a site and generate income from purchases, subscriptions, and courses. But it wouldn't be my last. Up until then, my assignments had been small-time: high school games and features on father-daughter doubles teams and Hacky Sack demonstrations. 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The New York Islanders arent shy about giving interviews in various stages of undress. I was amazed. Before I could utter a word, he said, "Wait, let me rub it, it will get hard.". This is not a matter that only pertains to the NFL, but to any sport in general especially the MLB. I was so pissed over that (excessive celebration).. We may earn a commission from links on this page. I walked over to him and asked how old he was. The issue at hand was equal access to the players in the locker room for all reporters, regardless of their gender. And I make a beeline for my guy that I'm going to interview, and I'm walking up toward him. I was so happy I was almost crying, but I was trying to sound very nonchalant while Glenn was giving me the particulars. Like other working people, professional athletes want to leave the office when their shift ends, so they waste no time stripping down to hit the showers. Raffy, Kenny Rogers, Kevin Brown had their little clique on the far side of the clubhouse. So is it awkward for you? As it stands now, the NFL allows female reporters in locker rooms, but only after games. I've never been on any campaign to debunk the myth that testicles are somehow inherent to a full understanding of balls. I complained. Theres a press area for that express purpose. I can't remember the number of times I've picked up the phone in the sports department, answered some trivia question, and, when the answer didn't win the guy a bar bet, had the caller demand, "Put a man on this phone." The first time I saw The Best American Sports Writing, I wasn't anywhere near good enough a writer to gain entry into that elite company. Olson was born and raised in the metropolitan area of Phoenix, Arizona. It was at height of the womens movement, Herman said. Can the slump be permanent?". So when I was about 16, I wrote every major-league club with ball girls and asked about the pros and cons. Man, did I ever realize how my attitude and courage level had changed. They knew I could write even the most boring stuff into something of interest. "Jenn," he asked, "do you want to be treated like an 18-year-old kid or a woman?". think men are going to tend to turn and look and want to say something But the most moving were the ones who said something along the lines of, "Well, I just want you to know, if I ever had anything to do with any of that, I'm sorry. You see, folks in the world of sports weren't used to working with a "fee-male." TAFOYA: So I went to Charlotte, North Carolina, and I did five hours of sports talk radio every day, and that was my SAGAL: That is the hardest job in the world. The TCBY people are pouring half gallons of yogurt stuff into the soft-serve machines; a guy is sweeping up peanuts in three-quarter time. But I couldn't back out. And his eyes got to be like the size of paper plates because what I didn't notice was that he was buck naked. Api. The dirty little secret I've discovered is how little men know about sports, since this is what men are supposed to know more about than women. And while most nudity is off-camera and doesnt find its way to audiences, the shirtless, disheveled, or still-sweating sports star, facing an array of microphones in front of his cubby, has become an enduring image in sports coverage. I wonder how these female reporters and staff would feel showering and changing with men in their locker room? Nudity rarely bothered me, but I prefer never to see Nolan Ryan in anything but Ranger white or bluejeans. Sure.. I began bicycling and training for a marathon. Were you a football fan growing up? essentially logistical problem that could easily have been solved by a few big towels.. I remember being scared because I hadn't known how the locker room was going to look or smell or who or what I would have to wade throughliterally and figurativelyto find this man. But how was I supposed to do my job with all that crap going on? ", He started yelling again in this really high voice. He was thrilled to get an interview, and was so polite and warm, I didnt realize he was wearing practically nothing while I spoke with him. It seems logical to me. In many ways, I had made a career choice when I walked through that locker room door. It's just before batting practice, about 4:30 p.m. No one seems to know when the first female Equipment . She is an American humorist and sportswriter who now does reviews for Publishers Weekly and writes for a variety of publications, including the Dallas Observer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated. In 1990, while working at the Boston Herald, she alleged that she was sexually harassed by New England Patriots football players in the team's locker room. I asked forand receiveda transfer back to sports. A, while he was gone, the club had viewed the classic Monty Python Dead Parrot sketch and decided Mr. Palin was too vulgar to be readmitted to the premises; B, he got back to London but couldn't be readmitted because he was poorly dressed; or C, he tried to drive himself to the club in central London but got lost? Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. Hunter who killed, skinned pet dogs says he thought they were coyotes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege. Other summer nights we sat on the back porch and listened to the Rangers on the radio. And I know how smartass remarks work, too. My understanding was the brat later had a good talkin'-to with the manager and the GM, and as far as I know, the closest he would ever get to the bigs was buying a ticket. So I went about my business. ' Herman said. I helped cover the team for the Associated Press. However, Briggs thought otherwise. So what? When I was 14, I heard from a friend that the Rangers would soon be hiring ball girls. Oh equality indeed. She has covered sports stories in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Japan, China, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. [4] One player, Zeke Mowatt, "fondled his genitals" in front of her. But now it was late September, and my editor wanted me to interview Mr. October about what it was like not to make the playoffs. NBA teams play 82 games a year, not including playoffs and preseason contests. TAFOYA: And so if they come up with any other days of the week, I'll be happy to try those, as well. "I can't believe you are not in love with these men," she says, biting her cuticle. SAGAL: He left the Reform Club, traveled around the world in 80 days, came back, ran up the steps, but he was not wearing a jacket and tie. "Can I stand here with y'all for a while?" NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday that the league and the Jets began looking into the situation when they were made . draft.Readmore, The Rangers announced Friday that they would not use their remaining compliance buyout this summer, ensuring that Brad Richards will return to the team for at least one more season.Readmore, The Mourning Skate: Blues for John Halligan, N.H.L. If reporters are usually allowed into locker rooms, then this reaction makes sense. SAGAL: But I want to know how you got from there. An SMU booster threatened to have my legs brokenand I was delighted. done in the locker room, so equal access had to be granted. By then, I had become accustomed to the nudity and byplay of the locker room. Hopefully we can ditch this weird practices permanently in 2022. He still didn't answer my question directly. Three female reporters were denied access to a NFL locker room this weekend, because of their gender. And I gained 40 pounds. 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