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This is my dayby Paul Shugar Today is my day. I get out of bed on the right hand side,
never the left. I have my bed set up so I can only get out of my
bed on the right hand side. The last time I got out of bed on the
left hand side I split so many verbs it was not funny. On my way down the stairs I run through
the gauntlet of legends. I pat pictures of Rick Reilly and Dick
Schaap, may their skills be with me. I sit down to a breakfast of
Alpha-Bits cereal. You never know when a great new word comes to
you. I am still convinced this method helped Miami find their new
nickname. After breakfast it is time for the mirror
test. I do not stop staring until I have found my game face. I repeat,
"So coach explain your choice to go from the 1-3-1 zone to
man in the middle of the 10-2 run." I dress in the same manner. The routine
is simple: socks, boxers, undershirt, polo shirt then pull on the
khakis and fill the pockets with pens. You can never have enough
pens. I touch the keyboard on my way to the
car. My editor once said that whoever is going into the field of
battle ready to give a 110 percent could touch his keyboard. I will
not let him down. On the way to the stadium I play "Hero
of the Day," by Metallica on my CD player. I drive the whole
way singing each syllable at the top of my lungs. I scream,"This
is my day! THIS IS MY DAY!” After composing myself and straightening
the hair I strut into the stadium. That swagger alone strikes fear
into the heart of my journalism counterparts in the press box. They
know it, I know it and everybody else should know it. I came to
play today. There’s no time to trade stories by the
water cooler. I am here to focus on one thing alone, the game. I
grab my simple pre-game meal of cheese pizza and Mountain Dew. The
Mountain Dew keeps the mind alert. I always go with the cheese pizza, never
the pepperoni even though it is my favorite. The last time I ate
pepperoni pizza my sentences were too wordy. But this lunch is no
sit back and enjoy lunch. This lunch is a power lunch. I put in my time watching tape.
I know everybody on the opposing team, their style of play and whether
or not they prefer blondes or brunettes. I need to learn more. I
flip through media guides committing it to memory. While the players shoot around I warm
up my writing hand. I write a few leads. I can already tell I am
hot today. Every noun, verb and adjective is falling into place.
People who say they just get into the zone should know better. I know good pregame preparation leads
to a proper mindset and puts you in the zone. My words flow eloquently
and I tone it down and write a few headlines. No reason to use all
this energy now. I decide to save it for the game. Then a quick trip to the bathroom reminds
me that I am the man. The mirror shivers when it looks at my game
face. It knows how ready I am. I time my entrance to perfectly coincide
with the entrance of the team to the court. I feel the roar of the
crowd raise goose bumps in my skin. I feel a sense of nervousness
rise in my throat. Today is game day though, as soon as I start
my notes the feeling will be gone. I write another Pulitzer lead in another
abbreviated warm up before tip-off. I cock my hat to the left and
open up my notebook. Always write from the back to the front of
the notebook. Everything about today feels right and here comes
a Pulitzer article about a Pulitzer game. I give a nod to the gods and sit back
to watch a stellar game. I return home that night not yet knowing
how to rate my performance. I stare into the mirror searching myself
for any doubts. Again it shivers. Today I played like Schaap. – Shugar is a junior journalism major who has scared
many a few people |