Philly’s Phil

Nobody knows where the journalism industry is headed.  Those who read the works of journalists have no idea how much longer they’ll have the Sunday paper delivered to their doorstep.  Those going to school with the dreams of one day being a byline in that Sunday paper have no idea whether or not they’ll even get the chance.  Even those currently within the industry have no idea what the future holds.
Instead of trying to see into the future, it’s much easier for people to recognize the present.  The journalists that currently write for the enjoyment of their readers are worried sick about how long they’ll be employed.  The most we can do, for now, is appreciate them.  Appreciate them while we still have them.
Phil Anastasia has been a staff writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer for a little more than a year, now.  He is a graduate of the school formerly known as Glassboro State College.  Some of you may be more familiar with the name Rowan University.  He initially had no interest in becoming a journalist.  He just wanted to write.  Earning his degree in English, he soon realized that he was capable of informing the masses about current events, and doing it well.
Anastasia has covered professional sports.  He’s covered Division-I college sports.  The true mark of this man comes when he says that he’d rather stand on the sidelines under Friday night lights than sit in a press box on a Sunday afternoon.  He loves what he does.  He loves the purity of sport.

MS:  How would you compare things you learned in school to things being taught today?

PA:  I can’t really compare the two time periods and do that question any justice, because I wasn’t a journalism major.  I majored in English so I learned a lot about Shakespearian times and things like that.  I would say that kids who aspire to be journalists now have a leg up on those who studied journalism when I was in school, but at the same time, there’s a lot more competition now.

MS:  What would you say your favorite assignment has been over the years?

PA:  For me to single out one assignment, I can’t do that.  I love what I do.  I’ve done so many things that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.  I guess one experience was when I covered the 1984 National Championship.  Just because it was Villanova and they were a huge underdog.  The fact that they pulled out the upset and I was the one telling all of South Jersey and Philadelphia about it, that was really special to me.

MS:  Who was the first well-known person you interviewed and were you nervous?

PA:  I don’t remember the first, but I remember how nervous I was when I was in the locker room with “Dr. J.”  Julius Erving was just such a big figure at the time, and he was a great guy.  I never actually got to sit down with him one on one, but being in the locker room with him taking notes was still a great experience for me.

MS:  What do you feel is the most common mistake amongst young sports writers?

PA:  Voice.  It has to be the lack of voice that students use in their articles.  I stress that point so much and I really try to let students know that an article is not as credible as it could be if it doesn’t have voice in there.  They need to learn that you need to go the extra mile and talk to the opposing team’s coaches and players.  Otherwise, the article just seems biased.

MS:  What advice do you have for those who aspire to be sports writers?

PA:  Just hang in there.  The industry, hopefully, will get a lot better.  It’s in pretty bad shape right now, but we’ll see how things turn out.  People will always need information, and people will always need to give information.  Journalists will always be necessary.  How?  I’m not sure.

MS:  Are you nervous about where the industry is headed?

PA:  I am.  The way everything is nowadays, new technology comes out every day.  The media and the journalism industry just cater to new technology.  I’m not sure print journalism can keep up.

MS:  What’s a regular day at The Inquirer like?

PA:  There really is no “regular day.”  Some days, I’m in the office making phone calls.  Other days, I’m driving all over New Jersey either watching games or trying to get in touch with coaches and players.  That’s the thing about journalism.  There really is no “regular day.”

MS:  Do you get to choose your topics and the angles you use to present them?

PA:  Yes, I do.  I always try to look for angles that no one expects or would think to use.  I try to find stories within stories and that’s usually when the best work comes out.

MS:  You’ve been very patient with me.  Clearly, my interviewing skills are not nearly as sharp as yours.  Here’s a fun question just to thank you for your time.  Who would you most like to interview that you haven’t yet had the chance with?

PA:  I’d have to say Tiger Woods.

MS:  Any particular reason?

PA:  Just the way he carries himself.  His focus.  He never lets anyone too close.  His will to win is just amazing.  I’d love to speak to him about his greatness.

Phil Anastasia is in his first year as a South Jersey sports columnist. Born and raised in South Jersey, he prefers standing on the sidelines at high school football games on Friday nights to sitting in the press box at Eagles games on Sunday afternoons. He’s a graduate of Rowan University with a degree in English.-The Philadelphia Inquirer

Here are some of his recent clips:

Tenacious leads Cherokee baseball to win

A Debut that broke a record

Family tragedy adds focus to his game

Generations of great basketball

Big win for small senior