I caught up with the social media basketball guru, appropriately enough, via Facebook, and asked him a few questions about his new gig.
1) You're the first Twitter blogger to be credentialed for press row by a big-time college basketball program. How did that happen?
Peter Robert Casey: Mark Fratto, St. John’s Associate Athletic Director for Communications, hatched the idea and pitched me on it about three weeks ago. We met for dinner, hashed out the details, and then kicked the idea around to our circle of friends. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the perceived downside was minimal. Once Mark got clearance from Coach Roberts, Athletic Director Chris Monasch, and Compliance, we were good to go. Yesterday’s announcement, and immediate coverage by ESPN and Mashable, confirmed our belief: This was a great idea. Now it’s time to put it in Beta… I mean Twitter.2) How will your coverage of St. John's -- and college basketball in general -- differ from that of the traditional media, or even from other bloggers?
Peter Robert Casey: Ryan Corazza, who writes a weekly column called Jock-O-Sphere for ESPN, summed it up best: “He (PRC) won't be filing stories before deadline. Or jotting down quotes in a notebook during the postgame news conference. He won't be shooting stand-ups for a nightly newscast, either. He won't even be blogging. So how will Casey cover the team this year? He'll be tweeting. That's it and that's all.” Basically, I’m going to try to provide fans with insider access to the players, coaches, arena, and overall environment in real-time via Twitter. I might throw out the occasional score, but I won’t be live-blogging play-by-play during any St. John’s contest.3) Some people seem to think Twitter is just a fad, a lot of noise. Clearly, you and St. John's feel differently. How does micro-blogging fit in with the larger sports media environment now, and going forward?
Peter Robert Casey: In a world where attention spans are wandering, brevity is king. Thus, Twitter, in its 140 character or less text-based messages, has been successful. Twitter may formally be considered a micro-blog, but at its core, it’s really an interactive communications tool. Sports fans love nothing more than communicating, or even arguing, about sports. And social media, which Twitter is a part of, makes participating in the conversation relatively simple. The platform names, looks, and functionality may change, but social media, including micro-blogging, is here to stay in sports. Every major sports media operation recognizes this, and thus they’ve joined in on the fun at varying degrees.4) What advice would you offer to an aspiring sportswriter, looking to make a name for himself in today's marketplace?
Peter Robert Casey: First and foremost, be yourself. Be transparent and honest. Find your voice. Cover your passion. Buy a copy of Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style and keep it on your person at all times. I wish I could say that I have a journalism background, but I don’t. Either way, don’t let that stop you from writing.5) Bear in mind -- this question is coming from a St. John's fan -- how do you like the Johnnies' chances this year?
Peter Robert Casey: I’d love to see an NCAA tourney appearance. Chances are stronger this year than the past 5 years. They’re experienced, and have some great incoming talent that will be able to contribute immediately. I’m optimistic for Coach Roberts and the Johnnies.
