FIRST IMPRESSIONS

It’s always interesting to see how someone responds to you the first time an interview situation is shared. I’ve grown comfortable with meeting and speaking with people for the first time — above all else, this is the most important skill a journalist needs — but I’m still anxious to see how that first encounter goes.
For example, I spent about 10 minutes on the phone today with an athletic director from a Connecticut university — I’d prefer to keep the person anonymous on the offshoot chance someone who frequents this page happens to also be their friend — and then revisited our conversation when I transcribed it.
The one thing that caught me is how often this person used my name during answers. We had never spoke prior to today — who knows if we’ll ever meet fact-to-face? — but this AD found it important to make a point of using my name. The funny thing is, I did the same.
Too often, there is a perception of journalists as being cold, only motivated by self-interests and willing to do anything and everything to get their story. The truth is, that’s probably not that far off plenty of times. But if you can maintain a personable nature to how you interact with interview subjects — that’s the way to truly get the story.
I once had a managing editor tell me the key to conducting a good interview is to spend more time listening and less time questioning. How true that is.

As for UConn-related issues, the Huskies will hold practice at the Civic Center a few hours from now in preparation for this weekend’s four-team, three-day, round-robin tournament.
I’m curious to see Jim Calhoun’s decision for the starting lineup, if in fact anyone in the top five changes. Although the coach showed obvious frustration with A.J. Price in the opener, he’s still got to be the guy at point guard and anyone else at that position would come as a big surprise to this reporter.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to update these thoughts this evening.