"Nick, I've Got Bad News . . ."

That's what my summer internship boss told me the other day. He said "I'm going to share this with you, but I don't want you to make too much out of it. I think you're doing a good job."

I know most folks haven't followed my exercises in writing over the years, but may have been reading them for a while. I started off contributing game recap articles to the Rocky Mount Evening Telegram when I was at Edwards Middle School, sending them results with short highlight notes on our Thunderbird baseball games. I went on to ihigh.com, covering football games at Rocky Mount High. I started this blog soon after I started my freshman year at UNCP before joining the student newspaper staff. I worked my way into an Assistant Sports Editor position before my freshman year was up. Before I left school for the summer, I had been named Sports Editor and the school's Mass Communication Department awarded me the title and honor of "Rookie of the Year" for my contributions to the department.

I had also landed a spot on the campus radio station doing a weekly sports show on Monday evenings that centered on UNCP athletics. I hope to continue with that show next year as a junior.

I'd like to think that landing my summer job - my first internship for my two majors - was at least partially based on my experience, if not for how well I am progressing in my field. I had never called a game on the radio before, so I was a little nervous when I showed up for my first game behind the mike. New boss, new surroundings, new players, new town, new job. Okay, I was a lot nervous.

I got through the first game, and it was an experience. I felt like I was just talking to myself the entire game. I suppose I actually was, because there was nobody else doing any talking. Nobody answering me, nobody commenting on the call or the play. Just me.

I bear no thought that it was as professionally polished as it could be. Like I said, it was my first time out. I got through it. Dad and I talked not only that game, but the ones since. Maybe I could do this, maybe I could add that. It helps to have somebody give you some advise and have some input. I have since figured out how to retrieve the broadcasts and listen to them myself. I've got a long way to go, for sure, but this is supposed to be a learning experience for me.

Learning experiences come with ups and downs. The good, bad and ugly, I suppose. So getting back to where I started with all this; with all my "experience" on the keyboard and behind the mike, the awards and the "I read you all the time, you're doing a great job" comments, I was floored when my summer boss showed me an e-mail he got. I was the target. Man, was I the target.

The e-mail pointed out, in no uncertain terms, what this guy thought of one of my broadcasts. It was my fourth baseball game call of my oh-so-short-so-far career. At first I was asking myself; is this guy for real? Is this guy some jerk? But it really didn't take long for me to realize that what he was saying was basically true. I'm a rookie and I have a long way to go. I've got a lot to learn. The e-mail pushed me to find out how I could find and listen to the replays I call. I'm doing homework now between games, taking notes on what I think works and what I think doesn't work. I've taken into consideration what the e-mailing guy had to say, sifted through what I can control and what I can't.

So, to the guy who sent the e-mail letting me know you weren't happy with the call that night, thank you. It wasn't exactly constructive criticism, but I used it that way, and I think it will help me become better.

The next time someone says ". . .I've got bad news. . ." maybe we can turn it into good news.