WCNC Shadow Day
You can’t be afraid to send numerous emails as a journalist. But most importantly you can’t be afraid to trust in God and in His ultimate plan. Those were some of the many things I learned in my experience with Eugene Robinson and the WCNC staff on Monday.
When I was pondering whether or not I would wrestle my senior year, there were a few reasons why I ended up lacing my shoes and clipping on my headgear for the last time. One of them was to meet Mr. Robinson--Charlotte Christian’s wresting coach and former NFL player turned color analyst for the Carolina Panthers. Having his business card in my wallet and a day spent with him under my belt would bequeath me with a substantial amount of knowledge and resources to help me in jumpstarting my career. It was something I couldn’t refuse.
After a dozen or so emails, we finally arranged to meet at NBC Charlotte’s (WCNC) station since I leave for Elon before football season. He recently became a broadcaster there and is on air everyday at 11:00 with Colleen Odegaard on Charlotte Today. Even though I have shadowed plenty of journalists in the past, this one was different because it was with someone else. His name was Shaq Lord and he is a senior at UNCC who is majoring in communications. His presence only enhanced my time because he answered a lot of my questions about college and his experience in the field.
From the time I stepped foot in the doorway and my eyes were laid on the glass encased Emmy award, my brain was swamped with information. We met the President and General Manager of the station, Mrs. Deborah Collura. From our talk and Mr. Robinson’s remarks about her, she is a kind, approachable woman that would be a pleasure to work under. After that, we went down stairs to the production studio where they do Charlotte Today and the daily news. We met Mrs.
Colleen there as well as Anjanette Flowers, a news anchor that my cousin watches everyday. We also met the legend himself, meteorologist Larry Sprinkle.
Most of the time, Shaq and I were sitting down watching them do their thing. Mr. Larry gave the forecast, Coach Rob and Mrs. Colleen did the Charlotte Today show, and Mrs. Anjanette and another anchor did the midday news. While they were occupied, Marry Alvarez, the Executive Producer, showed us around the station. She took us to the control room and explained to us how they operate. One of the things she told us really stood out to me.
“Everyday I wake up, it doesn’t even feel like I’m going to work,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, there are some bad days, but for the most part I’ m doing what I love to do.”
After Coach Rob was done with his show, he took Shaq and I out to lunch. Most of the things he said will stay with me for a lifetime. He said that our personality is what keeps us true to ourselves and that we should never try to change who we are. You have to be comfortable in yourself and in your own voice. But the most important thing he told us was to never let question God’s plan for your life.
Most people know by now that my primary college didn’t accept me. For about 2 months, I really struggled with it because my heart was so set on becoming a Tar Heel. When I told Coach Robinson about it, he used an analogy that I never even thought about.
He, along with a vast majority of the people in the Panthers’ organization, was against the Steve Smith trade last offseason. He was the staple of the franchise for over a decade and didn’t deserve to be tossed away like a heap of trash. But when the Ravens picked him up, he instantly made them a contender. He was the missing piece to lead the team to the playoffs after missing them the year before. God didn’t need Smith in Carolina anymore so He planted him at a juncture where his talents and leadership would be more useful. In my situation, He handpicked and placed me exactly where He wanted me-- a place where I could me more productive in bearing fruit for His kingdom for the time being.
Coach Rob also told me to use what happened as motivation. When Smith and the Ravens played Carolina in Week 4 last year, he torched them for 139 yards and 2 TD’s. He played that game with an edge because he was determined to make them realize the mistake they made. In my case, he told me I should take every article, every assignment, and every situation as if I have something to prove. God placed me at Elon for a reason, but it’s never a bad thing to have some extra motivation. I already have enough fire in my chest, but that is just an added bonus.
Overall, Monday was a great day. I became a better journalist, a better man, and a better Christian because of Mr. Robinson and the advice he gave me. Like always, I just have to trust the process, trust in God and he will make my path straight.
