Anchoring the beginning of a series

The sports wrap on the Sunday night news is that last-ditch effort to grab onto and squeeze every last second out of the weekend before Monday rears its ugly head.

Fans see highlights of games they already know about, get a little extra perspective and pick up insight on the upcoming week.

This, the weekend sportscast, is where my summer series about jobs in sports begins. In the coming weeks, the story of Vic Faust, Channel 7’s weekend sports anchor will appear in our papers.

You’ll read how a former St. Louis resident went from being jobless to covering the 2004 Ryder Cup, the 2006 World Series and the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals and understand the ins-and-outs and ups-and-downs of being a sports anchor.

“Despite what a lot of my friends think, I don’t show up at 10:30 p.m., do the 11 p.m. news and then go home,” Faust said during our conversation last week.

Look for this story in the near future, where someone who's job it is to end every weekend will begin my series.

A paycheck in sports

We’ve all seen, heard of or maybe even taken part in the routine at some point. Punch the time clock to end the day, battle traffic on the journey home, and then relax in front of the television with the remote and our favorite sport.

Or maybe the escape takes us to the ballpark, the ice rink or the gym.

You get the picture.

Anyway you look at it, for many people, the end of the work day only means the beginning of sports.

But what about those people who punch the time clock to begin their day and do it in the world of sports?

Good question.

And over the summer months, I hope to answer it, or at least take a better look at those who earn a paycheck in sports with my summer series.

Early plans include stories on a Detroit Tigers broadcaster, a local sports anchor and a behind- the-scenes look into the world of sports-talk radio, among others.

At the same time, I’m open to any ideas you may have. Do you know anyone who has an interesting occupation associated with sports? If so, please feel free to e-mail me or give a call.

Or, as the summer months pass, flip through our papers and take a look at those who work in sports, those whose day actually begins with the first pitch or the drop of a puck.

You can reach me at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1038.