A Tired, Old Cliche

I think I may have just killed any chances of coming back on the ST Sports Desk. I made a mega boo-boo when I didn't follow up on something I found out quickly enough.

As a result, the other newspaper beat us to a scoop about the whole SEA Games provisional swimming squad going to the World Championships to a tune of $100,000.

Lots of reasons accounted for my lack of competence as a journalist, but mainly because I am an inexperienced rookie.

Before I start sounding like a loser justifying my mistakes and then absolving myself of all blame, I must emphasize that I am raising my hand and admitting to my error in judgement. It is of nobody else's fault but my own.

Because fundamentally, I had made too many assumptions when I erred this time round. I assumed that my news sources would call me if things were more confirmed. I assume that people would get back to me.

But obviously I thought wrong.

What I should have done and should be doing from now on, is not to feel bad chasing people upteen times for stories. Even when they are overseas.

Because I knew that they were headed for the Worlds very early on, but it just didn't occur to me to report it as a main breaking story. My lack of news sense made very bloody apparent this time round. A suggestion that I am lacking in ability to report?

One thing I learnt - news cannot and must not wait.

I also misheard some instructions with the David Tay story. It was meant to be an information box, but I ran a 26-cm reaction piece to the scoop that the other paper beat us to.

I am immensely sorry, but even I am finding no point in apologizing anymore, because I keep making the same mistakes that all boil down to news sense and taking instructions.

My apologies are beginning to sound all too cliche. Maybe, just maybe I am just not good enough.