Editors count on their sports reporters to enterprise stories. In such a competitive field, the reporters who go far are those with imagination as well as talent.

When Columbia University's new football coach arrived at a New York airport, he spotted a man holding a sign with the new coach's name, "Ray Teller." Presuming the sign holder was a driver who would take him to the university, the coach walked over. "Yes, I'm Ray Teller."

But the sign holder was a reporter who was after, and was given, an exclusive interview with the new coach.

Predictions

Sportswriters cannot resist telling fans how the coming season or series will turn out. Most of the time they only prove that their insights are no better than those of 10-year-old followers of the games. One well-known baseball writer picked the San Francisco Giants to finish last in the National League west division. They finished first that year. A television hockey analyst predicted that the Philadelphia Flyers would win the Stanley Cup four games out of five. Sorry. They were swept four straight games by their opponents.

The Green Bay Packers were the year's dream team, and the Denver Broncos had no chance at all in the Super Bowl. Oops. Evander Holyfield was such an underdog in his heavyweight match with Mike Tyson you could buy a Porsche with the winnings from a small bet on Holyfield. Tyson was KO'd in the 11^th round.

The moral: Don't make forecasts if you want to keep fans believing you know something about the sports you cover.

Observations

In his book Intercollegiate Athletics and the American University: A University President's Perspective, James J. Duderstadt, president of the University of Michigan from 1988 through 1995, made these observations:

• Half of Michigan's football players suffer injuries that require surgery. The university medical school set up an orthopedic clinic inside the sports complex.
• "Every university has a number of courses taught by faculty members well disposed toward intercollegiate athletics. Student-athletes with weaker academic skills are steered toward these safe harbors."
• Football teams at Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida and elsewhere are "more valuable than most professional football franchises."

Big-Time, Small-Time