Contest work has no frills, big benefits
Tracy Dodds: If you have never served as a contest judge at the APSE winter meeting, you should consider it. It's good for you — like eating your spinach. It makes you stronger.

Three options leave few editors happy
John Cherwa: As if we don't already have enough to worry about: diminishing space, hiring freezes, the invisible work force, not to mention comp time.

Let's make this thing work for us
Jim Pedley: Sports editors should get more involved with the Internet.

Don't give away what got us here
Bill Dwyre: We're not quite ready to let the Internet drive us out of business.

Important dates coming up soon
Roy Hewitt: Everyone knows that the dates for the Olympics in Sydney coincide with the end of the baseball season. But there are other important dates -including some that closely align with the start of spring training.

More judges are always welcome
Tim Burke: The hotel reservation deadline has passed but, with a little last-minute maneuvering, you can still be an APSE contest judge at the winter meeting.
Driving and shuttle information
APSE paying expenses for 15 judges

Press seats still a Final Four issue
Bill Dwyre: Activity in the APSE writers group liaison subcommittee heated up recently, with the revelation that the NCAA was considering moving the press from its courtside seating at the Final Four basketball tournament.

Roundtable: All-area teams keep editors busy
Bob Sutton: High school all-area teams can be great, giving readers (particularly parents and athletes) a good feeling about what you're doing. But they can create headaches because, for every athlete on the team, someone has been left off.

Better to plan that to resolve
Randy Beard: It didn't take a Y2K meltdown of New Year's resolutions to remind me of a key to survival in this business: Don't make promises that you can't keep.

Times Mirror boosts the intern program
Sandy Bailey: The Times Mirror Foundation has granted the APSE/Sports Journalism $25,000 for this year.

Let bosses, staff know your views
George Solomon: How has the controversy surrounding last year's decision of the Los Angeles Times to enter into a venture with the new downtown Staples Center -in which the companies shared advertising profits from a Sunday magazine preview of the opening of the arena -affected APSE?

Obituaries: Robin Romano, Boston Globe
Larry Tye: Robin Romano, an assistant sports editor at the Boston Globe known for inspiring colleagues and friends with her passion for sports, her flair for journalism and a penchant for off-key crooning, died of cancer in January at her home in Marblehead, Mass. She was 45.

On the move: Sullivan makes a career change
Kirby Arnold: Mike Sullivan admits that the newspaper business has taken a toll, and that's part of the reason for his January career change.

Regions: Playing a little defense in Seattle
Glen Crevier: Mayor Paul Schell defended his decision to cut back on Seattle's New Year's Eve celebrations when he was quoted in the Seattle Times: "I'm a former Iowa linebacker. I'm not a wuss."

March 15 deadline for Smith nominations
Dave Smith: Nominations are now open for the Red Smith Award, APSE's highest honor, which is given annually to someone who has make major contributions to sports journalism.

Convention planning to get serious in St. Pete
Planning for the June 28-July 1 Chicago convention is moving into final stages.

Commissioners meeting in New York
About 15 members will make the annual APSE trip to New York to meet with commissioners of the major professional sports leagues and the NCAA.

Taking a look at the bowl games
View some sports fronts from six selected papers' coverage of major bowl games.

Color photographs wanted
Note from the APSE webmaster.