Life as editors — things we've learned along the way

We, the outgoing sports editors, began working at the 'Prince' in the winter of 2001. By the time we learned that writers don't get paid it was too late to back out, and we embarked, last year, on a long and winding road which, sadly, ends with this issue.

Carrying on a tradition begun several years ago, we have decided to use this space to recount the most important things, big and small, that we have learned over the past four years.

First thing's first: you can't please everyone. We've always tried to put together what we thought was quality coverage of all Princeton athletics — and if you're actually reading this now, then hopefully you've thought that we've done a decent job.

The greatest thing about joining the 'Prince' has been the people that we have been privileged to work with. By far, the most enriching thing about college is the people you meet — you learn the most from those around you.

There is nothing better than watching football on Sunday afternoon (or Monday Night) with a nice spot on the couch, some good friends and a couple of ice cold ones.

The best study break in the Spring is sitting on the hill at Clarke Field watching a baseball game.

Sometimes change is for the best.

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The world is a big place. Princeton isn't — but it is bigger than you would think. Take some time to walk to Jadwin to watch squash or fencing, or DeNunzio for water polo. Sometimes, the sports you know the least are the most interesting to watch.

Once they let you into this place you get orange and black in your blood — or at least we did. And you never lose that. Sixty-year-old Princetonians were hurting just as much as we were when the football team lost to Yale in November.

In the end, you'll remember that overtime game (or, as it turns out, that late night on the Street), not the 30 pages from a Pequod packet.

Double check everything you write, or you'll pay. Believe us. And no fabricating quotes.

News will never beat us in beer baseball, and very rarely at base-10 Beirut. Point in fact, News can't really beat us in much of anything.

Robinton's memory: I thought squash was a silly, preppy game. And in some ways, I still do. But I also think it's one of the most physically demanding games there is. I learned everything I know about the game from watching Princeton play at the ISA Championships last winter. Sitting at the stands at court No. 1 in Jadwin Gym's C-Floor, I saw Princeton's three best — then-freshman Yasser El-Halaby, Will Evans '03 and David Yik '03 — destroy (and I do mean destroy) Trinity's best. In the end, I guess it didn't matter. Trinity still beat us for the national championship. But we showed more class, and showed that our best was far and away better than theirs.

Falencki's memory: The last football game I ever covered saw the stylish career end of Cameron Atkinson '03, two-year starting running back for the Tigers. Dartmouth had taken the lead, but Atkinson's 181-yard fourth quarter gave the head coach Roger Hughes his only winning season at Princeton with a victory over the Big Green, 38-30. Having been a football guy myself, you realize that there is no better way to end your career than by setting a few records, hitting a few personal bests and, most of all, carrying your team to the win.

Good luck Anuj, Sarah, Thad, Zack and Zack.