ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter is well-known for his first-class reporting and inside information.
The key to all of his work is a small but handy cell phone.
He works day and night and around the country through his phone.
To understand how important his phone is, Schefter tells this story of when he first started at ESPN:
“I told the lady in charge of cell phones that I needed unlimited texts and calls. I emphasized that I need that, and she said she would take care of it.
“Well, she didn’t take care of it. And my first month’s cell phone bill turned out to be for about $6,114.
“Needless to say the next month I had unlimited texts and phone calls.”
Front Row had the chance to sit down with Schefter and discuss the key to his knowledge.
FR: How would you describe the importance of your phone?
AS: My Blackberry is more important to me than some of my bodily organs. For my job my Blackberry is vital. Everyone has something that is vital for their job, and for me it happens to be my Blackberry. My phone is always by my side.
FR: Since your phone is so important to you and vital for your job, would you say you’re doing something on your phone most of the day?
AS: Look right here: I’m eating dinner and as I talk to you, it’s in my hand.
FR: How many calls, texts and emails do you go through a day?
AS: Overall it depends on the day. During the height of free agency and around the draft, texting is non-stop. Couple hundred emails for sure. Calls are different because there isn’t that much phone call contact anymore. I just try and make five or six meaningful telephone calls a day.
FR: Do you have a speed dial or a most contacted list?
AS: No, I don’t have a most contacted list. I use almost all of my contacts, some more than others, but no one stands out. General Managers, coaches, scouts and agents are the ones I’m in contact with the most.
FR: What is the background picture of your phone?
AS: A picture of my wife and kids — as it should be.
FR: Speaking of your family, how do they feel about you and your phone?
AS: They understand it because it’s part of my job. I try to be sensitive to my family. I try to be fair. It’s always with me, but I try to make an effort when I’m home to concentrate on them. Sometimes I’m successful, sometimes not.
FR: Is your phone on when you’re sleeping?
AS: The phone is always on. It’s the first thing I look at when I wake up and the last thing I look at before I go to bed. The worst is waking up in the morning with an inordinate amount of messages because that means people are trying to reach me, which usually means something big happened. It’s only happened a few times, when I’ve slept through breaking news. The last time was when the [New York] Jets traded for Santonio Holmes. It was a Sunday night and I fell asleep right before 11 p.m. because I was so wiped out from the first week of free agency, working nonstop. When I woke up at 4 a.m., I saw a flurry of messages around 11:19 p.m — and I knew that wasn’t a good sign. So I just missed the story by 19 minutes. Bummed me out.
FR: Who contacts you the most?
AS: It changes a lot depending on what’s going on in the league. I’d say the two constants are Seth Markman, Senior Coordinating Producer for all NFL Studio Production, or my wife. But there are a few coaches who I speak with a lot.
FR: How would you describe your relationship with your phone?
AS: It’s great for my job just like it’s great for everyone’s job. I’m not any different, but I have a love/hate relationship with it. It’s an incredible device, but it actually reduces the amount of contact you have with people. I deal with everyone through my Blackberry. It’s just different than it used to be. [Blackberry phones] today are highly productive, but way more impersonal.
Man this guy is probably connected with that thing at the hip. I wonder how his family deals with him being so impersonal. I also wonder if he has given them Blackberry's too? I wouldn't want my child to have one after seeing the example I set with mine they might think it's cool. Great Article though, was surely a fun read.
Well it his job, and his job is related to his happy children... i can understand him somehow. he is working hard and he couldn't do it without his Blackberry.
It's all about CRACKberry
I think the fact he is able to be HOME while getting all the calls, and actually not even calls now but more texts, I would bet his wife has a BlackBerry too so they can BBM as would many of his KEY contacts since SMS just doesn't say enough,
It is very positive that he can spend time with his family and isn't trapped in a Home office, or off site office waiting for calls, yes he is on call all the time, but he is also able to be with his family more, and can have physical time with them, not having to ask them to be quiet while he is on the phone since most is data.
For what Adam Schefter does, which is constantly update news and rumors, the blackberry is perfect. Long battery life is crucial to someone who is on the road constantly and needs pushed email and tweets.
Man this guy is probably connected with that thing at the hip. I wonder how his family deals with him being so impersonal. I also wonder if he has given them Blackberry's too? I wouldn't want my child to have one after seeing the example I set with mine they might think it's cool. Great Article though, was surely a fun read.
This joined at the hip stuff is not limited to blackberry. Some iphone users have mastered this like nobodies business
This joined at the hip stuff is not limited to blackberry. Some iphone users have mastered this like nobodies business
It's not the technology, it's the person.
Oh I'm not making it a blackberry thing, I live in DC and all these lawyers and doctors are joined at the hip with their iPhones. Capital hill guys blackberry's. But yea it isn't so much the equipment as it is the person and their job title.
Heh, five or six calls a day. Sounds like my voice use. Hundreds of texts and IMs, tons of emails and barely any calls.
I would hate to be so tied to my phone though. I mean, I never shut mine off, but when I put it to the side and don't bother to look at it for 20-30min, it feels really nice. lol
He has 9000 last time I saw. I'm a hardcore sportscenter morning watching and love shefty. Great insider for the nfl. And I'm sure he does what's best for his family and making the money he prob makes its great! Keep on shefty!
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
I remember when the lockout was over and that 10 day period where there was a free-agent
frenzy began. He was sitting on the Sportscenter set talking and had to actually take his
phone out on-air to check it because those were a really crazy 10 days. A lot of these NFL
guys like to be the first to report things. Especially if you work for ESPN. They put a lot of
pressure on their guys.
Blackberry should seriously consider a commercial with him in it. They could make a clever one with him talking to all-stars in sports. US market can easily relate with that, and clearly their marketing hasn't been doing too hot...
