Last year on this day, photographer Jason and I came in hours before the scheduled start of our shifts to drive to Williamsport. That's where the high school football team was beginning a practice at midnight, the first permitted moment to do so under PIAA regulations.
It was fun. The players were "in" to the moment. The stands were filled with parents and classmates. Cameras everywhere. Jason and I shot a couple of really nice stories for the morning and noon editions of Newswatch 16. We gathered extra video and interviews to share with the sports department. It was great to do a positive story and put something out of the ordinary on the air.
I called last week to see if the Williamsport Millionaires would be doing it again. The answer was no. It was explained to me that this year's squad is rather young, and it was a good idea to go the traditional route this year. There is a chance for a repeat of "Midnight Madness" in 2020.
That's all well and good, and I totally understand the reasons behind the decision. There was some negative feedback on Talkback 16, and I'm sure the school received some negative comments as well. On top of that, there are liability issues in this litigious society in which we live.
I was there. It was a fun and positive story, and the Williamsport area really could use another one.
