Friday 15.19: Endgame
AND SO AS the bribed goalkeeper of time is nutmegged by the performance-enhanced striker of destiny and the Russian soon-to-be-former billionaire of fate pays £80million for the minor hernia of eternity, we see that Play the Game 2009 is drawing to an end. Delegates are telling us that Declan Hill was a favourite speaker, as was the IOC's Dick Pound. Everyone liked the cathedral and the company, most people liked the food, hardly anybody liked the weather. Sorry. The question now is where will the game be played in 2011?
"It was splendid to see your website team hard at work producing lively copy and video throughout the conference. The newsroom was buzzing with ideas and activity. As a resource for those attending the conference - it was tremendously informative and entertaining. For the students - it must have provided a unique, unforgettable and enjoyable learning experience. Congrats to all involved. Pity you never got to wear that Manchester United shirt, John!" Professor Richard Keeble, Lincoln University
Friday 12.10: About last night
WHILE A good time was being had by all at Coventry's Sports Bar last night, one ace investigator - ever the team player - went next door, only to be refused entry by a pair of burly bouncers. A few choice expletives later and said reporter saved face, literally, by repairing to the Sports Bar with pride somewhat dented. Seconds out for round two tonight?
Friday 10.24: Slow news day at the Beeb
CUTODAY REPORTER Steve 'Crapo' Carpenter is not usually known for being fast out of the blocks, unless propelled by a boot applied to the bum, but he was quick off the mark with his Ronaldo story yesterday. Crapo sought out genial sports prof and rentamouth Simon Chadwick for an interview and filed his story while the big broadcasters were still in the office filling out their Health and Safety risk assessments and expenses claims. The BBC's Mihir Bose didn't post his story, complete with Chadders interview, until three hours later. Game On! has asked Bose how it feels to be beaten to the punch, but the email lines from Television Centre remain quiet. Maybe he's watching the cricket.
Friday 10.11: Goings-on at the Gala
HINTS OF all sorts of shenanigans at the PTG gala dinner last night reach us from a variety of correspondents, all of them nursing hangovers. Which top rank investigator was imitating Basil Fawlty and making Nazi salutes to a rather surprised Olympian? Which one was carefully listening to a young African reporter while another was cavorting on the dance floor with a variety of partners? Which journo used all his long experience in the business to acquire a bottle of wine from an adjacent table before the rightful owners got a sip? And has the sports bar ever seen so much trade so late at night as when Chadders and pals rolled up there at midnight?
Friday 09.54: Playing the Twitter Game
PLAY THE GAME's Twitter feed has gained a couple of notable devotees. One is California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has signed up for news on the conference. It seems that a certain L. Armstrong is also keeping an eye on what's going on. No doubt he's been hanging on every word from PTG delegate Greg Lemond...
"An absolutely fantastic effort from everyone involved, and like me, I am sure they have learnt alot about news production, and made many invaluable new contacts in the process." Jason Craig, Founding Editor, cutoday.wordpress.com
Thursday 17.07: Sporting chance
WE HEAR that local sportswear company SEN Sport, one of the sponsors of this year's Play The Game conference, supplied the team kit for the Andorra football team that ran England so close at Wembley last night. So in Coventry at least a few people were cheering for the underdogs.
"I think the site is excellent and truly gives a flavour of what’s being discussed. Well done to all." Ali Bushnell, External Press and Media Relations Officer, Coventry University
Thursday 12.49: Audio on demand
YOU'LL FIND exclusive audio clips attached to lots of the stories on CUtoday.wordpress.com. If you're looking for full audio recordings of conference sessions you can now get them at Coventry University's podcasts page, or you can search for 'Play the Game' in the iTunes store - both thanks to our multimedia supremo Pete Woodbridge.
"Enjoyed my recent visit a lot... Congrats to the students (and you and Andrew) on the website - very impressive." Professor Richard Keeble, Lincoln University
Wednesday 17.21: More VIPs and more video
CUTODAY's VIDEO crew have been hard at it, shooting interviews this morning and editing this afternoon. You'll see the results on the site shortly: they're still hard at it, even though PTG delegates have long since disappeared to the splendour of nearby Warwick Castle on a well-earned afternoon off. Meanwhile, the newsroom has had a couple more important visitors - journalism lecturer Sue Heseltine from Birmingham City University and sometime Coventry media lecturer Tim Coleman.
"Great coverage by your guys....it just gets better and better. Please pass on to them my congratulations and thanks. They have done themselves and the university proud." Professor Simon Chadwick, Coventry University
Wednesday 11.31: CUtoday's biggest hits
FEVER PITCH excitement in the CUtoday newsroom as our hit counter edges towards 15,000 visitors - and that includes more than 1500 this week so far, and 828 visits yesterday alone.
Wednesday 10.07: Cathedrals and Conferences
PRAISE FOR the setting of Play the Game 2009 reaches us from PTG delegates: everyone seems to approve of the majestic Sir Basil Spence cathedral which lends a certain gravitas to the proceedings. Though one Coventry local might not be as happy with the choice after they arrived at the cathedral to pray, and were told they couldn't enter without registering for the conference...
Tuesday 20.06: VIPs in the Newsroom
WE'VE HAD our share of VIP visitors to the CUtoday newsroom, based in the old Odeon cinema which is now Coventry University's Ellen Terry Media and Arts Building. Dr John Beech, co-director of CIBS, was here earlier, closely followed by Lincoln University's journalism professor Richard Keeble and we've just welcomed the lovely Katarina Pijetlovic, an Estonian lecturer in EU law, who co-presented a paper on power struggles in football yesterday. And Nick Harris of the Independent is expected later.
Tuesday 17.26: Praise where it's due
POSITIVE REVIEWS for our coverage have come in from a string of high-profile figures. Sports journalist David Goldblatt gave us the thumbs-up, and has gone off to listen to the interview he gave to our reporter Greg Keane; PTG director Jens Sejer Andersen reckons our team is doing a 'great job'; and Coventry University pro-Vice-Chancellor David Pilsbury calls the site a 'fantastic development' while the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Madeleine Atkins, has praised CUtoday.wordpress.com as 'very professional'. Your view? Leave us a comment below or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Tuesday 17.16: All the news that fits
CUTODAY'S NEWSROOM has been a hive of activity today. Since 9am our reporters have been out and about finding stories, and reports have been dropping into editor Jason Craig's inbox all day. So far 11 stories have hit the website and there are several more in the pipeline, together with images, audio and video. It's going to be a long day...
Monday 17.35: Oh, Lord!
A FOOT-in-mouth moment for Simon Chadwick, Coventry University's professor of business sport, who introduces Jack Harrison as the city's mayor. Harrison begins his address by reminding Chadwick that he is the Lord Mayor...
Monday 13.13: Goldblatt's good to go
FOOTBALL WRITER David Goldblatt has been spied in Coventry. The author of The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football speaks on sports pundits later today. CUtoday's reporters are already on the way to secure an interview.
Monday 12.35: Let there be (more) light
MORE TV troubles as it turns out the room laid on for video interviews has everything but light. CUtoday's Iain Green speeds to the rescue.
Monday 12.05: Big big big!
CONSTERNATION as eagle-eyed PTG boss Jens Sejer Andersen deems the banner adorning the main conference stage no good for TV - it's too small. Some Coventry sign company is about to get a rush order - a big order.