Please join me, Josh Yohe and Matt Gajtka in welcoming Nate Barnes to our full-time staff as the beat writer covering the Pirates.
Barnes, 23, has all the professional and personality traits to fit the ambitious nature of this project, but above all, at least in my eyes, he’s got that rare drive to do real reporting. When I’ve spoken to students about sports journalism, I’ve always stressed that the journalism part comes first and foremost. It isn’t about the sport. It’s about the story. Nate gets that. He’s actually a natural in that regard, as much as any young reporter I’ve gotten to know.
And that’s what he’ll offer. He’ll be himself, as all our writers are, and take you on the inside his own way. (And no, he’s not nearly as cool as the above pic would suggest, I dare say.) But the No. 1 priority will be news, whether at PNC Park or the West Coast or Bradenton or Winter Meetings or the upcoming trading deadline. He’ll be everywhere the Pirates are.
Nate’s sojourn into journalism began during the second semester of his freshman year at Pitt. He began covering women’s tennis at The Pitt News and moved on to primarily cover the men’s basketball beat over three years. He served as Sports Editor before graduating in 2015. After an internship with Pittsburgh Sports Report in fall 2012, Nate took over the Pirates beat. He joined Pirates Prospects later that year and freelanced for the Associated Press, Sports Xchange and various outlets. Nate also has covered Pitt football, basketball and recruiting since last fall as publisher of Panther Digest in the Scout network.
As I’ve pledged to Nate, he’ll have our full support, from both the staffing and travel standpoints. And we’ll be thrilled if he also has yours as a reader.
First day on the job is today.
Nate Barnes, holding up the home dugout railing at PNC Park.
July 4, 2015
Welcome, Nate Barnes, Pirates beat writer
by Dejan Kovacevic • Site stuff • Pirates
Please join me, Josh Yohe and Matt Gajtka in welcoming Nate Barnes to our full-time staff as the beat writer covering the Pirates.
Barnes, 23, has all the professional and personality traits to fit the ambitious nature of this project, but above all, at least in my eyes, he’s got that rare drive to do real reporting. When I’ve spoken to students about sports journalism, I’ve always stressed that the journalism part comes first and foremost. It isn’t about the sport. It’s about the story. Nate gets that. He’s actually a natural in that regard, as much as any young reporter I’ve gotten to know.
And that’s what he’ll offer. He’ll be himself, as all our writers are, and take you on the inside his own way. (And no, he’s not nearly as cool as the above pic would suggest, I dare say.) But the No. 1 priority will be news, whether at PNC Park or the West Coast or Bradenton or Winter Meetings or the upcoming trading deadline. He’ll be everywhere the Pirates are.
Nate’s sojourn into journalism began during the second semester of his freshman year at Pitt. He began covering women’s tennis at The Pitt News and moved on to primarily cover the men’s basketball beat over three years. He served as Sports Editor before graduating in 2015. After an internship with Pittsburgh Sports Report in fall 2012, Nate took over the Pirates beat. He joined Pirates Prospects later that year and freelanced for the Associated Press, Sports Xchange and various outlets. Nate also has covered Pitt football, basketball and recruiting since last fall as publisher of Panther Digest in the Scout network.
As I’ve pledged to Nate, he’ll have our full support, from both the staffing and travel standpoints. And we’ll be thrilled if he also has yours as a reader.
First day on the job is today.