CBS sideline reporter Jill Arrington will be making her second trip to Death Valley this season when LSU faces off against Florida on Saturday.
JD: How did you get started in journalism?
JA: I majored in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Miami and got my degree in that. I’m from Atlanta, so I worked at CNN in the summers. Then after graduation I started producing a national television show based out of Miami Beach and did that for about five years. And then I decided I wanted to be on camera and that I missed sports in my life. I have a big passion for sports, so I started working for Fox Sports covering the NFL and Tennis. From there I went to CBS.
JD: How have you liked your job as a sideline reporter for CBS?
JA: I love what I do right now working at CBS. It’s such a credible network and covering the SEC. When I first got the job, we had the Big East and the SEC, so I was thrilled because I went to Miami. I am a UM alum, so once a Cane always a Cane. That was kind of fun to cover Big East games and the SEC. I grew up going to Georgia games and those huge rivalries are lots of fun. I get to go to the best venues and see the best matchups. In my opinion, the SEC is the best conference to cover. I love it, being close to the action on the field. It’s a lot of travel, but once you’re off the plane it’s very exciting to see the fans get into it and see how serious the players are about it. The college level is so very pure. It’s a great sport and I enjoy covering the NFL too. So it has been a thrill and a great ride for me at CBS.
JD: What is your opinion about the LSU fans and the Death Valley experience?
JA: I would say that Death Valley has the wildest fans. I mean there are some loud fans in Knoxville and The Swamp gets pretty loud, but there is nothing wilder than Death Valley. They’re crazy. You never know what is going to come out of their mouth or their hands. You have to be on your toes out there. They get a little rowdy, a little out of control. It’s not a night game, so we might be okay there. But I hear they get started pretty early. The Cajun food here is the best and I like how loyal the fans are. I know it’s something that coach Saban has to deal with. He was thrown in under fire and really realized right up front the expectations LSU fans have for their team which I think is great, and I think he is enjoying that passion too. LSU is a great place to cover a game. The atmosphere is just incredible.
JD: What is your opinion on LSU coach Nick Saban?
JA: I think Nick Saban is a cool character. I think he exudes that coolness and that poise, but he is an extreme competitor. He’s pretty much down to business. I think the players respect him because I think he has a clear path that he sets them on. There’s no BS, it’s like let’s get down to business, this is the way things are going to be done and this is how you build a championship team. He takes the little things seriously. You know building character and the things outside just a good football player, a good athlete on the field. He builds the complete person, which I think is really good, and that’s something these guys are going to take with them beyond this level of play. So I really respect him and what he has done here. You guys have had a winning program since he’s been here and I think it’s only going to go up from there.
JD: What do you do to prepare during the week prior to the game?
JA: We start about a week early. Every week we get a lot of stats, information, media guides, clips and all kinds of things to prepare us for the game. We have conference calls with both teams’ offensive/defensive coordinators, head coaches and star players. We talk to them about things that have happened the week before, what we can expect to see, injuries, and interesting stories that have happened to players off the field. It is my job to bring out those stories to let the fans know who these people are off the field. Then of course we go to practice on Thursdays, do team walkthroughs on Fridays and meet with the home teams in person. I do some sit down interviews that you see during the game. I do those interviews with star players and head coaches just to kind of answer people’s questions about what’s going on, the history of the game and stuff like that. There is a week’s worth of preparation every game. My one day off is Monday. That’s when I run my errands, but otherwise I’m on the road. A lot goes into it. I try to come up with five or six stories on each side of the ball going into the game. But of course it’s a live game so some of those go out the window because I’m covering other stuff that is happening on the field. So it is a lot of preparation, but only a little time on the air.
JD: Have you found it difficult to be a female and work around a male-dominated sport?
JA: For me being in such a male-dominated sport hasn’t been a problem because I grew up around it. You know my father was a quarterback in the NFL. I played golf with him and all his NFL buddies. I’ve been around men and sports my whole life. So I am very comfortable in that environment. I am not intimidated by being surrounded by men. I’ve looked the way I’ve looked my whole life, so I’ve dealt with the whole appearance thing my whole life as well. I think that there are women who have laid the groundwork for the women in sports journalism, so we are accepted as a journalist there to cover a story. I haven’t had any problems. Luckily, the coaches and players respect me as I am there to do a story. In the locker room, it’s just one of those things. To me I want to get in and get out because that’s a place of business. I have to just get my story and get it back to the truck or you know feed it live then go home or whatever. So that really hasn’t been a problem for me. As a woman, I am proud to be a woman. I want to be a woman, sound like a woman and look like a woman out there and to give another perspective. You got the guys in the booth who are covering the Xs and Os and I am covering the history of the game. The telecast moves along. I’m here to give another perspective and show my enthusiasm so that women out there say, “Wait, what does she like about the game? What can I learn and pay attention to?” And it is an appearance business. It’s television. It all goes hand in hand. But you have to know your stuff, be prepared and I have fun with it. That’s what I try to do, but I am proud to be a woman and cover male sports.