By Taylor Nigrelli
Sports Assignment Editor
New York Post lead sports columnist Mike Vaccaro, ’89, is one of two journalists to earn the honor of being named 2013’s New York Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA).
The NSSA annually awards the best sportswriter and sportscaster in each state. The winners of the awards are decided by voting members of the NSSA from each state.
Vaccaro said the votes of his colleagues make the award all the more important to him.
“Well the fact that it’s a vote of my peers makes it a little extra special because I suspect that’s a reflection of whatever respect I’ve been able to accrue over 25 years in the business,” Vaccaro said. “It means a lot to me that I’ve tried to be the same guy no matter where I was working. It was always about the job; doing it well.”
This is the first time Vaccaro has been honored by the association. He credits his success in 2012 to an eventful year in the sports he covered.
“I was able to be around a lot of great events. That helps,” Vaccaro said. “The Giants’ run to the Super Bowl was especially fertile writing ground, and the Olympics always present dozens of terrific subjects. The Jets are always good for comic relief, and the Knicks being relevant is great for a columnist around here. I certainly didn’t want for topics to tackle.”
The New York Post has employed Vaccaro since November 2002. Vaccaro previously held jobs at the Star-Ledger, Kansas City Star and the Olean Times Herald. He covered multiple Super Bowls, Olympics, World Series, NCAA tournaments and a Stanley Cup Final.
Vaccaro said the rush of covering championship events is the most enjoyable part of his job.
“There’s nothing that beats the buzz and the adrenaline attached when one of the teams you cover wins a championship,” Vaccaro said. “It doesn’t affect you the way it would a fan. You know people are reading and can’t get enough of what you’re writing. I grew up around here but I wasn’t a fan of any of those teams, and it doesn’t matter; the rush of writing a column off the Giants winning the Super Bowl … it’s what I do this for.”
Though he is 24 years removed from graduation, Vaccaro is still an avid supporter of the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. He covered the men’s basketball team on their tournament run last year and wrote a piece after the Atlantic 10 Championship win over Xavier that appeared in the Olean Times Herald . Vaccaro gives St Bonaventure credit for making him the reporter he is today.
“I can say this without qualification: I would never have gotten where I’ve gotten if I hadn’t gone to SBU,” Vaccaro said. “Because of the size of the school I was writing for The Bona Venture my first week on campus, writing columns for the paper by my sophomore year and editing it my junior year. I was taking overnight shifts on 88.3 WSBU-FM, The Buzz my second month on campus, something I never would’ve been able to do at Syracuse or Missouri. I got to know (former dean of the school of Journalism and Mass Communication) Dr. Jandoli very well, a privilege I’ll always treasure.”
According to Vaccaro, newspaper reporters in the 21st century need to do much more than write articles. He believes he can improve in this area.
“Being a columnist in 2013 means a lot more than just the 800 words you write in the newspaper, Vaccaro said. “It’s that other stuff I’m trying to get better at; being concise and pithy during radio interviews, coming across better during television or streamed internet appearances. I’m also still figuring out how to maximize my efficiency on Twitter and other social media, too. It’s all about staying relevant.”
Although Vaccaro’s reporting career began over 20 years ago, he still finds pleasure in seeing his work printed.
“I still run to the doorstep to see my column in the paper every morning I have one,” Vaccaro said. “Now, I spend a lot of time on the road so I can’t always hold the paper in my hand so I’m just as happy seeing the column on-line or on my iPad app. But the fact is, this is exactly the job I’ve wanted ever since I was seven years old and my pops would bring the Post home on the train every night. He lived long enough to see me work for that paper. That’s a pretty cool accomplishment, and one I’m really very proud of.”
