Sports writer Kevin McNamara, R.I. through and through

As a perk of being a long-time sports writer and columnist for The Providence Journal, Kevin McNamara has been to the last three Super Bowls, the World Series, the NHL finals, NBA finals and more. On the other hand, he’s also missed birthdays, Thanksgivings and anniversaries — but never a Christmas — to cover games on the road.

Here, he talks about his career and the day his fandom died. The interview is edited for length and clarity.

How did you come to work for The Providence Journal?

I am from Rhode Island. I live in Rumford. I went to Syracuse [University], and I was into sports the whole way.

When I was there, they played in the Final Four and in the Sugar Bowl, so basketball and football were very strong. It was the best. It really was. And I had a work-study job in the athletics department, so I kind of had the inside view.

I left college without a job. I had been an intern at The Providence Journal between my junior and senior years. When I graduated, to be able to work at The Providence Journal was more of a dream, because normally you would have to start small.

My first job, a couple of months after graduation, was at The Providence Journal. They hired me.

You must have been a great intern.

I guess so. And I’ve never left.

You are a through-and-through Rhode Islander.

I am. You know, there are things that have happened along in the 31 years now, but not enough to get me to leave. My wife is from here. My family is here. It didn’t make sense.

Thirty-one years. That’s longer than I was expecting.

My sports editor said the other day, “How long have you been covering college basketball?” I said. “You know, I think it’s 30.” So I counted it up, and it’s 30 years covering college basketball and 29 years covering Providence College basketball. He’s like, “I think you need to write about it.” And I’m like, “Oh no, now everyone is going to know how old I am.”

What’s it like watching a game through the lens of a sports writer? Do you still get to be a fan, or is that gone?

It really is gone. It’s kind of sad, because I grew up a big fan. I really, really liked the Celtics growing up. That was my push. Then all the sudden I had to cover the Celtics, and once Larry Bird retired my fandom for all teams ended.

That said, I quickly learned that winning teams help the newspaper. So certainly, I would much rather have all of our teams win than struggle. No one really wants to read about a losing team, and we have been so blessed in the last 20 years with all the Boston teams around here.

Have you ever been hit by a ball?

There’s always a chance of that at Fenway Park.

There was a Providence College game at Georgetown, in D.C. I had a great seat, right on the sideline, and this guy comes flying at me out of bounds.

My first thought was — save the computer. So I have a pen in my hand, and I get the computer down but my pen clearly stabs the guy as he’s coming across. And he’s on the ground, and you would assume he’s hurt because he’s on the ground, but he looks up at me, and he says “Did you just stab me with your pen?”

I think I did, but I did save the computer.

Which is key! Last question — what do you wish people knew about sports coverage?

So many people say “Wow, you get to go to games for free.”

A former sportswriter here had a great line. He said, “This would be the best job in the world if you didn’t have to write.”

I think that’s what fans think. They think, “You go to the game, you watch the game, you talk to the players and you’re done. Great!”

And that would be a great job. But then you have to go out and write.

And the writing is the hard part, as it should be.

— klandeck@gatehousemedia.com

On Twitter: @Katie_Landeck

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