WHITE HALL — Being a sportswriter definitely has it's perks. But there are a few drawbacks of doing this job, too. One of which I'm experiencing right now.

This month I'm doing an internship at the Pine Bluff Commercial. It's a required thing I've gotta do so I can one day get that degree.

Unfortunately, internships aren't just real easy to get these days because newspapers think they've got to pay you and they certainly don't like spending money. They also have all kinds of insurance concerns. A lot of newspapers just don't do them anymore, while others just don't pay you anymore.

So, I'm doing this internship for free for about a month, driving to Pine Bluff everyday from either Conway or Malvern. The time is the same, but there's a 20 mile difference.

Anyways, I'm not complaining about the internship. It's been great so far. The Commercial is one of the bigger and more respected papers in the state. I like the people running the show down here and already sort of knew them, so it's a pretty good setup, the drive just sucks.

But the one major drawback I've had to deal with is the actual start of the game. I'm covering the Class A State Baseball Tournament here and it was scheduled to run Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. Well, half of the games were played Saturday before the rains finally poured down heavy enough for the games to be called.

They were to be made up Monday, but as of Sunday night the Commercial still had not received word on when, exactly, the would be made up. But they told me to come in at 2:30 p.m., 'cause they and I figured they'd try to get them going as early as possible.

Wrong.

The first games got going at 5 p.m. on Monday. Spectacular. Really not a problem, but I could've waited a little while before making my trek down here.

But the games went quick and I was back in Conway just after midnight. Not horrible.

Today's game was slated to get underway at 2 p.m. That was what they told me in the press box yesterday, it's what I published in my stories, it's what the Arkansas Activities Association Web site said this morning before I left to make the drive down.

Well, that too, was all wrong. The game is getting underway at 4 p.m. as was originally scheduled. Again, this wouldn't have been a problem had I not been here a quarter 'til 2 ready to go. Instead I've been sitting in the press box here trying to keep myself occupied.

I've already called several people, probably annoying the hell out of them as they go about their normal days. I also contemplated taking a tour around the campus of White Hall high, until I realized that there isn't probably much to look at and I assume you might have to some sort of visitor's pass to be roaming the halls without receiving detention or some strange looks and possibly a phone call to the police.

So, I went with the safe thing to do, sit here and right a blog that I can't even post until I get somewhere with some Internet access.

I'm used to these college press boxes with at the very least a phone cord that could be used for some good ol' dial-up Internet. But here at White Hall you don't get jack by way of a connection. That's fine, but it kind of makes this blogging stuff pointless when you can't post it right away.

But, none-the-less, it's posted now because you're reading it. I hope you enjoy. The game's about to start. I gotta go.