Last spring, a post comparing NESN field reporter Tina Cervasio to ESPN counterpart Erin Andrews was mentioned on Deadspin and resulted in the biggest day in the history of One More Dying Quail. Since then, Google searches for "Tina Cervasio" and similar terms have been fixtures in my list of Site Meter referrals; it varies from day to day, but between those searches and continuing hits from a Red Sox Times story on Andrews and NESN's female reporters, Cervasio is a major part of my daily traffic.

Last week, I visited Cervasio's web site and decided to contact her for an interview. Somewhat surprisingly, she accepted and answered a few questions for me via email. I'm not the best interviewer in the world (alright, I suck - this was my first time, so be gentle), but I tried to cover a variety of topics, from common perceptions of sideline reporters to the awesomeness of Tim Wakefield. The only true disappointment? She won't introduce me to Erin Andrews or Bonnie Bernstein. Not cool, Tina. Not cool.

OMDQ: Let's start this thing off by resolving some trust issues: since we're doing this via email, how do I know I'm really dealing with Tina Cervasio and not just an intern in NESN's PR department?

TC: Because I would never TRUST someone else answering questions about me!!

OMDQ: Can you take me through a day in the professional life of Tina Cervasio?

TC: On the professional side of things, after I wake up, 90% of the time I'll put WEEI on and listen while I get ready for my day. I'll go buy & read the Globe and Herald, then read the other Red Sox and sports stories either online or when they are emailed to me. When we are playing in Boston, I'll head over to NESN in Watertown to have meetings with producers, voice over any features, get my mail, answer emails, autograph requests. Then I'll head over to Fenway (the latest I'll get there is 2:30 ... any later and I'll feel out of sorts.) For about an hour, I'll type up in-game reports that I would like to do, edit sound bites, talk to my game and pre-game producers about what they need from me for the Pre-Game show and the actual Game broadcast. I'll share my ideas, I'll write out my check list, write up my in game reports and hand over or email copies to everyone involved. The clubhouse opens at 3:30, I'll go in, get the lineups, set up any interviews with players or coaches that I need, check in with Don & Jerry, catch up with the Globe writers that I will be talking to later on the pre-game show. Sometimes I'll get sound bites right in the clubhouse, other times we'll head out to the dugout to do interviews. At 4 PM, Terry Francona has his media meeting in the interview room at Fenway or the Manager's office in other ballparks. After he's done with the formal meeting, taking questions, having off-the-cuff conversations ... he does another meeting with the electronic media. When we are on the road, I'm usually the only camera. From there, I'll call my pre-game producer and update him on the meeting and the sound I've collected, we'll discuss my news hit, and "Insider & MLB Topics" with the Globe writers. Then I'll head to the opposing team to either get sound from the manager, or grab a quick interview with a player. Sometimes they are formal, some quick stick mic interviews, sometimes I'll just get sound bites from the player on a story idea I have for in-game or for our pre-game show. (Am I boring you yet?) At Fenway when the Sox take B.P. first, I'll do one last check at about 5:30 in the clubhouse for any updates or lineup changes ... powder my nose, hook up my IFB ... and I'm in the chair for pre-game by 5:50 to do a sound check. From there ... It's show/game time!!

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