His father, Thomas Cooney, was a long time writer for the Philadelphia Daily News. For Bob Cooney that dream has come true. “Being apart of the Philadelphia Daily New for the past 20 years has been a amazing journey” Cooney stated. Covering the Philadelphia 76ers for the past 3 seasons has been a magical ride with meeting sports athletes such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan. However this job has its consequences. Being a father of 4 kids and a husband, it is very hard to attend family parties, attend kids school and sporting events, and just having quality family time. “Two of my sons are in high school one having autism, my oldest son is attending LaSalle University, and my daughter is in 5th grade. I hate the fact that I cannot be at the school play or at the soccer game. It comes to a point where I think if this job is worth it at all” Cooney stated. He also states, “When I think about this job I always remember my first time I ever visited Philadelphia. That excitement of being apart of a big city with the loud noises, all the people, and the skyscrapers. It is just an excitement I have had since I was a young boy and to this day that excitement still lives in me”. People have jobs they do not enjoy because they need some way to put food on the table. At age 48, Mr. Cooney is able to say that he is living his dream.
The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine is home to the Philadelphia 76ers practice facility. On a daily basis Mr.Cooney is at the facility getting daily reports from the 76ers training staff, the player management staff, and the coaches and players themselves. After getting these reports he has a certain time period where he must compose a story and send it into his editor at the Daily News. These stories can range anywhere from injuries, trade rumors, and firings within the 76ers organization.
After practice is over, Mr. Cooney returns to the Daily News office located in Center City, Philadelphia. The Daily News has been around for 89 years and began to publish on March 31, 1925.
All writers have their work end up on the editors desk before being published in the paper. Mr. Cooney has developed a great relationship over the past 20 years with his editor. All of Mr. Cooney’s work is carefully reviewed by both his editor and himself. If change is needed both are willing to put in the time and effort to get his story just right.
At the end of the day, Mr. Cooney comes home to his wife and 4 kids. “My second oldest son, Tommy Cooney, has autism and every second I get with him is a new memory just as it is with all of my children” Cooney stated. The family bonding is the only down side to his dream job because Mr. Cooney wishes his family could travel and see the world with him. Some jobs may be considered “dream” jobs, but the family behind the scenes is the dream every aspires to have.
