Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Media Dooley Treats Sportswriters Like Peons
Posted by Jeff Woods on Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 3:26 PM
This kind of high-handed treatment of the media is becoming a bad habit at the University of Tennessee, whose officials seem to think they're running a banana republic rather than a state-funded school. A Knoxville News Sentinel writer, Dave Hooker, was banned from Neyland Stadium a few years ago for having the audacity to interview a football player without the athletic department's permission.
And when Lane Kiffin quit as coach, department flack Bud Ford, a little bully, demanded that TV crews agree not to go live with the press conference. When one lonely media member dissented, an angry Ford barked: "You're in our building, you know that. Just remember that." And we thought it was our building.
On his blog, News Sentinel editor Jack McElroy calls Dooley's little stratagem troubling, and we're glad he has offered at least this mild objection. But it's time for the Tennessee media to get tough with the Vols. No way should they ever put up with this from Dooley or anyone else in the employ of state government. If the media band together, the university will have no choice but to do it the right way and treat everyone equally without regard to whether their coverage pleases Dooley. A sternly worded letter from the press and broadcast associations should land on Athletic Director Mike Hamilton's desk tomorrow.
Comments (10)
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Good luck with that. They're the 800-lb gorilla and Mike Hamilton is a bona-fide common sense idiot.
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These sportswriters are wusses. They wag their tails for Dooley because they love to chow down on the fabulous spreads the Vols roll out for halftime at Neyland. They ought to ignore every Bud Ford rule. Sit at home and watch the games on TV if need be. Phone the players on their cells and get their own quotes.
football pays for football, and then some. when your tax dollars start legitimately paying even a small portion of dooley's paycheck, maybe your voice will get heard.
You could say the same thing about most big-time college football programs. The Titans do it, too. Most of them may be more subtle about it than Dooley, but none of this should really qualify as news.
I think the no talking to players with out permission thing might be a NCAA rule. If not it is very common in college sports.
Milkman, I realize the NCAA is powerful but I don't think they can make rules that infringe on the First Amendment.
While I do not think that the NCAA restricts players from speaking to the media (there are some odd rules regarding bowl games and the NCAA tournament), Milkman has a point. There are lots of things that players might say, particularly if goaded by a scumbag reporter with an agenda, that could bring some form of whack from the NCAA.
Besides, participation in NCAA sports is voluntary so that free speech can be limited.
Woods as much as it pains me to say it you are right it is not against NCAA rules for players to speak with the media, there are still some tight restrictions. I do think that rules requiring permission are very common. Mainly because they don't want players getting into trouble. Just because it is not against the rules doesn't mean they couldn't break a dozen other rules in talking with a reporter. Most likely the rules against endorsements.
For example:
Q: What do you think of the new Jerseys?
A:I think Nike did a great job, the guys over at Nike came over and brought all sorts of Nike gear, I wear Nikes everyday.
While not an endorsement it is close enough to run afoul of NCAA rules
