Did media hold back info on Young?

[bigpern23]

I'm watching the Dallas-Tennessee game and Darryl Johnston was talking about how Vince Young didn't have to field questions about starting because it wasn't officially announced until yesterday. Then he said the "guys in the media here knew about it on Wednesday, but kept it under wraps."

Anyone know if that's true? I can't imagine an NFL beat writer not breaking that news if he or she has it. It might have been reported well before yesterday for all I know. I didn't read anything about Tennessee's QB situation, but it's still baseball season to me. I haven't been paying too much attention to that stuff during the week.

Who's the dumbass here, Johnston for talking out his ass, or writers who chose not to break a story on their beat?

[old_tony]

I'm watching the Dallas-Tennessee game and Darryl Johnston was talking about how Vince Young didn't have to field questions about starting because it wasn't officially announced until yesterday. Then he said the "guys in the media here knew about it on Wednesday, but kept it under wraps."

Anyone know if that's true? I can't imagine an NFL beat writer not breaking that news if he or she has it. It might have been reported well before yesterday for all I know. I didn't read anything about Tennessee's QB situation, but it's still baseball season to me. I haven't been paying too much attention to that stuff during the week.

Who's the dumbass here, Johnston for talking out his ass, or writers who chose not to break a story on their beat?

If there are any reporters who knew on Wednesday and didn't report it, I would hope they have a long and successful career ... as a WalMart greeter. That's about all they'd be qualified to do.

[SF_Express]

OK, we now have two threads going on this, one of the "journalism topics only" board, and here.

OT, I don't think it's that simple.

Titans beat guys are allowed access to practice with the understanding they're not going to report certain things they see there. What they saw this week was Young working with the first team and Collins with the scout team.

Somebody could have gone ahead and written it, but then they're breaking that agreement -- and then practices are probably closed from that day forward.

I said on the other thread that I understand why they didn't report it -- but I guess the other way of looking at it is that you say, "OK, close your practices, because I'm not gonig to be handcuffed when it comes to reporting things I know about the team."

I guess the question then becomes, is practice access valuable enough that you make that tradeoff, or do you go ahead and give that up so that you're not limited?

[Ben_Hecht]

In this case, the tradeoff's too expensive.   This was a significant story within league context.

There's no information like inside information.   Young looks awful, with his ridiculous,
doomed-to-fail-at-this level throwing motion . . .

[PCLoadLetter]

Totally agree with Ben.  What's the value of practice access if you don't report on what's going on there?  If you're a reporter and not a team PR flak, you report that Young is starting.

[old_tony]

OK, we now have two threads going on this, one of the "journalism topics only" board, and here.

OT, I don't think it's that simple.

Titans beat guys are allowed access to practice with the understanding they're not going to report certain things they see there. What they saw this week was Young working with the first team and Collins with the scout team.

Somebody could have gone ahead and written it, but then they're breaking that agreement -- and then practices are probably closed from that day forward.

I said on the other thread that I understand why they didn't report it -- but I guess the other way of looking at it is that you say, "OK, close your practices, because I'm not gonig to be handcuffed when it comes to reporting things I know about the team."

I guess the question then becomes, is practice access valuable enough that you make that tradeoff, or do you go ahead and give that up so that you're not limited?

When you see Young working with the first team, you ask Fisher if he's now the No. 1 and you ask Young if he's the starter. Then you report what they say. Who the starting quarterback is will always be news, not some little strategy thing you hide for the team. If that gets you tossed from practice, so be it. If you can't report something as important as who the starting quarterback is based on your observations at practice, then what's the value to watching practice anyway?

[shockey]

as a longtime nfl writer, it's a cut-and-dried deal, more than ever in today's climate, where so many teams close practice to the media.

when it comes to anything strategic, you can't write it. of course, you can write it or report it on the radio -- you won't end up in jail or anything. so if it's worth the price -- most assuredly, closed practices and you being seen as a person not to be trusted -- go for it.

thre aren't any stories worth the price of trust, in my opinion. so vince young was going to start. whoop-de-damn-do. the only reason reporters knew this was because of the open practice policy. that's the price you pay for open practices.

you want to be free to report it? ask for closed practices. then be a reporter, use your sources, and find out young's been working with the first team all week. pick which you want. if you want open practices, when the coach says, "don't write it," you don't write it. it's that simple.

[BYH]

we talkin about practice. There's nothing more boring than football practice. Like watching grass grow.

And it's the fuckin Titans. They were getting smoked this week no matter the starter.

[Bubbler]

There's nothing more boring than football practice.

It's actually a tie with basketball practice.

[Claws for Concern]

No Fun League strikes again.

[Gold]

The other problem is that you could get burned if it didn't happed.  It could be a question about a possible injury to the first-string QB, and that's why the backup is getting the snaps in practice.

[HoopsMcCann]

There's nothing more boring than football practice.

It's actually a tie with basketball practice.

basketball's worse because of the fuckin' sound of the ball bouncing and sneakers squeeking

jesus, less than two weeks. christ. ugh.