Baltimore Sun doesn't follow The Tennessean's lead

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2006/10/should_practices_be_open_to_th.html (includes link to SportsJournalists.com!)
http://thebiglead.com/?p=1217

Word out of College Park, Maryland, is that King Ralph tried the same trick with media members Wednesday at Terps practice. His leading tackler wore a non-contact jersey, but the Fridge demanded nobody write about it (probably because NC State would use this knowledge to its advantage, and King Ralph doesn’t know who’s banged up on NC State). Except the Baltimore Sun didn’t follow instructions.
...
This makie the Fridge no happy. According to our mole, all media members received an email this morning saying don’t bother show up to watch the first 25 minutes of practice as per usual – because you’re not getting in.

We scoured the Washington Post’s website, but found no mention of the non-contact jersey. Ditto for the Washington Times and the Maryland school paper, The Diamondback. If Maryland were ranked, The Post would have egg on its face.

 

In 2005, I had practice closed on me three times by this point of the season... of course I'm the beat writer for a Hal Mumme-coached team, so that is par for the course.

This year, for anyone with past Mumme coverage issues, I'll say he has been downright friendly with the media. Kind of scary, actually. I'm still not sure where he's coming from. Amazing what a stud quarterback does for a pass-happy coach. They still aren't winning (17 straight losses to DIA opponents) but the offense is clicking so everything is fine, apparently. Now, even Mumme lets the media stay and his entire practices. He did ask me once this year not to report some injury information, which I saw no way around and reported anyway, and even then, the usually ill-tempered Mumme never had a problem.

I think when there is less media covering the team (here I am the only daily covering him 90 percent of the time), a coach may try to pull this more, but then quickly realizes if you stand your ground that he and his program need the media coverage however they can get it. As for back east when multiple papers cover a team, I imagine its harder for a reporter to still report what a coach asks him not to for fear competing papers will then get preferential treatment. I'm glad the Baltimore Sun did so. A starter being injured plays a big part in the game, which is our job to convey to the readers.

 

Maybe Hal's about to get hit with the sanctions stick again?

 

The Aggies were 0-12 last year and 2-4 this year with wins only over DI-AA teams. I hope he's not cheating.

 

Hal ain't the sharpest tool in the shed, ten.

 

Much respect for the Sun writer who printed it anyway, and the editors who supported it.

And a righteous scoff at the Tennessean people who let a coach screw them out of the ability and desire to do their job.

The REAL reason a kid gets booted when the stated reason is "unspecified violation of team rules." Two players engaging in a bit of a shoving match during practice, which ends with no punches thrown and an understanding that testosterone sometimes affects how players act during a practice under hot temperatures. THESE are the type of things a coach can attempt to ask a beat writer to not print, because they are not always easily known by the public. They can be sold as wanting to be kept "within the team."

But a player wearing a non-contact jersey in the middle of a practice that likely has a fan or two able to catch a glimpse? An important player, such as a leading tackler? Sorry, coach. If the opponent knowing you have that rarest of individuals - a football player who is a little banged up in late October - is the difference between victory and defeat, then it's time to accept that TV analyst offer and get off the sideline.

Most of try not to tell the coaches how to do their jobs (at least, I would hope beat people make it a point to avoid that). They have no business telling us how to do ours.

And it's bush league to threaten to close practice if something so simple is printed. Actually closing practice as a result . . . I guess that BCS bowl five years ago has bought quite a bit of power for Mr. Friedgen.

 

Thought some of you might chuckle when you read this email we received on the subject:
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Subject: You Tool
You never give the enemy information that can damage/endanger your efforts. The media on the battlefield in Iraq/Afghanistan know this -- and so should Dinnich. If you violat the trust given to an embedded reporter you lose your ability to cover the unit -- whether in the military or football!
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If we were as tough as Mr. Sportsline, we'd google this guy and make a mockery of him. But alas, we are not. We salute anyone who has to cover a top-tier SEC team, Notre Dame, FSU, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. And we probably missed a few.

 

I covered Bo and Gary Moeller... exactly how many practices do YOU think were open...

 

By the way, Heather Dinnich is a helluva reporter. She did a pretty good job covering Penn State, another beat that ain't exactly media friendly.

 

I think the only practice more boring than football practice is basketball practice.

But the post comparing reporting football teams to leaking troop moments in the Middle East posed an interesting question:
If a football coach ran his football team like the war in Iraq has been handled, would he still have a job right now after four years on the job?

 

He would not have a team, because they would all be dead.

 

That's an idiotic comparison, obviously. I will say, however, that I do agree with coaches that game-plan info, trick plays in practice, etc., shouldn't be written about.

Injury info, however, is fair game and part of our jobs.