UKy basketball "locks out" student paper

It's not the first time a big university has tried to strong-arm reporters, but this guy seems like a total douchebox.

"Test my guys out?" Really? That's the university's role, not the media's.

 

bad form by kentucky but kind of ridiculous for the attorney to call this a First Amendment issue

obviously not

 

No, it's not ridiculous to cite the First Amendment because Kentucky's SID is clearly trying control and squash a member of the media.

Who does Dewayne Peevy think he is? Steve McLain?

 

FWIW, it does say in the UK media notes that "All interviews with Kentucky student-athletes must be coordinated through John Hayden with UK Media Relations."

Apparently the reporter in question didn't do that and just called the new players directly.

At the same time, if the two players AREN'T officially on the roster yet, how is that any different than calling a potential recruit or a verbal/oral commit?

However, I'm not sure what Peevy would have said if the Kernel had contacted Peevy (as Peevy says in the Kernel story). If Peevy can't confirm until Oct. 1, can't imagine he would say yes.

And when a UK freshman (Anthony Davis) tweets that the two players are on the team BEFORE the reporter tried to contact the two new walk-ons, that says more about UK's student-athlete social media policy than it does about a reporter following up on a news item released by one of the team's players.

Kentucky Kernel's take:
http://kykernel.com/2011/08/29/uk-athletics-revokes-kernels-access-to-basketball-interviews/

 

Interesting... I always thought Peevy was pretty easy to deal with, but he wasn't at UK at the time...

 

Wow. That's harsh. McClain might be the worst SID in the history of college athletics, and by worst, I don't mean incompetent, I mean evil, sadistic and sociopathic.

 

1. If the student was calling to confirm the players were actually walk-ons, he was not in the wrong. He was actually being a good reporter instead of running with what was posted on fan sites and Twitter feeds.

2. Peevy had a chance to have a teaching moment with a student. Instead he acts like an ass.

 

That may be the problem. UK is very paranoid and hyper-sensitive to everything.

They even shut Tipton out for this thing last year.

This is an invitation-only event, and the players will be available on media day. This is just a chance for 1 on 1 interviews for 8 minutes a pop. New walk-ons included.

Think UK could have handled this better, but the Kernel did violate a rule. And no, this is not a first amendment issue. They get access to the players, just not today.

 

Do they give out little awards for putting the student paper in thier place, like Ohio State gives out buckeye stickers for great hits?

 

Personally, I think reporters whose access is getting more and more limited should violate the "rules" more often.

Maybe that would force paranoid control freaks to ease up. Or at least make their lives a little more miserable.

 

oh, ok, so anytime an SID or PR guy doesn't make a player or coach available for an interview, it's a First Amendment violation?

thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Hondo Esq.