Worst access?

Doug Walker. He's had Weis and Saban back-to-back (with a little Shula thrown in).

 

I'll concur that the folks covering Auburn and Georgia have the best gigs in the SEC in terms of access and SID assistance.

 

I have to go with Saban. He doesn't allow his assistants to speak to the media and freshmen are off limits, no matter how much they're playing. I remember one time someone at LSU brought Michael Clayton (who was a freshman at the time) to the post-game interview room and that Monday the media got a nice little tongue-lashing from the SID about requesting freshmen.

But the best Saban story is his first year at LSU, he invited all of the everyday beat writers into his office for a little chat session. He laid the groundwork on how he deals with the media and what he expects from us in return (as far as courtesy and whatnot). Then he says something to the effect of "I don't want it to sound like a dictatorship. I have an open door policy." A month or two down the road, I call his office hoping to get a Q&A with him for our football tab and his secretary says "Coach Saban doesn't give one-on-one interviews."

And then there was the time Saban closed off practice to the media, except for the first 10 minutes (basically the stretching period) and during that period, no cameras were allowed. No big deal, because a lot of places close off practice, but it got real ugly later in the season with a certain WWL was allowed backstage access to practice while the rest of us media clowns stayed outside.

I, unfortunately, never dealt with DiNardo. I got hired to cover LSU right as Saban was hired. But I've heard stories of how DiNardo would invite members of the press over to his house on Sundays for a cookout. I heard stories of how DiNardo would personally return any call made to his office. I guess that's why he didn't last. He was too nice. Oh, and there was also that losing thing.

 

Seconded on DiNardo. Maybe not such a great coach, but great to talk to -- lot of funny stories. Pete Carroll is also good. Rutgers has a pretty open setup, perhaps because Schiano saw how it could work as an assistant at Miami.

I'm rather surprised no one has nominated Joe Paterno/Penn State for worst access. I've found the players, over the years, to be smart and interesting, but Joe doesn't make them "available" (hate that term) more than twice a week, if that.

I think I'd hate playing for a coach who doesn't trust his players with the media. Wonder if plays a small factor in some guys picking a school? I think it would have to.

 

Anyonemention Saban yet?

 

Granted this was San Diego State, but a couple years back, I called the head coach's secretary who put me through immediately to the head coach. The guy was sick, could barely talk, but still gave me five minutes about a local kid that played for him and was signed as an undrafted free agent. I now know it will never get any easier than that.

Edit: It just occurred to me that it was the offseason, so that might have also had something to do with the ease of it.

 

Hey, Jay Paterno is made available. What more could you want than the smarmy nepotistic sneers of a douchebag cocksucker who doesn't belong anywhere near a Division I sideline?

 

With some guys that makes it harder. They go into hiding. Unless you're ESPN.

 

Can I get that on a t-shirt?

 

OK, I'll try again:

How do the SJers here define access? Obviously our definition is different than the defintion of the dictatorial coach and sniveling SID.

 

The bigger the media outlet the better the access. Funny how that works, ain't it? Sucks for the locals, though.