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NFL team relationships with the media

I usually try to avoid the "OMG, look what this sports writer said" type of threads, but I thought this was interesting because it gives a bit of insight into the dynamics of the relationship between the sports media and sports teams. Obviously much has been made with the relationship between Belichick and the media over the years; here is something with Scott Pioli and the self-appointed head of the Kansas City sports media, Jason Whitlock.

Kansas City Chiefs winning despite Todd Haley - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

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Personally, I like Todd Haley. It’s true. Away from a football complex, removed from the overbearing presence of Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli, it’s my impression that Haley is a stand-up guy.

After writing that comment (which, as it turns out, has nothing to do with his story) Whitlock finds it necessary to list his credentials, apparently to convince us of his credibility - which again has nothing to do with the story; the story is about Todd Haley not being an NFL caliber head coach.

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The Chiefs are my hometown team. I covered the team at home and on the road for 16 straight years before deciding in August to leave the newspaper industry and split my time between Kansas City and Los Angeles.

The Chiefs are the football team I know the best.

Now Whitlock figures it is time to go back to bashing Pioli:

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Personally, I can’t stand Scott Pioli. It’s true. In any environment, Pioli is a low-character, self-absorbed egomaniac in love with the sound of his voice. I call him “Egoli.” I love giving sports figures nicknames. Based on the feedback I’ve received from NFL people, I’ve never come up with a more accurate nickname than Scott Egoli.

My one regret about my leaving KC during this football season was the knowledge Egoli would face little resistance in intimidating, bullying and co-opting the local media. It doesn’t take much more than a wink, a nod and a visit to the GM’s office for local media types to get very weak in the knees.

Yet after that he goes on to write about what a good job Pioli has done bringing in character-type guys and turning the Chiefs around. Of course he has to temper that by claiming because Thomas Jones was brought in by Pioli and Haley, Jamaal Charles, who was on the team before those two arrived, does not carry the ball often enough; Pioli and Haley are determined to have 'their guy' succeed even if it costs the team wins.

The column is about why Whitlock believes Haley is not a good NFL coach, so why does he feel the need to write all the unflattering things about Pioli? The reason I found this column was because Whitlock was on WEEI this morning with Dennis and Callahan.

WEEI - Audio on Demand - Dennis & Callahan - Jason Whitlock, FOX Sports

They asked him about Pioli and his article, and Whitlock brought up a time when Pioli first arrived in Kansas City. He took the media out to dinner but rather than appreciate the gesture Whitlock characterized it as Pioli trying to say there was a new sheriff in town, but Whitlock thought there already was a sheriff in town - him! Whitlock says Pioli tried to convince the media members to 'get onboard' and support the team, and he apparently was very offended by the suggestion and holds a grudge against Pioli to this day.

Re: NFL team relationships with the media

Do I buy the story about Pioli bullying reporters at a dinner before the start of the year? Probably. I wouldn't rule it out. Pioli always seemed like a good guy in what little we saw of him in the media, but it would be too dangerous for Whitlock to make something up that a fellow media member could deny so quickly and easily.

It is interesting to see a media member openly talk about these things though. At least he's open about his biases and personal feelings - a lot of others are not. Instead, they try and sway their readers and let the bias affect their work.

Re: NFL team relationships with the media

The Boston Globe's Greg Bedard has been very good with his columns since joining the Globe, but he is apparently no fan of the lack of access the Pats allow to the media.

Twitter / Greg A. Bedard: One treats their players a ...

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One treats their players and coaches like they're adults "@RAYROBERT9: biggest diff between covering packers and patriots?"

Twitter / Greg A. Bedard: @Zwallack Just in the sens ...

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@Zwallack Just in the sense that they can't freely speak.

Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch has a great response to Bedard:

Boston Sports Media Watch: Why The Patriots Media Policy Is The Right One

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This continues a glorious Boston Globe tradition carried on by the likes of Nick Cafardo, Jerome Solomon and others of complaining about lack of access to the Patriots and implying that the Patriots players are somehow held under some sort of bondage and indentured servitude down there at Gillette Stadium.

My first instinct upon reading the above tweets was to reply that the Patriots methods seem to have worked pretty well for them. But why? Is their method of dealing with the media the correct one, perhaps not for all teams, but for them?

Allen goes into detail with five reasons why the way the Pats do things is the right way:

1) They don’t give opponents anything to take and use against them.

2) They don’t give away information that could be used in game planning against themselves.

3) Giving out no injury information is better than giving out incorrect injury information.

4) Having one voice for the organization prevents conflicting messages and keeps things consistent.

5) The players can stay focused on the task at hand.

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In summary – The Patriots avoid giving themselves a lot of headaches or complications by the way they deal with the media. They keep things simple, and allow themselves to focus on the field. Their job after all, isn’t to please the media, but to win games. If they feel this is the best way to do it and it works for them, then they should keep doing it. I’m not saying it’s the only way to operate, but it works for them. It’s not about letting the players act like adults. It’s about staying consistent as an organization. If the end result is success, I don’t think the players much mind the “shackles” they are forced to operate under.

Re: NFL team relationships with the media

Hmm, aren't the Chiefs playing this weekend? When was the last time that happened?

Who cares what Jason Whitlock thinks? He's dumb as a stump.

If I were a Chief STH, I'd want Pioli to keep doing his job and not worry about dimwitted sportwriters who are under the misimpression that they are somehow important.