Gronk family interview with CBS This Morning

[Nunchucks]

Tell that to the people who still bring up spygate in interviews.

That is brought up in interviews with the Patriots? I thought that was just butt-hurt fans of teams the Patriots have crushed over the years.

 

[brady199]

Nah, once they stuff the media a couple times, it will go away...News cycle and all that. A new shiny thing will capture the media's attention.

Trials drag on and every time something new is brought to light, Pats players will be asked to comment on it. This will be hanging over their head for quite some time. Also their are some reporters who will take it as a badge of honor to continue to ask the "tough" questions.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I'm Sure Goodell, Kraft and BB would love that, but there is this thing called the first amendment that needs to be protected whether or not we like the topics.

Reporters are just doing there job (some more tactfully then others), they have to ask those questions and Pats players and fans will continued to be annoyed for at least the rest of this year.

The 1st amendment is totally irrelevant here.

 

[brady199]

The 1st amendment is totally irrelevant here.

The NFL can't ban or censor the questions that reporters ask and we shouldn't want them too either. The 1st amendment is all about Journalist being free to ask and report whatever they deem necessary.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

No. The NFL could if it wished or the Patriots could if they wished and Goodell allowed exclude reporters from their venues. Again this has nothing to do with the 1st amendment which with its "shall make no law" provision prohibits Congress from interfering with freedom of religion, speech, assembly, or petition. The 1st amendment disallows government regulation of "speech", not the NFL's attempt at news spin control.

 

[BradyFTW!]

No. The NFL could if it wished or the Patriots could if they wished and Goodell allowed exclude reporters from their venues. Again this has nothing to do with the 1st amendment which with its "shall make no law" provision prohibits Congress from interfering with freedom of religion, speech, assembly, or petition. The 1st amendment disallows government regulation of "speech", not the NFL's attempt at news spin control.

Absolutely. I don't know why people have so much trouble understanding the distinction, but it can't be said too much: the Bill of Rights limits what the government can do to you. It simply doesn't apply to the Patriots, to the NFL, or to any other private entity for that matter.

Whether it's Sarah Palin screeching about how boycotts were depriving her of her first amendment rights (because apparently she has a fundamental right to a national platform) or people piling on the Patriots for not allowing Aaron Hernandez his due process (since apparently the Patriots are the ones trying him for murder) I'm continually astounded by how otherwise-intelligent people fail on this simple point.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Gronk should spike the next journalist that asks the next Hernandez question.

Maybe the message will come across then.

Eh, I think spiking the journalist's recorder will get the message across more safely.

 

[Salva135]

No. The NFL could if it wished or the Patriots could if they wished and Goodell allowed exclude reporters from their venues. Again this has nothing to do with the 1st amendment which with its "shall make no law" provision prohibits Congress from interfering with freedom of religion, speech, assembly, or petition. The 1st amendment disallows government regulation of "speech", not the NFL's attempt at news spin control.

I'm actually really surprised when someone walks out of a public interview, as if they didn't know what questions were coming. These interviewers plan their questions well in advance, it makes no sense to me why the interviewees wouldn't ask to vet them beforehand.

That was off-topic, but yeah, the NFL has no right to do anything here.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'm actually really surprised when someone walks out of a public interview, as if they didn't know what questions were coming. These interviewers plan their questions well in advance, it makes no sense to me why the interviewees wouldn't ask to vet them beforehand.

That was off-topic, but yeah, the NFL has no right to do anything here.

:bricks:

The NFL is still a private enterprise, not a government entity. If they want to set rules regarding their press conferences, they can.

Of course, there's a symbiosis issue here: the NFL wants to stay in the media eye (not counting s***storms like l'affaire Hernandez, of course) 24/7/365. If they start saying "We will pull your press credentials if you ask about X, Y, and Z," that might hurt them more than it helps.

 

[Salva135]

:bricks:

The NFL is still a private enterprise, not a government entity. If they want to set rules regarding their press conferences, they can.

Of course, there's a symbiosis issue here: the NFL wants to stay in the media eye (not counting s***storms like l'affaire Hernandez, of course) 24/7/365. If they start saying "We will pull your press credentials if you ask about X, Y, and Z," that might hurt them more than it helps.

We're coming from different angles here... the NFL doesn't have a right to stop that CBS interviewer from asking those questions. The NFL doesn't have a right to handle how Gronk responds to those questions either. The NFL is totally removed from this interview. They have no right to do anything.

 

[Nunchucks]

We're coming from different angles here... the NFL doesn't have a right to stop that CBS interviewer from asking those questions.

Sure, the NFL can allow teams to kick those reporters off their property.

 

[Salva135]

The NFL DOES set rules regarding media interviews, that's why Brady and Tebow (whatever) are listed as "star" players who can get access to the media once a week during the season.

The NFL has nothing to do with Gronk's interview, and can't do anything about it.

 

[Salva135]

Sure, the NFL can allow teams to kick those reporters off their property.

Did Gronk and his family try and kick CBS reporters off their property? What are you even trying to argue here?

 

[Nunchucks]

Did Gronk and his family try and kick CBS reporters off their property? What are you even trying to argue here?

The NFL can stop CBS from asking questions. Anyhow, in that context, if the "reporter" wants to interview Gronk, he has to play by Gronk's rules, otherwise he gets nothing.

 

[Salva135]

The NFL can stop CBS from asking questions. Anyhow, in that context, if the "reporter" wants to interview Gronk, he has to play by Gronk's rules, otherwise he gets nothing.

No, they absolutely cannot. You are an idiot.

 

[SB39]

I'm Sure Goodell, Kraft and BB would love that, but there is this thing called the first amendment that needs to be protected whether or not we like the topics.

To turn this into a 1st Amendment issue is silly. This isn't about the first amendment.

The NFL issues passes for journalists at games and press conferences so yes, they can withhold a pass from a specific individual if they so choose. However, such a move would probably backfire if the journalist was indeed only doing his job. Also, the NFL could not prohibit a journalist from interviewing a player on that player's own time.

 

[Nunchucks]

No, they absolutely cannot. You are an idiot.

Wowie, you got some snark in ya. So, if the NFL threatened to pull their TV contract, what do you think CBS would do?

NFL has lots and lots of leverage to do whatever it wants.

And, maybe you want to read the forum rules about name calling, just saying.

 

[Salva135]

Wowie, you got some snark in ya. So, if the NFL threatened to pull their TV contract, what do you think CBS would do?

NFL has lots and lots of leverage to do whatever it wants.

And, maybe you want to read the forum rules about name calling, just saying.

I could have said worse. You're right, the NFL could threaten CBS, but this situation isn't even remotely close to this scenario. But the NFL isn't going to step in for this, nor should it, despite the fact that it COULD.

This interview is Gronk and his family's business.

I feel like I'm arguing on a Jets board about the obtuse thoughts some people have about real life events.

 

[Nunchucks]

I could have said worse. You're right, the NFL could threaten CBS, but this situation isn't even remotely close to this scenario. But the NFL isn't going to step in for this, nor should it, despite the fact that it COULD.

This interview is Gronk and his family's business.

I feel like I'm arguing on a Jets board about the obtuse thoughts some people have about real life events.

That was my point, the NFL COULD...sheesh, talk about laser-like focus. Calling me an idiot for saying the NFL could do something..and then agreeing that they could....I mean, come on man....come on.

 

[SB39]

Wowie, you got some snark in ya. So, if the NFL threatened to pull their TV contract, what do you think CBS would do?

Bring them to court for breach of contract?

The worse thing the NFL could do is threaten not to renew the next contract when it comes up. But everyone knows the NFL will sell their package to the highest bidder. They are not going to leave millions and millions of dollars on the table because some reporter asked Gronkowski about Hernandez.