Media circus: Will excessive coverage deter teams from drafting Sam?

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The media circus that likely will surround Michael Sam is a big issue. It definitely will factor into some NFL team’s decision not to draft him.

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News likened Sam’s situation to what the Jets experienced with Tim Tebow.

From the moment that more than 200 media members, including 30 television stations, covered Tim Tebow’s introductory press conference at the Jets’ indoor practice field in Florham Park two years ago, his presence became one colossal migraine for the organization. Tebowmania swallowed the Jets, the symbol of the circus that defined their season.

Although Jets players never truly blamed Tebow for his cult following, the daily storylines for a backup quarterback/personal punt protector became irritating to them. He simply wasn’t good enough to warrant all the attention. His teammates, frankly, were annoyed by incessant questions about a role player. The organization underestimated the magnitude of the phenomenon. The Tebow trade ultimately affected key figures in the organization. GM Mike Tannenbaum was fired after the 2012 season due to a string of questionable decisions, including bringing in Tebow. Tebow’s presence had an undeniably harmful effect on Mark Sanchez.

Later, Mehta writes:

Is Sam worth it?

“Ultimately it’s going to take a team that has strong leadership,” an NFC executive said. “After Year One, it’ll be a nonissue.”

Maybe so, but the accompanying noise right now may be too loud for some teams to ignore.

I think their positions do make the situation a bit different. Tebow was a quarterback, and getting him on the field required changing the entire offensive approach. Sam, meanwhile, should get playing time as a defensive end/linebacker. He won’t impact the game like a quarterback.

Still, if a team is borderline on whether to draft Sam, it will be an issue on whether it wants to be part of the media circus that will be following him.

Michael Bradley, writing for the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana, has an excellent column on the issue. He contends the media has a responsibility not to become an obstacle for Sam.

As Sam tries to make himself fit for NFL consumption, he will have to navigate a gauntlet of media, most of whom will have good intentions but nonetheless will create barriers to the single-minded approach he needs to get a job. As we as a country move toward greater acceptance of people’s sexual orientations, Sam will be a high-profile test case and a pioneer whose obligations will be far different than those of other rookies.

The media has a responsibility in this, no matter how great the story may be and how much it will help drive ratings, page views and circulation. It’s natural for the early activity to be high, with reporters searching for different angles and ways to handle the story. Family members, friends and teammates will be consulted. Coaches and NFL executives will weigh in on his prospects. There will be ample opportunity for this story to be approached from every direction, by every type of media. Let’s hope the narrative doesn’t devolve into a tabloid disaster.

Bradley concludes:

While Sam prepares for the Combine, the Draft and the 2014 season, he must also get ready for more media attention. The team that he joins will need to brace itself, too. Meanwhile, the media would be well served to consider this story from a mature perspective, rather than one eager to find juicy details and controversy. Sam should be applauded for his courage, and the media should treat him and his story with respect, even as it swarms.

Good advice. Will be interesting to see how this story plays out.

 

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Costas: Have to sit out because eye problems are preventing me from doing job; Lauer to fill in

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Update: NBC just released some quotes from Bob Costas on why he will have to miss tonight’s show with the worst eye infection in Olympic history.

Costas:

“It was becoming increasingly noticeable and uncomfortable, but if it was just that, I would have continued. We in broadcasting are lucky to have the jobs we do, and at one time or another, we’ve all gone on the air feeling less than our best.

“The difference is that last night and into this morning, it got to the point where, as a practical matter, I simply couldn’t do my job because my eyes had become so blurry, watery and sensitive to light.

“If it was just discomfort, I’d be there. I’m receiving excellent treatment…it’s a viral infection, and all you can do is try to manage the symptoms while the virus runs its course. But I’m hopeful that those symptoms will improve in the next couple of days and I can return to the broadcast.

“Also, the last thing I want is to go through the rest of my life owing Matt Lauer a bunch of favors.”

The release from NBC:

Matt Lauer, host of TODAY and co-host of NBC’s Opening Ceremony coverage, will host NBC’s Olympic primetime and late night shows tonight in place of Bob Costas, who has an eye infection.

“As a practical matter, I simply couldn’t do my job because my eyes had become so blurry, watery and sensitive to light,” said Costas. “I’m hopeful the symptoms will improve in the next couple of days and I can return to the broadcast. Also, the last thing I want is to go through the rest of my life owing Matt Lauer a bunch of favors.” (see below for a complete statement from Costas)

Tonight marks the first time since CBS presented the Nagano Olympic Winter Games in 1998 that someone other than Costas will host an Olympic primetime show. It’s also the first time since 1988 that someone other than Costas will host the Olympic primetime show on NBC, a remarkable 157 straight nights.

“Bob has been a real trooper, but needs a night off. We’re fortunate to have such incredible talent to draw upon within the NBCU family, including Matt, someone I’ve worked with for many years,” said NBC Olympics executive producer Jim Bell. “Now I know how Chuck Daly felt with the 1992 Dream Team, substituting one Hall of Famer for another.”

“I saw Bob in the hotel this morning, and if ever there was a guy who looked like he needed a night off, it was him,” said Lauer, who is working his eighth Games. “I’m happy to keep his chair warm. Although I might Purell it before I sit in it!”

Costas is listed as ‘day to day’ on the NBC injury report.

 

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DVR alert: NFL Network to re-air documentary on Jerry Smith, Washington star who was gay

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If you missed this documentary the first time, be sure to set your DVR. And if you did tune in, watch it again in light of the news involving Michael Sam.

Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, NFL Network will re-air its A Football Life documentary on Jerry Smith. Sam should be sure to watch if he missed it the first time around. He would be heartened to hear how Smith’s sexual orientation wasn’t an issue for his Washington teammates. All that mattered was that he could play.

From NFL Network.

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 From 1965-77, Jerry Smith was a two-time Pro Bowl tight end for the Washington Redskins. At the time he retired, Smith held the record for the most touchdown receptions by a tight end in NFL history. Yet off the field, Smith lived with a personal secret he did not publicly share with his teammates.

NFL Network’s two-time Emmy-nominated series A Football Life continues with Jerry Smith: A Football Life. The one-hour documentary chronicles the life of Smith, detailing his career with the Redskins, his life as a gay athlete and his death from AIDS.

Emmy-nominated actor from CBS’ The Good Wife, Josh Charles, narrates.

Jerry Smith: A Football Life includes interviews with the following people:

Bonnie Smith-Gilchrist – Jerry’s sister

Ed Smith – Jerry’s brother

Sonny Jurgensen – Hall of Fame Redskins quarterback

Bobby Mitchell – Hall of Fame Redskins wide receiver/running back

Charley Taylor – Hall of Fame Redskins wide receiver; Jerry’s teammate at Arizona State

Chris Hanburger – Hall of Fame Redskins linebacker

Brig Owens – Redskins cornerback; Jerry’s roommate

Dave Kopay – Redskins running back

Larry Brown – Redskins running back

Billy Kilmer – Redskins quarterback

Calvin Hill – Redskins running back

Jean Fugett – Redskins tight end

Bruce Allen – George Allen’s son; current Redskins general manager

Mark Murphy – Redskins safety; current Packers President and CEO

George Solomon – Washington Post

Leonard Shapiro – Washington Post

Lynn Rosellini – Washington Star

David Mixner – Author; friend of Jerry’s; Gay Rights activist

David Maraniss – Vince Lombardi biographer

Provided below are some select quotes from Jerry Smith: A Football Life:

– “When you needed a play to be made, you knew you could throw the ball to him and you knew some way, somehow he was going to catch the thing.” – Sonny Jurgensen

– “This guy was a tremendous football player. Tough as nails, great hands – just so dependable.” – Bobby Mitchell

– “This was really good. At least I was sharing something of myself with someone who is close and understood all that I had been through.” – Dave Kopay on his relationship with teammate Jerry Smith

– “He was living in real fear and real scared; really alone and terrified that he was going to lose everything.” – David Mixner

– “There was that fear because you don’t want somebody to take away something that you love doing and you love it so much.” – Brig Owens

 – “I think there was a suspicion but it was not like we were trying to ‘out’ him. It was a different era [in regards to the media].” – Leonard Shapiro

– “One of the things I learned is that a person’s sexual preference has nothing to do with their heart.” – Calvin Hill

 

 

 

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Whine department: Time for media to stop complaining about poor conditions in Sochi; covering skiing sucks

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Yes, whining is a media specialty. That goes to the 10th power for an Olympics.

Kevin Blackistone, writing for the American Journalism Review, doesn’t have much sympathy for members of the media who don’t have Four Seasons quality when it comes to hotel rooms.

Blackistone writes:

This is what happens when a bunch of American journalists who, if they do travel abroad avoid second- or third-world countries unless they include some cordoned-off all-inclusive resort, conflating less-than five-star or suburban America or urban-bubble American accommodations (like gritty re-gentrified DC with a French bistro on every corner) into international stories of shock and awe. It isn’t news in parts of the world that the sewer system can’t handle paper products and you are asked to deposit toilet paper in a bin. Even here in idyllic Montgomery County, Maryland, nestled next to our nation’s capital, the sanitary commission recently warned residents not to dispose in the toilet those “flushable” wipes you wash your toddler’s bottom with because they frequently clogged the sewer system.

Later he writes:

Journalists should cover stories, not create them. But what we’ve been treated to the past few days out of Sochi are dog-bites-journalists’ stories that impact no one but them.

If American journalists, in particular, want to write about living conditions in the part of the world they’ll be living in this month, they should venture out of the Sochi bubble and see how Russians elsewhere live. (In South Africa at the World Cup, most American journalists lived with U.S. Soccer officials in a gated, guarded enclave that resembled any galleria shopping neighborhood in the U.S.) If athletes were suffering, that would be one thing. But they aren’t. Reuters reported athletes are pleasantly surprised against the reports of the appalled journalists, some of whom I count as friends and other as acquaintances.

*******

Meanwhile, Steve Politi of the Newark Star-Ledger had an amusing piece about covering skiing. Not his favorite assignment.

There is nothing worse than covering skiing. There is nothing close to being worse than covering skiing. I’m sure this strong of a statement will lead to discussion among my peers in the industry, and perhaps a journalist from another country could offer up something that would compete, but they are wrong. Skiing sucks in ways that no other sport can match.

Apparently, you can’t see much if you attempt to watch actual skiing.

Then, you stand at the bottom of the hill to watch, in the snow. This is probably better than, say, perched in a tree halfway up the mountain, but that means we literally watched three seconds of the Olympic downhill event live. Which is a short amount of time even for a sport that lasts two minutes.

So then the media, corralled in a small area between red plastic fences, will watch with the rest of the fans on a large, grainy TV screen as the announcer yells insightful things like “OH, HERE HE COMES” and “HE IS REALLY FLYING NOW.” Then, the skier flies around the corner, looks up at the scoreboard and does one of two things every single time.

1. Throws up his arms in celebration.

2. Puts his hands on his helmet in defeat.

Hope Politi’s rooms is OK.

 

Backstory: How ESPN, New York Times brokered deal to release Sam story; why it came out last night

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David Scott of ESPN’s Front Row did a Q/A with Vince Doria about the backstory for last night’s news about Michael Sam.

Sam’s representatives wanted both ESPN and the New York Times to break the story. As a result it required some coordinating.

What was the arrangement with the New York Times?
In a conference call last week that included Howard, sports editor Jason Stallman of the New York Times, and me, we determined that both outlets would do their interviews (yesterday), and we would break the story simultaneously at 3 p.m. ET on Monday. That was the timetable Bragman wanted. I don’t think Jason nor I was terribly comfortable with holding the material for 24 hours – we knew other media had been chasing the story, and might decide to break it without an interview – but those were the parameters. We also were made aware that Howard had enlisted Cyd Ziegler and OutSports.com [Ziegler is co-founder of OutSports] to do a behind-the-decision piece on what was transpiring.

So, how did it come about that the story broke on Sunday night?
The interviews were scheduled to take place mid-day Sunday West Coast time at Howard’s home in Los Angeles. Chris Connelly would be there for us, along with lead producer Greg Amante and feature producer Sharon Matthews. Tim Hays, a coordinating producer in our Enterprise Unit (which produces our Outside the Lines pieces), would oversee production back in Bristol, preparing material for television, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio and other ESPN platforms.

On Sunday morning, Howard informed Jason and me that he feared the story might come out shortly. He had information about specific outlets that had knowledge of the story, and feared it might break at any time. It was mutually agreed upon that both ESPN and the Times would break the story at 8 p.m. on Sunday, with ESPN airing and publishing it on all our platforms. The time was a reasonable one for both entities to get their interviews, both text and video versions, and prepare them for air and publication. We had the usual concern, as any entity would, the story would break before we reported it. As it played out, no one broke the story in advance, and ESPN and the Times had exclusives at 8 p.m.

At what point does gay athlete issue not become a story anymore? Inside account on who got Sam story

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As I said when Jason Collins came out last spring, it pains me that this is a story in 2014. By this time, I had hoped an athlete’s sexual orientation wouldn’t matter anymore.

You would have to be naive to think that there haven’t been gay athletes in the locker rooms in all sports for many years. The recent NFL Network A Football Life documentary on Jerry Smith showed that his Washington teammates were aware that he was gay. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that the guy could play.

Deion Sanders had this tweet last night:

From Bears tight end Martellus Bennett.

Yet in 2014, it still is a major story. As of last night, more than avid football fans know about Michael Sam.

Cyd Zeigler, writing for Outsports at SB Nation, served as an advisor to Sam’s representatives on how to break the story. He wrote about the inside story.

Zeigler writes:

The second order of business was to determine where to break the story. Bragman knew the importance of this decision. For him, there was one determining factor: Who had earned it?

Howard already knew he wanted the TV element to be on ESPN. He has a working relationship with ABC, who shares a parent company — Disney — with ESPN.  He had worked with Chris Connelly before and respected his work, and he knew ESPN would treat Sam well. Plus, ESPN is a sports media outlet with a good track record on LGBT sports issues: The story had to be the football, the sport.

Bragman also wanted to include Outsports in the plan. He knew we would be talking “20 times a day” as this unfolded, and he wanted to give Outsports the “behind the scenes” story, the insight into how the story came about. No one else in the media would have been in the middle of strategy conversations, and it was a story Bragman felt needed to be told.

“Outsports has been light years ahead of any other publication on this topic,” he said. “And I think Outsports has earned it.”

As for the print side, Sam’s representatives eventually decided on John Branch of the New York Times.

“I know a lot of people will be pissed,” Bragman said. “There are a lot of friends in the media who won’t be happy because they didn’t get the story. And there will be lots of people trying to explain to me that we need to do the cover of their magazine. Part of the strategy is to announce it once, announce it well and let Michael focus on his football.”

Zeigler writes the timing of the announcement was pushed up because speculation was becoming rampant about Sam.

A sooner coming-out date had to be after the Super Bowl. Despite the Olympics starting Feb. 7, the announcement had to be early in the week of Feb. 10. While the Olympics would be taking up some space, everyone knew the story of the first soon-to-be NFL player to come out publicly would muscle its way through the Olympic headlines.

 “What really became clear was that it wasn’t going to hold until the Combine,” Bragman said. “Too many calls and too many journalists were sniffing around. So we decided to give the Super Bowl its chance to breathe, and we’d come in with a sneak announcement on Monday, Feb. 10.”

And finally.

For Sam and his team, the most important element to the entire process has been protecting Sam’s ability to tell his story himself first. It was that core tenet that dictated the decisions of where, when and how to break the story: Sam, not a reporter looking for some pageviews, had to tell his story on his terms.

It was with that in mind that the team moved up the release to Sunday night. Watching the reaction in the coming days will undoubtedly be overwhelming — And it will be overwhelmingly positive. Not only has the sports world changed dramatically on this issue, witnessed by Sam’s own experiences at Missouri, but Sam himself — A projected high NFL draft pick and SEC leader in sacks — is the perfect man to be the first.

“If we were choosing someone to be the first, we’d choose someone like Michael,” Bragman said. “Smart, athletic, handsome. I don’t think Central Casting could have come up with someone better.”

Connelly did a good job with the interview, and Sam was more than capable of answering the questions. Now the story moves to the NFL Combine, where he will encounter the media masses, and then finally to the NFL draft.

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Newsday: Francesa’s show to air on Fox Sports 1; Will rest of country care about NY show?

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The big guy is going national, according to Neil Best of Newsday:

Mike Francesa, whose 12-year simulcast run on the YES Network ended on Super Bowl Sunday, soon will bring his WFAN radio show to Fox Sports 1, a radio industry source with knowledge of the agreement said Sunday.

Terms of the contract could not be determined, nor could a starting date. But Francesa said on the air last week that an official announcement could come early this week, and that he could be back on TV in time for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in March.

It is an interesting move by the new sports network. How much whining about the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, etc. will a national TV audience tolerate?

Then again, a simulcast of a local radio show will be much cheaper to produce than the national shows on ESPN.

 

High interest in Russian history? NBC does highest Opening Ceremony ratings in 20 years

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Quick, somebody should start developing a Russian history TV series. At least based on the ratings for the Opening Ceremony.

From NBC:

********

STAMFORD, Conn. – February 8, 2014 – NBC’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi Olympics averaged 31.7 million viewers to rank as the most-watched Opening Ceremony for a non-live Winter Games since the 1994 Lillehammer Games, according to live plus same day fast national data released today by The Nielsen Company. In addition, last night’s telecast ranks #2 all-time among most-watched non-live Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies (chart below).

NBC SPORTS GROUP CHAIRMAN MARK LAZARUS: “Like Team USA, we’re off to a great start, and we’re gratified that the American audience tuned in in such large numbers for the tremendous Opening Ceremony from Sochi.  It’s an early sign that our strategy of emphasizing primetime viewing is working, and we’re excited for the competition over the next two weeks.”

Viewership for the NBC telecast (8–11:08 p.m. ET/PT) was up 43% from the last non-live Winter Games Opening Ceremony (22.2 million for 2006 Torino Games) while last night’s 17.0/28 household rating/share produced a 33% increase over Torino (12.8/21).

Compared to the live (ET/CT) 2010 Vancouver Opening Ceremony, last night’s telecast was off only two percent in household rating (17.3/30) and three percent in viewership (32.7 million).

NBC scored the most dominant primetime Winter Olympics victory on record in Adults 18-49 with an 8.7 rating, and 235% above the combined ABC/CBS/FOX rating (based on People Meter, which dates to 1987).

MOST-WATCHED NON-LIVE WINTER OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONIES, AVERAGE VIEWERS (P2+):

1. Lillehammer – 1994 33.8 Million CBS
2. Sochi – 2014 31.7 Million NBC
3. Nagano – 1998 27.2 Million CBS
4. Albertville – 1992 24.0 Million CBS
5. Torino – 2006 22.2 Million NBC

TOP 20 METERED MARKETS FOR OPENING CEREMONY:

Market HH rating/share
1. Minneapolis 26.0/45
2. Salt Lake City 24.4/43
3. Ft. Meyers 21.7/34
4. Chicago 21.6/34
T5. Boston 21.5/37
T5. Kansas City 21.5/34
7. Milwaukee 20.7/35
8. Denver 20.5/36
T9. Portland 20.4/33
T9. Buffalo 20.4/33
11. Washington, D.C. 20.2/35
12. Columbus 20.0/33
13. Sacramento 19.4/30
14. Indianapolis 19.3/32
15. St. Louis 19.1/31
T16. Norfolk 19.0/30
T16. Providence 19.0/30
T16. Dayton 19.0/29
19. Pittsburgh 18.9/29
20. Orlando 18.7/29

 

Weekend wrap: Remembering Ralph Kiner; NFL money machine; Lolo Jones factor

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Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports media…

Ralph Kiner: The death of the Hall of Fame slugger and long-time Mets announcer produced many tributes, including this one from Keith Olbermann.

Richard Sandomir, New York Times:

His lack of pretension and his wit and amiability made “Kiner’s Korner,” his postgame show, required viewing, even if it looked like public access programming. In its debut from the Polo Grounds, Mets Manager Casey Stengel forgot to remove his microphone as he left the interview and brought the set down.

“Hold up the cue cards because we have to get to commercial so I can get off the air,” Kiner recalled telling his production assistant during an interview in 2012.

And, inadvertently, he was a brilliant malapropist.

Bob Raissman, New York Daily News:

This isn’t about the malaprops that made us laugh or his Hall of Fame career. Nor is it about his amazing recall of baseball history. It ain’t about how he, Lindsey Nelson, and Bob Murphy gave birth to the Mets’ earliest selling point — that loveable loser image.

No, this is about the courage Ralph Kiner displayed turning the corner and heading down the last lane of his broadcast career. On Thursday afternoon, shortly after we learned Kiner was dead, someone asked Vin Scully, the patron soul of all baseball microphones, about Ralphie.

“Ralph Kiner,” Scully — pausing- said. “Loud bat. Soft voice.”

Phil Mushnick, New York Post:

I went to college near Pittsburgh, and any time I was around the fathers of my friends from those western Pennsylvania coal and steel towns, I asked about Kiner. Almost invariably, they told how Forbes Field would empty, be it the seventh, eighth or ninth inning, after what was presumed to be Kiner’s last at bat.

NFL money machine: Ben Koo at Awful Announcing writes that the latest TV deal with CBS is yet another example of the power of the NFL.

Nearly four years ago, Roger Goodell outlined a rather audacious annual revenue goal of $25 billion by 2027 to NFL owners, his de-facto employers. At the time, the NFL was doing about $8.5 billion annually meaning that Goodell was hoping to raise revenue $1 billion a year for 18 years to hit the mark. Surprisingly, with the help of recently renegotiated television deals as well as the new CBS Thursday Night partnership, the NFL is on track. Not bad for a non profit organization right? 

There are a lot of interesting things to ponder in light of the NFL’s latest big step towards the goal with a shrewdly conceived gameplan on the Thursday night front but what sticks out to me is just how brilliantly efficient and aggressive the NFL is becoming as a business. As a fan, some of this is troubling but as a guy who just started watching syndicated programming on CNBC, it’s damn impressive.

Turner and NBA: John Ourand of Sports Business Daily predicts Turner’s digital power will help the network do a new contract with the NBA.

I’ll come out and say it now. Turner Sports will renew its NBA media deal this season for reasons that have nothing to do with Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and the rest of TNT’s Emmy-winning on-air talent.

Rather, it’s Turner’s management of the NBA’s vast digital properties that will carry the most sway with the league.
 
Of course, Turner will have to pay enough money to renew its rights deal. But Turner’s handling of the NBA’s digital business, which is now in its sixth season, has become so extensive, encompassing everything from mobile and social to broadband and the NBA’s out-of-market package. It would be difficult for the league to unwind that structure.

Lolo Jones: Michael Bradley of the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana writes about another round of Lolo at the Olympics.

Now that we are a scant few days away from the official commencement of the Putin Games in Sochi, Americans must brace themselves for what promises to be an onslaught of coverage regarding Lolo Jones. Normally, bobsled competition isn’t all that popular, but the inclusion of Jones as a brakeman (brakeperson?) on the U.S. squad guarantees that the NBC broadcast posse and writers/broadcasters in need of something other than tales of corruption and abuse will be focusing on the hometown sled and its chances.

Make that focusing on Jones and her quest for a gold medal.

Olympic shame: In his NPR commentary, Frank Deford hates the idea of an Olympics being hosted by Putin.

How is it possible that the IOC could have done so little due diligence as to award the games to a Soviet throwback, bent on putting on a show in an out-of-the-way place where poverty and pay-offs thrive, where terrorism and tragedy loom, where the environment is endangered, dissent is disallowed, and prejudice is certified by law? Does anybody in the IOC ever have to answer for its mistakes? In particular, why aren’t our American reps ever held to account?

CSN Chicago event: Paul Banks of Chicago Sports Media Watch talks to David Kaplan, who will co-host The 26th Annual Comcast SportsNet Sports Awards Monday. The annual dinner, one of the highlights of the year in Chicago, benefits the March of Dimes.

Jeff Pearlman stories: Pearlman on his site writes about his reporting on two 7,000-word plus stories that came out this week; a piece about a one-time storied football recruit who landed in jail and another on the 1984 U.S. hockey team.

As soon as I agreed to write up Williams, I dug and dug and dug through old clips, circling any name that might be worth contacting. For me, that doesn’t just mean family members and friends. It means old teammates, lawyers, people he accompanied on recruiting trips, coaches, associates, journalists who covered his high school and college careers. I developed a philosophy back in my days at Sports Illustrated that still works for me today: Namely, someone may well write a sexier/smoother/snappier story. But—with dogged reporting and interviewing—no one will write a more complete story. So I call everyone. Literally, everyone. Some call back, some don’t. But I always reach out.

 

 

 

A lost art: ‘Talk about so-so…’ is not a question

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Want to share an excellent column by my old pal, Malcolm Moran. The director of the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana offers a lesson for sports journalists, young and old.

He begins:

Can we talk about an epidemic?

Less than a month ago, in the days leading to the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game, Jameis Winston, the Florida State quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, heard a media member say, “Talk about the preparation you’ve had out here.”

His teammate, running back Devonta Freeman, who had overcome challenging circumstances during his adolescence, listened to a reporter say, “Can you talk about your childhood? Was it just you and your mom?”

Their head coach, Jimbo Fisher, delivered lengthy opening remarks at a press conference, which were followed by this: “Coach, can you talk a little bit about the focus?”

His opponent, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, began a session and heard, “Talk about the preparations thus far.”

Chris Davis, the defensive back whose 100-yard return of a missed field goal beat Alabama and made him part of Auburn lore, heard this: “Chris, can you talk about Florida State’s wide receiving corps? How do you plan to prepare for them?”

Wait. Was there actually a question in there?

He adds:

When reporters across all platforms – print, broadcast and digital hybrids — pass those lanyards attached to credentials over their heads, they should do it with the understanding that “talk about…” is not a question. It’s a command. At the very least, it’s lazy and rude. It displays no thought, conveys no respect, offers no genuine invitation to some form of information, insight, emotion, enlightenment or dialogue. The command reflects the worst of 21st Century Mad Libs journalism, no initiative required, just the insertion of some phrase behind the official designated soundbite cue: Talk about X.

Have the industries of journalism and mass communications become so dehumanized, so indifferent, that we can’t take the time, just a few seconds, to pose a well-framed question? No wonder Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks has left skid marks as soon as the National Football League Fine-O-Meter said he can leave media sessions with his paycheck intact.

The longer I have taught college-age journalists how to develop their craft, the more I have realized that additional time has to be spent discussing the art of asking the question. The selection of the topic. The proper, antiseptic wording. The awareness needed to follow up if necessary.

And finally, Tortorella Moratorium:

During a press conference last May, Tortorella listened to a media member say, “Talk about coaching in the playoffs.” That was all he needed to hear.

“Ask me a question,” Tortorella said. “Don’t say ‘talk about it.’ Ask me a question, please. I’m not going to talk about it if it isn’t a question.”

Now that’s what I’m talking about. With the wall-to-wall rhetoric of Super Bowl Sunday nearly upon us, and the translator-driven Olympic Winter Games in Sochi right behind, I propose a pledge to eliminate those two unnecessary words.

We can call it the Tortorella Moratorium in honor of our unlikely patron saint, complete with the accompanying incentive for media members worldwide: Don’t make me send him to go knocking on your door.

OK, everyone understand now?