Fans who get press passes

Yeah me too.

 

Yes, this is true. A lot of them do decent work.

Nevertheless, the recruiting site trend has hurt coverage of the CFB industry for three reasons:

1. These joints run anonymous message boards that serve as bad rumor mills.

2. There's a fairly strong PR bent to some of their work. Even if it's good work, it comes off as PR - straight from the coach's mouth. As in, if a scandal were to break open, a lot of these sites would just sit it out and let the professional news organizations handle it.

3. "We knew that, we just didn't report it" syndrome.

 

Generally, they're well-sourced right up to the point where something unsavory needs to be reported, then they take care of the coaches who feed them recruiting info. That's where the animosity comes in. Most reporters aren't in the business of cozying up to the 28-year-old running backs coach who looks like he hasn't slept in three days because the reporters need to find out if he's offering a three-star out of Atlanta.

 

Some of us are assholes. Or pretend to be on message boards.

I have no complaint with somone writing on a website like Rivals, Scout or even their own blog -- unless they have a habit of "repackaging" the work of others.

 

Wanted to offer you stick taps. I managed a general interest website for three years. It's not something I'd do again, but I don't regret a minute of it. Some of the twenty-odd (some very odd) writers and photographers who worked with me raised their profiles and found other work. It opened doors for me, too. I shut down the web-magazine thingie because a.)I'm not good at being a leader. and b.) I didn't have the chops to monetize it. Now I'm back to writing and happier for it. Good luck! I hope you guys keep moving onward and upward.

 

Would it be right to report this? I'm guessing it's no different than hearing the coaches on the sideline.

 

The Eastern Mass. high school Super Bowls were banned from the old Foxboro Stadium in the '80s because an assistant coach punched a huge hole in the coach's box.

 

You probably could, but I'm not sure how newsworthy it is. Coaches swear a lot, and they get fired up during a game. Not really breaking news there. Maybe you could do it as a funny notebook item or work it into the story if you overhear something during one of the game's key plays.

 

Had a phone call last week from a Division I university regarding a credential request from a photographer who claimed to be shooting for us. Not only had I never spoken with this person, I'd never even heard her name before. Apparently, she's a fan girl who likes to ingratiate herself with the student-athletes, hugging them and cheering. Needless to say, I made sure she didn't get a credential.

 

Unfortunately, I have not. But if they act professional, I really don't give a shit who they work for.

 

Leave Mike Brey out of this.