USC Football Suspends OC-Register Writer for "Rules Violation"

Jim Alexander of SCNG member Press Enterprise:

When Riley “suspended” beat writer Luca Evans for two weeks, ostensibly because of a laundry list of infractions against the program’s media policies, he forgot one thing. Two, actually.

First: You are not entitled to “suspend” someone who does not in fact work for you. Evans is paid by the Southern California News Group, and his job is to report on USC athletics without fear or favor.

Second: It is the news organization that decides who covers the beat, not the news source. That’s sort of inherent in journalism, and while not explicitly stated in the First Amendment it’s something of a deal-breaker. The reporter’s job is to be an independent source of information for those who care, be it USC football, the White House or the Temecula school board. Good news or bad, it’s the reporter’s job to inform the public and enable them to make up their own minds – especially since so much of what we do involves finding and reporting information that those in charge would rather hide from the public. …

But the suspicion here is that Riley’s ire isn’t so much that Evans used what he heard, but that it included the question from one player to the other before that press conference: “Did they tell you what to say?” Knowing what we know about the way college football coaches operate, with thumb squarely planted on the scale as often as possible, seeing that in print might have been what enraged Riley.

And by the way, if Riley thinks I deserve a “suspension” after this, he shouldn’t waste his breath. I’m “suspending” USC football from this column for a while.

Other missteps cited by USC director of football communications Katie Ryan constitute penny-ante stuff, things like asking a question after the “last question” notification. Or using USC president Carol Folt’s first name during a press conference. (What’s the preference, Madame President?) Or greeting players away from the program-approved scrums following practice. Or sending emails to members of the athletic department for the purpose of introducing himself.

Those aren’t things from which players, or coaches, or administrators, need to be protected. It’s simply diligence and enthusiasm from a young man about to tackle a major beat for the first time and wanting to do it well. Evidently, these media policies constitute the “Don’t You Dare Be An Effective Beat Writer” code, in which you go with the pack and regurgitate the same stuff everybody else gets. ...

Attempting to dictate coverage in such a ham-handed manner rarely happens in this diverse market. The last example I can recall involved – who else? – the Raiders in 1993, toward the end of their stay in Los Angeles, when Al Davis tried to have Daily News writer Eric Noland removed from the beat during training camp because of negative coverage. Among the highlights: Davis sycophant Steve Ortmayer telling Rick Vacek, then the Daily News sports editor: “I’m not telling you who can cover the team. I’m telling you who can’t.”

No, he couldn’t. The NFL stepped in and threatened a huge fine, and other newspapers and broadcast organizations threatened a boycott of Raiders coverage. To be fair, 30 years ago there were far more beat writers then (from 10 individual papers) covering the Raiders regularly than cover USC now. And forget any thoughts of the NCAA or the Pac-12 intervening in this situation. You’d have better luck with Fox or ESPN, so rudderless is college football.

But consider this: Not only does Luca Evans have the unconditional support of SCNG and the 11 newspapers in this group, but he also has the support of his previous professional stop: The Los Angeles Times.

Think hard, Trojans.

If you’re reading this publication, you are benefitting from independent reporting, again without fear or favor. And so we go back to the very beginning: The news source does not have the right to dictate who does – or doesn’t – cover the beat.​

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/09/...riley-or-any-news-source-to-dictate-coverage/

 

Of course the comments on social fall squarely in the favor of USC, because the mean old media is just evil and is always out to "get" people.

I did notice one person in the comments saying that the overheard comments were "off the record," which shows how little people know about what that term means. The reporter decides what's on and off the record. If a source asks to go off the record and the reporter doesn't agree, then the source doesn't have to talk. If the reporter agrees and reports the OTR comments anyway, then the reporter is the asshole. It's a two-way street. But overhearing a conversation in a public place? That ain't it, Sally.

Reminds me of the time that Turner Gill closed off practice to everyone because I reported on a backup being checked out on the sideline during one session, or something of that nature. Typical overreaction by ridiculous coaches who want to control every goddamn aspect of the narrative.

Also reminds me of when I'd see Liberty players out at my bar, and they'd freak out that I was going to report back to the coaching staff that I had seen them drinking. I don't give a shit. I'm not the morality police. You're 21. Do whatever you want. But if you end up in the police log? Then I have to report on it.

Did I mentioned I'm glad to be out of the business of covering college sports?

 

Tressel was the first control freak I dealt with on a daily basis.
Of course, when Tattoogate broke (seems quaint now) one of the defenses was "well we can't monitor the players 24 hours a day"

 

The touchy coaches theme reminds me of the time I covered a high school season opener. It was like 30-0 and when I went to talk to the losing coach he stormed past me. Still young, I jogged after him and easily caught up. Uh, what's happening? He stops. "What I told you for the season preview about our offense was off the record." And he again storms off.

The quote in the season preview? "We have to have a more balanced offense this season."

Earth-shattering stuff. Which of course was not off the record (unlike the line "We have a lot of guys who are good at jumping on top of the pile when the play's over," which another coach told me for the much-beloved season preview the paper put out each year).

And, this being rural Minnesota where everyone's going to be blood in some way, the angry coach was, of course, my mom's cousin. The game--and his incendiary season preview quote--was not mentioned the next time I saw him, at a gathering for my grandma Bernice's birthday.

 

It is going to be hard for me to keep liking Lincoln Riley, despite the success he brings to the program.
One time I did tell a coach, who suddenly closed his locker room, that this tells me he has something to hide and I'm gonna work my ass off to find out what it is. He opened it again soon after.
I don't think reporters should quote overheard (eavesdropped) conversations. But, as Jim Alexander said, that is a matter for the sports editor to address, not the coach.
And if I get really pissed off, I go to Riley and tell him, "Until you learn defense, you're only half a coach, and a half-assed coach cannot be a dictator." No, I probably wouldn't do that.

 

We had a HS coach several years ago ban us from talking to players during the season, said it was the choice of the players (yeah, right). So after they lost in the first round of the playoffs, our prep writer called a few of the seniors on Saturday for a follow story. Word got back to the coach, who called screaming at us. The SE had the perfect comeback, something like "your season is over, so those seniors are now former players." He didn't like it at all. He and I got along well, though I was covering colleges at the time. One thing I remember is us getting a call from the coach of his arch-rival school - their season-ending game usually decided the league championship - who said "you can interview any of my players at any time!"

 

Riley's reasoning sounds like the same logic as "Three Strikes Laws" or "Three-Time Loser Laws." Doesn't matter if your third felony is trivial. It's No. 3.
I would love to know the reporter did in each occasion.

 

These alleged offenses aren't worthy of punishment. Obviously.
The hard-assery isn't about about the offenses themselves; it's about creating a climate of fear and intimidation that discourages reporters from paying attention to the program in the first place. In an era of obscene TV rights revenue and institutional websites, schools don't need the external media. The Times outed -- and effectively ousted -- the previous AD. The Times brought to light the crimes of a previous president. The revelations resulted in millions upon millions in settlement payments. Pretty clear there's acrimony there.

 

Or using USC president Carol Folt’s first name during a press conference.


If that's one of your worst offenses, you aren't the problem

 

USC fans are claiming Evans was following players to class. I have no idea if that's true, but if it is, that does seem like crossing a line to me. The other stuff is bullshit.

 

Athletes going to class?!?! Ha!

 

I used to listen to Joe Paterno’s weekly conference calls — not because I was on them, but because they were on the local radio station.

Almost everyone showed reverence. “Hi Coach … ”. Except one guy. Always went right to “Hi Joe … ”

I get college kids going the “coach” route and I definitely would’ve done that too, but 40-somethings? Nah. GTFO with that noise.