Ego driven SID's

I would think that not knowing someone is calling your boss is defying the decree, as you call it. And I would think that acting like a child, as I call it, is not the way to react.

 

I agree with Bubbler.

I coach the reporters I work with to try and play nice with the SIDs to the extent that it doesn't interfere with their ability to get access. When the inevitable obstacles arise (and they always do), I think it's fine for the reporter to make an end run around the SID straight to the source they are trying to reach.

When the reporter gets his wrist slapped later by the agitated SID, life goes on, and the story is already out there. If long-term consequences are likely, I have the reporter tell the offended SID to call me (the sports editor) and I try to hose him down a bit, but never waver from the fact that we've got a job to do.

This applies at both the college and pro level.

Usually the better reporters can overcome even the ill will generated by their tactics because of their persistence and their news-gathering ability.

It may not be the ideal strategy from a collegiality perspective, but it seems to work best for the reader, and frankly, that's my primary concern.

 

Then you've clearly 1) not been around long enough to assume anything, or 2) you've lived a sheltered existance. With the exception of the AD on my beat, I ALWAYS go through the SID to speak to an AD. That's a major part of the SID's job.

 

At the three schools I've covered as beats, I've always contacted the AD directly and never had anyone come back to me. (Though in fairness, I think a new SID at one of those schools has asked that reporters start going through him.) The handful of ADs I've had to contact at other schools for whatever reason (football scheduling, coaching searches, etc.) have usually returned my calls w/o the SID getting involved.

But, all schools are different, I guess.

 

Ragu, SIDs take a lot of shit for stuff they shouldn't be held responsible for. In the whole Gary Barnett mess at Colorado one of the first people to get canned, long before Barnett, was the SID.

In messy situations ADs don't want to piss off the big guns, but they have to look proactive, so they start by firing support staff. If there's a psycho AD at the helm, job security immediately becomes a concern for an SID when reporters dig up dirt.

I'm not saying that reporters shouldn't do their job to the best of their ability by whatever means necessary, but sometimes reporters don't understand the SID's situation.

 

Huh? Dave Plati has been SID at Colorado long before Barnett got there and still is currently, to the best of my knowledge. One of the best in the business, I might add.

 

That's what I get for posting when I first wake up :

Plati was suspended with regard to the Marcus Houston situation. I could have sworn an assistant SID got the axe sometime during the Barnett mess, but I can't find any reference of it.

 

Depends on the AD, I guess, but most ADs don't much talk, period, unless they want to, and then it's usually a direct phone call that gets that job done. I spose if you want to talk to the AD about some evergreen or topical story, you could line it up through the SID. But usually you need them in a "official comment" capacity and the SID isn't going to be of that much assistance.

A reporter has to cultivate the relationship with the AD separate of the sport he/she covers.