FIU doesn't issue Miami Herald beat writer a credential

I was going to elaborate on that point before stepping back and checking the temperature of the room.

 

Yeah, everyone seemed to miss that relevant line from daytonadan's post.

No worries about copyright issues on those quotes.

 

This write-from-the-stands thing can be done. Of course it can be done. But that's not what this situation is and trying to make it into that is a mistake.

This situation is: <i>This man will not be talking to an athlete or a coach at this school.</i> Why, I dunno. I found Neal's Herald blog to be a little digressive/obsessive for my taste but you can't say he doesn't know the program, or that someone else would put this much time into it.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fiusports/

Ron Turner's deep into the back nine of his career. God only knows how he talked his way into this job. Pro-style offenses at shitty D-I schools almost never work.

 

Yup. If you don't attribute where it came from, you're giving the false impression you were there.

 

I'm glad you posted his blog. It's.....weird. I know as a reader I wouldn't be particularly pleased with that kind of content from my beat writer. There is some value in there, sure, but there are a lot of weird asides mixed in.

Comments like "Which means it's about as worthless as a tailor in a nudist colony."

"Two years ago, different players, different school, still it's another reason this game's scarier than an IRS vampire to the books."

"But that's one black man's opinion. I could be wrong."

I've heard from a few people he's an interesting dude and that's probably putting it nicely.

 

The Poynter writer is absolutely dead-on.

Get the story. Even when others make it difficult.

In no shape, form, or fashion should coverage decisions, to the extent feasible logistically, be dictated by access. If it was worth covering with access, it was worth covering without access. Deciding otherwise is simply toy department bullshit.

I'm also the person who has floated on here the idea that sports departments consider surrendering access entirely at this point.

 

But there's no "story" to "get." It's doing FIU a favor to cover their games. It's really not even worth the fight for the Herald.

If The U decides they don't like the beat writer, then it's the Herald's problem. But this isn't.

 

Well, that's the first problem then.

 

Eh, I don't have a huge problem with that portion of it. It's the "community service" aspect of the paper, and that is a large school that's probably the #1 alma mater for people in the readership. Having a full-time beat writer does seem excessive.

FIU dictating the terms to such a degree is where the Herald is right to jump off.

 

OK, so where we're at now, if you're the Herald, do you meet with the FIU people in the next few days or tell them to get fucked because they don't get to dictate who you choose to cover their beat?

 

For big enough properties, with in-house news organizations, that don't want negative press, don't you think this is the inevitable end?

 

One can certainly dream.