Tennessee bans Knoxville reporter

What you said is true, but what Bob Cook said is true too.

I had an ex-IU assistant, later a head coach, offer to let me fly on the team's charter for free on a long trip I planned to drive. I politely declined, saying that would be beyond the bounds of my personal ethics to accept that.

He joked with me, "Hammel used to do it all the time. You think you're fucking bigger than Hammel?"

Cue uncomfortable look in my face. He sensed it.

"Yeah you're right. I don't need you sleeping outside my office waiting to hang on my every word like Hammel used to do."

 

Hell, having covered the SEC for a while and knowing how Tennessee fans act, they'd probably be glad that the N-S was biased towards UT.
And it also wouldn't surprise me if Fulmer was pulling the strings here, too, on the athletic department's part.
I know that when Tyrone Prothro of Alabama broke his leg in gruesome fashion last year (and spent 26 days in the hospital), he was off-limits. Heck, I still don't think he's talking about the injury a year later.
The Anniston Star reporter (Prothro is from Heflin, very close to Anniston) was trying to check up on him after the injury happened. He asked Mike Shula about it. Was told - talk to Prothro's mother. Prothro's mother said talk to Shula. In other words, both were covering some serious ass.
Said reporter eventually got Prothro on the phone in his hospital room, got a polite no-comment. Put it in the paper.
A couple days later, he got pulled aside by Shula at practice and absolutely got his ass chewed (for no good reason) for about 10 minutes.
So no, this UT situation doesn't surprise me. People all over the place (luckily, not my beat, yet) are hiding behind HIPPA and using it as a crutch.

 

I'm wondering if the KNS threw its own guy under the bus because they're already in hot water with UT for one of their writers/columnists bringing a fan into the press box using a paper's credential and one of the paper's seats. Even the FWAA is siding with UT on that one.

 

Chippy,

It helps to be a hard ass in this business. Granted, if I am from the Podunk (Mich.) Press covering Michigan, I would be much more careful about toeing the line.

But covering Tennessee for the Knoxville paper? I follow their rules as a courtesy and that's about it.

At some papers you don't talk to the football or basketball coach unless it is a teleconference or media conference. Ask for a one-on-one and get turned down.

Now you happend to be outside the coach's office when he walks by and he answers a few questions. That happens a lot.

You think the SID is gonna rip you a new one for not following protocol?

 

However, HIPPA is usually waived as part of the condition of letter of intent and/or being on the team, is it not?
My understanding is that player/parents have to give the university the right to discuss injuries. Teams aren't supposed to be able to pick and choose injuries to discuss.

 

What's the difference between a News-Sentinel editor and a fan?

 

I'm more disturbed by McElroy's "false start" comment than by UT's reaction. You always, always, always have your staffers' backs in public, even if you're ripping them a new one in the office.

 

HIPAA = Smokescreen

If coaches are using that excuse you should be in touch with your paper's legal eagles (if you're fortunate enough to have them).

 

Oh jesus.

Yes, public universities have obligations under the law (open records, open meetings, etc.) that private universities do not have. I suppose if you really wanted to test your state's sunshine laws, you could argue that the media press conferences and interview sessions are a meeting and thus you have the right to be there.

The press box is a different deal. I don't think anyone would argue that you have a right to watch a football game in an air-conditioned box. It is a privilege that is voluntarily extended by teams to the media. The teams make choices about who to credential and who not to credential all the time.

 

The way I understand it, at least on my beat and with the school I cover, is that the player is allowed to discuss injuries if he wants to. The school essentially puts out an injury report through the SID.
This is how it works for me: "Coach, what about Tommy Tailback's gout?"
Coach: "SID, what can we say?"
SID: "Tommy Tailback has gout and is questionable for Bumfuck Tech Saturday."
It varies from place to place, obviously.

 

This has nothing to do with an air-conditioned box.

It's more to do with access to the players and coach. Sure, the reporter could cover the game from the stands... but he's also being denied the ability to interview the players and coach after the game.