Why I hate the Media

[jstark23]

I'm mad as heck about this and need to vent so if you see this on another board as well as here I apologize for the duplicity, I worked the hospitality tent for the Texas State High School Tournament, good time everything rocking and rolling (mostly rolling its still amazing the amount of lies and bovine excrement that can be told when you have 15 umpires working one game a day for a weekend not to mention me and 1 other guy from our chapter holding down the fort cooking burger and sausage wraps) when a guy comes up in the cordoned off area walks around the barricades and starts to bait us into discussing the plate job that just happened in the 4A state final... well after we did a good job of stonewalling him and directing him to the Umpire Coordinator, he gets peeved that we wouldn't hold his hand and walk him to her... and then me being the curious person that I am I check out his np website to find this story http://www.panews.com/articles/2004/...s03%20copy.txt and to top it off the dumb son of a buck didn't even get the name right...

[WestMichBlue]

I guarantee that no sportswriter from around here, from either the large metro daily or any samll town weekly's would ever write an article like that.

Most you might ever see would be one short sentance about a "controversial call" and they would never quote players like that.

That writer is a jerk.

WMB

[TexBlue]

I agree with WMB, that guy's a jerk. I live about 2 miles from Crowley HS and I've seen Meagan Denny grow up. That little team is a class act. I've never known them to whine, groan or complain. They just play ball to the best of their ability.

Heck, I can't believe you guys let him into your tent area. Gonna have to talk to my chapter about the money sent down there to support the tent. Where's security, to let MEDIA into the hallowed ground of the umpires? Man, that's worse than letting an irate parent into the tent! Almost makes you think media folks are 1 step below coaches.

[jstark23]

The dumb son of a buck moved the barricade out of the way and just walked on up... luckily the crew hadn't gotten up from the locker room yet... we got him out of there as quick as we could and then that's when he started whining cause we wouldn't take him down and hand deliver him to Patty

[whiskers_ump]

Guys, Gals,


This is not the first time this "reporter" has written
pieces such as this. The bad and sad part of this is,
he is an umpire - and regrettably is a member of the
association I work for. Don't have the time nor the
space available to tell you other tales. Most guys
refuse to work with him.

[jstark23]

No you see you got me even more irate than I already was... to the point that I'm headed down mo-pac right now to the TASO office and am filing an ethics violation against him that little pesky thing about not saying anything that will bring a negative reaction to an umpire or the organization... I am also going to meet with Peter Contreras over in the UIL office to see if I can get the PA News press credentials pulled for the state baseball tournament... the fact that this isn't the first time that he's written this story will definately be brought up... I don't blame everyone down there for scratching the son of a buck, foot I would scratch his rear too

[oatmealqueen]

Originally posted by whiskers_ump
Guys, Gals,


This is not the first time this "reporter" has written
pieces such as this. The bad and sad part of this is,
he is an umpire - and regrettably is a member of the
association I work for. Don't have the time nor the
space available to tell you other tales. Most guys
refuse to work with him.

If this "reporter/umpire" lived in our area, he would be booted from our our association and left to fend for himself.
He should know better.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by jstark23
No you see you got me even more irate than I already was... to the point that I'm headed down mo-pac right now to the TASO office and am filing an ethics violation against him that little pesky thing about not saying anything that will bring a negative reaction to an umpire or the organization... I am also going to meet with Peter Contreras over in the UIL office to see if I can get the PA News press credentials pulled for the state baseball tournament... the fact that this isn't the first time that he's written this story will definately be brought up... I don't blame everyone down there for scratching the son of a buck, foot I would scratch his rear too

Don't waste your time. There is that freedom of press thing that will be thrown in your face. I don't think the press is someone TASO or UIL will want to tick off. Challenging a reporter is one thing, but if they start restricting access based on an editorial content, they may feel the wrath of the entire press corps or get no coverage whatsoever.

Then you may have a restriction of trade issue by delivering a reporter/umpire an ultimatum.

It is probably better handled at the local association level. Hopefully, his association has a few clauses in the constitution/by-laws addressing this issue.

Be careful about stepping on his rights to write things like this. Just the fact that he is an umpire doesn't change the rights of the press to write crappy pieces like this. However, I can say this. If this were an umpire here in Omaha, poor fella would find fewer assignments and many enemies.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Ref Ump Welsch
Be careful about stepping on his rights to write things like this. Just the fact that he is an umpire doesn't change the rights of the press to write crappy pieces like this.

True, but there is no right to be an umpire. If he has violated either his association's bylaws or the bylaws of UIL / TASO regarding umpire ethical behavior, then he can properly have his credentials revoked. He can still be a reporter and still write diatribes (and probably will, along with whatever allies he can gather with his story of how he has been "persecuted')...

The wisest move, however, may be to merely quietly no longer give him any game assignments. Or relegate him to Jr Hi games. Let him practice his strike call timing there.

[jstark23]

The UIL has an established policy on the media and what can or cannot be written (or said by a broadcaster, I know I used to do color for the station that had the contract for the Abilene ISD), I don't know what if anything will be done but I spent 2 hrs in the TASO office this morning and I am filing an ethics violation on the reporter, in the ethics code no umpire under any circumstances may come out in the media running down another umpire, he obviously has done that and apparently more than once...

Problem-he was not in his role as an umpire, but as a reporter. It wouldn't be considered an ethical violation. I know, I shouldn't be defending this guy's actions, as it does digust me that he used his "smokescreen" as a reporter to criticize another umpire, but he still does have rights in other positions. However, we umpires know that we shouldn't and don't criticize each other within the brotherhood. This is a touchy situation. I'll be curious how it is handled.

I'm surprised a state association acutally has a policy that "limits" the press. Nebraska wouldn't dare tread on that, however, they do have provisions within the contracts of those media outlets that broadcast the state championship games. Those provisions, however, are more along the request type rather than mandatory. For example, asking the broadcasting media from showing shirtless boys on the television, etc.

[jstark23]

from the University Interscholastic League manual, this applies to radio coverage but in the past it has applied to all media
The following requirements should be put in a written contract with any radio or television station carrying a high school athletic activity. This is important because some announcers criticize game officials. Each station should agree not to criticize the officiating, the school, or the League. It is recommended that the following be included in any agreement to broadcast a high school athletic activity:
There shall be no political announcements or advertising of tobacco, liquor, wine or beer during the broadcast:

The Station is to be responsible for any expenses incidental to setting up the broadcasting arrangements;

The Station shall not feed the broadcast of this game to any other radio station without the signed approval of a school official;

The School District shall not be liable for any expenses incurred by Station _______________________ in putting on the broadcast;

There shall be no criticisms of officials' decisions;

No mention shall be made of injuries, unpreventable accidents, or other incidents which may cause any anxiety on the part of listeners; and

There shall be no discussion of school or League policies which are of a derogatory nature

[Dakota]

Originally posted by jstark23
The following requirements should be put in a written contract with any radio or television station carrying a high school athletic activity.

This is describing a contractual relationship between the media outlet and the UIL. It would not apply (I wouldn't think) to the broader press who are in attendance at the games and are reporting on the outcomes. After all, merely writing an article on the game does not mean the newspaper cannot print "political announcements or advertising of tobacco, liquor, wine or beer..."

Now, if press credentials are required to attend the event as an official member of the press, then I suppose similar restrictions could be placed on credentialed press reporters. But there would still be no restriction on "free-agent" reporters who just bought a ticket like everyone else.