InsideTheStar: Time To Demand Better of Sports Media

[VACowboy]

I really despise journalists.Today, Dez Bryant got into an argument with ESPNDallas reporter Jean-Jacques Taylor in the Cowboys locker room. It was reported via a Tweet from Robert Klemko of TheMMQB. Immediately, of course, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote an entire article based on the limited information in Klemko’s lone Tweet. In usual PFT style, they actively deleted any comment on their article informing them of their half-story.

http://insidethestar.com/its-time-to-demand-better-from-big-sports-media/

I agree with this article 1000000%. In any other sector of journalism, reporters (almost always) verify their facts before they post them. I guess sports is different because we're talking about athletes and not politicians or world leaders. I went back and read Taylor's post-Seattle article, and right up front he calls Dez out for underperforming his contract. First fricking line, " The Dallas Cowboys need more from their petulant Pro Bowl receiver...." Honestly, does it matter what comes after that? At any rate, he goes on to say that it was Dez's first game back and kind of couches the article as a "Dallas needs Dez" piece, then spends the rest of the article completely ignoring the fact that this was Dez's first game back as he rubs Dez's nose in Richard Sherman. Should all players ignore the crap? Yep, but a person can only be expected to take so much.

It's actually funny the way sports outlets perpetuate each other. No independent verification. No accountability. And pretty soon it's like one of those rumors that starts out as the flutter of a butterfly's wing in China and ends up a hurricane at your front door. Trey Wingo just opened NFL Live talking about "the debacle in Dallas" and "Dez Bryant clearly losing his mind." And I know he and his cohorts only have that stuff to wail on about if Dez gives it to them. I just wish once in a while they'd look a little bit further than the sound bite for a little context. I, for one, disagree with John Clayton when he calls JJT "a very respectable journalist."

 

[DogFace]

It is bad. But it's what the free market demands. I guess. If it wasn't so often blatantly misleading I would not have a problem with their specific bias towards Dallas. I would understand they just are trying to make money. Which is commendable? No. I guess understandable.

 

[black label]

 

[Idgit]

I really despise journalists.Today, Dez Bryant got into an argument with ESPNDallas reporter Jean-Jacques Taylor in the Cowboys locker room. It was reported via a Tweet from Robert Klemko of TheMMQB. Immediately, of course, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote an entire article based on the limited information in Klemko’s lone Tweet. In usual PFT style, they actively deleted any comment on their article informing them of their half-story.

http://insidethestar.com/its-time-to-demand-better-from-big-sports-media/

I agree with this article 1000000%. In any other sector of journalism, reporters (almost always) verify their facts before they post them. I guess sports is different because we're talking about athletes and not politicians or world leaders. I went back and read Taylor's post-Seattle article, and right up front he calls Dez out for underperforming his contract. First fricking line, " The Dallas Cowboys need more from their petulant Pro Bowl receiver...." Honestly, does it matter what comes after that? At any rate, he goes on to say that it was Dez's first game back and kind of couches the article as a "Dallas needs Dez" piece, then spends the rest of the article completely ignoring the fact that this was Dez's first game back as he rubs Dez's nose in Richard Sherman. Should all players ignore the crap? Yep, but a person can only be expected to take so much.

It's actually funny the way sports outlets perpetuate each other. No independent verification. No accountability. And pretty soon it's like one of those rumors that starts out as the flutter of a butterfly's wing in China and ends up a hurricane at your front door. Trey Wingo just opened NFL Live talking about "the debacle in Dallas" and "Dez Bryant clearly losing his mind." And I know he and his cohorts only have that stuff to wail on about if Dez gives it to them. I just wish once in a while they'd look a little bit further than the sound bite for a little context. I, for one, disagree with John Clayton when he calls JJT "a very respectable journalist."

I agree completely with the point of this article, too. And Dez is right that this is Dalyrimple's problem to fix, and they're not fixing it.

I'd love to see the team go out and finally win a game this week, and then, next week, Jason ought to put up a box at the entry to the locker room for everybody to put their phones in when they enter the facility. If that works for other teams (NE), then it definitely ought to be the policy in Dallas where every story gets blown out of proportion and the local media has a history of baiting the players for reactions like this one.

And JJT ought to just be fired. Or have the players respond to all of his questions with 'no comment' the rest of the season so that he's rendered useless enough at his job that he's finally let go.

 

[slick325]

LOL!!!!!!!! Black Label....you did it again!!!

 

[Yakuza Rich]

It is bad. But it's what the free market demands. I guess. If it wasn't so often blatantly misleading I would not have a problem with their specific bias towards Dallas. I would understand they just are trying to make money. Which is commendable? No. I guess understandable.

I don't know if they demand it so much with the struggles that ESPN is having. Sure, some of the problems are the TV contracts, but I tend to believe that more people are going away from the foolishness at ESPN and driving more towards blogs and podcasts not affiliated with the company. Grantland was hugely popular and so is 538 and those are less entertainment and fanboy-ish.

It reminds me a bit of the shock jock era in radio. It earned a lot of money, but when it died out...it really died out because people were no longer interested in the same thing anymore and IMO, it was too easy for no talents to have popular radio stations. I think television media is on the verge of the same thing.

I agree with the article. It doesn't bother me all that much that JJT said it. It's a sign of a bigger problem...that the media over the years has created an environment where reporters think it's okay to be this comfortable with the athlete and it's a general sign of the decline of professionalism and 'hitting the pavement' in journalism.






YR

 

[Yakuza Rich]

JJT so looks like a cop.









YR

 

[EPL0c0]

Let's be honest, so much of what the media says/does in Dallas has to do with the fact that this is Dallas and Jerry Jones is the owner.

Example: Dez Bryant vs Brandon Browner.

Brandon Browner went off on a reporter because he was asked about a single-play after an OT loss to Tennessee. Browner was in such a fervor that he had to be told by 3 teammates to stop and was eventually pushed into the showers, away from the reporter, to chill out.

But that was it. It wasn't an indictment of a lockerroom in turmoil. It wasn't a player that is out of control Nobody said that Sean Payton has lost the lockerroom. Nobody criticized GM Mickey Loomis. I don't believe a single word was written about owner Tom Benson's team being out of control.

Fast-forward to Dez, being legitimately upset about what he felt had happed with JJT and Devin Street. Suddenly Dez is out of control. The lockerroom is a mess. The team is a mess, Jason Garrett is a bad coach and has no control over the team, just claps and that's it.

It can't just be that Dez was upset and that's that.

The sports media pulled a weeks' worth off articles off of this incident. A lot of "journalists" seem to push as much, if not more, opinion & speculation than fact.

 

[foofighters]

JJT so looks like a cop.









YR

He looks like he is begging for a boot in the face...

 

[Frosty]

I really despise journalists.Today, Dez Bryant got into an argument with ESPNDallas reporter Jean-Jacques Taylor in the Cowboys locker room. It was reported via a Tweet from Robert Klemko of TheMMQB. Immediately, of course, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote an entire article based on the limited information in Klemko’s lone Tweet. In usual PFT style, they actively deleted any comment on their article informing them of their half-story.

http://insidethestar.com/its-time-to-demand-better-from-big-sports-media/

I agree with this article 1000000%. In any other sector of journalism, reporters (almost always) verify their facts before they post them. I guess sports is different because we're talking about athletes and not politicians or world leaders. I went back and read Taylor's post-Seattle article, and right up front he calls Dez out for underperforming his contract. First fricking line, " The Dallas Cowboys need more from their petulant Pro Bowl receiver...." Honestly, does it matter what comes after that? At any rate, he goes on to say that it was Dez's first game back and kind of couches the article as a "Dallas needs Dez" piece, then spends the rest of the article completely ignoring the fact that this was Dez's first game back as he rubs Dez's nose in Richard Sherman. Should all players ignore the crap? Yep, but a person can only be expected to take so much.

It's actually funny the way sports outlets perpetuate each other. No independent verification. No accountability. And pretty soon it's like one of those rumors that starts out as the flutter of a butterfly's wing in China and ends up a hurricane at your front door. Trey Wingo just opened NFL Live talking about "the debacle in Dallas" and "Dez Bryant clearly losing his mind." And I know he and his cohorts only have that stuff to wail on about if Dez gives it to them. I just wish once in a while they'd look a little bit further than the sound bite for a little context. I, for one, disagree with John Clayton when he calls JJT "a very respectable journalist."

It gonna take the fans and players to make a stand and tell these sensationalist journalist to change..... send them tweets, emails and post on their Facebook sites..They won't change unless their is a reason to change...... it will take a movement....

I personally am disgusted with ESPN an Chris Berman and Ed Werder....they think they are privileged to say what they want when the want without repercussion.

 

[Cas2800]

So its OK for Taylor (or anyone else in the media) who probably never played a down of football to call out Dez because HE thinks he needs to be more productive on his first game back after a leg injury and playing with a back up quarterback hes never played with?? But Dez cant call him out for writing a pathetic story about him?? If these reporters want to be calling out players then they better be prepared to be called out.

Some of these reporters would rather write a story to generate revenue or a name for themselves rather the REPORT the fact like they should be doing. If im the Cowboys, Taylor would be banned from the locker room.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

So its OK for Taylor (or anyone else in the media) who probably never played a down of football to call out Dez because HE thinks he needs to be more productive on his first game back after a leg injury and playing with a back up quarterback hes never played with?? But Dez cant call him out for writing a pathetic story about him?? If these reporters want to be calling out players then they better be prepared to be called out.

Some of these reporters would rather write a story to generate revenue or a name for themselves rather the REPORT the fact like they should be doing. If im the Cowboys, Taylor would be banned from the locker room.

But if you did that then the other reporters might boycott. And instead of the insightful commentary we're blessed with they might have to fill the void with stories they made up. Oh we already have that.

 

[Fletch]

Hey Morpheus, I said the blue pill!

 

[Fletch]

He looks like he is begging for a boot in the face...

 

[viman96]

JJT looks like the tabloid reporter that crosses the line and threatens to sue if you touch him

 

[RoboQB]

JJT looks like the tabloid reporter that crosses the line and threatens to sue if you touch him

we used to call that kind of person a *****.... oh, but now it's offensive.

 

[Nightman]

It's called schadenfreude, plain and simple. Taking pleasure in other's misfortune.

So many people and that includes most writers and TV personalities hate JJones and his personality. The fact that he owns the Dallas Cowboys is icing on the cake.

They will take any molehill and make it into a mountain if it can embarrass JJones and the Cowboys. It isn't even about clicks and ratings. They really wish the worst for us.

The only way to shut them up is to win it all.

 

[Nightman]

Twitter was supposed to bring us straight to the athletes unfiltered. But the teams and the traditional media overreact to every character out of place and now they can't use that either.

JGarrett needs to stand up for his players instead of saying he is talking to them about every Tweet like they did something wrong. Why doesn't JGarrett talk to JJT and those guys when they step out of line. Tell them to shape up or kick them out of the locker room. With friends like those who needs Florio and ESPN.

 

[jterrell]

I don't know if they demand it so much with the struggles that ESPN is having. Sure, some of the problems are the TV contracts, but I tend to believe that more people are going away from the foolishness at ESPN and driving more towards blogs and podcasts not affiliated with the company. Grantland was hugely popular and so is 538 and those are less entertainment and fanboy-ish.

It reminds me a bit of the shock jock era in radio. It earned a lot of money, but when it died out...it really died out because people were no longer interested in the same thing anymore and IMO, it was too easy for no talents to have popular radio stations. I think television media is on the verge of the same thing.

I agree with the article. It doesn't bother me all that much that JJT said it. It's a sign of a bigger problem...that the media over the years has created an environment where reporters think it's okay to be this comfortable with the athlete and it's a general sign of the decline of professionalism and 'hitting the pavement' in journalism.






YR

i dont think there is any doubt.
JJT has basically zero presence here and lots of his former buddies are off to other cities.
there is nothing in his career to label a 'grand' success.
bayless and stephen a may have made the lowest common denominator work but there aren't a ton of current examples.

guys like bob sturm and others who aren't afraid to have opinions but also don't openly lie or sensationalize are actually fairing far better.

i honestly couldn't have told you jjt was even still at espn before this mess started.
it really is sad that the guy had to write up complete and utter garbage to get noticed at all.

 

[jterrell]

Twitter was supposed to bring us straight to the athletes unfiltered. But the teams and the traditional media overreact to every character out of place and now they can't do use that either.

JGarrett needs to stand up for his players instead of saying he is talking to them about every Tweet like they did something wrong. Why doesn't JGarrett talk to JJT and those guys when they step out of line. Tell them to shape up or kick them out of the locker room. With friends like those who needs Florio and ESPN.

i thought same thing.
my response would have been to use an us versus the world mentality.
every player and every coach should be livid ALL the time at 6 straight losses.