Sayonara Hamilton

[yk9001]

Explain the trust factor and relationship building when all of Hamilton's private drug information is leaked.

 

Or any one of thousands of other examples

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/12332135/new-york-knicks-amare-stoudemire-agree-buyout

http://wtvr.com/2015/04/13/justin-anderson-nba-draft/

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/12266824/brooklyn-nets-shopping-brook-lopez-turn-offer-denver-nuggets

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/12202450/nfl-says-new-england-patriots-had-inflated-footballs-afc-championship-game

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/11/sources-tell-espn-call-to-start-rg-iii-came-from-owner-108664.html

[AngelsSurfer]

Because people build relationships and trust

 

There's a name for someone who implicitly trusts a member of the press who is reporting on them: Fool. Journalists have gotten scoops by appearing "friendly" and building a rapport as long as journalists have been around, and one can never forget that their presence has an ulterior motive, even if they're likeable and good buddies to drink with. Of course the players want to have a good relationship with their beat reporters; that doesn't mean they should trust said reporters as far as they can spit or forget why they're there.

And that's not a comment on Fletcher as a person or his ethics; it's just common sense when dealing with any member of the press. They're there to get a story, and they're taking note of everything that happens in front of them.

Edited April 17, 2015 by AngelsSurfer

[Jay]

Some members of the media are highly regarded though:

 

[mp170.6]

Because people build relationships and trust

 

The job of a journalist as I've been led to believe is to report the news, not build relationships or cozy up to the persons he/she is covering.

[KevinJ14]

"Hey guys, you know that guy you've lived with 8-10 hours a day 220 days a year the last two years? Well, I have some news for you, people on the Internet know more about him than you from watching him on TV. You'd be shocked what they know."

 

Jeff be like:

 

 

AW Members for a second:

 

[SoWhat]

"Hey guys, you know that guy you've lived with 8-10 hours a day 220 days a year the last two years? Well, I have some news for you, people on the Internet know more about him than you from watching him on TV. You'd be shocked what they know."

[Tank]

The job of a journalist as I've been led to believe is to report the news, not build relationships or cozy up to the persons he/she is covering.

 

while implicitly true, you also have to think that a reporter whose assignment is to be with a team all season long, year after year, is going to build a different kind of relationship with the players than the typical reporter covering traffic or the man on the street interview.

 

and i'm guessing it's been that way since reporters started covering specific teams.

[HeavenlyHalos]

To me, it's clear that Josh Hamilton read this website and thought to himself: "Vernon Wells and Jeff Mathis are just precursors to my brilliance." 

[Stradling]

The job of a journalist as I've been led to believe is to report the news, not build relationships or cozy up to the persons he/she is covering.

Yes and I'm guessing that Fletch would agree that as soon as he discloses off the record information he will be less likely to get any information from those players in the future.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Im neutral on all this, but, i will point out that several months back, fletcher did admit to being a mariners fan...i think its obvious he hates us all

[Blarg]

I prefer, "fell off the wagon"

 

He didn't fall, he jumped.

[stormngt]

How naive

The job of a journalist as I've been led to believe is to report the news, not build relationships or cozy up to the persons he/she is covering.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

No idea how a journalist is supposed to get information from anyone without developing a rapport and, in the case of those he will interview more than once, some kind of relationship.

[mancini79]

Im neutral on all this, but, i will point out that several months back, fletcher did admit to being a mariners fan...i think its obvious he hates us all

 

Dude, he told you that off the record.

[Tyler]

His Newport house is up for sale. Interesting.

[AngelsSurfer]

Yes and I'm guessing that Fletch would agree that as soon as he discloses off the record information he will be less likely to get any information from those players in the future.

 

If someone's currently working with a team, of course they'll be aware of that. They want to be invited back and they want the players to trust them, as you say.

However, most dirt comes out after the reporters in question aren't worried about working/interviewing the subjects again. Cases in point, "Seasons in Hell," "Thin Ice," "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes," all the gossip about Mike Piazza, etc. Just because something that happens "off the record" isn't disclosed now doesn't mean it will still be kept confidential in five or ten years. Once again, the fact that words can and do frequently come back to haunt people is a good reason for a player/celebrity/politician to watch what they say and do around members of the media, even those they're friendly with. Many managers and agents will work with their clients to make them media-savvy so they remember this, and there's a reason for that.

Edited April 18, 2015 by AngelsSurfer

[AngelsSurfer]

And lest anyone thinks I'm tin foil hat with this, here's the Yankees' in-house list of rules they give players in the workshops they hold about being media savvy:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/yankees/story/2012-04-12/Yankees-player-media-training/54238364/1

•Think before you speak. There are no do-overs.

•Nothing is ever off the record.

•Lies beget lies and bending the truth will ultimately find its way back to you.

•Do not under any circumstances take a naked picture of yourself and send it to anyone

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704433904576212810376772214

And here's another article on how sports teams are taking steps to moderate both media access and content in order to maintain the image they want.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in_internet_age_sports_teams_are_increasingly_in_the_news_business/2011/02/28/ABPkAtV_story.html?nav=emailpage

[YouthofToday]

Ok. I'll take your word for it.

Agree with Jeff here. I've worked on political campaigns, for large PR agencies and corporate PR teams. Their is such a thing as off the record if there is trust between media member and source.

[Stradling]

I don't know Fletcher although I've met him a couple times, but just a hunch he isn't the type of guy that would use off the record information years down the road to either profit or to be the first to report a scandal. Not every reporter lacks integrity or is willing to burn bridges.

[ten ocho recon scout]

His Newport house is up for sale. Interesting.

he must be on a hell of a binge

[Jeff Fletcher]

fascinating to read all of your takes on journalism here

By "nothing is off the record," that means that you can't tell a reporter somrthing and expect him to stop knowing it. He will know it and use it to mold his coverage down the line.

Garden variety example is "off the record, we like player A better than player B because his defense is better."

You won't quote that directly but you can just state as fact in explaining a move later. "angels are thought to have chosen Player A because of his defense."

Another example is "off the record, you should ask Player A why he couldn't play today."

People tell you things off the record because they want you to know them. They may also tell you things to refute other things that are out there or even on the record.

In a case like this, you just have to know who you are talking to and know how to read that person. It just comes with having a rapport with someone where they know you would rather they just don't answer a question than lie to you. You can tell when you're getting the BS answer.

The controversial part of this Josh stuff is not the relationship of Josh to his teammates. It's the relationship of Josh to management. That's the area the guys are going to evasive about. And I don't think anyone in my story lied about that. They said "I don't know" or "I don't want to get involved in that" or "that has nothing to do with me."

[mp170.6]

I don't know Fletcher although I've met him a couple times, but just a hunch he isn't the type of guy that would use off the record information years down the road to either profit or to be the first to report a scandal. Not every reporter lacks integrity or is willing to burn bridges.

 

I never once meant to suggest Jeff Fletcher lacked integrity. 

 

It's just that people tend to forget what they heard "off the record" and let things slip unintentionally as time goes by.  Do you remember specific things you were told in confidence years and years ago?  For me, I sure as heck don't remember what they were.

[Inside Pitch]

His Newport house is up for sale. Interesting.

 

Is his wife no longer a real OC Housewife?   Pretty peculiar situation.

[Mark68]

Is his wife no longer a real OC Housewife?   Pretty peculiar situation.

Maybe she is soon to be a real ex-OC Housewife.

 

That could mean two entirely different things.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

It's just that people tend to forget what they heard "off the record" and let things slip unintentionally as time goes by.  Do you remember specific things you were told in confidence years and years ago?  For me, I sure as heck don't remember what they were.

 

I remember things I can share and things that were said to me in confidence. IMO time doesn't change my promise of confidentiality.