Packers Dropping The Ball On Access

Aug 04, 2009

Could not agree more with McGinn on the point he makes in yesterday's camp report:

If you follow the team avidly, you probably have read and heard a lot of words since camp opened Saturday. What you haven't learned are the thoughts of any assistant coaches. That's because Mike McCarthy has restricted access to his assistants since taking over in 2006. This year, the Packers have rolled back access to just about the bare minimum as permitted under NFL rules: Coordinators can be interviewed once a week, then all assistants are available on another day each week. Until very late in the Mike Sherman regime, reporters could stop and chat with every assistant after every practice. That's basically the way it was under Ray Rhodes, Mike Holmgren, Lindy Infante, Forrest Gregg and BartStarr. Where once the Packers served as a beacon of light in the NFL for how access to assistant coaches ought to be handled, now they're just another organization going along with the crowd, making it semi-difficult for fans to get a richer picture of the team.

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Comments (17)

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August 04, 2009 at 10:29 am

i honestly don't think it'd change that much. i'm sure we'd just simply hear question dodging comments from more people than just TT and MM.
That's not to say I wouldn't like to hear from more people. I would. But I just think the amount of information they give out would be about as miniscule as what TT and MM tend to say.

August 04, 2009 at 10:31 am

Wow. Could not agree less with that statement. Nobody is questioning the importance of the press. I would like to see vids of the practices. But he's criticizing the team's policy because it affecs his own work, not because it's beneficial for them.
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And I think those policies are right. Imagine if a bad interview causes the same fuss that's going on in Minnesota? It very well could. It's the beginning of the trainings. Most players won't be looking like HoFs. Coaches ought to be angry at their performances. Talking bad about a player in public, this early, could damage any chance he has to progress IMO.

August 04, 2009 at 10:37 am

If the media could be trusted to report information minus the embellishments & sensationalism, then yes, open up the doors..... This isn't likely to happen anytime soon if ever again.
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The media, sadly, has forgotten how to 'report' a story as opposed to 'creating' a story.... I'll take less information before misinformation anyday.

August 04, 2009 at 10:41 am

Once a week is fine for assistant coaches, maybe twice for coordinators, but realistically, what fascinating nugget is going to come out?
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"making it semi-difficult for fans to get a richer picture of the team."

Gimmie a break. Yes, throw the word "fan" in there to get some indignation brewing.
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"Beacon of light" "Going along with the crowd" Lol.

August 04, 2009 at 10:52 am

You should be happy they let you watch a few practices. The press, unfortunately, feels their job is to start controversy and to nit-pick.

August 04, 2009 at 11:00 am

Bad Knees - At this point I'm fairly certain that the only reason that they allow us to watch practices is that the NFL has a mandate on that, too. I forget exactly what the rule is, but its something along the lines of having to allow other teams scouts to watch your practices if you don't let the public watch them. On the other side of the token, teams are forbidden from sending scouts to public practices. I'm not 100% on this, so please correct me if I'm wrong.
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The interesting thing about this, though, is that the Packers really were pioneers in allowing the public to be a part of the team, mostly because of the way the team is set up. Unfortunately, the NFL has changed, and the new era of media sensationalism has contributed to (not caused) the NFL becoming increasingly secretive. Why should the teams give their coaches a chance to give away information about what they are doing if they can't glean the same information from other teams? Every coach is looking for every advantage they can find.

Brian Carriveau

August 04, 2009 at 11:03 am

"You should be happy they let you watch practices?"

More like, the Packers should be extremely grateful they have hardcore fans that want to watch practice, come to town and spend tons of money at the Packer Pro Shop and Curley's Pub.

August 04, 2009 at 11:15 am

i saw it yesterday and knew you would have something on it before too long.

I disagree with the whole sentiment. I say keep it close to the vest. Don't give anything away, the Enemy is watching.

PackerAaron

August 04, 2009 at 11:46 am

Guess I'm just old school. I like the idea of a Bob McGinn being able to pick up the phone and ask Capers why he played a certain situation the way he did. Or for a Greg Bedard to have a few beers with one of the assistants. Things like that build relationships an allow the writer to work from a much better place. I see it with the reporters we deal with here at work all the time. Plus, writers have a tendency to be much more fair with people they have relationships with. They tend to produce hatchet jobs when removed from the subject. Not to mention you lose the character of the guys they're covering. I like to know, I guess. The NFL has turned it into such a snooze fest.

August 04, 2009 at 12:46 pm

I am going with a larger conspiracy theory. Access is limited because the NFL now competes with the conventional media outlets on the net and through NFLN. The Packers website also sells ad space and needs to have traffic. If you have to go there to get a crumb, they make more dough.

PackerAaron

August 04, 2009 at 01:11 pm

bomdad, that's not called a "conspiracy theory". That's called a "fact". ;)

August 04, 2009 at 01:13 pm

bomdad is 100% correct. The Packers & NFL want fans coming to Packers.com for all the news and info. Not the newspapers, blogs, radio stations.

They're looking to control the flow of info coming in & out.

August 04, 2009 at 01:14 pm

I agree on the general shame of the Packers not allowing assistants to talk. What I object to is the use of the phrase "Where once the Packers served as a beacon of light..." Yeesh...Jeez, Bob, is this pro football or a romance novel???

August 04, 2009 at 01:14 pm

and here comes the NFL crackdown on Twitter. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/08/04/nfl-still-working-on-twi...

August 04, 2009 at 04:52 pm

Twitter had to go, it was inevitable.
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Mc Ginn? What's he got to complain about? He's got those imaginary friends of his. You know, those unnamed NFL Execs.
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A GOOD journalist will work for the story, not want special access.

August 05, 2009 at 11:30 am

Ron La Canne said: "A GOOD journalist will work for the story, not want special access."
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I don't think Bob is asking for anything "special" he just wants access to the principals so he can do his job. I'd like to know how you do that job when most of what goes on in the NFL takes place on the private property of NFL teams and under the team and league's exclusive control; is McGinn supposed to set up wiretaps or bug the players/coaches homes?