If you poke the old bear, don't be surprised when he wakes up.
A lot has been made of Andy Reid's anger with the Philadelphia sports media because of some of the practices used by the guys to gain information regarding Stewart Bradley's recent season-ending injury.
As a member of the Philadelphia sports media (granted, a junior member), I've held my tongue regarding the situation for one reason, and for one reason only: I agree with coach Andy Reid.
I think Reid may have taken it a bit too hard, but still, his reasons for being angry are simple.
1) He has always disclosed injuries to the media, 2) In return, he only asks that his players and other personnel not be bothered, and 3) Members of the media just could not wait the extra hour to find out from Reid.
The problem here is that, with this new era of instant information, journalism has become more about getting a story first, rather than getting it right. Many members of the media are content with posting a story before everyone else that may only be half-true, rather than a story that is completely accurate, regardless of time posted.
For those of you still not in the know, apparently a couple reporters called Bradley's cell phone directly, which of course Reid found out about.
You could argue that these guys were just attempting to do their job, and I understand that to a degree, but knowing that Reid does not like it when you go behind his back, why would you do it? Is it really worth finding out an hour ahead of everyone else?
Had they not called Bradley, Reid would have gotten up on the podium and said something like, "Okay, injuries today. Stewart Bradley looks to have torn his ACL last night and could possibly sit out for the entire season, but we're not sure yet."
Everyone would have had their story, and everyone would have had something to turn in to their editors to put up on the website, or to print and circulate tomorrow morning. Instead, they chose a course of action that they knew would upset Reid. For as little as he will say at times, he's not shy about saying what will piss him off.
Additionally, members of the media are saying that it wasn't a big deal because the story was already out. They're saying that his agent had confirmed the tear in the ACL. Well fine then, post the headline "Bradley's Agent Confirms Linebacker Has Torn ACL" and run with it. However, you've crossed the line when you contact Bradley about it.
It's not a secret that Reid doesn't want his players and personnel bothered about things like that. He's come right out and said it, so it's not like he's making something up as he goes along just to confuse and annoy the media. But then when these guys are caught and given a slight slap on the wrist, they begin calling Reid a control freak, a dictator, and a baby.
It's like when a child is told that they mayn't have cookies until Mom says that they may, but when they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar they want to say, "Well, I'm only a kid. I like cookies, it's what I do. You're a jerk for catching me." Mom has given you the rules, when you break them, expect a consequence.
Some of them will say, "Well, Reid's not our mom, we don't work for him." Fine, but you can't have it both ways. If that's the case, then don't be angry when he won't tell you what you want to know, or won't tell you anything for that matter.
But if it were the other way around, and Reid just flat-out refused to give them an answer about an injury, or anything else, he'd still be an "arrogant, egotistical control freak."
They just can't understand why on earth Reid would be so upset that anyone knew.
Perhaps he was trying to get a deal done with another team to trade for a guy, and Bradley's injury would hurt his leverage in the deal. For instance, if he was trying to trade for a middle linebacker before anyone knew about the injury, he may have been able to get that guy at a decent price.
However, if that other team finds out he's trying to get the deal done because his starting middle linebacker just went down for the year, all of a sudden that guy is a bit more valuable to that other team. They know the Eagles would give up more because the deal has become that much more important, ask for too much, and the deal falls through on a guy who could have helped.
I'm not saying that was the case, but it's a scenario where Reid would want to keep the injury under wraps until it was no longer detrimental to him for everyone to know.
The problem with me saying this is that even though journalism is a competition, it's also a fraternity. Disagreeing with them, or throwing a guy under the bus could have me blackballed to a point that could kill my chances of truly accomplishing anything.
Even knowing that, I write this because there are certain members of the media with whom I'd rather not be associated, anyway. I won't name specific people, but the reader knows who they are. They are the people who write with no real knowledge of the way football is played, and no real knowledge of the Philadelphia Eagles specifically.
Being a sports journalist, a journalist in general, is about more than creating a stir with either half-truths or whole lies. However, some people covering our beloved team will do just that in order for some reads, more subscriptions, or just publicity. The integrity of the job has flown out the window as laptops and Wi-Fi have entered.
Instead of using the new media for good, it has turned once-proud reporters into nothing more than gossiping school girls looking for the juiciest story. Frankly, that's not something I want to be a part of.
I'll offer my opinion as a journalist, a player, and a coach simply observing and giving some insight knowing that the opinion I offer is no more valid than the person standing beside me.
