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| Thursday, October 19 'Just a quote please' By John D. Hunter ESPN.com | ||||||
| In this day and age where technology is everywhere, college football is no exception.
New technology has enhanced the information gathering chores of the media and the days of just the big schools getting extensive media exposure are over. Radio, TV, newspapers and the internet have increased the amount of scrutiny a team gets. Now for players dealing with the media is as common as windsprints at the end of practice.
Since every player, one time or the other, deals with the media, we decided this would be a good question to ask our pool of student-athletes we call The Players. This week ESPN.com wanted to know how our players feel about the media and how they react when they read things about themselves or their team.
Dan Morgan, linebacker Miami "I get along with the media, but my relationship with them is a professional one. They have a job to do and I understand their role. As with anything they say or write, it's not a personal issue. I enjoy it, but I would say I enjoy it strictly in that it is always good to get publicity. It isn't something I seek out. There are good and bad types of publicity and you always try to put yourself in the best public setting possible. It's just my personality. People would probably call me shy, but I'm actually just a quiet guy who doesn't really feel he has much to say. When I need to say something, I'll say it. But I'm not one of those guys who is always looking for a camera to jump in front of or a tape recorder to speak to. "I don't pay much attention to the media on a daily basis and we don't allow that to affect us as a team. Of course, I always am interested to read something after I do an interview but strictly to see how the story came out. As a player, you can't get too interested in what other people think because it distracts you from the job you have to do. The only time there's usually discussion in the locker room about media coverage is when something negative comes out or someone is portrayed negatively. That usually gets people a little irritated, but I've never seen it become a major problem with anyone on our team. We don't normally get too excited in a good or bad way when the media writes something. Of course, it's always interesting to see what an opponent says about us. There have been times when opposing players or coaches have said some things. But it's something we never put too much stock in. We usually laugh about that stuff." Aaron Thompson, Maryland "I feel that having the chance to deal with the media is a good opportunity for exposure. I have never really had a reporter write anything bad about me. Sometimes it's fun to be in the spotlight but most of the time, I don't really care to have that attention." "When people write negative things, I really don't pay close attention. I do think that positive criticism is good. I don't really react to anything negative, and I'm also not motivated one way or another by write-ups on other people who say negative or cocky things. I concentrate mostly on myself and don't worry about what's written or said by others." Marques Tuiasosopo, QB Washington "I don't shy away from the media. To me, talking to the media is a part of the job. People want to know how we are doing. Being an active member of this team, and the quarterback, it's something that is expected of you and I'm willing to do it. I don't look at all the interviews as a bad experience. At Washington, we have a lot of media attention because we are located in a major city. So that's good for our fans. We have a great following, it gives them a chance to follow the team and to know what to look for. That's one of the reasons I like to talk to the media, because I know our fans follow us in the media. "I used to pay attention to what was written and said, but I really don't anymore. I realize that everyone is going to have their own opinions and some journalists are going to express those opinions. The only thing that matters to me is what I believe and think. No, I don't read the papers during the week. If I do it at all, I'll do it on Sunday mornings after the game." Travis Dorsch, kicker Purdue "I feel like I have a good relationship with the media. As a kicker, it seems the press wants to talk about every kick - good or bad. In almost every ballgame there is a special teams play that changes the course of the game, and as the "quarterback" of the special teams, it becomes my job to inform the media as to how things work and why they work that way. It can be time consuming, but it is part of maturing as a football player and a person. I personally believe that an athlete needs to be consistent with his approach to the media. If you are going to talk, you must be accessible through good times and bad. If you're not going to talk, don't talk, EVER. It is easy to talk to reporters when things are rolling along smoothly. But I'd be lying if I told you that it doesn't hurt a little to sit in front of a room full of reporters after missing a big kick. In the long run, though, they'll take care of you if you are approachable through the good times and bad." "It is easy to get caught up in what is being written or reported about you as an individual or team. The best thing to do is remove yourself from the situation and understand that the media is for the fans and not the players or coaches. Print media, especially, can get to a player and make him believe things that aren't necessarily true." Dylen Smith, quarterback Kansas "I don't have any type of personal relationship with the media, it's strictly football related. I do like some of the media exposure only when it's positive, usually when it is negative I try to ignore it. It brings the team down when a lot of negative things are being said because some players do pay attention to it and it does effect them when they play. "Personally I don't pay any attention to the media stories because people have an opinion about you and the team no matter what happens and if you just play your game and not worry about what the media think, you'll be better off not paying attention to what is written. Usually I ignore a negative report about me or my team because a lot of the time it is wrong or just their opinion about the team." Jashon Sykes, linebacker Colorado "I think I have a pretty good relationship with the media. It's just one of those things that is a part of playing Division I football. The media attention comes with the territory. "I read what is said in the papers and take it into consideration. I don't let it go to my head. If something negative is said about me, I use that as motivation and try and prove them wrong. You can't make too big a deal about every little article but it definitely can provide motivation." Romaro Miller, quarterback Mississippi "I am majoring in Journalism, so I am usually taking notes! I do not have any bad feelings towards the media because I realize I will be in their shoes one day. Right now I am just having fun with the media and taking in everything I can. "All college football teams use the media as a motivating factor. You can look every week at articles and see where players from opposing teams have made bold statements that you know will be posted for the teams to look at, and use for motivation in their game. I definitely pay attention to what is written about me and my team. It is not easy to read bad stuff about yourself or your team, but when you are not playing well, they are obviously not going to say nice things about you. I usually do not let it bother me. In this business, you are going to have to be prepared for those negative comments. You just have to continue to play through it and move on."
"I think I have a pretty good relationship with the media. Media exposure is a good thing to have. By asking you so many questions, you learn to think on your feet. It's really given me good experience for the business world. "We give what's written about us almost no attention at all. Yes, you keep some of the articles written specifically about you for a scrapbook to show your kids. We respond very positively (to negative info). It's a motivating factor to go out and prove them wrong." Reggie Newhouse, wide receiver Baylor "The media exposure really doesn't bother me that much. They are going to say what they say regardless of whether or not I talk to them . It's not a distraction and I'm pretty comfortable with it. "I don't really read the paper that much. I know what happened at the game, because I was there. If something bad is written about our team and I happen to read it, it just makes me work harder. If something negative is written about me, I pretty much laugh it off because I know the truth." Chris Lepore, free safety Navy "I have an indifferent relationship with the media. I don't dislike them, but the media isn't my favorite part of playing football. I realize they are just doing their job. My parents probably like the exposure I get from the media more than I do. I think it is important to promote your team, but when one person gets too much attention, it becomes a distraction to the team. "I don't pay particularly close attention to what is written about my team and myself. I will read the newspaper to see what it says, but I never take anything to heart. One of my motto's that I live by is that I never want to get too high, or too low. I always want to stay at an even keel, so whenever something negative or positive is written, I try to keep it all in perspective." | ALSO SEE
Week 1: The first gameWeek 2: The stunning upset Week 3: Effective coaching Week 4: Road trip!! Week 5: Ouch! | |||||
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