Mark French Ignored? or Coincidence?
From one of our readers today:
I doubt his boycott will make a difference with recuriting but good for Coach French for standing up for John Zant. If the News-Press is ignoring him, shame on them for showing their bias in the newsroom. If it's a coincidence, aren't they showing bad reporting skills in not interviewing our own coach -- something that is de rigeur in sports writing?
Update: Several readers have retyped the last few words of the article -- I was working off the above comment -- it said: "Gauchos head coach Mark French refused to speak to the News-Press at the postgame press conference, and asked the News-Press staff reporter to leave the media room".
Interesting to see the write up on the Lady Gauchos not include any quotes from the team or the coach, Mark French. The Titans coach did have one quote. Will this lack of local media exposure end up hurting recruiting or will any recruits even know about the team's boycott of the local paper?
I doubt his boycott will make a difference with recuriting but good for Coach French for standing up for John Zant. If the News-Press is ignoring him, shame on them for showing their bias in the newsroom. If it's a coincidence, aren't they showing bad reporting skills in not interviewing our own coach -- something that is de rigeur in sports writing?
Update: Several readers have retyped the last few words of the article -- I was working off the above comment -- it said: "Gauchos head coach Mark French refused to speak to the News-Press at the postgame press conference, and asked the News-Press staff reporter to leave the media room".
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 2/25/2007 07:44:00 PM
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16 Comments:
There is a third reason why the write up did not include any quotes from the team or coach - Mark French could have ignored the News Press, Cold Shoulder style. The probability seems reasonable, considering his letter of criticism about the newspaper.
From the newspress article today following last night's game...
"Gauchos head coach Mark French refused to speak to the News-Press at the postgame press conference, and asked the News-Press staff reporter to leave the media room."
I guess that answers your questions! Hoorah for Mark. And hoorah for the News-Press writer for having the courage to write about it.
From Sunday's article, here is the last paragraph:
Gauchos head coach Mark French refused to speak to the News-Press at the postgame press conference, and asked the News-Press staff reporter to leave the media room.
Gee, did any of you read the whole article? The last paragraph said, "Gauchos head coach Mark French refused to speak to the News-Press at the postgame press conference, and asked the News-Press staff reporter to leave the media room."
That reporter, Dennis Bateman, is actually the new prep reporter. He replaced Mike Traphagen, who quit after being suspended for two days for joining other newsroom employees in delivering a letter to Wendy McCaw's office.
I'm all for Mark giving the News-Press a cold shoulder, but no one should be ripping those who are now working in the sports department. They were more devastated and hurt by Zant's firing than anybody, except for Zant and his family. They're victims, too, of the reign of terror by the Axis of Evil (Wendy, Arthur & Travis).
I didn't see the article and was working off what our reader had posted -- thanks for the update. Looks like they were cold-shouldered...and of course no one should be upset with who is left.
It will be interesting to see how long Dennis Bateman keeps his job once Wendy hears about his writing about the cold shoulder.
My thinking is that he has written his last article.
Dennis Bateman has been doing a good job for a young reporter learning a craft in a new town. I appreciate what French has done, but let's not make Bateman the problem. He's just a kid writing, John Zant aside, the only section of the paper with any local connection any longer.
Cold Shoulder means no interviews to Newspress reporters, and no invitations to the media room, regardless of how nice or innocent the cub sports reporter may seem.
This is all or nothing.
Other newsmakers should do the same that French at UCSB is doing. Anyone who talks with Newspress reporters is only helping the Wendy Tyrant.
Trap, as we affectionately called Mike Traphagen, had already submitted his resignation but offered to work a few more days to help out Sports.
Wendy&Co. could care less. They gave him a suspension letter.
Needless to say, Trap didn't stick around. He left that same afternoon.
Dennis Bateman needs to start looking for another job.
Gee, did any of you read the whole article?
I was referring to the Friday article (hence the reference to the Titans). When I picked up the Sunday paper last night I found the quote from the Highlanders game and posted that as well. Gee, did you read my whole post? Moving on...
Bateman either has great courage or on the flip side, the editor could have asked that the comment be placed in the article to let the readers know why there are no Gaucho quotes. By doing so, the NP could be trying to make Mark look like the bad guy. Seems to be their MO lately. I doubt it worked because most Lady Gaucho fans know what Mark French is all about and probably received his e-mail already.
He could give his quotes to Edhat or the Daily Sound.
True, the Daily Sound needs to hire John Zant and get a sports page going.
I was at the Saturday game and the young man in the News-Press seat at the media table--I assume it was Dennis Bateman, but I don't know for sure--never took a single note. He arrived at half-time and never took his IPod out of his ear. Make of it what you will.
Actually, blogabarbara is late with this item. Previous NP stories on UCSB women's games have noted French's refusal to comment. This sentence from a Feb. 8 story on a game with Irvine:
"Head coach Mark French refused to comment on the game, citing the dismissal of former News-Press beat writer John Zant as the cause."
Dennis Bateman didn't write that particular story. I have it on good authority the Feb. 8 sentence was vetted by newsroom management.
Tried to cut and past the comment I wanted to reply to, but couldn't find a way to do it on my web browser, so I'll paraphrase.
Someone described Bateman as showing up late in the game with an Ipod stuck in his ear. Sounds like the Dennis Bateman I remember all too well. *eye roll*
I don't envy his position at the NewsPress in the least, given the cluster-you-know-what that newspaper has been in for the past year plus.
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