New York Jets Fight Back Against the Media; Beat Writers Not Too Happy

[Fishooked]

Obviously the Serby whinefest is the first one I could think of.
I'll bet even if we fired Rex they would still find something to whine or complain about.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...s-not-to-happy


New York Jets Fight Back Against the Media; Beat Writers Not Too Happy



After years of being ridiculed, treated unprofessionally and being the victims of "anonymous source" character assassinations, the New York Jets are finally fighting back against the New York media.

Needless to say, that has the Jets beat writers in quite a tizzy.



Jets are a well-oiled machine: Coach & owner have yet to talk about firing a man who worked for team for 15 yrs orreportedly fired OC #nyj

— Manish Mehta(@MMehtaNYDN) January 2, 2013


Yes, this is the same Manish Mehta of the Daily News who used multiple anonymous sources in an article in November to rip apart Tim Tebow. The gist of the article may have been right, but using sources like "another Jets source," "a Jets official," and "a member of the organization" didn't do anything to help Mehta's reputation or status with the team.

This issue has roots way before the Mehta article, though.

Perhaps the first media member to consistently attack the Jets no matter what they do was WFAN radio's Mike Francesa. Long ago, the Jets cut off access to the team for Francesa, so he's responded with a four-year rant against the franchise in retaliation.

Moving on from there, the media got personal when the Daily News ran with a story about Rex Ryan's wife's uncomfortably strange foot-fetish videos.


Photo courtesy of New York Post
Bill Hutchinson of the Daily News ran the initial story on Dec. 21, 2010, and continued well past the point of its relevance with another story about the videos and pictures on New Year's Eve.

Mind you, the second story came out 10 days later when the Jets were ending their regular season and preparing for the playoffs.

If the media's responsibility is to provide the fans important news and insight, who are they serving by talking about Ryan's wife's feet three days before Week 17?

Since then, it's been one incident after another where the Jets beat writers were all too happy to kick the team while they were down or create their own circus.

Ryan's candor started changing in the season's final months. His press conferences, once ripe with wit, smiles and self-deprecation became filled with monotonous, mumbling coach-speak, resembling Eric Mangini's pressers at their worst.

Things have really slid downhill with the Jets' beat writers over the last week of the season, though.

The Monday after the season, Mike Tannenbaum was fired after 15 years with the organization and Woody Johnson addressed the coaches in a closed-door meeting. With beat writers salivating about a Ryan press conference scheduled for 4:45 p.m. that day, the Jets promptly pulled the rug out from under them and cancelled it.

This sent writers off the cliff.

Over the two days since then (yes, it's only been two days), the writers have taken to Twitter in an all-out whine-fest led by Mehta and ESPN New York's Rich Cimini, with others chipping in as well.



This just in: Neither Rex Ryan nor Woody Johnson will be available today to comment on, like, everything. #Jets

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) January 2, 2013






The Jets, who pride themselves on "transparency," were the only NFL team not to make their head coach available to the media yesterday. #nyj

— Manish Mehta(@MMehtaNYDN) January 1, 2013






You can't keep hiding, Rex. You either, Woody.

— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) January 2, 2013






@lilmissnyjet 3. Part of the Jets problem is professionalism. The way they have conducted the postseason is emblematic of that problem.

— Jane McManus (@janesports) January 2, 2013






Woody and Rex continue to cower behind closed doors. Team says neither will be available again today #noaccountability

— NYPost_Cannizzaro (@MarkCannizzaro) January 2, 2013






I understand u guys think we're whining but Woody and Rex have always preached transparency. This is the opposite.

— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) January 2, 2013




Those are just a few examples of the complaints the media has taken to Twitter with. For those who don't follow the happenings of the Jets reporters on Twitter regularly, this should give you even further insight into what the atmosphere has been like.

Over a two-hour period on Jan. 2, Cimini has posted four tweets and one full-length article complaining about the Jets' lack of a press conference while Mehta has posted three tweets and an additional full-length article.

All of this ponders the question, what do they want to hear?

Ryan is going to have to talk by the end of the week as per NFL policy anyway. Incidentally, this was pointed out by Cimini in the equivalent of someone breaking out the rulebook during a game of Monopoly to point out that a player does indeed have to go to jail after rolling three consecutive doubles.

Jets fans know all they need to know right now. They know Johnson wasn't happy with the results of the season, he hired an outside consulting firm (a common practice in the NFL) and they suggested a firing of the general manager.

Fans also know that the new general manager search is under way and a new GM will continue forward with decisions on the coaching staff and personnel.

There is no other pertinent information that is needed at this minute for anyone.

Fans now have to realize though (if they haven't already) that these writers have an agenda with the Jets going forward. Fans need to be smart enough to decide for themselves if any future articles are based in actual truth or are meant to slander the franchise that has so enraged them.

A perfect example of this slanted reporting came from Mehta in a tweet on the morning of Jan. 2.



Meanwhile, nearly 72 hours after report that Tony Sparano will be fired, Jets are letting OC twist in the wind until further notice. #nyj

— Manish Mehta(@MMehtaNYDN) January 2, 2013


Mehta is fine to report that no decision has yet been made on the future of Sparano. However, how does Mehta know what Sparano has been told privately?

Every coach has been addressed by Johnson and can't expect any changes to be made until a new general manager is in place.

All of a sudden, though, Mehta is an authority on how long an NFL coach should have to wait to be fired after writers report initially that he will be fired.

This entire incident should be a wake-up call for Jets fans.


Just because some perceived expert says something about your team on the radio, on Twitter or in an article doesn't mean it's right.

Look or the agenda of the writer and their past reputation for covering the team.

Very few Jets beat writers have a clean reputation among fans and that number is decreasing by the hour.

Not one writer has even brought up the possibility that the Jets may have decided not to speak to the media until a new general manager is in place. They've just been sinking to petty finger-pointing and rulebook-waving through Twitter.

Ryan and the Jets will speak when they are good and ready; just don't expect them to say much anymore.

Fans have been standing up to the reporters and seeing through their agendas based on some responses on Twitter, and that's a good sign.



@richcimini hopefully this is how the jets continue to treat the media. Watching you vultures chase the OC was as funny as any butt fumble

— Michael Heit (@HeitMikekh4) January 1, 2013






@mmehtanydn being a bit harsh, Owner may have him under a no comment phase for now. think it's you media types who want more drama.

— screpea (@screpea) January 2, 2013






@mmehtanydn Love how much offense you take for somebody not wanting to talk to you.

— Robbie C (@bnceo) January 2, 2013




The Jets stunk in 2012, there's no doubt about it. Fans are entitled to their opinions and should develop those based on what they know about sports and what they see on the field.

Their opinions shouldn't be swayed by a group of reporters willing to cash in by painting their franchise as a circus and criticizing every move they make.

[adpz]

Good post. I think the media can suck it. As I have said before, we fans are the long-timers - everyone else is just passing through. We don't get paid to do this, we pay so that everyone else can do it - so I have zero sympathy for the media. They have long passed the line of reporting the news instead of making it.

[Sourceworx]

Bravo.

[Fishooked]

Agreed - the article is spot on. Everyone here is lighting another torch and sharpening new pitchforks with every single sensationalist article or tweet being written.

This is just as bad as the constant piling on that occurred last year.
We ****ing know already.

[revischrist]

TMZ has released this photo of Manish while drafting his recent article:

[McGinley]

I find the Jets giving the media the middle finger to be absolutely hilarious.

[Nike]

the media fine...............

what about the fans? there are many of us who invest alot of money into this organization.

so basically they are ignoring us too?

dont we deserve to know whats going on?

[revischrist]

Originally Posted by Nike

the media fine...............

what about the fans? there are many of us who invest alot of money into this organization.

so basically they are ignoring us too?

dont we deserve to know whats going on?

No

[Eckesg1]

Originally Posted by revischrist

No

Exactly right. To the fans: Caveat Emptor.

Fans don't deserve anyting at all.

[Tony Danza]

All the beat writers are mad because they can't simply submit a regurgitation of Rex's presser with snarky cheap shots spattered in.

They actually have to produce something, how terrible.

Instead they cry on twitter and bemoan the "unprofessionalism". The irony is stunning.

[fidelioion]

That is a great post. Thank you!

I stopped reading the NY papers years ago and use this site for my news and insight into the team.

Those guys have been spoiled over the past 4 years, I can now certainly understand and respect the Mangini way.

As those guys have all been saying "Woody talks about Transparency" - well I sure hope he's learned his lesson from the hacks!

Woody, just because you give them more access doesn't mean they're going to treat you better...what I hope you learned is they will treat you worse...

[Choon328]

[Guy Incognito]

Fans now have to realize though (if they haven't already) that these writers have an agenda with the Jets going forward. Fans need to be smart enough to decide for themselves if any future articles are based in actual truth or are meant to slander the franchise that has so enraged them.

So many dumb fans out there buying into this crap over and over. I've gotten to the point where I don't talk to coworkers or guys on the street about the Jets because they believe everything they read.

I mean, why would the Post or the Daily News ever lie?
They are no better than the National Enquirer.

[JFB]

Looks like the Jets/Ryan are finally learning that media is not their friends.

I'm fine with the team not talking. Clown car pictures, feet stories, anonymous sources...I hate the Jets media more than than this current roster.

[revischrist]

Originally Posted by fidelioion

That is a great post. Thank you!

I stopped reading the NY papers years ago and use this site for my news and insight into the team.

Those guys have been spoiled over the past 4 years and can certainly understand and respect the Mangini way.

As those guys have all been saying "Woody talks about Transparency" - well I sure hope he's learned his lesson from the hacks!

Woody, just because you give them more access doesn't mean they're going to treat you better...what I hope you learned is they will treat you worse...

Yup. All of these beat reporters want to become nationally recognized and famous. They are not old school reporters, they are hacks that either blow up meaningless stories or in the case of Manish make up stories.

I haven't purchased the Daily News or NY Post in years.

[rmeyer52]

great post. Thank you. Remember the media gets paid to create stories people talk about. Then there are people like Jenkins who obviously has an ax to grind. The best way to get even is for the Jets to make the playoffs next year .

[GenoT]

Ive been posting on Jets insider for three weeks. Your post is the best i,ve seen since that time. I think this constant barrage of insults and criticism has negatively affected some of the fan base.When its news that a football coach,[and thats all he is],has left town,like he's being followed, somethings terribly wrong with these people. Maybe Rex went to visit his father, whos fighting cancer. Priorities

[fidelioion]

Now these guys are all screaming because Rex went somewhere on an airplane...

How dare he go away (after the season) without telling the almighty NY Jet Press Corp. where he's going and why. He's not the president of the United States.

F-these guys.

Why is it any of their or any fans business where Rex Ryan decides to go on his free time?

[C Mart]

Originally Posted by fidelioion

Now these guys are all screaming because Rex went somewhere on an airplane...

How dare he go away (after the season) without telling the almighty NY Jet Press Corp. where he's going and why. He's not the president of the United States.

F-these guys.

Why is it any of there's or any fans business where Rex Ryan decides to go on his free time?

@MMehtaNYDN: Jets are, in fact, in violation of NFL media policy re: head coach availability after season, per document sent to me by Greg Aiello #nyj

[Eckesg1]

Originally Posted by C Mart

@MMehtaNYDN: Jets are, in fact, in violation of NFL media policy re: head coach availability after season, per document sent to me by Greg Aiello #nyj

Who cares? Pay the fine and move on.