Mainstream Media’s Mixed Message

Dallas – The Dallas mainstream media (tv, radio, print) are once again showing their fickle side.  Only days after calling for (and getting) Dallas Cowboys’ head coach Wade Phillips’ head on a platter, they are changing their tune and criticizing the very thing they were calling for.

Phillips was crucified in the Dallas media for being too soft, for not instilling discipline in the team.  Phillips was widely acknowledged for being well liked, a nice guy, a teddy bear, someone who was too soft to provide the leadership the team needed.  Owner Jerry Jones gave in to the criticism and fired Wade Phillips, appointing Jason Garrett as interim head coach.

Garrett immediately went to work to restore order and discipline to the Cowboys.  He called for a strict schedule, physical practices, preached individual accountability.  The first few days he was a media darling.  Then the unthinkable happened – the Cowboys won a game. 

That was more than the media could bear.  In his first press conference as a winner, Garrett was asked about a player who blatently broke the new rules (Marion Barber wore jeans and a shirt after Garrett demanded the players wear a sport coat during team travel.)  Though it was obvious the player was removed from his position as a starter in the game, the media demanded to know what other punishment Garrett would dish out.  Garrett was adament that the specific punishments handed out to players would remain in-house and not discussed publicly.

Now the media is turning on Garrett because he is not telling everything.  What a bunch of fools.  One local radio station went so far as to say the media are speaking for the fans and have a right to know every detail that goes on with the Cowboys.  This is more nonsense.  The media absolutely does not speak for the fans.  The fans have never, and will never, cast a vote for media as their representatives.  As media, we have two choices, we either report, which means we simply repeat the facts, or we provide commentary, which is our own opinions.  Most companies even provide a disclaimer that the views and opinions expressed are those of the author, and are not representative of the company.  Certainliy they are not representative of the fans.  Many times I have sat listening to a press conference and could barely contain myself at the idiotic questions asked by some media representatives.  I often feel embarrassed by the questions simply because I don’t want to be identified by association with the person asking these questions.  Most of the time, the media’s primary job is to generate interest, thereby increasing viewership or readership, certainly not representing the fans.  How often have you, as a fan, been asked by the media which questions you would ask?

Coach Garrett, in his second week on the job, is doing exactly what we called for… he is instilling discipline, and he is winning.  I believe the fans don’t really care what the specific discipline a player gets, as long as the player is disciplined to the point of performing well.  We don’t care the amount of the fine, as long as there is a fine.

The fans want a team that wins.  And when it doesn’t win, the fans want a team that tried to win.  We are currently getting that.  The media should be happy.  If they are truly representing the fans, they should be happy with the direction, not whining because a coach has the fortitude to tell them something is none of their business.

Keep winning, Garrett, and the city is behind you, in spite of the talking heads and faceless voices.  Just look at the paying customers in the stands.  They are the ones who count.

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