TAFOYA: So there I am, and I'm getting ready to go in, and this is the first time I've ever done this, and I'm just going to do some radio interviews for tape to take them back and turn them around, and I said to myself I had a rule I established before I went in. I checked out Rey Maualugas locker, which resembles something out of that voodoo-worshipping slugger from the movie Major League. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. My dad was a buyer for Better Monkey Grip Rubber Company, and I'm not complaining. Many dressing rooms dont have such modicums of privacy, leaving players in the buff in front of reporters fishing for quotes. "May I talk to you?" But there are still places out there where they believe in cooties,. SAGAL: Absolutely. According to NBCChicago.com, Harris believes both members of the media and athletes should conduct themselves in a professional manner - gender aside. I have one of the few jobs where the first thing people ask about is penises. There were reporters all around the lobby of the downtown Hyatt, waiting for coaches to arrive after a golf game. In return for players giving up some privacy, media get a one-stop shop for all the color their audiences could want, while franchises reap the marketing benefits of near-daily publicity. The key is to gain the players respect and trust. During my first four years at the Star-Telegram I took one day off to model at an auto show and five days off to get married. I complained. But how can you really profile a guy if you haven't seen his coffee table or the junk stuck to his fridge? More than two years ago, I told the sports editor I wanted to return to sports. I remember hiding in a tree outside a North Dallas bank waiting for an SMU running back because we had heard this was where he picked up his money. I wanted to know these 4 things: 1. A small band of medianormal-sized humanstries to keep out of half-naked players way as they dip behind a curtain sporting the teams logo and into the showers. The best advice I ever got was go get a job somewhere. Maybe McDonald's was hiring. SAGAL: The club was famed for its beverage known as Fish House Punch, which according to legend was so potent, it knocked George Washington out of commission for three days. But I was humbled by the honor. She demanded the same access that male reporters had. Olson sued the team, and the players she implicated were fined by the NFL after its own investigation. Theres a press area for that express purpose. A three-part series on Ruth Ryan, spouse of Nolan, turned into a delightful three-week chore that included stops at the Ryans' ranch in Alvin and the stadium. Service For. As I steamed over this, I took a shot of courage (a cold Starbucks Caf Latte) and pondered my circumstances. Friends at Bible study ask if the players are mean to me. It was also the Bear's last season. I've wanted to write stories about baseball since I was 10 years oldto write words so good that people would read them twice. Its also awkward for all parties involved. And yes, I was scared. I had started wandering longingly over to the sports department, just to talk about baseball. At first glance, it wasnt bad. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Nudity rarely bothered me, but I prefer never to see Nolan Ryan in anything but Ranger white or bluejeans. from The NFL is condemning remarks made by Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis concerning female reporters in the locker room. He shook his head and said, "No, I didn't say that.". Fear of the unknown tends to do that to you. [6] The general manager of the team was fired. You can listen to the whole thing here. We drove to a mall in Santa Fe, and there were the boxes, taped, freshly shipped, in the front of the store. It was important to be bold. During the 1977 World Series, the MLB commissioners office banned then-Sports Illustrated reporter Melissa Ludtke from both teams locker rooms, overriding the New York Yankees blessing and a majority vote in the Los Angeles Dodgers clubhouse. Logic says they might not. But a little girl with blonde pin curls somehow slipped into the line of succession. Report", Jackie MacMullan reported that the fines were never actually collected from the players. "Can I talk to you for a minute," I said. Several of the writers said, "I wonder what's up with that.". Reprinted here with permission from the author, who has also provided an afterword about the response to her story. But the most moving were the ones who said something along the lines of, "Well, I just want you to know, if I ever had anything to do with any of that, I'm sorry. When the day finally came that she would break down a huge professional barrier, Robin Herman did not have much time to prepare. It doesn't make me angry anymore; it just seems silly and absurd. You can't do this without asking about their dogs and their mom and what bugs them even worse than dropping the soap in the shower. They havent had a lot of time to think about what to say, and theyre in a comfortable environment. Ludtke said when For a gender that keeps complaining about equality and respect, they certainly dont seem to think men should get either of those. 1950) is an American sportscaster who worked for ESPN and NBC Sports beginning in 1987 until 1993. Please enable JavaScript to experience Vimeo in all of its glory. Then Kevin Brown left the team and that whole bunch became as nice as could be. The repetitiveness and intensity of the format can be more frustrating. Answer (1 of 4): After reading Carrie Rickey's answer, I have to say that no one ever gets this story right. better do it.. It reminds me of a debutante waking up in last night's party dress, reeking of beer. Brock Nelson, a teammate sitting next to him, chimed in: They get mad at us for giving the same answers. He was really mouthing off at me. Other interviews are illuminating for the answers they dont elicit. or "You haven't written any good stones in the last month. or "You wrote a good piece, Jenn, but then your headline writers let you down at the end; what does that feel like?" But I dont see any other solutions.. SAGAL: You're going to say B, he got back to London but couldn't be readmitted because he wasn't wearing a jacket and tie. Create and promote branded videos, host live events and webinars, and more. And while most nudity is off-camera and doesnt find its way to audiences, the shirtless, disheveled, or still-sweating sports star, facing an array of microphones in front of his cubby, has become an enduring image in sports coverage. In 1990, while working at the Boston Herald, she alleged that she was sexually harassed by New England Patriots football players in the team's locker room. They will look at her as one of the guys if she doesnt act like a chick. A, on Women's Day which is a holiday named after a magazine. KURTIS: She did great because she got two right. Then, just as I walked in the door, it struck me that I was five feet, three inches tallabout the height of an NBA crotch. As Jones talked to reporter Albert Breer about the "nitty-gritty" of his team's latest triumph, the locker room hinterland showed at least seven players in various forms of undress, ranging . One was about the sad tale of the career of David Clyde. Half the cost of the team's fine was to defray instructional materials the league could send to all teams and players, and Tagliabue wrote a letter to Kiam expressing his belief that the incident had "damaged" the league. I asked forand receiveda transfer back to sports. ), "Hey, if you know so much about sports," he continues, "let's see if you can answer this question: Who was the last NFL running back to also play quarterback in an even-numbered Super Bowl? TAFOYA: I was too focused on his eyebrows. Jenny Kellner. They were reporters and looked young enough to remind me of my old daysexcept they weren't wearing white flats. Youve got limited time to talk to the players before they leave, so make hay or fail is my mantra. I almost said matter-of-factly, "You know, Kenny, you've got a fine head of hair." And you know, that was the last I ever heard of it from anyone on the team. So why are they going to think the reporter is any different at first? The bouncing, wide-eyed ball girl who wanted to write about baseball more than anything was gone, abandoned in increments on football fields, at locker room doors, in editors' offices, and on barstools. Reporters dont wait for senators in the bathroom after important votes, or quiz the conductor of the New York Philharmonic as he puts on his cummerbund. The New York Islanders arent shy about giving interviews in various stages of undress. SAGAL: And some of the players were like, wait a minute, we don't want girls in here. Now Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris and linebacker Lance Briggs are the latest to chime-in. I'd actually never been in an NBA locker room until last winter. He got an apology from the Hyatt; I got suspected of prostitution while waiting in a hotel lobby for Grant Teaff. NBA teams play 82 games a year, not including playoffs and preseason contests. My dream of covering professional baseball seemed further away than ever. Perhaps the most meaningful were the calls from fellow sportswriters. He joked, he smiled, and he was a great first for me. I head down the steps, past the seats where I couldn't even afford to sit when I was a kid, open heaven's gate, and walk onto the field. It was an area high school coach who routinely tried to get me to drop by his house when his wife was out of town; when I refused for the third time, he refused to provide any more than perfunctory answers to my story questions. Apparently a guy has to be awfully secure not to be intimidated by my frequent trips into locker rooms (as though I'm doing comparative shopping) or by my knowing a good bit about sports. Teams and leagues barred female reporters from locker rooms over the following decades, robbing them of an increasingly important access point for player interviews. As one of the first female reporters to be allowed inside the NFL locker room, she has been a pioneer in her field. SAGAL: I got to ask you about the locker room. Can the slump be permanent?". Here's your last question. In exchange for their candor I have agreed to keep them anonymous. If he's uneasy, it's time to get out of the stirrups. Locker rooms are overrated. They havent had a lot of time to think about what to say, and theyre in a comfortable environment, Boivin says, differentiating the format from occasional post-game news conferences. instantly became the news and television cameras swung to them. But there were a few giggles. Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. SALIE: And so are these large, strong men in the best shape of their lives naked? I had to go in. Oh, Lord. I was one of the guys. But this was something else. Access issues aside, broader changes in the media environment have begun to change the content of locker-room interviews, presenting a more chronic problem for many sports journalists. By that time I had moved east to cover the Phillies. I was trying to work and didn't feel I had the time for petty bullshit. 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