There's No Cheering in the Press Box
by CapitalsKremlin on Feb 8, 2010 8:06 PM EST
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PrintAs a young journalist I've had the pleasure of working in a variety of press boxes. Regardless of the venue, be it an NHL game, State football/volleyball championship or just a regular ole' ball game, the rules are pretty clear.
Check your team affiliation at the door when you enter the press box.
Leave your Ovechkin sweater in the closet, look at the game with an objective eye and act like a professional while you enjoy a "free game". The press box is a place of work, not a sandbox for name calling and petty rivalry (unless you're in an SEC press box, then it's game on).
In case you haven't heard, on Sunday one of Washington's very own bloggers got into a tiff with Mike Milbury over this comment...
"...Ovie, I'm still your Daddy here." -Milbury on Crosby's two-goal performance in the first period.
Phil of Capitals Outsider wasn't wrong to approach Mike Milbury concerning his "daddy" comment after the game. It's not uncommon for a journalist to have to eat his words or defend them when it's obvious they were wrong. But Phil may not have needed to be so coarse about the comment considering Ovechkin had made a buffoon of Milbury with his hat-trick in the comeback win.
Where I take umbrage is when Phil whips out his video camera seeking the next big YouTube moment, an action that cascaded Phil from zero-to-amateur faster than Ovie on I-66 during a summer day. It's an action that can get a working journalist banned from the press box and fired from his or her job. You just don't do it.
As press box bloggers we need to remember we've been invited into the world of working professionals. Milbury is one of those professionals and while we may not like his comments, save your barbs for your blogs.
A well written post about Milbury's comment would have done more to serve as comeuppance than trying to provoke him for a few hits on YouTube.
Perhaps the Capitals will tighten up their media access to bloggers because of this incident, but at least we've learned one thing: the pen is mightier than the flip camera.
Stay professional fellow bloggers.
If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.
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Well put, and thanks for posting, CK.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
It would be a damn shame if the actions on one blogger caused stiffer policies toward other bloggers’ press credentials. Here’s hoping this is all smoothed over.
"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It's just not really widely reported."
by Laich It Or Lump It on Feb 8, 2010 9:33 PM EST reply actions
Thank the wizards at EA Sports for creating the magnum opus NHL ’94 for the Sega Genesis. Truly an amazing feat of graphic design, streamlined game design and hockey hi-jinks.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Feb 8, 2010 10:06 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I really don’t see the big deal. If someone got in my face with a camera in an elevator I’d call him an an @$$#0L3 too. I thought it was funny. I thought the “who’s your daddy” comment was hilarious too. Go Milbury.
The “NBC is biased” thing is some serious tin foil hat material. NBC doesn’t give a #crap who wins. They’re just announcers saying things to sound funny and relevant.
People read way too much into things.
by Brainumbc on Feb 9, 2010 8:27 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I agree
I chuckled at the daddy comment, though I then really really wanted Ovie to get a hat trick and have Sid be shut down from that point on. Thanks for granting my wish Genie Ovie.
And yea, NBC doesn’t care who wins, they just want an intense high scoring game that goes into overtime. NBC sells ads, not team merchandise. Pens vs Caps does seem to usually do that.
They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.
Ya know I find Joe B to be pretty unbiased. He seems to give every non-cap praise when it’s due. I know he’s starting to get more into out-of-region games on CSN and VS a little more and I’d hate to see him go… but hell.. JOE B FOR NBC ANNOUNCER!
I dunno
I think big national coverage should be more “traditional,” having a longtime vet. Emrick/Olcyck I don’t think is half bad, but of course, Thorne/Clement would own that spot.
Ovechkin = Green Backs
by red army line on Feb 9, 2010 1:53 PM EST up reply actions
Kolzilla would never do something like this!
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
You're Kolzilla
You don’t get crushed, you do the crushing! RAWR!
They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.
Rec’d with all my heart.
Also of note: don’t yell “O!” or “Red!” in the press box. Yes, I’ve had someone do that while seated next to me.
Bottom line: if anyone in the press box can guess who you’re rooting for and you’re not a team employee, you did it wrong.
by David Getz on Feb 9, 2010 8:57 AM EST reply actions 3 recs
Yelling, clapping or making any noise of the sort is a huge no-no. However, there are so many bloggers who are hardcore fans by now that I think a little low-key fist-pump or nod of approval generally slips by unnoticed. They usually seat the bloggers together anyway, and it’s not like there’s a prison guard watching to keep everyone in life. Just don’t be a dumbass, basically.
I believe the expression is “RENTED mule,” because you wouldn’t beat your own mule!
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
Made Famous...
…by the entertaining and weird play-by-play guy from Pittsburgh, Mike Lange. He is actually very good and he’s the man who coined the “Elvis has left the building” phrase for sporting events….
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Feb 9, 2010 9:54 AM EST up reply actions
When a journalist becomes part of the story, more than likely they are not doing their job. Asking Milbury if he wanted to respond was one thing. When Milbury acted like he did (no surprise there) then that’s the end. Obviously Milbury’s version of “No comment” is going to be far different from a practiced, professional media-type.
Still it is the end of it. Write what you get. Otherwise you end up being Larry Brooks in New York. Now his job is to be sensationalist (He works for the New York Post), but I don’t think the Caps want sensationalism coming from the bloggers in the press box…
Let's go Caps!
When a journalist becomes part of the story, more than likely they are not doing their job
Unless they do lots of drugs and write about it in Rolling Stone
by Brainumbc on Feb 9, 2010 10:20 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Even then, Thompson wasn’t the story. The story was what he was observing while on whatever drugs he was on. Esp. interesting when he’s attending an anti-drug law enforcement conference….
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Feb 10, 2010 1:43 PM EST up reply actions
If Milbury doesn’t want to be called out when he makes a remark that shows his bias against a team (and this isn’t the first instance of a comment Milbury’s made about the Caps that was in poor taste) then he shouldn’t make the comment at all, much less on national television. Why is Milbury even allowed on television? The sheer amount of talent he traded away when he was GM of the Isles should be evidence enough that the guy hasn’t a clue about hockey.
The crapitals thing may have been uncalled for, but seriously.. “Still your daddy”? How is that remotely biased to the Penguins? Are we going to say that he’s biased to the Caps if he said “Ovechkin demolishes Crosby on the boards”" ?
by Brainumbc on Feb 9, 2010 11:28 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
How is that remotely biased to the Penguins?
Taken for its meaning, maybe it isn’t. But it does imply that the Penguins and Crosby are soooo much better than the Caps and Ovechkin, respectively. That’s not the right way to get his message across.
Ovechkin = Green Backs
by red army line on Feb 9, 2010 1:55 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I got that. But it came across as more. It’s really a subjective matter of tone, I think.
Ovechkin = Green Backs
by red army line on Feb 9, 2010 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
I gotta get me a hat like that.
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Feb 10, 2010 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
i disagree with most of your comments or opinions
i think its quite obvious the caps dont get any respect around the league. the whos your daddy comment kind of p’ed me off when i heard that a$$hole say it. for some odd reason i think this blogger as a fan did what any diehard fan would do if he/she saw milbury that same day. i think he was totally justified as a fan. truthfully who cares if hes a blogger or a writer. HES A FAN and he did the right thing. the caps are by far the best team in hockey and they get no respect. our superstar is leading the league in every offensive category that matters. hes a goon, a neandethal, on roids, etc. everything but a good hockey player. ok people give credit when credit is do. i think phil was right and i think we deserve a little more respect. just think if he had said that about syndey. canada would have had a heart attack. im african american and i have been watching hockey and been a caps fans since 1987.
by caps, skins, terps on Feb 9, 2010 12:53 PM EST reply actions
i think he was totally justified as a fan
Fans aren’t allowed in the press box.
Regardless of how inane Milbury’s comment was, the proper code of ethics must be followed by all in the press box. I’m sure quite a few fans in Verizon Center would have loved to get the opportunity to express their opinion to Milbury, but for Capitals Outsider they were granted a special privilege to be in the press box and therefore must show the proper professionalism while there.
Asking Milbury what he thought was okay. Whipping out the flip cam and saying “oh not so tough when you’re on video are you?” in a professional working environment crosses the line.
Milbury has said controversial remarks in the past about the Caps. Taking him to task for it with a well written blog post is one thing, breaking journalism ethics for a few hits on a fan blog is another.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Feb 9, 2010 1:03 PM EST up reply actions 7 recs
Milbury cursing the guy out when not on camera was not ok. this was the essence of my post yesterday. Everyone is eviscerating this kid, and rightly so, yet no one is calling Milbury out for his part. It is all “waaaah waahh waaahh press box wahh waaaah” about the kid, but no one ever comments on how Milbury’s actions (also in the press box) are equally unacceptable. He escalated the situation, and yeah, if he had said similar to me and i had the ability to record it I might very well have done the same thing, no matter where I was.
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Milbury was saying that guys can cross the line but have to be accountable. If he says something like that and adds that Crosby owns Ovechkin then gets proving wrong, especially as a guy working on a national TV game, he should be able to answer. I understand that he got embarrassed, but c’mon, can’t he just reply like “I was wrong, Ovechkin really woke the Caps up in the 2nd.” ?
Ovechkin = Green Backs
by red army line on Feb 9, 2010 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly. So, for now, I’m gonna leave the blog kid alone and continue to jump on Milbury until I determine that a suitable number of people are actually acknowledging that Milbury played a huge part in this issue. After all, he is the professional, right? Everyone is demanding professionalism from an amateur yet no one seems to demand professionalism from the alleged pro.
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Just because one person doesn’t act in a professional manner, doesn’t mean you should change the way you act.
The best course of action was to let Milbury call him an asshole and then let it be. Instead we have him making claims that they got in a shoving match (reports say both parties shoved back-and-forth) and the blogger comes out the bad guy because what started as a simple question ends as him pining for a YouTube moment.
It looks bad. It is bad. It’s not what any journalist, blogger or not, should do when you’re in the press box.
Milbury’s asshole response was a poor answer to his question. Whipping out the camera and taunting him for calling him an asshole is just as bad.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Feb 9, 2010 2:22 PM EST up reply actions
The best course of action was for Milbury to either say nothing or defend/retract his statement. Going straight to name calling is about as anti-professional as you can get.
Just because one person doesn’t act in a professional manner, doesn’t mean you should change the way you act.
I can’t help but think that this comment is directed at the blogger, but the reality is it should be directed at Milbury. Milbury doesn’t react like an asshole, he doesn’t get treated like an asshole. Sometimes thems the breaks for being a jackass in public.
Again, you are expecting the blogger to act professional, and frankly I think he should too if he is going to work in a professional environment. However, I expect both guys to be held to the same standard. It is not fair to the blogger to hold him to a higher standard than Milbury. And I understand that you are a blogger yourself and probably expect better from your own (and you should), however, everyone should also be demanding better behavior from the professional.
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Milbury’s asshole response was a poor answer to his question. Whipping out the camera and taunting him for calling him an asshole is just as bad.
Agreed.
Ovechkin = Green Backs
by red army line on Feb 9, 2010 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
Milbury’s asshole response was a poor answer to his question. Whipping out the camera and taunting him for calling him an asshole is just as bad.
Agreed. Maybe my Caps bias is playing into this, but I feel like Milbury as the professional needs to be held more accountable.
Ovechkin = Green Backs
by red army line on Feb 9, 2010 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
Since both were in the professional working environment, both should be held to the same level accountability. My issue has been that Milbury has not been held to any standard of accountability, whether it is from bloggers or from his peers. Whereas (and kudos to the caps blogging community) it appears that someone is at least holding the blogger to some standards, even though they are doing it at the expense of asking the same of Milbury.
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Your labeling of this guy as a “kid” gives the impression that his actions should be forgiven, or that he just doesn’t know any better, when in fact he should be held to the same standards as Milbury when in the press box. And just because Milbury stooped to a lower level with his curse word doesn’t mean the “kid” was entitled to do the same.
I completely disagree as far as who “escalated” the situation. Milbury’s “shut up, asshole”, or whatever it was, was not an escalation of the confrontation. It was his dumb-ass answer to the blogger’s question. What escalated the situation was the guy whipping out a camera, taunting Milbury to say the same thing again, and then stepping (admittedly, in the blogger’s own words) in front of him while he was waiting for the elevator. Those two actions are what escalated the matter, not anything that Milbury did.
If he should be held to the same standards as Milbury, where are you slamming Milbury for not holding to those same standards?
So if Milbury kept his mouth shut or said “no comment” or “not the appropriate time or place, guy” what would have happened? Probably not this. That is the definition of escalating. Beyond that, he pushed the guy. More escalation. Sorry dude, the blogger was wrong. But in many ways Milbury was more wrong. He is the one that should have known better. Sure, the blogger should too, but he ain’t a pro, is he?
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where are you slamming Milbury for not holding to those same standards?
“Milbury stooped to a lower level…” and “It was his dumb-ass answer to the blogger’s question”. It’s clear that I’m not being a Milbury apologist. His original answer was stupid, but if the account of what happened that we’ve heard is accurate, you’ll never get me to agree that sticking a camera in Milbury’s face and saying “C’mon Mike, say it again. Call me an asshole again. C’mon Mike, you gotta remember people have video these days!” isn’t escalating the situation. That is the definition of paparazzi-style behavior, which is completely unacceptable in my book.
but he ain’t a pro, is he?
No, he’s definitely not a pro. He is an amateur “fan” who allowed his emotions to get the better of him, and probably cost himself any shot at becoming a “pro” anytime soon.
Sure, the blogger escalated it, but again, he is not the only one responsible. It stays at…
Blogger: “Dumb ass question?”
Milbury: “Not the time or place” or “I’m not here to be interviewed, guy”
…if Milbury doesn’t start out name calling. If that is the response and the blogger kept antagonizing him, then id have no problem with everyone jumping all over him and leaving Milbury out of it.
Everyone jumped on the blogger right away and with the exception of some CIed-type comments, no one really criticized Milbury for his role, and his role was just as big as the blogger’s. But perhaps I’m the only one who really expected the professional to not stoop to a 3rd grade response.
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Does it matter who was the bigger asshole? They were both being pretty unprofessional, both should take a long look at their behavior, and both should try to learn something about professional conduct from what went down.
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
I agree. Milbury’s conduct was unacceptable, which doesn’t excuse the blogger of his unprofessional conduct. Frankly, they should both have their press passes revoked. Milbury, as a member of the established media, should know better, and the blogger needs to be taught a lesson, it needs to be established that this conduct is unacceptable for bloggers and the mainstream sports media alike. Blending the new and old media won’t happen overnight, but I think all agree that the press box shouldn’t be a free for all.
Obviously, we don’t have, and probably won’t get, the full story. To me, its not unreasonable for a blogger to ask a commentator for a comment on remarks he made during the game, provided he does so in a respectful manner. My guess is this (a respectful approach) didn’t happen here, and that needs to be addressed.
In the same regard, if Milbury and the mainstream sports media outlets want to maintain the integrity of the press box, comments like “crapitals” have no place there. When called out on making a hasty comment, they need to respond in a manner that reflects the integrity of the press box, and the media outlets they represent. If the old guard wants bloggers held to a higher standard, they need to set the example.
All in all, this is a messy incident that would best serve the hockey world by being forgotten.
What’s justified as a fan and what you do in the press box are completely separate things. As a fan you’re justified in wearing your Caps jersey, jumping up and down and screaming when the team scores, drinking as much beer as you can fit inside yourself, taunting opposing players, whatever.
You’re not allowed to do that in the press box, because the press box ain’t the stands. It’s not a free ticket you get for being so in to the team you run a blog, it’s an opportunity to take advantage of a unique perspective to make your work better. Observing the game live and taking notes to write a better recap, talking to players post game, sitting in the post game presser, talking to other media members and getting their impressions – that’s what the press pass is for. It’s not to get in free, to tell your friends about it, or to try and instigate something with another media member.
by David Getz on Feb 9, 2010 11:27 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
second
i agree with iwearstripes more than anyone. milbury is a piece of turd.
by caps, skins, terps on Feb 9, 2010 1:00 PM EST reply actions
C’mon. He’s the whole turd. Give credit where credit’s due.
My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.
by jordanDC on Feb 9, 2010 1:37 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Phil should get a Nobel Prize for this: He somehow manages to make Mad Mike the victim in all of this, which disproves enumerable laws of the universe. Give me the blowhard broadcaster who’s easy to laugh at over the whiny fanboy who takes himself too seriously any day. Embarrassing, and totally bush league.
Tic Tac Toe Hockey -- Original Caps Photography For Those With Significantly Compromised Standards
TTT Photo -- More Of The Same
by turnituptoeleven on Feb 9, 2010 4:15 PM EST reply actions 6 recs
*innumerable
My bad.
Tic Tac Toe Hockey -- Original Caps Photography For Those With Significantly Compromised Standards
TTT Photo -- More Of The Same
by turnituptoeleven on Feb 9, 2010 4:38 PM EST up reply actions
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