Sports journalists debate about their role in the sports world. Sports journalists may have a key role on the job positions of professional coaches.
BY KEVIN KOPLIN
Everyday millions of people obtain access to the latest information on what’s going on in the sports world. Through newspaper, magazines, and the internet, sports journalists provide fans with everything they want to know about athletes, teams, and coaches. In today’s modern age, fans have an all access pass into lives of professional athletes through the media. However, these journalists may be exceeding their limit into the athletic world. It’s becoming more noticeable that sports writers have had some unnecessary influence on coach’s jobs in the pro and collegiate sports levels.
At the University of Miami, head football coach Randy Shannon was fired and over the course of this National Football League season, other coaches have been fired as well. The media has certainly had influence on the decisions of these dismissals. On TV shows like Sportscenter, the everyday person is able to learn who’s “on the hot seat” or what coach is going to be replaced. And the majority of times, these reports were preceded with the coaches being relieved of their duties.
Recently, Miami Heat basketball coach Erik Spoelstra was getting negative press about his jobs security, with networks such as ESPN having segments informing people that team president and former coach Pat Riley would over take him as coach. But that was when the team was going through some troubles and had an, what some would call, average record for a star studded team. Now, since the team has improved and is considered an elite group with a top record in the league, there hasn’t been any reporting of Spoelstra’s job in jeopardy.
There has been plenty of negative allegations written about professional coaches, and these media pieces have a role in their job termination. An abundant amount of speculation that Brett Favre and former Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress weren’t getting along? Fired. The Heat get off to a subpar start in their season? Spoelstra has to go. Perhaps if these coaches didn’t receive negative opinions from the media, they still would have lost their jobs. By journalists covering and reporting tension and dismay, it certainly increased their chances of dismissal.
Sports journalism gives fans insight into their favorite teams, and they are vital to the sporting community. But when it is done the wrong way, it can run some coaches out of their jobs. Sports journalism should stick to covering breaking and important news in sports, not give people bad names and even create or amplify drama.
