Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
On Sunday, Eagles middle linebacker Stewart Bradley left practice and reportedly needed an MRI on his knee, which was to take place yesterday. By now you know the news that the Bradley -- slated to start for the Birds this season -- is most likely lost for the year after tearing his ACL.
The news was all over the internet and dominated local sports talk radio coverage yesterday afternoon. Every sports fan in Philadelphia took a respite from first-place baseball to wallow in the pre-season misery of the Eagles.
Everyone was talking about the news. Everyone except Andy Reid.
Those who’ve followed Reid’s career in Philadelphia know that he habitually plays mind games with the reporters who cover the team. Reid decides what’s news and what isn’t, and yesterday was no exception. When Reid heard that reports had leaked on the extent of Bradley’s injury, Reid did what he always does -- he blamed the media.
"Some of your colleagues here decided that they would go to the players and/or other personnel here and ask about injuries," Reid said, beginning his lecture. "I made a pact with you guys when I first got here that I would disclose to you the injuries, that you just stay away from the players, stay away from the other personnel in the organization and I would take care of you with that.Reid refused to talk about the injury yesterday, stating only that Bradley "did not practice today." This is not the first time Reid has stonewalled the media, but it might be the most blatant and disrespectful.
"That pact was breached."
I didn’t realize that coming to the Eagles’ training camp meant I was working for Andy Reid. I thought I was here as a reporter. Silly me. Well, that’s OK. Andy set me straight after Monday’s practice.
We’re expected to take orders from him -- all of us in the media. We’re supposed to do what we’re told. If we don’t, there will be consequences. Reid made that very clear.
Football coaches are all about control, I understand that. And the Eagles are all about controlling the message. I get that, too. But Reid’s handling of the Bradley injury was outrageous. It was more than arrogant, it was unprofessional.
For those not in Philadelphia, Didinger isn’t just some first-year beat writer or a sports-talk radio loudmouth who called Reid unprofessional. Ray Didinger is a Hall-of-Fame writer, both in the state of Pennsylvania -- he was the state’s Sportswriter of the Year five times -- and in the eyes of the Pro Football Writers of America, as Didinger was honored with the Dick McCann Award in 2005.
Again, Ray Didinger is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Andy Reid ... is not.
We all know that football coaches are control freaks. Coaches are so accustomed to yelling at grown men on the practice field, many lose the ability to filter back into normal, professional conversation when addressing the media. But if Reid is mad at anyone, he should be mad at his players and his staff for giving the reporters news-breaking information. It’s not the media’s fault your own staff doesn’t listen to you. And this wasn’t a personal matter about his family he can recuse himself from commenting on, which has happened in each of the last few seasons and the media in Philadelphia has handled with courtesy and professionalism each time. This was a news story. And much to Reid’s chagrin, it was broken before he wanted it to be.
That’s no reason to act like a Big Red bully.
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
11 comments
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Didinger needs to stop crying, the media is full of cry babies. Oh Reid wont give me an answer on an injured player, he won’t tell me their gameplan for the upcoming week, wah wah wah. Did he ever stop and think that most coaches don’t want to share information with the media so that it keeps other teams thinking and gameplaning and wasting practive time on something or someone who isnt even going to play.
by ElChicano on Aug 4, 2009 1:19 PM EDT reply actions
ElChicano, you must’ve skipped the last paragraph. Let me highlight the main sentence for you:
"But if Reid is mad at anyone, he should be mad at his players and his staff for giving the reporters news-breaking information. It’s not the media’s fault your own staff doesn’t listen to you."
Didinger isn’t bitching about Reid witholding information, he’s insulted that Reid is taking his anger out on the media, and in such a derisive manner. If a player/staff-member comes to you with news that a major defensive player is out for the season, you report it. That’s your job as a reporter covering a team. As for Reid, his job entails many things, but none of those is to belittle the press for undermining his mind-games by, gasp!, reporting news. The only people he needs to be scorning are those that work for the organization (hint: that doesn’t include the media).
by cjbassett on Aug 4, 2009 1:33 PM EDT reply actions
Reid is mad at the wrong people and his little hissy fit was not only inappropriate it made him look silly.
by SPARTAN2 on Aug 4, 2009 1:59 PM EDT reply actions
Reporters are whiners. They do believe themselves to be more important and entitled than they actually are.
by IamMcNasty on Aug 4, 2009 2:11 PM EDT reply actions
Chicano – Coaches might not want to discuss injuries for a strategic reason in the week leading up to a game. There are no games for over a month. This is just Reid being a prick. And here are some pacts that Houlier-than-thou Reid has demolished:
1. Having a timeout remaining with time running out in a half / game.
2. Refusing to stop running directly into the line on short yardage despite getting stuffed over and over again.
by ChiAdam on Aug 4, 2009 2:31 PM EDT reply actions
Belicheck does this all the time. Except he can get away with it. Why? Well, Andy, you may be bigger, but Belicheck is being weighed down by some bling. Win a championship and the media will excuse the arrogance. In the meantime, stop picking fights. Oh and find a replacement for Bradley. Fast. Who knows if Joe Mays (who doesn’t have a tackle in his career) or Omar Gaither (who was demoted last year) are the answer at MLB?
by PhillyPSU on Aug 4, 2009 3:28 PM EDT reply actions
Who cares if he stonewalls the media, he dosen’t have to tell them anything if he doesn’t want to. Since he won’t give you guys (media) a story, you are forced to make your own and then you complain about it. Typical waste-of-time article that we see 1000 times a day.
by psukid1 on Aug 4, 2009 4:42 PM EDT reply actions
Outside of Mike Florio Dan Levy annoys me more than any other writer on Sportingnews. I feel like everytime I open up one of his reads hes going on a rant defending the media or some media member.
Media members arent always nice and friendly, in fact most of the time they are annoying and try their best to mirror thereselves to the reporters they see on TMZ.
by astrotown on Aug 4, 2009 6:40 PM EDT reply actions
Seriously, Pro Football Hall of Fame writer. What next Hall of Fame trainer. Look the media ruined the election by being in the tank for Obama, I agree with Reid to keep them in the dark. They turn everything around and put their own views on it instead of what the coach actually means. This writer is a baby, the coach has every right withhold information.
by TC88 on Aug 4, 2009 8:04 PM EDT reply actions
Any info the coaches give to the media is a privilege. The media blows everything up to be so big. I’m sure Andy Reid didn’t stop at blowing up on just the media, I’m sure he blew up on others as well. Who is this clown anyways. Step aside, quit whining and let the coaches do their job and get these football teams ready for the season.
by iggy18657 on Aug 4, 2009 10:44 PM EDT reply actions
Yeah, Reid’s a control freak – Except when it comes to controlling his heroin-addled, gun-running progeny.
by ChinaDan on Aug 16, 2009 10:21 PM EDT reply actions
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