Coaching Changes and the Media

As an avid sports watcher, I have become dependent on the reporting of such major networks as ESPN and Fox Sports News. Most of the time, the news that is reported is one accurate and from reliable sources. However, it seems that the media has become more dependent on the so called “unnamed” source to report the latest story. So many reporters want to be the first one to break a potential blockbuster move, that they will resort to untrustworthy sources to break stories that sometimes turn out to be completely false. 

Just in the news recently was the story about USC men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd. For almost a full day it was reported that he would take the head coaching vacancy at the University of Arizona. It was later found that he had only interviewed for the job and had then turned down their offer in order to remain at his current position.  Although the matter was quickly resolved and the rumor discounted, there is no measure to the issues that this type of reporting can do to all the parties involved. Coach Floyd now has to reestablish his commitment to the USC program and possibly gain back the trust and faith of not only his current players but the kids he is recruiting. It can be said that this is an aspect of sports that is unavoidable, but I do not believe it needs to be so. 

As reporting has become more intrusive on the lives of players and coaches in sports, the line between what is public and what is private has become blurred. This story could have potentially avoided many of the problems it has caused if those who first reported the “believed” hiring had done more to research the story and verify their sources. Another example of this type of poor reporting is the story of Billy Gillespie, the head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky.  In this particular story, the reports were circulating that Gillespie would be fired to a point that the University had to issue a statement specifically saying that no move had been made in order to dispel further inquiry. Then a week later, Gillespie would be fired by the University of Kentucky. Although this story turned out to be true, the fact that it was reported as early as it was creates problems. These types of rumors distract the program from moving in a positive direction and promote negative coverage of the entire University. It is sad to think that this has become the norm of the modern day media and only continues to grow.