Banning Midweek Locker Room Interviews Could Be Great
October 5th, 2024
“Baker, how bout I talk to you right here with your clothes on?”
So the NFL players’ union is barking loudly about immediately ending having media in locker rooms after or before midweek practices and conducting interviews there.
Player representatives say it’s an archaic practice considering players often are temporarily nude while changing clothes.
That makes a ton of sense for obvious reasons. And Joe suspects the NFL is one inappropriately circulated photo or video away from a gigantic lawsuit that inevitably would force a policy change.
The union released a statement Friday urging the NFL to change its media policy and asking players to request “interviews outside the locker room.”
In years past, the Bucs had video boards in the locker room (and other areas) displaying the players’ daily schedule. On a typical day, visible was something like, “Lunch/Media 12:00 – 1:15,” outlining the time when players knew to expect media in the locker room after or before practice.
While talking to players in the locker room is fantastic for media, and a unique setting to learn more about the team, lots of players choose not to be there.
Joe maintains that a solid alternative would be if the Bucs allowed media on the field immediately following mid-week practices to hunt down players for a chat, as is done during training camp. That might actuallly increase media access. If that’s no good, then the Bucs could dedicate space for media interviews outside the locker room and schedule, say, 20 players to be there for part of a 25-minute window three times a week, and make it mandatory for each guy. Media could have the list of scheduled players in advance and plan accordingly.
Heck, Team Glazer could provide snacks for everyone, a few cool backdrops, and mulitple sitdown areas for 1-on-1 interviews.
The goal of the media-NFL relationship is to keep fans informed and entertained (and wagering on games). Nothing more. That can be accomplished in so many ways.
All sides are smart enough to find midweek solutions that keep cameras out of the locker room.
October 5th, 2024 at 1:25 pm
Only if they put certain hygene supplies in there just in case.
October 5th, 2024 at 1:39 pm
When it was all men – it wasn’t a big deal. Now women are going into locker rooms and seeing players’ junk.
Should have been a deal breaker long ago – but feminism.
Not just the players are mad either. Imagine being a player’s wife knowing some hussie journo is getting view of you’re husband’s full monte.
Total violation of privacy in several different ways.
October 5th, 2024 at 1:40 pm
LOL Joe already trying to parlay this into free snacks.
October 5th, 2024 at 1:51 pm
Considering how dull and boring players comments are, how none of them say anything interesting, I’m not sure anyone would notice if they had those interviews or didn’t.
Just image the “outrage” today if you had fantastic talkers like Warren Sapp saying fun stuff like this about that piece of garbage Packers head coach Mike Sherman, “If I was 25 years old and didn’t have a kid and a conscience, I would have given him an ass-kicking right there at the 30-yard line.”
Instead of fun stuff like that, we get…
Actually, I’ll ask the AI to make up 10 player quotes.
“We had a good practice today.”
“We need to execute.”
“We need to stay focused.”
“We need to keep working hard.”
“We’ll watch film.”
“We need to stay healthy.”
“We’re just focused on the next game.”
“We just need to do our job.”
“We need to stick to the plan.”
“We’ll be ready.”
There you go, with 99% accuracy, that should cover all players quotes. Just attribute it to whoever, doesn’t really matter since the players don’t even remember what generic quote they’ve given.
October 5th, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Let the media in, but they have to be naked.
October 5th, 2024 at 2:34 pm
This sounds like a better plan, smart move. Especially if it’s scheduled players known beforehand. Possibly the Glazers could have more than snacks too. Some beer and sandwiches. Could end up being a fun time too with 20 players possibly being interviewed and some one-on-ones.
October 5th, 2024 at 3:01 pm
“hussie journo”
Having worked in sports journalism when this FIRST came up perhaps I’m a little too sensitive.
I worked with some early female pioneer sports journalists. I can assure they were not “hussies” and they had the same right as me to be in the room where the valuable info was being shared. There are plenty of easy alternatives as just pointed out in this piece.
I remember covering women’s basketball LONG before it became popular.
I covered a small school in our town, King College now University. They had a great point guard. I befriended her by simply covering them and invited her to help me in an inside joke.
I played hoops every MWF at the Bristol Y. Typical lunchtime Y games like I’d played in several city Y’s. Choose up 3 “man” sides and winner stays up loser sits.
So I bring my ringer and ask the guys (mid20’s to 30’s) if they minded me including her on my team. No objection. Our turn came and being a slick point guard she was able to use and abuse us. She didn’t grab rebounds, dunk or do power moves to the hoop.
What she did do is make amazing freaking passes to free the other two of us as well as shoot lights out. We didn’t lost that afternoon. At the time given the total lack of respect for women athletes I secretly shared her enjoyment out of showng the “boys”.
October 5th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Joe’s not trying to get banned from One Buc Palace.
October 5th, 2024 at 3:37 pm
Since you just told a story, SPBF, I’m finally going to tell what happened to me Thursday night.
I am 75 years old but I was dreaming that I was a football player. My teammate fumbled a ball. It squirted out of the hands of another player and began rolling towards me. I said (in my head) “I’ve gotta get that ball” and I leaped for it. The next thing I knew a hit on my head awakened me and I found myself on my butt by the bed with my nose bleeding like a stuck pig at 3 a.m.
Luckily Kleenex was near me on the nightstand which I must have hit. It turned out I had a cut in my nose, bruises down the side of my neck, and a sore butt. I had to laugh, though, and hoped I got that darned BALL! Football is hard!
October 5th, 2024 at 3:43 pm
Banning Todd Bowles would be great as well.
October 5th, 2024 at 6:14 pm
Crickett- You were probably trying to recover Bucky’s fumble. I think we all had football nightmares that night. That ending was painful to watch. I thought we had the game won a few times. After the interception and then after that pass over the middle with 7 seconds on the clock. No way they’re able to get lined up and ground it.
October 5th, 2024 at 7:18 pm
I have always thought it’s seriously gross the nfl mandates locker room access. What other employer would think that’s a good idea?
October 6th, 2024 at 2:37 am
What would really be great is banning all interviews with Bucs coaches whose first name might be Todd.