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They are dominating . . .
I’m talking about the Jets’ website.
The Jets off-season program opened on April 8, and over the last eight days, newyorkjets.com has had myriad exclusive interviews with Jets players and even their college scouting director (I can’t remember the last time a Jets college scouting director talked to the media, so this is a major scoop).
The mainstream media has been 100 percent cut out of this.
Before I continue, I want to make this clear – I’m not complaining. What I’m doing is pointing out what is going on.
Because in the grand scheme in life, with all the suffering going on around the world, this isn’t a big problem.
A friend of mine likes to call these sort of things, “First world problems.”
I find this situation an interesting one to assess, that is all.
They have shut out the mainstream media and have created a cottage industry for exclusives. This isn’t a flippant remark. It’s the reality of the situation.
Make of it what you’d like. Not looking to lead the witness. Maybe most of you are fine with this.
I’m sure many of you have noticed all kinds of mainstream media stories from other NFL cities about off-season programs, but none from Florham Park.
This begs the question – Why aren’t you hearing more complaints from the Jets’ beat writers on this?
Perhaps there have been some, but I haven’t seen it.
I can give you one probable reason why you don’t often hear complaints from Jets writers about access, whether it’s this situation or Monday after regular season games.
Because some of them live nowhere near Jets camp. Some live a couple hours away. The Jets’ Florham Park complex is a hike for some on the beat, so honestly, if you were them, wouldn’t you rather cover the team from home as much as possible?
The amount of time access is turned down on Monday after games is shocking. Phone conference calls instead of on sight access happens all the time. To me, this is mistake. I want to see and talk to these players in the locker room with my own eyes. But this is clearly a geographic decision by many in the room.
So this is why you probably don’t hear a lot of push back.
I asked a former team executive from a another what he thought about the Jets’ seemingly pushing the envelope on their website exclusives and shutting out the mainstream media for a such a long stretch. Most teams opened things up this week. The Jets didn’t.
The executive said they had meetings about this with his former team, and felt it’s okay to do this for a few days, but you don’t want to overdue it.
You know the media has yet to talk to the team’s new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced his signing on January 15. Three months later, we haven’t heard a word from him.
Once again, first world problem.
And honestly, whenever teams do this kind of stuff, I really don’t get upset, because I can do something in on this website and in JC Magazine the team website can’t do – critical analysis of the team.
I can talk about Darron Lee’s shedding blocks or Buster Skrine’s instincts, they can’t.
That is why I don’t sweat this stuff.
But I just thought I’d bring what is going on to your attention.
Interesting situation.
April 16, 2019
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