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premature e-blogulation

Posted 6:29 PM ET | Comments 12
The Blogger vs. Mainstream Media debate continues and still there's no end in sight. Sometimes there's respect and sometimes there's not. Basically the main difference is one gets paid to do a job, one does it out of pure passion. The new debate circles around if bloggers should get media credentials and access to players etc after a game, for the N.H.L.'s position on it read below (care of puckdaddy):

http://sports.yahoo.com/n...ed&utm_medium=twitter

Now what does having media access really get a reporter? A lot of garbage sound bites we can recite at will and often do as a joke. How many times after a game of pick up have you joked, "yeah Jim, if we just knuckle down and give it 110%, play all 60 minutes and not worry about what the other team is doing, I'll think we'll re-bound and be fine."? (feel free to add your canned after game speech in the comments) I can almost guarantee you a hockey player is going to say that or something close this year and it will be a guy with "media credentials" that reports it. Great. Give him popcorn and a ticket.

In a time when Twitter can disseminate information way faster than a newspaper, rumor or not, the issue with mainstream media is that it has become reactionary while bloggers are proactive. All of us are looking to write some new thought that no one has done yet and we dig and research for it. When I open up the paper today I read stuff about how much Flames will be aired on TV. Doesn't that feel like last weeks news? They have a blog section which is great but isn't it also indicative of where people are going? I follow more than a few mainstream media types on Twitter and I can tell you that their opinions are first rate, well written and generally interesting. The only problem is I'm reading them after I've already written about the same thing and you've already commented two days ago.

If the NHL, who is actually ahead of the curve in this regard, really wants to get the ball rolling they would invite "bloggers" for their own little presser every week. We like information, not a guy in a towel reciting the same cue card he did two nights prior. If you combine the passion of a fan with the inquisitiveness of a writer you get a blogger. Most of the bloggers on here for the Flames will get more comments than the Calgary Sun articles, again these are people who care one way or the other about a team, and that should matter to an N.H.L. club.

While everyone who has passion and a computer to blog on will not be given, nor should be given credentials, I think each NHL club should come to sites like this one and invite their bloggers for a sit down with a key center of influence to ask a few questions. It keeps us out of the locker room, the media happy, and us getting and deliver information in seconds. The information you really want though, not a canned speech. Imagine getting access to Darryl Sutter for 10 minutes? He's not my friend, I'll probably never see him again, so why not ask what we want to know?


S>O>

p.s. on twitter you can follow

@shaunevetter @bradleybwindsor @eklund and many more guys from hockeybuzz there.
Filed Under:   Flames   Sutter   Jim  
August 26, 2010 6:38 PM ET | Delete
P.S. in case you're wondering Puckdaddy (Greg Wyshynsky) is a BLOGGER on yahoo who came up with that leaked info... He probably qualifies for any media credential in my opionion.
August 26, 2010 7:55 PM ET | Delete
you hit it right on the head SO
August 26, 2010 7:59 PM ET | Delete
LOL. Is there a stipulation when you start blogging on HB that you have to mention Eklund?? He is definitely NOT a reliable source, nor does he ever have info before real reporters and insiders.
August 26, 2010 8:00 PM ET | Delete
PS...Nice blog!
August 26, 2010 8:41 PM ET | Delete
Thanks guys, I never take what Eklund says as fact and often he also says not to. I doubt he sits at home and makes things up but even if he did, it gives a subject to talk about and forum in which to do it so I have never come down on a rumor being bogus. It's just fun.
August 27, 2010 3:29 AM ET | Delete
Great article. Iam also sick of nothing-saying-articles on Calgary Sun or Herald. I will be pleased if any one of you, blogger guys get acces to mr.Sutter or Iggy to put them some sharp questions. Will be much more informative and much more fun to read, that articles on flames.nhl.com about how is everything fine and how the atmosphere in locker is very positive and nobody has no problem with no one and stupid stuff like this.
August 27, 2010 9:49 AM ET | Delete
From what I have seen so far, it is tougher for a blogger to get in in a Canadian city regardless of the sport. The CFL is worse to deal with LOL
August 27, 2010 10:04 AM ET | Delete
We'll see what happens, but I'm just gonna do what got me here, you know play my game. Stay within myself. If we play the system we'll be fine. :D
August 27, 2010 11:12 AM ET | Delete
It's time to buckle down, put our noses to the grindstone, and get back to basics. Pucks on net, bodies in front, winning puck-battles, and scoring some dirty goals... Oh yeah, and the term "mainstream media" is misleading. How funny would it be if twitter blocked the accounts of anyone with a press-pass. New media is the mainstream. Teams need to realize that.
August 27, 2010 12:08 PM ET | Delete
Journalists have to tell you facts and are not supposed to add bias, maybe a bit of speculation. That is why they are allowed in. Bloggers, though passionate, are not liable for anything that they write. If I was a gm I would be very wary of this type of sports writer. Could be worth taking a risk, but it a big risk in this image conscious world.
August 27, 2010 4:02 PM ET | Delete
I agree marty, I would suggest though that I have 3-4 years of material for review as a basis, not some crazy fly by night guy... sort of. jtommy... Listen, if you're first to the comment and give 100% it's going to be hard for someone to beat a comment like that.
August 27, 2010 4:05 PM ET | Delete
p.s. we have a new guy blogging, it isn't showing up at all on the featured blogs but go here to read flamesfan!!'s newest: http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=56586
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