Mike basically negates the Washington Post...

[Chris Luva Luva]

I didn't hear this for myself but apparently a beat reporter for 980 ESPN reported that the Skins handed out new rules for the media.

Couple of the rules are:

-No tweeting/blogging about practice or during practice

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.



I love this. Good job Mike! Protect your players from the media AND the fans.

[Irn-Bru]

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.

Heh, that's quite a dig at the WP (and I guess RI in particular). This is, of course, what they should be doing on their own, period, no questions asked. Oh well . . . clearly they couldn't handle even that.

[Chris Luva Luva]

It's gonna be a sad day for that stupid Albert Haynesworth thread, which is entirely fueled by lies. LOL *predivorceTigerWoodsfistpump

[Irn-Bru]

Imagine how thin WP stories would be if they couldn't use the "a source familiar with the situation" line, either.

[HEROHAMO]

Not that I am against what Mike did or said. But, really the press or media can print and report most anything they want right? Freedom of press and freedom of speech.

[Irn-Bru]

Not that I am against what Mike did or said. But, really the press or media can print and report most anything they want right? Freedom of press and freedom of speech.

Nobody's saying they shouldn't be free to do what they want. The only thing under discussion is professionalism, which implies certain standards regardless of what freedoms there are.

[1niksder]

I didn't hear this for myself but apparently a beat reporter for 980 ESPN reported that the Skins handed out new rules for the media.

Couple of the rules are:

-No tweeting/blogging about practice or during practice

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.



I love this. Good job Mike! Protect your players from the media AND the fans.

He warned them after the Cards game... He said he had never seen anything like the DC press corps and now it looks like he won't be seeing anything by the DC press corps.

[SprintRightOption]

Not that I am against what Mike did or said. But, really the press or media can print and report most anything they want right? Freedom of press and freedom of speech.

The Washington Redskins can limit or close practices etc. So the beat reporters can get shut out if they keep up what is perceived to be rumor mongering that negatively affects the team.

[SkinsJock]

I would like for Mike to ban all press coverage of the Redskins - who needs them lying and fabricating 'stories' that suit their biased agenda

kick 'em all out of there


We can all make up our own minds about what Haynesworth is worth or worthless

Fat Al = "show me the money"

[langleyparkjoe]

I would like for Mike to ban all press coverage of the Redskins - who needs them lying and fabricating 'stories' that suit their biased agenda

kick 'em all out of there


We can all make up our own minds about what Haynesworth is worth or worthless

Fat Al = "show me the money"

I'm wit you SJ, don't let out anything at all, period. Total ban!!!!

[CanesSkins26]

I didn't hear this for myself but apparently a beat reporter for 980 ESPN reported that the Skins handed out new rules for the media.

Couple of the rules are:

-No tweeting/blogging about practice or during practice

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.



I love this. Good job Mike! Protect your players from the media AND the fans.

Yea, good luck enforcing those "rules." The only thing from the above that they can actually control is the no tweeting during practice.

[1niksder]

I didn't hear this for myself but apparently a beat reporter for 980 ESPN reported that the Skins handed out new rules for the media.

Couple of the rules are:

-No tweeting/blogging about practice or during practice

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.



I love this. Good job Mike! Protect your players from the media AND the fans.

Yea, good luck enforcing those "rules." The only thing from the above that they can actually control is the no tweeting during practice.

Closing practice would just about do it

[PulpExposure]

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.

Heh, that's quite a dig at the WP (and I guess RI in particular). This is, of course, what they should be doing on their own, period, no questions asked. Oh well . . . clearly they couldn't handle even that.

That actually is awesome. Good job, Mike.

[Chris Luva Luva]

Yea, good luck enforcing those "rules." The only thing from the above that they can actually control is the no tweeting during practice.

LOL there's a lot he can do. For the 15 minutes that the media IS permitted to view practice, they can go over FG kicking and them tell them to go kick rocks.

The media in DC is hell bent on negativity and it pours down into the fanbase. This team has been so horrible for so long that the only thing that keeps things interesting is drama and the fans/zombies eat it right up. Mike is going to cut that cancer right out and I'm glad.

[CanesSkins26]

Yea, good luck enforcing those "rules." The only thing from the above that they can actually control is the no tweeting during practice.

LOL there's a lot he can do. For the 15 minutes that the media IS permitted to view practice, they can go over FG kicking and them tell them to go kick rocks.

The media in DC is hell bent on negativity and it pours down into the fanbase. This team has been so horrible for so long that the only thing that keeps things interesting is drama and the fans/zombies eat it right up. Mike is going to cut that cancer right out and I'm glad.

Most teams do that anyway, though. We are just behind. They had a Ravens reporter on 980 the other day that said that for the 15 minutes that the media is at practice all they see is stuff like FG kicking.

Like I said, the only thing that they can really enforce is the no Tweeting during practice, which is a good idea. There are a number of other teams, like the Dolphins and Patriots, that prohibit reporting from the practice field. There is absolutely zero that the team can do about #3, however.

Shannahan just needs to get used to the media attention here. It's much more intense that in Denver and he honestly seems overwhelmed by it, which he has pretty much admitted.

[CanesSkins26]

I didn't hear this for myself but apparently a beat reporter for 980 ESPN reported that the Skins handed out new rules for the media.

Couple of the rules are:

-No tweeting/blogging about practice or during practice

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.



I love this. Good job Mike! Protect your players from the media AND the fans.

Yea, good luck enforcing those "rules." The only thing from the above that they can actually control is the no tweeting during practice.

Closing practice would just about do it

Isn't practice closed anyway? I thought that the media only has access to practice for 15 minutes, which I believe is mandated by the NFL.

[1niksder]

I didn't hear this for myself but apparently a beat reporter for 980 ESPN reported that the Skins handed out new rules for the media.

Couple of the rules are:

-No tweeting/blogging about practice or during practice

-No media member is allowed to write about rumors that are not backed by actual facts.



I love this. Good job Mike! Protect your players from the media AND the fans.

Yea, good luck enforcing those "rules." The only thing from the above that they can actually control is the no tweeting during practice.

Closing practice would just about do it

Isn't practice closed anyway? I thought that the media only has access to practice for 15 minutes, which I believe is mandated by the NFL.

So you practice getting in and out of the huddle for 15 mins.

The new rule prohibits "the publication of information which do not have a discernable source". He hinted that loss of credentials would be appropriate punishment for violation.

So as long as Jason Reid notes that JLC and another guy that JLC told, told him that Haynesworth will be the starting RDE at the Bucs this Monday night. He's safe and we can assume that Fat Albert is out of the "dog house" and everyone that bought tickets for the Texan game got ripped off.

[Chris Luva Luva]

I FREAKING LOVE THIS!!! LMAO.

[CanesSkins26]

The new rule prohibits "the publication of information which do not have a discernable source". He hinted that loss of credentials would be appropriate punishment for violation.

Yea, that will NEVER fly with the NFL. The league loves trade rumors and other types of similar reports that attract attention to the league, the same way that other professional leagues do. Just look at NFL.com, the NFL's own website publishes plenty of reports that would fit the above criteria. Are the Skins going to take away credentials from NFL-employed reporters? I don't think so. Not to mention the fact that the Professional Football Writers of America has a lot of pull with the NFL. If the Skins try to revoke credentials for the content of stories, the NFL will crack down on them hard, I have no doubt about that. Especially if they try to do that with reporters that work for national outlets like ESPN or with NFL-affiliated entities like the NFL Network or NFL.com.

The idea of banning reporting during practice is great, but they've gone too far with #3. There are plenty of other teams that face even more negative reporting than the Redskins and WAY more baseless rumors, yet they don't overreact by trying to impose unenforceable rules. People complain about the DC media, but they are NOTHING compared to what goes on in Boston, New York, and Philly.

[CanesSkins26]

Here's an interesting article on this issue. Looks like the NFL is actually encouraging Twitter use, especially among players.

DAVIE, Fla. — The only tweets during the Miami Dolphins scrimmage Saturday will come from the officials' whistles.

The Dolphins are at the forefront of an NFL clampdown on Twitter and other social media, with new restrictions imposed on players, reporters and even spectators.

Miami's secretive Bill Parcells regime prohibits fans and media at training-camp practices from tweeting, blogging or texting. At least six other teams have also imposed such restrictions on reporters, even though the workouts are open to the public.

Twitter intolerance is no surprise in a league where paranoia is part of the playbook. Like many Americans, coaches are anxious and a little confused about the rapid pace of change in communication.

"I don't really have a Twitter policy," Denver coach Josh McDaniels said. "I don't know what it means; I don't know what it is. I don't know MyFace, Spacebook, Facebook stuff. I don't know what that is either."

McDaniels mangled the Web-site names in jest, and the Broncos actually do prohibit tweeting. Such restrictions run contrary to a recommendation from league headquarters that teams allow tweeting and blogging during training camp practices.

"It is not practical to prohibit media from doing some reporting (via tweeting, texting, blogging, etc.)," a league memo to teams said.

Along with the Broncos and Dolphins, the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions disagree. They don't allow reporting from the practice field.

The Broncos also banned cell phones and computers at workouts to prohibit fans from tweeting or texting. The Colts went a step further by prohibiting reporters' notebooks (the spiral kind) at practice, but the ban was quickly rescinded.

Some teams, including the Dolphins, have urged their players not to tweet. Other teams are more lenient about the use of social media. All teams are weighing the impact of the new modes of communication.

"When cell phones came in," Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips recalled, "one team had a player on the sideline during a preseason game who was on a cell phone. So you have to come up with rules when these new technologies come out."

The Cowboys don't prohibit players from tweeting. Neither do the Carolina Panthers.

"Not yet," Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams said. "But I know it's coming."

Driving the clampdown is a fear important information might leak out. Twitter allows for only 140 characters, but "I broke my leg" requires just 14.

"Coaches certainly are paranoid," Phillips said.

They fear opponents might gain a competitive advantage from even the briefest tweet about injuries, personnel decisions, trick plays or food. The Chargers allow players to tweet, but fined cornerback Antonio Cromartie $2,500 for using Twitter to complain about training camp chow.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league encourages players to tweet, and about 300 do so. As of Wednesday afternoon, the league had 772,473 followers on its Twitter site.

"We've been at the forefront as technology has changed," said McCarthy, who said he follows 600 Twitter accounts. "We have embraced Twitter. The commissioner tweeted from the draft. When done properly, it's a tremendous opportunity to talk with fans."

Some coaches remain unconvinced. The Dolphins' Tony Sparano conceded he's not well-versed on the new social media, but he urged his players to steer clear of Twitter.

"Our policy here is that our information is our information, and it should stay in-house," Sparano said. "Something they think is innocent can really hurt an individual, can really hurt team chemistry, and maybe can lead to somewhere down the road a loss of a game. I believe that. I'm one of those guys that will try to take that variable out of the way if you can.

"But it doesn't look to me like something that can completely be controlled."

The Dolphins will try. They require the media to shut off all electronic gear — computers, cell phones, cameras — about 25 minutes into practice, when team drills begin. The Dolphins are also policing fans, a daunting challenge for a team that drew more than 3,100 spectators to the opening workout last week.

"I would acknowledge that enforcing the restrictions can be difficult," said Harvey Greene, Dolphins senior vice president for media relations. "We're not looking over everybody's shoulder, but we do have a concern about information flow."

The Professional Football Writers of America has complained about the media restrictions at practices open to the public. The Jaguars and Vikings initially prohibited tweeting by reporters but lifted their bans following complaints.

"It would be a shame for a beat writer to get beaten on a story by a 12-year-old in the stands who is allowed to blog," said Charean Williams, president of the PFWA. "I appreciate the teams that have reversed their policies, and I think the league will listen to us and we'll get this changed for 2010."

Some teams are coming to terms with the new technology. The Eagles have an air-conditioned trailer at camp for bloggers. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio sends text messages to reporters.

Browns coach Eric Mangini laughed when asked about concerns that information regarding an injury might leak via a tweet.

"There are all different avenues to communicate," Mangini said, "and I think they're great ways to communicate."

Even at Dolphins camp, the 21st century is making inroads. On Wednesday, Sparano said he just learned how to text.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,537520,00.html

[1niksder]

Here's an interesting article on this issue. Looks like the NFL is actually encouraging Twitter use, especially among players.

DAVIE, Fla. — The only tweets during the Miami Dolphins scrimmage Saturday will come from the officials' whistles.

The Dolphins are at the forefront of an NFL clampdown on Twitter and other social media, with new restrictions imposed on players, reporters and even spectators.

Miami's secretive Bill Parcells regime prohibits fans and media at training-camp practices from tweeting, blogging or texting. At least six other teams have also imposed such restrictions on reporters, even though the workouts are open to the public.

Twitter intolerance is no surprise in a league where paranoia is part of the playbook. Like many Americans, coaches are anxious and a little confused about the rapid pace of change in communication.

"I don't really have a Twitter policy," Denver coach Josh McDaniels said. "I don't know what it means; I don't know what it is. I don't know MyFace, Spacebook, Facebook stuff. I don't know what that is either."

McDaniels mangled the Web-site names in jest, and the Broncos actually do prohibit tweeting. Such restrictions run contrary to a recommendation from league headquarters that teams allow tweeting and blogging during training camp practices.

"It is not practical to prohibit media from doing some reporting (via tweeting, texting, blogging, etc.)," a league memo to teams said.

Along with the Broncos and Dolphins, the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions disagree. They don't allow reporting from the practice field.

The Broncos also banned cell phones and computers at workouts to prohibit fans from tweeting or texting. The Colts went a step further by prohibiting reporters' notebooks (the spiral kind) at practice, but the ban was quickly rescinded.

Some teams, including the Dolphins, have urged their players not to tweet. Other teams are more lenient about the use of social media. All teams are weighing the impact of the new modes of communication.

"When cell phones came in," Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips recalled, "one team had a player on the sideline during a preseason game who was on a cell phone. So you have to come up with rules when these new technologies come out."

The Cowboys don't prohibit players from tweeting. Neither do the Carolina Panthers.

"Not yet," Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams said. "But I know it's coming."

Driving the clampdown is a fear important information might leak out. Twitter allows for only 140 characters, but "I broke my leg" requires just 14.

"Coaches certainly are paranoid," Phillips said.

They fear opponents might gain a competitive advantage from even the briefest tweet about injuries, personnel decisions, trick plays or food. The Chargers allow players to tweet, but fined cornerback Antonio Cromartie $2,500 for using Twitter to complain about training camp chow.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league encourages players to tweet, and about 300 do so. As of Wednesday afternoon, the league had 772,473 followers on its Twitter site.

"We've been at the forefront as technology has changed," said McCarthy, who said he follows 600 Twitter accounts. "We have embraced Twitter. The commissioner tweeted from the draft. When done properly, it's a tremendous opportunity to talk with fans."

Some coaches remain unconvinced. The Dolphins' Tony Sparano conceded he's not well-versed on the new social media, but he urged his players to steer clear of Twitter.

"Our policy here is that our information is our information, and it should stay in-house," Sparano said. "Something they think is innocent can really hurt an individual, can really hurt team chemistry, and maybe can lead to somewhere down the road a loss of a game. I believe that. I'm one of those guys that will try to take that variable out of the way if you can.

"But it doesn't look to me like something that can completely be controlled."

The Dolphins will try. They require the media to shut off all electronic gear — computers, cell phones, cameras — about 25 minutes into practice, when team drills begin. The Dolphins are also policing fans, a daunting challenge for a team that drew more than 3,100 spectators to the opening workout last week.

"I would acknowledge that enforcing the restrictions can be difficult," said Harvey Greene, Dolphins senior vice president for media relations. "We're not looking over everybody's shoulder, but we do have a concern about information flow."

The Professional Football Writers of America has complained about the media restrictions at practices open to the public. The Jaguars and Vikings initially prohibited tweeting by reporters but lifted their bans following complaints.

"It would be a shame for a beat writer to get beaten on a story by a 12-year-old in the stands who is allowed to blog," said Charean Williams, president of the PFWA. "I appreciate the teams that have reversed their policies, and I think the league will listen to us and we'll get this changed for 2010."

Some teams are coming to terms with the new technology. The Eagles have an air-conditioned trailer at camp for bloggers. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio sends text messages to reporters.

Browns coach Eric Mangini laughed when asked about concerns that information regarding an injury might leak via a tweet.

"There are all different avenues to communicate," Mangini said, "and I think they're great ways to communicate."

Even at Dolphins camp, the 21st century is making inroads. On Wednesday, Sparano said he just learned how to text.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,537520,00.html

That was mostly pertaining to the pre-season and training camp, even then the NFL only cracked down on the notebook ban. As far as tweeter goes the NFL bans players from tweeting 90 mins (it might be 60 mins.) before kickoff.

At some point they reach a middle ground but it's fun watching this play out. It started when Mike stated he couldn't answer a question a few weeks ago because he had'nt talked to any un-named sources

[Deadskins]

How will this stop JLC from starting rumors?

[Irn-Bru]

I FREAKING LOVE THIS!!! LMAO.

Yeah, me too.

[Irn-Bru]

How will this stop JLC from starting rumors?

I think that starting them comes with a higher risk now of being exposed and/or losing credibility. The fact that the Redskins won't be ignoring it ups the ante.

[markshark84]

This will be very difficult to enforce, but then again, the skins organization essentially owns the information the media reports on and the skins can decide on how much info they will provide to the media.

On the flip side, the media can make up/speculate what they want and "report" it (freedom of speech is a very very dangerous -- but necessary -- thing)-- but there is only so many times you can cry wolf before the public will stop listening.

I have always liked rumors (maybe because I never take them seriously) but if it hurts the team, it is a good move on their part.