Journalists Are Not the Enemy

By Devin Fulton
The Eagle
September 25, 2019

http://csceagle.com/2019/09/26/journalists-are-not-the-enemy/

Bill Belichick is arguably the greatest coach of all time, there is no doubt about that. His standards and practices set an example for other coaches and people to follow, and rightfully so. Over the past two decades, his New England Patriots consistently have been nearly unbeatable. Belichick is known for his great coaching, but also his quiet press conferences.

However, a reporter asked him about a certain player (Antonio Brown) leaving the team and instead of just diffusing the question, Belichick showed a stare-down at the reporter, almost trying to assume some level of intimidation. I thought the move was weak by the coach because the reporter was just doing her job.

Antonio Brown joined the Patriots and was released after one week amidst sexual assault accusations. These were never really answered, and it seems the Patriots don’t want anything to do with providing details on the situation. With Brown being the focal point of any NFL discussion in the last month, I can see why Belichick didn’t want to answer any questions about his former receiver.

What I found unprofessional by the coach was his reaction to the question. There was no need for a death glare at a reporter.

A great coach doesn’t need to intimidate someone who simply asked a question politely. This was a weak move, but since Belichick is held to a high standard, lots of people think the media member was at fault.

I get that coaches and members of professional organizations don’t have to be transparent, but at least show some respect and just walk away. Instances like this only portray the media as the devil. Journalists are supposed to hold people accountable, but if we keep looking down on them, people won’t know about potentially harmful situations an organization may be hiding.

I’m a firm believer that anger shows weakness, so I get concerned when a legendary coach like Belichick shows weakness when asked about releasing a player with sexual assault allegations. Is he hiding something? Maybe not, but the death glare certainly gives something away. The Patriots’ motto under Belichick is “Do your job”, so why is he upset with a reporter simply doing hers?

Reporters play a vital role in educating the public about what people or organizations are doing. Sadly, we think journalists are only out to get targeted individuals. We see this often with Trump constantly exclaiming “Fake news” at any news outlet that reports on what he is doing in office. Without journalists, our society wouldn’t have a clue about the practices of professional members or organizations.

Think about what people could get away with if journalists didn’t ask questions. In 2002, the Boston Globe exposed sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church. We became aware of the wrongdoings that were set aside by the church. Had these reporters not exposed the scandal, the church would probably still be conducting these abusive acts.

The public deserves to know what people in higher power are doing, and if they don’t, who knows what monstrosities are happening behind closed doors. Cursing the media for doing their job is like any scene in a movie when the hero is thought of as evil for pointing out the foreshadowed truth. Take a lesson from these scenes, because evil will rise if we continue to silence those who expose the truth.

I don’t think Belichick is hiding anything, but his glare towards CBS Host Dana Jacobson when asked about a player he signed, then cut, shows how people in power poorly treat the media. There are certain outlets that misinform us, but don’t get confused. The media is not your enemy, they are simply here to inform the public what is happening.