An industry source tells us that the New Orleans Saints declined multiple requests from the New York media to make specific players available for conference calls in the days preceding Sunday’s showdown between the 3-0 Saints and the 3-0 Jets.
Per the source, the Saints declined to produce quarterback Drew Brees, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, tight end Jeremy Shockey, receiver Marques Colston, and running back Reggie Bush.
The Saints, we’re told, said that each of the requested players were “unavailable.”
Instead, the Saints produced safety Darren Sharper, who’s far better suited to discuss Monday night’s Packers-Vikings game than the Saints-Jets contest, given that Sharper has spent three games with New Orleans. Following eight years in Green Bay and four in Minnesota.
Obviously, the Jets press corps isn’t pleased, especially since Vilma and Shockey have strong ties to New York City. Vilma previously played for the Jets, and Shockey played for the Giants; both were first-round picks, and both were traded to the Saints in 2008.
Teams commonly produce key players for conference call interviews with the media from the next opponent.
And, frankly, we’re surprised that the league office didn’t insist on the Saints giving up someone other than Sharper.
Can’t really blame them. There are no true reporters left.
I’m sure Rex and the Jets will do enough talking for everyone.
Serves the media right after the way they badgered TO. Perhaps if they behave themselves, more interviews will be forthcoming.
The Jets wouldnt let the Nashville media talk to Sanchez last week.
So what? I understand people will want to hear what Shockey and Vilma have to say, but it ultimately won’t make much difference, and people know it. Play speaks much louder than words, everyone knows that.
Vox,
you are a true reporter, you can spk/write and talk all the bull sh*t in the world about the cowgirls.
too bad you do not have a good education
Why would anyone want to talk to Bush?
He is not with that Kardashian hobag anymore, only thing that made him interesting. His play sure doesn’t.
J-E-T-S
Jets Jets Jets!
Saints and Jets showdown
Lost in Packer/Viking noise
Should be a great game
http://FavreHaiku.com
Florio is just lobbying for his reporter buddies who are clearly ticked but can’t write an article bashing the Saints as Florio can. It’s grown men whining but using another man (Florio) to make their whines/gripes public. Pathetic.
1. I’m here to help the team.
2. We need to take it one game at a time.
3. They’re a quality opponent and we need to play our best game to beat them.
4. If we play the way we are capable of playing we look forward to a good result on Sunday.
5. Its a big game for us and we’re looking forward to matching up with them.
Media session over. Doesn’t matter who utters these trite responses. Sounds like the NY media wants to whine, like always.
who cares??? Because someone is a member of the New York media does not make them entitled to anything. Sounds like some media types need to find their big boy pants and grow up.
Given the way they tried to bait Zack Greinke (yes I know, wrong sport) and the way they tried to bait TO, I wouldn’t make anyone available either. Hell, I’d give them my practice squad and let them ask away.
Wah…Wah…Wah…why can’t you let us talk to Shockey? So we can badger him about his past history and bait him into saying something negative that we can then twist and turn into something that has been dead for years?
I say screw the media…they are nothing but a bunch of baiting scumbags and I am glad that the Saints told them where to shove their requests.
“too bad you do not have a good education”
haha thanks, that’s a compliment coming from the likes of you. Let me know next time you’re confused about the proper usage of the words “there”, “they’re” and “their”. And “then” and “than”.
I don’t mean to hijack your thread Mike, but i’m watching “The Dan Patrick Show” on direct tv ch# 101 and they just said Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk is comming up next. Way cool Mike i’m looking forward to it
you should start a new post so we can discuss the show
Phred
Laxref26… Have you noticed that if you use big words and compound sentences, he won’t have a chance of understanding your point? (haha).
This self-serving trend of making the media part of the story is quite sickening.
shocked noone other than Sharper was made available
This isnt WWE Mike.
teams arent required to make players available to the media for a regular season game.
like Rex Ryan doesnt hold some of his guys away from the microphone.
bad bad boy Mike
shame on you
since you are in a van down by the river i guess its time to
put your ass in the dunking booth!
i mean if you are Sean Payton why would you give a clown like Shockey a chance to make his usual as of himself in front of a microphone?
Pathetic media whining. This isn’t the Saints being scared of the New York media; they’ve done this with the other teams they’ve played, too. They’re trying to stay focused on the actual game, and not the million other random things that pop up as distractions.
Sharper has essentially been designated as the unofficial team spokesperson, with these ‘conference call’ interviews (which is what the story refers to) and if a key starting defensive player who is also the NFL active leader in interceptions and a likely eventual Hall of Famer and is tied for the NFL lead this season with three interceptions isn’t good enough for the New York media to interview, then maybe they should just go back to badgering T.O. in post game press conferences.
Reggie Bush a “key” player?
And you forgot Colston’s ties too. He went to Hofstra, where the Jets used to train all the time until they started their 3 location circus.
I completely support the Saints.
“Reporters” are not paid to report, or to get the facts, or to present stories.
“Reporters” work for media companies. Media companies get paid when the sell advertisements. Advertisements are bought on the basis of ratings and numbers of eyeballs.
That is why the job of reporters is to _create_ controversy. Especially when there is no controversy, their job is to stir the pot.
New York journalists are the absolute worst in this regard.
The league can’t insist you idiot! They can only insist “post game”, by contract.
The league can’t insist you idiot! They can only insist “post game”, by contract.
Resolution, you are so right.
Vox just does not get it. I guess will have to lower our standards to make it easier for him.
Vox still has the education of a 5 year old.
Shut the hell up Vox
Instead, the Saints produced safety Darren Sharper, who’s far better suited to discuss Monday night’s Packers-Vikings game than the Saints-Jets contest, given that Sharper has spent three games with New Orleans. Following eight years in Green Bay and four in Minnesota.
“Following eight years in Green Bay and four in Minnesota” is not a complete sentence. Doesn’t NBC require complete sentences? Isn’t complete sentences a part of midget school, eh Florio? Sheesh! Take the NBC money and forget about complete sentences. What a hack!
Honestly, who can blame them ?
The press is this country has been dead ever since they figured out a way to make money reporting the news.
The motto of today’s reporters
1) Incite
2) Sensationalize
3) Speculate
4) Sell Speculation as fact
5) No Accountability
6) Overexpose
7) Repeat steps 1 through 6
The standard today is more inline with this website !
Also, I suspect they’d rather not have their players goated into saying something stupid !
“big words” haha
“I guess will have to lower our standards”
Nice!
Laxref26
Judging by your screenname, I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re probably an idiot. I base this off years of experience with lacrosse refs.
Nothing personal and I’m not defending Vox. He makes me look bad.
“Old” media is done. Why answer the asked question when instead the performers can bypass the middleman and directly “inform” the masses by setting their own agenda. Twitter is just the latest technique. Major organizations like the Yankees and Red Sox own their own media devices. Access has been so diminished that reporters had to reinvent themselves and offer opinions instead of facts. Florio has taken it to the next level and just guesses. Why report the story when you can be the story!
SaintsPanthersBucsSUKK says
J-E-T-S
Jets Jets Jets!
sounds more like WaWaWaWa
my fakcons lost.i foolishly predicted we were going 16-0.
just calm and come down off those meds. it’ll be ok. u have a good team n hotlanta and probly go to the playoffs again. so all is not lost.
and YES the saints will not win all of there games either, however they ‘re a good team also and i’m proud of that as u should b of your fakons. and one more thing, HaHaHaHa u lost!
NightTrain,
you must be an old fart coach/player, just stands on the sideline to yell at the refs
Screw the NY media, all they do is bash the South in general and New Orleans in particular. Besides, we are not here to give interviews, we are here to kick the Jets’ butts!
I’m a Saints fan and I think they are a good team, both teams are professional players, this is what they do for a living and Jets fans need to remember that. I’ve read articles where some Jets fans are saying really bad things about hitting Brees hard and crazy stuff, Wake Up People this is a game, and I pray that no one get hurt and the SAINTS are VICTORIOUS.
When did this pre-game b.s. get to be so important anyway? If anyone speaks before the game it should be the coaches and I’m sure Rex is willing to speak enough for everyone.
i actually have been following this website for a while now, never having taken the time to create an account and respond to any articles. however i feel compelled after reading this.
i have to admit after reading recent articles about T.O. and other players lately, i don’t blame the Saints organization for taking this route. instead of reporting stories lately, it truly seems as if the press has been trying to create them.
no one is perfect (certainly not a few of these players) but it’s sad to see them vilified or sensationalized so that media outlets can make more money on ads.
i’m kind of embarrassed for the media. it’s really getting worse every day.
Florio, you’re “shocked”? WoW. Is that a vain-glorious attempt to draw attention to yourself again? Surmising by all the notes here, you’re the only idiot who’s shocked.
Most people don’t trust the media because of the spin you people put on the most mundane of stories just to make a dollar. This distrust is no different when you have a coach that doesn’t want to give another team bulletin board material or create controversy. Can you blame him? Seems like most of us can’t. . .
I’m beginning to think that you’ve become a sell-out for the express purpose of generating more hits. Seemingly, the but for cause of you (as you lawyers say) being a sell-out is the desire to sell more ad space for the Palm PRE and whatever other vendors. Sad part is most of us would read the blog anyway just to get the latest NFL gossip.
“Borg30 says:
September 30, 2009 12:23 PM
NightTrain,
you must be an old fart coach/player, just stands on the sideline to yell at the refs”
I’m not old….at all. But I do fart…..quite often.
# laxref26 says: September 30, 2009 10:39 AM
Vox,
you are a true reporter, you can spk/write and talk all the bull sh*t in the world about the cowgirls.
too bad you do not have a good education
I know Vox takes his fair share of shit around here, but in his defense, I’m going to go out on a very short limb here and guess that he’s got a minimum of at least four more years more than you do, bub. Including a strong emphasis on the proper usage of the English language.
4 more years of being a jerk
nightTrain,
you are so gay,
@ artieblanksucsbigD
GO JETS!
Waaaaa! NY media….the world revolves around us….waaaaa!