It's Even Tough for Tiger

Communicating thoughtfully with (and through) the media should be about a lot more than simply trying to look or sound good.

There is no question that how a person communicates - are they credible, articulate, thoughtful - influences how others may think about them, both good and bad.

But more than whether fans or media respond favorably to an athlete or not because of how they come across is this reality: how an individual athlete speaks - and speaks out - can help or hinder their club as a whole.

Some examples:

- Barry Bonds is one of the finest ballplayers of his generation, the National league MVP again in 2002. Yet his off-field demeanor somehow seems to diminish his otherwise lofty accomplishments. He may be a very genuine and thoughtful person, but that is not what the public sees through the media prism, it would seem. When push came to shove in the World series this fall, the club that was clearly team-oriented, the Anaheim Angels, outlasted a club with individual superstars like Bonds and Kent, and a manager, Dusty Baker, who was clearly unhappy in San Francisco.

- Tracy McGrady was quoted during the NBA playoffs this past spring as saying Baron Davis of the Charlotte Hornets was not the outstanding player in the series. McGrady told the assembled media he (McGrady) was, in fact, the top guy. Davis, according to McGrady, was simply "made to look better" because of his teammates. How do we suspect McGrady's teammates might have felt when getting ready for their next big playoff game?

- More recently, former player and now NFL General Manager Matt Millen referred to one of his (albeit unnamed) current Detroit Lion players as a "devout coward". He made this statement on Mike Ditka's radio show in Chicago. Was this done to motivate his team? Was he sending a message through the media? Did he simply 'forget' for a moment that he was being heard throughout the sports world?

In a subsequent interview of his own, Peter King of CNN Sports Illustrated remarked that Millen often goes "off the record" with him (King). And further, that in those instances, Millen will often say very harsh and negative things about specific, individual players.

That had to feel good for the players, as well: to know Millen's outburst on the Ditka program was in fact not an isolated incident… that Millen says that sort of thing, evidently all the time.

(By the way, this is another clear example of why nothing is really and truly off the record. Even though King did not mention names, clearly the fact that he felt free to report publicly on a Buffalo radio program that he speaks off the record with Millen - and that Millen says critical things privately - is indirectly reporting off-the-record comments made by Millen.)

As we've said before, athletes do face the constant tug between sounding like they respond with nothing but clichés and running a risk if they venture into giving their 'real' opinions on the subject of the day.

Even - maybe especially - Tiger Woods faces this kind of 'comment' scrutiny. Woods has been criticized in recent times for his reported reluctance to take strong stands on issues (e.g. the current controversy surrounding the Masters and Augusta National's "refusal" to allow women members). Said Woods: "I have the feeling that sometimes I can't say anything, because I'm going to get criticized. And what's unfair about this is, people always ask my opinion. They ask for my opinion, and sometimes when I give it to them, they don't respect what I have to say. If that's the case, don't ask."

While acknowledging this difficulty, and it's a challenge athletes often face, this much seems clear: what an athlete, coach or manager says in a thoughtless moment can impact negatively their team, their organization and themselves.

Where's the Backup?

By all accounts Jeremy Shockey is an immense talent, an emerging superstar now playing for the New York football Giants.

And yet the early stages of Shockey's NFL career have already been somewhat turbulent - off the field.

The young tight end, a first round draft choice of the Giants in this past spring's annual NFL college draft, plays in the largest sports media market in the world.

For whatever reason, he was apparently invited to appear on the often controversial, New York-based syndicated talk show of high-profile morning man Howard Stern.

For inexplicable reasons, he agreed to appear on the show.

Within minutes, he had been asked a question about whether there are any gay players in the NFL.

His response? "I hope not."

He added that, if he knew there was a gay player on his college team, "[he] wouldn't stand for it".

His responses continued in a similar, less than thoughtful, vein.

Not surprisingly, his offensive and hurtful comments caused a tremendously swift - and negative - public reaction.

While he made an apology of sorts afterwards ("I guess I do regret saying it…"), his additional later comments - that he was simply trying to be funny on the Stern show - rang rather hollow to his critics.

Beyond the obviously insensitive nature of his comments on a radio program, the question remains: who was guiding this young man's public appearances? Was no one aware of the kind of program that the young athlete was to appear on? Had anyone spent any time advising him on the pros and cons of making such an appearance?

Further, did he have anyone help him anticipate the kinds of questions he might be asked, and what his responses would be?

Clearly, his comments are indefensible. Whether they were made "in jest", or were a genuine representation of his feelings, only he knows.

Athletes do live in a fishbowl. They are criticized by and in the media when they merely spout clichés and hackneyed, middle-of-the-road responses time and again.

However, when they do step forward and say something "out of the box", it also often leads to controversy and criticism - sometimes, as in this instance, with good reason.

Ideally, all professional athletes could and would speak in an articulate, engaging, thoughtful and genuine manner - and would operate in an environment where the outside world was not hanging on their every word, and thus were truly comfortable doing so.

Ideally, all of our opinions on all subjects - athletes or not - would be engaging and thoughtful, but that of course is not always the case.

Can an athlete really be himself, or herself? Should they be able to say whatever they want, regardless of whether it is hurtful or insensitive?

One thing is clear: these situations, where a young person with often limited experience deals with experienced media people, are often potentially damaging to an individual athlete, their image and their career… not to mention those who may have been justly offended by certain comments.

Every club in major professional sports employs experienced public relations professionals on staff. Virtually all players have agents who claim to represent their interests "off the field", not just in terms of negotiating contracts.

Yet, often when athletes - especially young athletes - need it most, their 'support system' (those supposedly there to prepare them thoroughly for what might await them) is nowhere to be found.

Managing Feelings?

When a prominent Major Junior player, then all of 18 years of age, was returned to his junior club almost exactly one year ago just after mid-September, 2001, much was made about his reaction to the "demotion".

Granted, to be quoted as saying that this apparently unexpected turn of events was "the worst day of [his] life", as the player reportedly said, may have seemed rather shallow, lacking in perspective and a little revealing - particularly in light of the tragic deaths of innocent people just days earlier in New York.

On the one hand, such a reaction is entirely normal, especially for a young person thrown into a very grown-up world. It does beg the question, however (as we raised in an earlier commentary when it came to the John Rocker situation): where are those who are supposed to be guiding and shaping the development of these precocious - but sometimes life-inexperienced - athletes?

My focus here, though, is the entirely confusing public reaction made by the management of the NHL team in question.

Their response in explaining their decision at the time: "This is a men's league, and he [the player] is still a boy." Another comment attributed to a then team executive: "We're not in the business of managing people's feelings".

Well, agreed. No one can "manage" anyone else's "feelings".

But, when an 18 or 19-year-old youngster is:
invited to play in an unfamiliar environment, in unfamiliar surroundings
when demands well beyond the norm are placed upon that individual
when the media is watching his every move
placed in a club, filled with coaches and management people who are former players and who have themselves played at the highest levels and who all know what it "feels" like to be traded, or demoted, or released
when you know the player in question will feel hurt or embarrassed by the public reaction that he has somehow "failed"

Then it is absolutely the role of the club to help a young player through whatever circumstance comes his way, including, in this particular instance, being returned to his junior club, especially when his expectation was that he would make the big team.

We all know times are very unlike the 1960's, when the Punch Imlach-led Leafs, or the Vince Lombardi-led Green Bay Packers were franchises run very differently than the way sports franchises are run today. With some exceptions, there was generally little concern demonstrated publicly - or privately - about the "feelings" of a professional athlete.

But clubs nowadays have a clear responsibility - having invested millions and millions of dollars in scouting, drafting, signing and developing players - to do even more, especially when they are dealing with young people.

This particular story may well have a happy ending. The player in question will likely earn a spot on the club's roster this season, an awesome achievement for someone only 19 years of age. Perhaps the so-called "demotion" did indeed provide motivation that has helped to better prepare this young athlete for success at the higher level.

Maybe the apparently "cold" manner in which the "demotion" was handled a year ago "taught" the young player a valuable (if sad) lesson about the reality of the business of sport.

But it is fair to say that a lot of hurt feelings and potential negative outcomes could have been avoided, had a support system, and a communication approach, been in place a year ago to help establish reasonable expectations, and prepare the young player as best as possible for whatever decision the club was ultimately going to have to make at the time.

It's always wiser to be well prepared in advance for all possible eventualities, so when the sensitive circumstance or "crisis" does hit, an organization is well equipped to handle things as well as possible.

"What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate"

As trite as the expression sounds, the reality is that poor communication, ineffective communication or simply a lack of communication can severely damage relationships.

It damages personal relationships, be they parent-child, or husband-wife.

It damages teacher-student relationships.

It damages boss-employee relationships.

And in sports, it absolutely damages coach-player relationships.

Through the past 25 years in the communications field, and in our overall life experience, it has become clear to us that strong relationships are very often-in fact almost always-based on solid and effective communication.

Some individuals are not natural communicators. Some are unwilling to try, others seemingly unable. Some think they are already effective communicators and it isn't until a 'crisis' of sorts arises that they are confronted with the reality-they do not communicate effectively and clearly.

But as with most things, communication -like listening, is a skill that can be developed.

We often remind clients that hearing is a sense, listening is a skill.

Similarly, in terms of communication, the willingness to really take the next step, to really "engage", can have a tremendous impact in creating the kind of harmonious relationship that can make all the difference for a player, or a coach, in terms of not only their personal success, but the success of the team.

At Prospect, we routinely see examples of poor communication, or simply a failure to communicate at all.

This occurs not only at the highest levels of sport--the NHL, NBA etc--but in the world of amateur sports and at the minor, grassroots level as well. It occurs in virtually all sports-- in team sports such as soccer and baseball, or individual athletic pursuits such as gymnastics and tennis.

As you visit our site, think about the ways your career, or organization, has been impacted by a failure to really and truly take the time to communicate effectively--to understand what it takes to communicate thoughtfully, clearly and credibly, and the time required to build the skills that will help you accomplish your objectives.

We can make a significant difference for you, your team, your association, organization or company.

It's Hard to Have Perspective Sometimes

Something that has become clear to us over the years in the work that we do, is that athletes - by their own admission - often appreciate the life they HAD after they retire, more than the life they HAVE while they are still playing.


Often times athletes find the public demands and responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with being a high profile performer are, at best, frustrating. Demands from ownership/management, coaches, fans and media seem to become at times expectations that simply cannot be met to everyone’s satisfaction.


Sometimes an athlete simply does not understand or fully appreciate what those demands and expectations really are - and how best to deal with them.


Fair or not, this often leads to broken relationships with fans, media and coaches.


Sometimes only after they are out of the limelight, do these athletes fully appreciate the ‘celebrity’ that they had achieved; that they were ‘someone’, that people seemed to ‘care’ who they were and what they did.


In short, they not only miss the camaraderie of their teammates, the competition…they miss the attention, the limelight.


Not everyone, certainly. But many athletes are known to reflect - years after their retirement – on how much they miss just about everything about the game. They even miss some of the things they complained about when they were still playing.


Ironically, it is some of the same athletes who were uncooperative with fans and media, who hope to land plum media assignments when their careers are over, as a way of soothing the transition away from the game, and so as not to lose all of the many ‘perks’ associated with being a high-profile athlete.


Given their previous attitudes, that is not always easy to accomplish.


It is also true, unfortunately, that some athletes only realize after the fact—too late, often-- that the media, for example, does not have to be the enemy.


One of the finest basketball players of all time is former Milwaukee Buck and LA Laker legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who entered the NBA more than 30 years ago as Lew Alcindor, out of UCLA.


While a brilliant performer on the court, the now Hall-of-Famer—despite often presenting as a thoughtful, articulate and sensitive individual—did not seem to carry that brilliance off the court. His relationship with those around him, including the fans and the media, it was often reported, was strained, at best.


Interestingly, Jabbar has struggled to find what many would see as his rightful and logical place in the game. He has long desired to be a Head Coach. He was for a short while an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers during a troubled time in their history a few years back, but has apparently never been offered a top job either in the NBA, or at the NCAA level.


He now enjoys a position as a Head Coach with a minor-league club in the United States.


In reflecting upon his life and career during a recent conversation with ESPN.COM, Abdul-Jabbar spoke of what the game means to him now. His comments are quite revealing:


“It’s kind of an opportunity for me to give something back to the game, and to get something from the game, through teaching it, that I had no idea of. Being an administrator, dealing with the fans and the players and the owners and the press differently than I did in the past. You know, I was great on the court, but I wasn’t too good in those other areas.”


When asked if this was something he was conscious of trying to change or turn around, he replied, “No, it’s just…I can be better at it. I understand now what it means and how to do it. Reporters used to ask me the same inane questions year-in and year-out, city-to-city, and it would drive me crazy. But I understand now that there are people who are just coming into the game, and they have no idea, and that question—whatever it is—at this point, is very new to them. While it’s decades old for me, it’s new to them, and I have to understand that that’s something I can give them”.


Most of us, as we age, acquire through life experience a kind of wisdom, along with a respect for the job that others do—or have to do. This wisdom sometimes allows us to understand things we did not try to understand before.


Much like not appreciating something—our health, a friend—before it is gone, we sometimes wait until late in the game to put ourselves in other people’s shoes.


For many current athletes, Abdul-Jabbar’s comments are worthy of reflection. It appears as though one of the greatest talents of his generation recognizes now, in retrospect, that his “off-field” demeanor did not match up well with his on-court performance. He struggled “beyond the game”.


And as importantly, he seems to be acknowledging that maybe it would have been better had he looked at things a little differently earlier on.

John Rocker, One Year Later. Where Were Rocker's "People"?

It would be difficult to find a thoughtful individual who was not in some way troubled by the comments attributed to former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker over the winter prior to the 2001 major league baseball season.

At the time, Rocker was a young man, in his mid-20's, an emerging star with the Atlanta Braves, a perennial contender.

Reports indicate a writer from Sports Illustrated approached him over the winter to, more or less, 'spend a day' with the young left-hander.

A couple of weeks later a story appeared in the national sports magazine that quoted Rocker extensively. Sadly, many of Rocker's comments were harsh, hurtful-at best insensitive, to many observers much more than that.

Clearly, Rocker's comments, regardless of whether he was expressing what he really felt, or was 'playing up to the reporter', were disappointing - and hurt - many people.
That what the young athlete evidently said was thoughtless and harmful is not in question.

But the entire scenario raises some questions when it comes to the relationship between athletes and reporters.

The question is not necessarily, "Did Rocker mean what he said?" Or, whether he should have said what he reportedly said. Of course, he was wrong to do so.

The issue is not whether he thought he was 'off the record'. That should not make any difference. If a high profile business leader, entertainer or athlete talks to a reporter, he or she should expect to be quoted-regardless of whether they believe there is some spoken or unspoken agreement that their comments will not be attributed to them.

The question is not even "Was he taken out of context?" His comments were so specific, so thoughtless, that that excuse seems implausible.

The question we must ask is: "Where was Rocker's support system?"

The point is not to absolve Rocker of blame. He has been 'punished' for stating his harmful views publicly. The reactions included extensive negative media reaction, teammates reportedly avoiding him, a suspension, two trades and a recent demotion to the minors that leave his career and future under a cloud.

Again, the question is: "Who helped him prepare for this interview? Where was his agent? The team's public relations advisors? Was no one aware of the plan to have this young athlete spend an entire day with a reporter? If not, why not?"

Who took the time to sit down with a young athlete, perhaps naive regarding the ways of the media, and explain to him the "do's and don'ts" of speaking with the media?

Again, no one should seek to absolve Rocker of responsibility for his comments. We as individuals - including professional athletes - are accountable for our actions.

But it only makes sense that young athletes should have someone to help guide them in the best ways to handle themselves 'off the field'.

Hopefully someone to remind them that, like it or not, they are a role model for many youngsters. They have an image. Their public thoughts do matter, and can cause harm.
Those thoughts, expressed publicly, can harm an individual's future, too.

That someone feels the things that John Rocker evidently felt when he spoke to that reporter is sad. That he uttered them for public consumption leaves an empty feeling as well.

That no one was there in advance to lend a hand reminds us that virtually all young athletes - sometimes even million-dollar athletes - need support sometimes, too, from very early on in their career.

Loose Lips: Off the Record still a slippery slope

For more than a week, there have been widespread media reports that the CFL may well have a new commissioner soon.

If this were to occur, it would appear there would have been a number of reasons for this decision, but our interest in this issue is straightforward.

We work with clients to ensure that they - to the best of their ability - understand the world they must operate within off the playing field (or ice, court, etc.)

In no small measure, that includes a willingness to develop an understanding of how the media operates, and the importance of building positive relationships with those whose business it is to "cover" professional sports.

While some observers long for the days when the relationship between reporters and athletes - or coaches - was generally (though not always) far more laid back, it has been clear for many, many years that things have changed.

Where once upon a time the indiscretions of an athlete may have been known to a reporter - but not reported. That is far less likely to happen now in a world of 24 hour-a-day news and sports channels on both television and radio, not to mention the presence of the Internet.

In the "olden" days, players or coaches may have said something in anger to a reporter, or just to blow off steam, but indicated their comments were "off the record". (Sometimes the words "off the record" did not even have to be mentioned. It was just an assumed part of the sometimes-cozy interdependent relationship between media member and sports personality.) In some quarters it would have been considered untrustworthy to break that informal, unstated "agreement". While sometimes garnering a great story, or an angle no one else had, the reporter may have been seen as having broken a trust with the athlete or coach in question.

In any event, that was then and, of course, this is now.

The still, as of now, current CFL commissioner reportedly made comments to a Toronto Star reporter that brought a quick and evidently angry response from a CFL owner.

Reports since that time in various news outlets indicate the commissioner thought his comments to the reporter were to be "off the record". That is, that they would not be reported publicly.

While such circumstances often lead to a "he said-she said" type of scenario, this much is clear: While candor and being "up front" and not simply mouthing boring clichés to the press can certainly be a positive attribute - and quite refreshing, to be sure - even experienced individuals in the corporate - and sports sector - need always to be aware that anything they say to a reporter is something they should be able to live comfortably with when they pick up the newspaper the next day.

Olympic Athletes Under Media Scrutiny in Salt Lake

How an athlete-professional or "amateur"-conducts themselves off the field of endeavor is something that attracts the attention of many observers. The poise and dignity exhibited by Canadian figure skaters Sale and Pelletier in the first 48 hours after the controversial judges' decision-and the positive support it engendered-is a case in point.

Of course, it was rather predictable that the media would soon tire of the attention these individuals received, and then the media scrutiny can turn the other way. It was not surprising only days later to see headlines such as "U.S. Media Turns on Sale and Pelletier", when the perception was that the skaters and their agent were milking the attention for all it was worth.

Regardless, it was largely the media who wanted and demanded their time, and persisted in seeking their views. (Sale & Pelletier) They stayed "on message" that the issue at the time was not about them and their Russian competitors, rather that the sport and its judging practices needed to be cleaned up.

Whether receiving the gold medal will in the long run and in retrospect be thought of as a true victory, or a win for Canadian lobbyists, is difficult to assess. They may well have garnered even more support had they simply been allowed to accept their fate as classy silver medallists.

Their decision not to skate at the ensuing World Championships seems to make sense from a marketing perspective. After what was perceived as a flawless technical performance at Salt Lake, it would be virtually impossible to live up to the hype around them. Any even small mistake at the Worlds would have critics saying… "ah, you see, they didn't deserve that gold medal in Salt Lake after all…".

Best, it would seem, to retire "undefeated" while still reaping the rewards of achievement, public adulation, and having stayed gracious under fire.