Grade the hockey coverage from the Arizona Republic

[ClassLessCoyote]

The Coyotes and hockey have been getting more and more coverage over the past few years. However, not everyone agrees overall with the quality of the coverage.

Give your take on what you see is the good, the bad, and the ugly from the coverage.

Click to read more...

 

[_Del_]

Like C-


It's better than nothing, occasionally something interesting, but they really only print the team's talking points.

 

[KG]

The amount of coverage is good- Sarah occasionally writes character pieces, interviews etc. Not much analysis, or criticisms. B-.

I prefer Craig's coverage.

 

[Summer Rose]

I can't really vote in the poll, since I don't read any of their coverage, or the Republic at all.

 

[KG]

I can't really vote in the poll, since I don't read any of their coverage, or the Republic at all.

Ok, cool.

 

[moosemeister]

I say C. Its better than nothing, but its not great.

I really don't like the cookie cutter questions they ask either. I really should've put more emphasis on journalism for school. Sarah is way better looking than me though. haha

 

[XX]

F

Sarah is unprofessional and asks softball questions, even when the situation puts a good question on a tee. Her pieces contain almost no new information. It's Craig that does all the groundwork and gets the scoops, and he's freelance now.

Give us info that can't be gleamed from a Dave Vest PR release, please.

 

[RemoAZ]

I can't really vote in the poll, since I don't read any of their coverage, or the Republic at all.

Same. I do click the "On TV" link though to find out if the Steelers will be on regular TV during the season to know if I'll need to find a link. That's it. All their coverage has been soft ball crap for years.

 

[MIGs Dog]

F

Sarah is unprofessional and asks softball questions, even when the situation puts a good question on a tee. Her pieces contain almost no new information. It's Craig that does all the groundwork and gets the scoops, and he's freelance now.

Give us info that can't be gleamed from a Dave Vest PR release, please.

I follow her twitter, but she rarely produces any breaking news. She needs to think of her job as that of an investigative reporter and not as part of the PR team.

P.S. I don't read the Republic.

 

[awfulwaffle]

The Coyotes and hockey have been getting more and more coverage over the past few years. However, not everyone agrees overall with the quality of the coverage.

Give your take on what you see is the good, the bad, and the ugly from the coverage.

I love reading Craig's pieces more than Sarah. But hey, at least we have someone that is following the team and writing about them. For the not so focused hockey fan, randomly seeing a story might be ok for that. Even my dad who never watches hockey(although it might be the Daily Courier he reads) will comment when I go back home to visit about how the Coyotes are doing, etc.

This is the time where the Coyotes could really do some good in the valley. The Suns are simply that, the Suns. As long as Sarver is around as owner, the team will lose more and more fans. Assuming the team sticks around, with our future young kids, if they pan out like we hope they will, should be a playoff contender and hopefully create more buzz around the valley, and they will be forced to write/talk about the team more. I hate to say it, but this town is all about the Cardinals, and even the Dbacks.

I'm kind of rambling, but it feels like sports are just like politics in the media. If the media pushes it enough, says it enough, people will start to believe it. If the media covered the Coyotes more, I would imagine there would be more buzz around the valley about them.

Same. I do click the "On TV" link though to find out if the Steelers will be on regular TV during the season to know if I'll need to find a link. That's it. All their coverage has been soft ball crap for years.

That's always an option, but you can also use http://506sports.com/ - tv coverage map for the NFL.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

There is no real journalism going on in terms of Arizona hockey from either Sarah (who is a peach if you meet her in person) or Craig Morgan. What they do is essentially advocacy blogging. In fairness, this is better than basically anyone else in the Phoenix media, who can barely be bothered to think of anything but football lately.

The actual journalism happens only when someone like Mike Sunnucks runs out of other things to write for the PBJ and decides to look into the hockey team again, or when some other national rag like Forbes takes a dive into our finances.

 

[kihekah19*]

There is no real journalism going on in terms of Arizona hockey from either Sarah (who is a peach if you meet her in person) or Craig Morgan. What they do is essentially advocacy blogging. In fairness, this is better than basically anyone else in the Phoenix media, who can barely be bothered to think of anything but football lately.

The actual journalism happens only when someone like Mike Sunnucks runs out of other things to write for the PBJ and decides to look into the hockey team again, or when some other national rag like Forbes takes a dive into our finances.

Sarah's a peach indeed and I don't think she can be faulted for the constraints she has. Coverage earns a D for certain as it is easily below average, but this is not the fault of the journalists.

 

[Mosby]

B.

They tell the story without becoming the story. Keep in mind that I'm writing this from Toronto where the coverage is over the top, ugly, and often stupid.

As far as Sara, she's a beat reporter, not a columnist, so you shouldnt expect long form, investigative pieces from her. Look to Craig for more of that type of writing, as he has quite a bit more flexibility as a freelancer.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

As far as Sara, she's a beat reporter, not a columnist, so you shouldnt expect long form, investigative pieces from her.

I'm not expecting Grantland from her, but I'm also not expecting HF Boards, which is basically what I get. I used to read her weekly online Q&As but I stopped when I realized she has no more answers than we do around here.

That sounds harsh and it might be unfair in a world where the price of access is de facto organizational advocacy, but I'm a relic from a more objective, probing world of reportage.

Look to Craig for more of that type of writing, as he has quite a bit more flexibility as a freelancer.

He definitely does, but he's also used that flexibility to be the media town crier for the organization rather than a watchdog. Again, hard to fault him for it since he wouldn't get paid otherwise.

 

[Guest]

I voted D. There is nothing of value in the Coyotes coverage so I would say it's below average. I would say average if it was just a bit better, so I might be in the D+ or C- group. I don't know how you really can argue otherwise unless you guys are seeing some excellent content that I'm missing.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

There should have been a choice for "incomplete".

Sarah is a lightweight. She throws grapefruits at Tippet, Maloney and the players and her style is more Walsh than Friedman.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

F

Sarah is unprofessional and asks softball questions, even when the situation puts a good question on a tee. Her pieces contain almost no new information. It's Craig that does all the groundwork and gets the scoops, and he's freelance now.

Give us info that can't be gleamed from a Dave Vest PR release, please.

That and it doesn't help when Bickley or Bolvin add their occasional derp pieces on the team.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

I can't really vote in the poll, since I don't read any of their coverage, or the Republic at all.

I follow her twitter, but she rarely produces any breaking news. She needs to think of her job as that of an investigative reporter and not as part of the PR team.

P.S. I don't read the Republic.

Both of you aren't missing anything from the Arizona Republic as print media and the media is general have both have been dying for quite sometime.

 

[RemoAZ]

That's always an option, but you can also use http://506sports.com/ - tv coverage map for the NFL.

Nice. Thanks!

 

[The Feckless Puck]

That and it doesn't help when Bickley or Bolvin add their occasional derp pieces on the team.

Oh, don't get me started on BickHawks. He couldn't be more of a tool with a Craftsman logo on his forehead.

 

[Tom Polakis]

I generously give them a C. That's only because I know that it can get much worse, as it was when McManaman and Tyers were covering the team. At least the current writers seem to have some semblance of knowledge of the game.

 

[Spirit of Lindgren]

I give them a "D"
But, I don't blame the press.
The writers themselves are great Sarah, Craig Morgan etc.
The press is only going to cover teams and organizations that are popular.
The Mercury dosent get any more press than we do..but they draw about as many fans.
So, the press covers us the same that they cover other teams of perceived popularity.
Im hoping that with the Killer "D"'s and other new young guns, this will change and soon.
It all starts with the fans showing up and the press more willing to report on them if they think people want to hear about it.

Just got the old newspapers out from when we were in the playoffs a few years back...Great coverage then.
So, it can happen.
The paper, 98.7, the news on TV will cover what they think people want to read.

 

[TheLegend]

There is no real journalism going on in terms of Arizona hockey from either Sarah (who is a peach if you meet her in person) or Craig Morgan. What they do is essentially advocacy blogging. In fairness, this is better than basically anyone else in the Phoenix media, who can barely be bothered to think of anything but football lately.

The actual journalism happens only when someone like Mike Sunnucks runs out of other things to write for the PBJ and decides to look into the hockey team again, or when some other national rag like Forbes takes a dive into our finances.

Sunnucks ........

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

The Arizona Republic says Tyson Nash is an elite Arizona Broadcaster.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...arizona-pro-sports-teams-announcers/81804164/

ELITE

1. Suns TV play-by-play man Steve Albert: A wealth of broadcasting experience has enriched Albert with wit, wisdom and a good dose of self-awareness. There is no ego in his performance; he works solely for the education and entertainment of his audience. Basketball play-by-play is not rocket science, and Albert doesn’t try to impress anyone with his considerable knowledge of the game. He has perhaps no peer, though, when it comes to preparation. Albert's attention to detail comes through during broadcasts, even as he keeps his audience comfortable

2. Diamondbacks TV analyst Bob Brenly: The former major league catcher has a strong resume, and his local expertise is unassailable. Brenly managed the Diamondbacks to their World Series title, cementing his legacy. But it’s his ability to communicate baseball’s nuances in a credible, conversational way that makes him baseball’s best in show. There is the requisite self-deprecation (he wasn’t a great hitter), the humor and easygoing manner, but mostly, it’s his effortless analysis supported by a mountain of real-life experience that highlights Diamondbacks broadcasts.

3. Coyotes TV analyst Tyson Nash: The classic example of an ideal local-team analyst. He checks all the boxes: He played in the NHL, including a stint with the Coyotes. He is eager to share his on-ice – and his off-ice – experiences, and retains a somewhat old-school-hockey mentality that makes it easy to grasp some of the remaining “unwritten rules” in the sport. He’s enthusiastic in his occasional criticism of opponents and officials, not angry and defensive. That’s an important distinction because that style engages the audience instead of making them choose whether to be unhappy with the official or unhappy with the broadcaster.

 

[awfulwaffle]

They are all bad to be honest. I wish for once a broadcaster of the home team just tell it like it is, in that we are all bad.