Brian Smith, the student reporter who was banned by Texas Christian officials, gave his side of the story in a guest editorial in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Smith, who will be graduating this month with a degree in broadcast journalism, wrote that he would not have done anything differently.
"When I gave my opinion about TCU's quarterbacks, I was doing exactly what I was asked to. The show I appeared on is supposed to serve as a place for student journalists to offer our perspectives.
"It's the media relations department's job to put athletics in the best light possible. But the department actually put itself in the worst light."
He added: "But now that I've been booted, can audiences really trust that a TCU student journalist will be presenting an honest perspective and not acting as a mouthpiece? During the fiscal 2007-08, TCU's athletic budget exceeded $43 million, according to the federal Office of Postsecondary Education. Part of every student's tuition is helping fund the department. People not only deserve to know what is going on with TCU athletics; they need to know.
"If the real world operated like TCU did in this instance, interest in sports would dwindle to zero, because no debate would take place. Debate and opinion encourage participation and interest. The largest sports network in the world, ESPN, airs opinions from its own analysts for an overwhelming majority of its broadcast day."
Are TCU officials finally showing regret for how they handled the situation? Star-Telegram columnist Jim Reeves wrote that might be the case.
"TCU may have fumbled the initial handling of the Brian Smith affair, barring the student reporter from further participation on the Mtn. cable network, at least through the auspices of the media relations department, but hopefully the athletic department learned something from its mistake. That would appear to be the case.
"Athletic director Danny Morrison asked Smith to drop by his office for a meeting Friday and took the time to let Brian know that no one at TCU is mad at him, congratulated him for a fine four years at TCU — Smith graduates next weekend — and wished him well in the future. With growth comes growing pains."
In my opinion, he’s not qualified to answer those questions," said Patterson, who says that Smith attended just one of 18 spring practices, along with the spring game. "I am."
If anything this kid should be kicked off the show for failure to do his homework properly. If I handed in an academic paper with only 1/18th of the material read I'd likely perform poorly. If this kid can't get off his ass to go to more than 1 practice I agree with kicking him off the sports show.
It seems to me this is a non-story. This guy got on the college TV, spouted off some random babble that made it clear he had done no research and was just trying to stir the pot and as a result the college kicked him out of their TV studio. Let his air time go to a student who actually does the work associated with the job, things like going to practices, scouting, taking notes, etc.
Posted by: Eric | May 05, 2009 at 05:22 AM
I don't know. He seemed pretty reasonable to me. Even if his take on the player situation is wrong, he delivered his opinion in a professional manner.
His departing points are right, imo.
Posted by: wheaton4prez | May 05, 2009 at 02:50 PM