[Melas]

Revenge seems like the wrong word to be used here. The papers subscribers are just availing themselves of their rights as consumers to not buy his product. The advertisers are simply looking elsewhere to spend their advertising dollars.

The only thing that bothered me was, "Football coaches are refusing to allow reporters to cover their matches." That sounds like genuine interference with the press. Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

[leprechaun9]

"Press is supposed to have equal access ..."

There is nothing about access in the First Amendment - only the SPEECH is free!

This is a very big problem in our country. The entertainment industry, including the media, believe that the government's primary function is to be a prop for their industry. WRONG!!!!!

[Cultural Jihad]

The only thing that bothered me was, "Football coaches are refusing to allow reporters to cover their matches." That sounds like genuine interference with the press. Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

Baloney. Helen Thomas is trying out that shtick, too.

[Weirdad]

Individuals are under no obligation to become involved with people they do not like. If players and coaches and others involved in an extracurricular activity do not want to be involved with this two-bit guy, they do not have to be.

After all, even major organizations like WorldNetDaily had many teeth to pull to be permitted to be involved with White House press briefings. If those is control do not deem a two-bit "newspaper" (that is probably down to under 200 in legitimate circulation now) to be "serious" enough to warrant consideration, so be it.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Press is supposed to have equal access

I don't believe that this is anywhere to be found in the Constitution.

[Revolting cat!]

Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

That's skerry if other people beside you believe this, and I know there are! You mean press "is supposed to have equal access" to my kids pee wee games, to all their school activities, to my private life, and to just about everything else? I trust you can provide legally sound documentation for your educated assertion so that we know.

[ladyinred]

Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that. Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

Oh well, and the press is supposed to be objective and nonpartisan too and they are obviously in violation of that.

[CIB-173RDABN]

The only thing that bothered me was, "Football coaches are refusing to allow reporters to cover their matches." That sounds like genuine interference with the press. Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

---

I sure wished they would teach the constitution in school.

The Constitution prohibits the Federal Government from restricting the freedom of the press, it says nothing that would require a high school coach speak to reporters.

This editor showed a lack of judgment and good business sense when he wrote his editorial, and now he will have to accept the consequences.

[Hat-Trick]

That sounds like genuine interference with the press. Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

Where is it stated that the Press is supposed to have equal access? A free press and an equal access press are two entirely different things. This doesn't bother me a bit. If they are going to go beyond the boundaries of reporting news, then they should demonstrate the courage of their convictions and not be surprised when ostricized by the majority of the community who disagree with their editorial positions.

They'd have that leg to stand on if they didn't shoot it off endorsing candidates.

[Richard Kimball]

The only thing that bothered me was, "Football coaches are refusing to allow reporters to cover their matches."

That's a load of male bovine scatterology. Coach Murphy just won't talk to Nathan, who usually covers the games, because he doesn't like him. Also, it doesn't have anything to do with the endorsement. He got mad at him because of some stuff a long time ago, and hasn't talked to him for a long time.

I still take photos for the paper, and have full access to the sidelines. Nathan still works the press box, and Murphy will talk to anybody else after the game, including reporters from the Iconoclast.

Here are a couple of my shots from this week:

Believe me, I couldn't have gotten close enough to get these shots without the cooperation of Coach Murphy and the staff. How much access do they give me? Here's a locker room shot from a couple of weeks ago.

The link to my game notes is here, http://homepage.mac.com/stephenacook/Crawford/gamenotes.html

BTW, we beat Bruceville-Eddy 48-0 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicates, and are headed to the playoffs undefeated. We've outscored the competition 398-45. This last game the starting QB was 7 of 8 for 194 yards and 4 TDs in the first half. Second team played most of the second half. If anybody wants to follow the playoffs of President Bush's hometown team, go to http://www.crawfordamerica.com. Deport, thanks for the ping to this article. The full, original article I wrote is still posted at http://homepage.mac.com/stephenacook/Random/report.html.

[GeronL]

Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that

Tell that to WorldNetDaily which cannot get a press pass to cover Congress. Last I heard anyway.

[freakboy]

So, if I start a newspaper, do I have the constitutional right to an interview with the President?

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Press is supposed to have equal access...

According to whom? Why shackle yourself with this foolish constraint. If the press is functioning in a clearly biased manner, the right thing to do may well be to deny them access. I'd love to see Bush toss the NY Times, CBS, and CNN from the White House press corps. The nation would be well served by such action. The media would, too, as it would be a wakeup call to scrap the unacknowledged bias.

[broadsword]

That sounds like genuine interference with the press. Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

Supposed to? SUPPOSED TO? From where did you draw that irrelevant operative phrase and apply it here? The press is supposed to have access to football games ACCORDING TO WHOM... YOU?

What a load of crap!

[7thson]

Where is it written that the press has equal access?

[johnb838]

FTM (F--- the Media) They can go screw. This dude should have stuck to running his toy newpaper. You shouldn't let your ideology get in the way of food for your table.

[VRWCmember]

The only thing that bothered me was, "Football coaches are refusing to allow reporters to cover their matches." That sounds like genuine interference with the press. Press is supposed to have equal access, and this is obviously in violation of that.

Sorry, but athletic organizations have the right to determine whether a particular outlet is a legitimate member of the press when issuing press credentials. I doubt that a football coach would grant press credentials to the National Inquirer or The Globe just because they asked for it. If I decided to call myself a member of the press so I could get a sideline pass and access to the players, the coach would have every right to make a determination that I am not a legitimate member of the press and deny my request. The Iconoclast marginalized itself with its political endorsement and made it very easy for anyone in the Crawford area to see that it is not a legitimate member of the press in that community. It revealed its own sleazy tabloid status with that endorsement.

[LexBaird]

Press is supposed to have equal access,

Could you point me to where the Constitution says that? They can publish anything they like, but there is no "right of access", nor "right to readership". There is also no right to be free of the consequences of our decisions, which this editor is now discovering.