Thursday, May 8, 2008

OBR News-o-rama

OBR News-o-rama

Browns Announce Media Availability

Posted: 08 May 2008 02:03 PM CDT

The Browns begin their Off-Season Training Activities (OTAs) next week. These are essentially "voluntary" practice sessions, where "voluntary" can be translated as "participate is optional despite the likelihood of public and private ostracism for non-attendance".

"Voluntary" is more compact and succinct, don't you think?

In any event, the Browns are allowing the media in one day each week during the next three weeks. The media can attend practices, interview players, and talk to Romeo Crennel on May 14. 21, and 28. So, that's when you'll see Browns stories appear in the local media over the next couple of weeks.

The practices are closed to the public.

- Barry

Yes, the NFL is a Big Meanie, But

Posted: 08 May 2008 10:21 AM CDT

May is a beautiful time of year. It's when cherry trees in Northeast Ohio flower, when lawnmowers and barbeque grills creakily re-emerge for weekend use, and when lawyers in expensive suits emerge from the darkness of their caves and preen in front of fan sites, showering them with gifts of cease and desist letters, as well as various other threats.

The emergence of blogs has created the opportunity for any fan to generate a site celebrating his team in just a few minutes. This is a great avenue for self-expression, and for displaying passion for both your team and your writing.

It also creates lots of targets and work for the lawyers. NFL teams go after any copyrighted images, phrases or terms that they can find. In the case of the Bengals blog listed above, they went after the phrase "Welcome to the Jungle", trademarked team images, and photographs.

The hassling isn't isolated to one team or blog. The above-linked example of a Bengals blog is far from the only one, and I've heard rumors of Browns fans sites getting hit with this sort of thing as well.

As is the case with many lawsuits, there's more than enough foolishness on both sides to go around.

Granted, we've only heard one side of the story, but it seems that the NFL, rather than educating bloggers and webmasters, simply goes after them with a bludgeon, threatening them into compliance rather than educating them on what's allowable and what's not.

It's an act of total arrogance, of course, with the NFL and their franchises doing a great job of turning hyper-dedicated fans into cynical observers.

The NFL and the Bengals don't care, though. They don't need a handful of fans. They're expendable. At least, that's the message I'm receiving.

If I ran that blog, I would probably be upset, too... but... let's face it, there's only so much naivete that one can swallow before starting to choke.

A couple of notes for the blogger, or those who believe the same things he does:

You will not get credentialed. NFL teams will not credential internet-only sites or sites which are not affiliated with a print publication, TV, or radio. The OBR is credentialed because we have a print magazine, which is far more critical than our relationship with FoxSports.com. The only web-only sites I've seen get access to the Browns press box are ESPN and Cleveland Live, the latter which is affiliated with the Plain Dealer and has business relationships with the team.

There are some good reasons for this, including the capacity of media rooms, and professionalism. It's hard enough for professional reporters to come away with the information they need to hit deadlines without wading through a crowd of hobbyists and fans. The sidelines are already crowded with photographers.

When the OBR received credentials, we paid the money and hired reporters and photographers with decades of experience. We had to sacrifice. We had to create a real business model. I can't tell you how many times I've felt personally bashed for running a subscription service. But it's something you have to do if you want to provide news rather than just commenting on it.

As someone who has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing a professional news organization, I guess I wouldn't be happy if every blogger who asked was allowed to drop a "media" badge around their neck. Expecting teams to credential you because you run a blog simply isn't realistic.

Teams don't need the "publicity" from a blog. I don't even to need to expound on this. The NFL doesn't need you. They're clumsy for ticking you off with ham-fisted legal threats, and it doesn't help their image, but their bottom line isn't impacted by your blog one bit. Half the local papers could drop coverage for the AP wire and I doubt it would impact them at all. If you need more information on how this works, even with credentialed news organizations, read this.

A publicly available image is not in the "public domain". I see this everywhere. Bloggers confuse being able to surf to an image on the internet with it being available for their use. It's not. On the OBR, we pay money to the Associated Press and Getty Images for licenses to use their images. That doesn't mean carte blanche, either - the licenses are fairly strict.

I can't tell you how many fan sites or blogs feel they can get around this by "thanking" the photographers for the images. They don't want your appreciation - they want your MONEY. If you want the rights and privileges of professionals, then act like professionals. Don't steal copyrighted images and licensed trademarks. If you have borrowed one and are asked to take it down, then do what's right.

I see "fan sites" littered with ads and stolen photos. They're just asking for it.


In other words, get real.

As someone who started in this business with an unabashed "fan site" in 1996, I can understand all the feelings you have when the team you love seems to turn against you.

But you have to go into this with your eyes open. NFL clubs are more than just businesses - they're local monopolies who have no problem driving the demand for their product. If you want to run a fan blog, you'll need to compromise frequently, particularly if you try to profit through it in some way.

If you want more than that, then be prepared to do more. Be prepared to jump into it as a full-time vocation and spend a lot of money carving out a niche against well-heeled and sometimes brutal competitors who will do everything they can to hide your existence from fans.

As someone who has changed his economic standing to chase his dream, I can attest that it is not for the faint-hearted. I've thought about getting out many times. You can invest years and your life savings and still be flicked away like a gnat.

The sports media business is like any other - it is not a hobby, and it does not reward naivete.

Browns Rookie Cap Set

Posted: 08 May 2008 08:56 AM CDT

Leave it so the perspicacious folks at Viking Update to point us to how little the Browns have to spend this year to sign their rookies.

The Browns, for obvious reasons, have been given less money to spend than any other team in the NFL, with only $1,789,980 allocated to the rookies. The Vikings are 31st, with $2,055,780. The Kansas City Chiefs and their 12 drafted rookies, get $8,221,790 to sign their guys.

Here's the complete list, per ESPN:

Team    Picks     Pool KC 	12 	  $8,221,790 ATL 	11 	  $7,918,670 MIA 	9 	  $6,538,400 STL 	8 	  $5,997,510 CHI 	12 	  $5,791,190 CIN 	10 	  $5,555,750 CAR 	9 	  $5,371,570 BUF 	10 	  $5,351,820 BAL 	10 	  $5,045,770 NYJ 	6 	  $4,903,030 DEN 	9 	  $4,877,060 DET 	9 	  $4,815,910 WAS 	10 	  $4,543,890 NE 	7 	  $4,344,990 NO 	6 	  $4,295,240 PHI 	10 	  $4,256,320 OAK 	5 	  $4,119,700 DAL 	6 	  $4,095,120 GB 	9 	  $4,076,190 ARI 	7 	  $3,919,230 TEN 	7 	  $3,822,960 JAX 	5 	  $3,721,960 PIT 	7 	  $3,719,450 TB 	7 	  $3,699,370 SEA 	7 	  $3,674,960 NYG 	7 	  $3,521,820 HOU 	6 	  $3,477,820 SF 	6 	  $3,413,020 IND 	9 	  $3,305,300 SD 	5 	  $2,627,940 MIN 	5 	  $2,055,780 CLE 	5 	  $1,789,980

Bye-Bye Baba, Bye-Bye

Posted: 07 May 2008 10:02 PM CDT

Unlike a lot of football players, Babatunde Oshinowo has a lucrative career to fall back on. The mammoth lineman from Stanford managed to get himself a degree in Electrical Engineering. That education may come in handy, as Oshinowo has been released by the Bears.

Then again, your humble OBR webmaster has a couple of electrical engineering degrees (BS '84, MS '86) and I spend my days formatting stuff like this into HTML. Bracket - slash P - Bracket.

Come to think of it, Baba, you better get back into the gym. Certain doom may await.

BearReport.com points to the selection of Marcus Harrison in the draft as the key reason for Oshinowo's release.

Here's the press release we got from the Bears earlier today:

BEARS RELEASE TWO PLAYERS

LAKE FOREST, IL - The Chicago Bears released defensive tackle Babatunde Oshinowo and guard Mike Jones today.

Oshinowo was elevated to the Bears active roster for the final three weeks of the 2007 regular season, appearing in one game, after being signed to Chicago's practice squad in Week 2. Oshinowo entered the NFL as a sixth round selection (181st overall) of the Browns in the 2006 NFL Draft. The Stanford product has appeared in two games in his NFL career, recording two tackles.

Jones spent the final seven weeks of the 2007 season on the Bears practice squad after entering the NFL out of the University of Iowa as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers.

Billy B: This Ain't Good

Posted: 07 May 2008 09:55 PM CDT

As I noted in a message to the OBR Twitter feed earlier this evening, it looks like Bill Belichick has got a lot of trouble heading in his direction. The New York Times is reporting this evening that Matt Walsh has handed over eight tapes to the NFL showing how opponents signals were taped by Belichick and the Patriots between 2000-2002.

Reporter Greg Bishop describes what's on the tapes and it doesn't sound really good for the one-time Browns coach.

One of the games taped was apparently a Browns game. Remembering that era, I think the operative question is "why?".

"Spygate" has ebbed in the public consciousness of late, but this will bring it to the fore again, and Matt Walsh suddenly seems a bit more credible than he did in the past.

The Scout network has played a non-trivial role in this, as Jets Confidential editor Dan Leberfeld was instrumental in breaking the Spygate story. There a non-tangential tale of front-office pettiness from Foxborough that is likely related to this, which I may tell at some point in the future.
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