When Life Imitates Art: Sports and the Media's Influence on Reality

[TheFrenzy]

Thinking about this as I read the headlines from the Texas-OU game.

Going back to this summer, the media has continually hinted at Charlie Strong being on the "hot seat"......despite every Texas official and every Texas fan you could possibly talk to saying Strong had their support and the hot seat talk was ridiculous. Even up until kickoff today, the only talk of Strong being in a "must win" position was coming from writers who don't even cover the Longhorns. Now all the headlines are reading that Strong has been "vindicated" with this win and that he's bought himself some time.

How self-referential can we get?

What I really want to ask is: What other "non-stories" has the media created out of thin air and what real-world effects have they had?

[JohnRyno]

Sooo,

A. WTF does this have to do with art?

B. A "sports writer" submitted an opinion piece that an editor thought would gain traction....

http://38.media.tumblr.com/d9361d099a0cb46d4d81651dcbf293e3/tumblr_nj4w33yQAn1tfxxpto1_500.gif

[DalliLlama11]

I was against the hire of Strong the entire time. Think he was overrated. But at the same time, I realize it takes about 4 years for it to become Strong's team since he still has half of Mack's players. We'll see what he can do, but still not a huge fan of him. and I myself am a Longhorns fan.

[lagalaxyfan23]

The media has created an entire non-story about Chip Kelly and has influenced the minds of pretty much everyone. The media loves portraying him as a "mad scientist" in that he's trying to be a mastermind and is trying to innovate the NFL.

I follow the Eagles pretty closely, and I don't remember one time where Chip has ever gone out on record to say that he's trying to change or innovate the NFL at all. He has some unconventional methods for sure, but so does every other coach in the NFL. Each one has his own style and does things differently.

I think people also associate Chip with having a "big ego" just because he likes doing things his way. I don't exactly understand why that's a problem. You don't hire a head coach (and give him GM rights) just to have him do it someone else's way. You hire someone, and you're supposed to put full faith in his abilities. He never brags about his accomplishments or does anything that isn't about the team, so I don't see where this whole "big ego" thing is coming from. I think it's highly media-driven.

I think this entire portrayal of him has had some pretty significant real-world effects. Considering that Chip Kelly is probably one of the most media-covered head coaches in the league along with the way he's portrayed, people hold him to a very high standard. The proof of that is just what has happened in this past three seasons with Chip as head coach. He starts his NFL career off with two 10-win seasons, and in his third season (this season) we're only one game behind in the NFC East race, and people are already making crazy speculations and statements such as him getting fired, coaching at Texas/USC, etc...

I find it pretty funny actually. Unfortunately with the way the media has portrayed Chip, if the Eagles miss playoffs at any time during his tenure here, people are going to be calling for his head for no reason.

[indyguy]

The media has created an entire non-story about Chip Kelly and has influenced the minds of pretty much everyone. The media loves portraying him as a "mad scientist" in that he's trying to be a mastermind and is trying to innovate the NFL.

I follow the Eagles pretty closely, and I don't remember one time where Chip has ever gone out on record to say that he's trying to change or innovate the NFL at all. He has some unconventional methods for sure, but so does every other coach in the NFL. Each one has his own style and does things differently.

I think people also associate Chip with having a "big ego" just because he likes doing things his way. I don't exactly understand why that's a problem. You don't hire a head coach (and give him GM rights) just to have him do it someone else's way. You hire someone, and you're supposed to put full faith in his abilities. He never brags about his accomplishments or does anything that isn't about the team, so I don't see where this whole "big ego" thing is coming from. I think it's highly media-driven.

I think this entire portrayal of him has had some pretty significant real-world effects. Considering that Chip Kelly is probably one of the most media-covered head coaches in the league along with the way he's portrayed, people hold him to a very high standard. The proof of that is just what has happened in this past three seasons with Chip as head coach. He starts his NFL career off with two 10-win seasons, and in his third season (this season) we're only one game behind in the NFC East race, and people are already making crazy speculations and statements such as him getting fired, coaching at Texas/USC, etc...

I find it pretty funny actually. Unfortunately with the way the media has portrayed Chip, if the Eagles miss playoffs at any time during his tenure here, people are going to be calling for his head for no reason.

He is trying to innovate. That's very apparent. You don't see it?

[TheFrenzy]

He is trying to innovate. That's very apparent. You don't see it?

The majority of coaches are "trying to innovate." The difference here is that a coach has had that feature emphasized to such a degree by rather lazy sports journalists (because, hey, it's a lot easier to write about caricatures than nuanced individuals) that it has become his narrative.

We also saw it with:
- Tim Tebow
- Michael Sam
- Johnny Manziel

There's no way Tebow goes in the first round if ESPN isn't giving him a year-round blowjob. Sam is probably drafted a few rounds earlier (though he still would have been a bust) if the media doesn't scare teams off. And who knows how Manziel turns out without the intense media highlighting of his party lifestyle.

[lagalaxyfan23]

He is trying to innovate. That's very apparent. You don't see it?

Explain then?

[RogerGodahell]

What I really want to ask is: What other "non-stories" has the media created out of thin air and what real-world effects have they had?

Deflategate

[indyguy]

The majority of coaches are "trying to innovate." The difference here is that a coach has had that feature emphasized to such a degree by rather lazy sports journalists (because, hey, it's a lot easier to write about caricatures than nuanced individuals) that it has become his narrative.

We also saw it with:
- Tim Tebow
- Michael Sam
- Johnny Manziel

There's no way Tebow goes in the first round if ESPN isn't giving him a year-round blowjob. Sam is probably drafted a few rounds earlier (though he still would have been a bust) if the media doesn't scare teams off. And who knows how Manziel turns out without the intense media highlighting of his party lifestyle.

You blame the media for a team drafting Tebow early, Michael Sam not being drafted sooner, and Manziel's partying?

Ive heard it all.

And no, the majority of coaches arent trying to innovate. Who is doing something different right now?

Chip Kelly wanted the uptempo offense and traded a lot of talent to get the guys he wanted. Its not working out at the moment.

[TheFrenzy]

You blame the media for a team drafting Tebow early, Michael Sam not being drafted sooner, and Manziel's partying?

Ive heard it all.

Actually, I believe I've seen you in the media:

https://sports-images.vice.com/images/articles/meta/2015/02/17/the-latest-nfl-stadium-mess-or-old-man-yells-at-cloud-1424186090.jpg?crop=0.7453125xw:1xh;center,top&output-quality=75

[indyguy]

Actually, I believe I've seen you in the media:

https://sports-images.vice.com/images/articles/meta/2015/02/17/the-latest-nfl-stadium-mess-or-old-man-yells-at-cloud-1424186090.jpg?crop=0.7453125xw:1xh;center,top&output-quality=75

That makes sense if you are posting for your statements. Blaming the media for what teams do. It's laughable.

You've still not shown how this is life imitating art....

Nor did you answer my question...

[lagalaxyfan23]

You blame the media for a team drafting Tebow early, Michael Sam not being drafted sooner, and Manziel's partying?

Ive heard it all.

And no, the majority of coaches arent trying to innovate. Who is doing something different right now?

Chip Kelly wanted the uptempo offense and traded a lot of talent to get the guys he wanted. Its not working out at the moment.

That's not true at all. The uptempo offense has made us a Top 5 offense each of these past two years. It's been very successful. The offense looks a lot different this year and doesn't look anything like it was last year, so I'd hardly even call it up-tempo at the moment. Besides, up-tempo isn't innovate. Teams have done it before.

[TheFrenzy]

That makes sense if you are posting for your statements. Blaming the media for what teams do. It's laughable.

You've still not shown how this is life imitating art....

Nor did you answer my question...

The idea is that the media can create narratives and controversies ex nihilo and these stories begin to have real world consequences.

Take for example what's going on in the Baseball forum over the Chase Utley slide:

It's sad to me how quick and easy people buy u to the media narrative. This is baseball and chase was doing his job. If Tejada isn't doing some spin, he likely doesn't get hurt. He did, though, so the media makes a controversy.

[TheFrenzy]

Or to put it another way, does anyone here doubt that the media - in its need to create viewer interest via scandal and controversy - sways public opinion and effects real-world consequences in the realm of politics?

Scale that idea down some and you've got what goes on all the time in sports.

[JohnRyno]

I also enjoy, among many other parts of your reductionist, pseudo-intellectual gobbledeegook, how you present, "The Media" as a monolithic entity. Like it's, "The Moon."