If a football game was played and a story wasn't in the newspaper the next day, did it actually happen?
The uneasy relationship between collegiate athletics and newspaper reporters reached a zenith this week when Florida International University chose not to provide a media credential to the school's beat reporter of the Miami Herald and the Herald responded by refusing to cover FIU's season opener.
The Miami Herald reported that FIU athletic officials denied the Herald's request for a game pass for reporter David J. Neal, who has covered FIU athletics since 2011. FIU did give credentials to a Herald columnist and a photographer.
According to the Herald, "No explanation was given by FIU, but Neal's access to FIU coaches and athletes had been dwindling for months, to the point where he was no longer permitted to attend football practice or conduct interviews. Last week, when Neal attempted to write a story on the FIU women's soccer team, he was told no one was allowed to talk to him."
FIU later released a statement on the situation.
"We are very disappointed that The Miami Herald has decided not to cover our football home opener, although we have credentialed members of the Herald staff. We did not issue a media credential to the Herald's beat reporter because of concerns we have brought up to the Herald's reporter and editors over the past few years about the reporter's interactions with our student athletes, coaches, and staff and the nature of the resulting coverage. He is not banned from FIU or FIU Stadium. He just does not have additional access beyond that of the public.
"We welcome media coverage of our athletics program that is professional and respectful of our student athletes and our institution.
"We will be meeting with the Herald's leadership in the next few days. We hope to reach a resolution and continue a positive working relationship."
Certainly, FIU's statement will do little to alter the Herald's comment on the matter, which was printed earlier.
"The team does not get to choose who covers the program," Miami Herald Executive Editor Aminda Marqués Gonzalez said of the four pro and two college teams the Herald covers on a regular basis.
"We are the only major media that covers a wide spectrum of men and women FIU sports programs year-round, from baseball to basketball to football to volleyball and soccer," Hirsch wrote. "As far as we can tell, David has done a diligent, thorough job of reporting on the Golden Panthers. Not all of the coverage is positive. Teams win and teams lose. Programs have successes and stumbles. But in our review of his work, we believe it stands up to scrutiny as fair and professional."
Neal told Deadspin.com that the move did not come as a complete surprise.
"Things have happened over the course of the past several months. ... I know there are things that I've written that have pissed them off," Neal said. "I made a video with a montage of FIU's attendance from football games last season, and it showed Pete Garcia got a $19,000 attendance bonus. I wrote a story on Dennis Wiseman (a registered sex offender who threw out a first pitch at an FIU game.) I don't know where it goes from here."
FIU, a member of Conference USA, lost to FCS opponent Betune-Cookman 14-12 on Saturday.
Do you think FIU was justified in denying a credential to the Miami Herald beat reporter and giving credentials to other Herald personnel? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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