Flyers Beat Writers FREAK OUT Over Team Using Instagram to Announce Goalie, Threaten Not to Cover Carnival News

File photo of three Flyers beat writers and one former Flyers beat writer

File photo of three Flyers beat writers and one former Flyers beat writer

YES. YESSS. My new favorite thing is totally old school hockey writers complaining about the Flyers breaking their own non-news on their own outlets from which to break non-news and frivolities. Fucking love it. It’s like old men screaming at people to get off their lawn even though their property has long since been rezoned and there’s not even a lawn there anymore– just a parking lot, a homeless guy and a few Twitter accounts.

Anyway, the Twitter complaining by beat writers over the Flyers announcing their starting goaltender on Instagram was just the beginning on Wednesday. There was also an email exchange among several members of the tribe, bits of which have since made the rounds in this incestuous sports community that is Philadelphia.

I’ve been forwarded portions of the exchange. And they’re glorious, Blue!

An older reporter from one of the city’s largest newspapers kicked things off, from his iPhone:

From: [redacted]

To: [redacted]

CC: [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], [redacted]

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2013 10:33:36 -0400

Subject: Need mtg tonight

This is a fucking joke the way they announced today’s starting goalie

Sent from my iPhone

His counterpart, who covers the Flyers a for network of smaller local papers, replied in chest-thumping agreement. From his Hotmail address:

From: [redacted]

To: [redacted]

CC: [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], [redacted]

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2013 2:29 PM

Subject: re: Need mtg tonight

Yeah … and typical.

Know those public service announcements they disguise as “media alerts” … and all the hype for the Carnival?

Not in the little ol’ [redacted] or any of its many affiliate papers.

Yes, that’s a local reporter threatening not to cover details of the Flyers’ big charity event because he didn’t like the way the team announced its starting goaltender. Reasonable.

Later in the exchange, the original sender explained precisely why newspapers are failing– his papers “spending thousands of dollars” to cover the mostly non-existent goalie battle that no one cares about:

From: [redacted]

To: [redacted]

CC: [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], [redacted]

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2013 9:12 PM

Subject: re: Need mtg tonight

Our papers/webistes followed this team for a month, writing thousands of words on this goalie battle and spending thousands of dollars. (or a million for those who pay Panotch’s wine bill) Hell, the coach even said yesterday to be there at 10:30 to find out.

It was a bush move. If it was during the season, no biggie. But to do it for the opener shows a TOTAL lack of respect for the media.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

It’s unknown if the writers ever lodged an official complaint with the Flyers over the TOTAL lack of respect they were shown. But we’ll let you know if we hear anything.

As for Panotch’s wine bill… good thing Comcast has some deep pockets.

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37 Responses

  1. Redacting everyone’s name is kinda like a player talking to reporters “anonymously”. Doesn’t mean shit unless you put a name to it. Anyone can make up a fake mass email. Yes offense.

      1. Why do youpretend to bea member of the media which you underhandedly rip on a daily basis? I mean you criticizing Philly media is probably north of 75% of this sites content. It’s a joke.

        1. You’re either north of 40 or a fucking idiot.

          Kyle is part of “new media” along with 700level, ZWR, etc. They report on things online, break stories are expert users of twitter, FB, and all the other social vices in our lives.

          People like the old guard who he criticizes frequently, are paid and expect organizations like the flyers to practically do their job for them. feed them a little juice, they fluff it up to 500 words about non-existent news, and congrats one another on a job well done, while their readership declines and the paper loses money. Their job should be to criticize, critique and investigate. Members of the press in general, but specifically Philly, do practically neither.

          Ed Snider and the Flyers are a pretty savvy when it comes to business. They also are part of a media empire, ComcastNBC. So they are experimenting at doing their own controlled press releases is my guess, to determine if they really need the press that much. Turns out, you don’t need them at all. Thats why they’re freaking out, because they are replaceable by something as simple as twitter or Facebook, or even instagram. And they deserved to be criticized for being self-entitled, smug, asshats.

          Cant wait for their expense accounts to be gone and see them on the breadlines.

  2. I’m gonna take a wild guess and say no complaint was lodged. Those cretins wouldn’t have the balls.

  3. In this article: A bunch of mouthpieces get very butthurt when sports team realises it doesnt need them anymore.

  4. So, I’m a little confused (and let me make clear that I’m NOT defending these jackasses).

    We don’t care who wins the goalie battle to be a starter? After 2 fucking YEARS of daily bitching about the goalie, now we don’t care who gets it on opening night? Are you fucking kidding me? Of COURSE the fans care about it, as we should. Holy shit, for as much as you put on the goalie position the last two years, to now not care about it at all… just, holy fuck.

    Secondly… you think maybe the way you and the media just utterly- and unfairly- destroyed Bryz (and the media destroying Carter and Richards), maybe that’s why the organization is giving the finger to these guys?

    The organization knew what they were doing. Sure, expanding social media is a side effect, but have no doubt they want to put these guys in their place. They may be going about it the wrong way- the less access you give, the more bullshit stories you guys are going to contrive. But this is absolutely about the Flyers being sick of the media (and bloggers) in this town and the way they treat the players.

    1. Riiiiiiight. Because the local media in this town are TOTAL vipers out to get the Flyers. Give me a break. This is the most coddled franchise I’ve ever seen. Any mildly perceptive soul would be calling out Holmgren every year for his incompetency. And they treat this “Mr. Snyder” like a head of state.

      1. wahhhhh Flyers are coddled.. wahhhhh… no one gives a fuck about my basketball team… wahhhhhhhh

    2. What I meant was that the battle between Emery and Mason, two mid-level goalies that no one really thinks is a true difference maker, is hardly a big story this year. Anyone who has seen Lavs knows that there’s no way he’s “naming a true number one” out of that duo. Two decent, upside goalies. They’ll both play.

  5. You are such a hack. Every story on this site is stupid. You rip the media, but you’re a member of the media, but you’re not, really. All you do is harass players and make fun of them and spread gossip. This site is so bad that I sit around all day, anxiously waiting to click on every story you post, (thereby paying your salary, btw) so I can immediately comment on it to tell you what a moron you are. Because I am a moron.

    1. Funny you took the time to sit here and criticize, therefore, isn’t this the pot calling the kettle black?

  6. My money is on one of those emails coming from Randy Miller. Oh wait this email exchange is between beat writers. Can’t put Miller in that category anymore…

    1. I heard Randy is staffing the Glory Hole between 7pm – 3am at that NEWS STAND on 73 in Vorhees

  7. What’s worse? Threatening not to go in the first place or threatening not to go but then they all show up since the Flyers’ media all lick Snider’s balls?

  8. Looks like they getting the punished for last season behavior. plus it looks like they are going through the la kings model on how get the news out.

  9. with all the social media out there do the Flyers actually need them? I say shut them out more often this way the story comes out straight and not all screwed up.

  10. PLEASE let me have one of these idiot’s jobs. PLEASE. I will do it for less and do it 10 times better. These guys are assholes and curmudgeons. I mean seriously, how can you cover the Flyers while wearing a Yankees cap and not be a completely tainted jackass. I’m tired of these guys creating the only turmoil these Flyers teams have. I want to see these teams WIN, and constantly worrying about what these toolbags are writing about them in the paper does bother some of the players. I’d rather it didn’t. Now, I’m not saying we need four Dave Spadaros covering the Flyers, but we certainly don’t need this legion of negative fools.

  11. It’s called Social Media… It’s a thing now. I get more of what I want from Dan Carcillo’s Mustache. Interactive media, not traditional print. Who reads the paper? And real classy, you’re not going to cover the carnival because you weren’t respected… For those 6 people that would have read about it.

  12. Let’s stop buying there fucking newspapers , these guys have no respect for nobody they only care about themselves and disturb shit . FLYERS 4 EVER

  13. Sure the Fkyers made it up to them with an upgrade to the meal spread Wednesday night. No worries. These guys can cry all they want but those tissues, for most of them, also function as napkins on gamedays.

  14. Those schlumpy outfits prove that:
    A) These goonies are out of touch
    B) They spend most of their time at Applebee’s.

  15. I love what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and reporting!

    Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve you guys to my personal blogroll.

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