I tried...

Another year, another generous helping of frustration courtesy athletics. With Laura having moved on to other pastures, I was hoping that whatever hatchet she had hanging over her desk with my name festooned upon it would make the trip with her, but I guess it turned out to be university property.

Since everyone and their grandmother seems to hang out at the Zamboni entrance-end of the rink, I made the assumption that it was fair game and started shooting the Harvard game down there. Eventually, Phil asked if I had credentials, and as I did not, I returned to my seat. Okay, so it was established that credentials are needed to be down there. Not for the myriad of uncredentialled folks who hang out down there*, but certainly for me. Guess that makes me special.

Next step: apply for credentials. My first attempt was to apply on behalf of ELynah. This was denied because the NCAA and its member schools "have drawn a line" against issuing credentials to "fan sites." In their eyes, ELynah fits this bill because it "from time-to-time generates original content, but is driven by the message board." But they were quick to add, "If at some point the E-Lynah site changes direction and becomes a primary news site, the request is something we would reconsider." I take great exception to both points.

First, the vast, vast majority of my efforts toward ELynah are on the main site and DB. The message board was added because I felt the previous iteration was being neglected, and that happened years after the main site was established. Furthermore, any public message board will generate more traffic than the parent site. It's the nature of the beast, and I guarantee that's the case for USCHO as well.

Second, ELynah is, first and foremost, a multimedia site: video and photos. Is photography not a legitimate form of media? Last I checked, they award Pulitzers for photography, but athletics maintains that to be credible, you need written news. Photojournalists the word over thank you for your support. Meanwhile, the Ithaca Times gets photo credentials, and about the only coverage from them is on the ice in front of the student sections after the visiting team player introductions.

In all this, I was informed that USCHO is a "different class of web site" from ELynah and since they are far more legitimate in their eyes, they would certainly be issued photo credentials. Well, there's another caveat. They'll issue USCHO photo credentials, as long as it's not for me. Again, a request was made by USCHO, and again, it was turned down (nee, ignored) because it was for me. At the very same time, they issued press credentials to an undergrad with no experience to report for USCHO. Now, this is not meant to be a knock on Avash in any way. I think he's doing an outstanding job and I'm very happy to see the coverage for Cornell, but you can see how this might not sit well with me. Just like when athletics decided no coverage in USACH Magazine was better than coverage in USACH Magazine if I was the one doing it, apparently no photos on USCHO is better than photos on USCHO if I'm the one taking them. It must be nice to get so much publicity that you can turn down coverage on the biggest college hockey resource on the planet. Despite all this, I kept my mouth shut.

As the season rolled on, the webcam product got worse and worse. Despite the way my previous webcam efforts were unceremoniusly dumped in favor of a "more professional" solution, it seemed the "professionals" couldn't tell their ass from their elbow, so I dusted off the old olive branch for one last attempt. I offered to replace i2sports/XMI/Name-of-the-week and retain the current subscription model and 2-camera system, either starting this year or next, and even offered to do a game for free in case they had doubts about the product I could offer. More than a month has passed and they couldn't even be bothered to respond. I have reached the end of my patience with athletics.

The smaller the fish, the bigger the delusions of grandeur. Rather than embracing a free and willing resource, athletics has done everything in their power to squelch it, and I've had enough.


* I couldn't help but notice on Saturday when the only credentialled photographer** who could even be bothered to show up, from the Sun, got chased from standing behind the Zamboni door so, uhh, Phil and Dave (and someone else with a camera who has no credentials but shall remain nameless) could stand there.

** Tim McKinney was there but I don't think he was working.

Even with Ari writting editorials, they still didn't find eLynah to be legit?!?!?

Might it work if folks donating to the hockey program insert an additional clause that specified you be given the 'proper' credentials?

I really couldn't tell you what would work. To be fair, I don't think this has involved the hockey office, though I suppose I could be wrong.

well, if the goal is a backw(oods)ards operation, that's exactly what the Cornell Athletics Dept. is marketing to the world. when/if someone realizes they are hurting (not helping) the University and its teams, we might see a change. with the current staff i wouldn't hold my breath and i doubt we'll see this realization or anything like it in our lifetime.
here's to hoping they don't try to tell the coaching staff how to run their teams.

Do you think petitioning them would help at all? I think you could find plenty of signatures.

I'm quite certain it wouldn't.

I feel for Age because of the blatant discrimination against him when USCHO applied for a credential for him to serve as its photog.

On the other points though, I think Athletics is within its rights. Photogs should be required to have credentials and I think most of us here consider ELynah to be a fan site, not a news site. Although I don't know for sure, I would guess the non-message board stuff at ELynah gets fewer page views per unique user than at USCHO.

Age needs to get someone to moderate a workable solution with Athletics. Someone with an existing relationship with Andy Noel or others in the organization.

[Q]CUlater 89 Wrote:
I think Athletics is within its rights. Photogs should be required to have credentials[q]
Of course they should, but while they're kicking me out, there are 3 other people down there who shouldn't be and nothing is being done about them.

[q]most of us here consider ELynah to be a fan site, not a news site.[/q]
So another vote for photography not being a valid media outlet?

[q]I would guess the non-message board stuff at ELynah gets fewer page views per unique user than at USCHO.[/q]
And I would guess the ratio is quite similar. At least I know half the story.

Is Adam Wodon going to be calling the Clarkson game for CSTV on Friday? Can he put you in for CSTV credentials?

[Q]KenP Wrote:

Is Adam Wodon going to be calling the Clarkson game for CSTV on Friday? Can he put you in for CSTV credentials?
[/q]
somehow i don't think it's about who puts in for the credentials. they have shown an obvious discrimination towards age and IMO this will not change no matter how "legit" the media outlet. remember, USCHO has recieved credentials on a regular basis, and as soon as they put in for it so age could shoot, he was deined. i think their message is clear loud and clear. well, let me rephrase ... loud but there is definitely nothing clear about their logic and/or reasoning (if one can call this reasoning).

Are they worried about Age using the photos for things other than USCHO?

ben03 says:

[Q] they have shown an obvious discrimination towards age and IMO this will not change no matter how "legit" the media outlet.[/Q]


Well I am pretty sure that age discrimination is illegal. On the otherhand, I am not so sure about Age discrimination. Of course, one could consider it a capital offense but I am afraid that you are the guilty party.

WHoa ... that was really really bad. although you do get bonus points for creativity.

I can certainly entertain the possibility that you might have engendered bad enough feelings in the athletics office that you have obtained for yourself a permanent place on the CU athletics blacklist. It would not be the first time you've reacted very undiplomatically and unprofessionally to a situation you didn't like. The first step to getting out of a hole is to stop digging.

Yes, and because they're too petty to get past it, they get no photos in USCHO and a crappy webcam. Sounds like a win-win to me.

Look, I agree: it's stupid. You are a great promoter of Cornell hockey who puts many hours into something you love without them having to pay you for the effort. But bitching about their attitude isn't going to make them any more likely to give you a pass. That's all I'm sayin'. Think more constructively.

I think what we need right now is a good parable. Skip to the end if you want a point and not amusement:

A long, long time ago, in a kingdom far, far, away, a kind, beautiful, and smart peasant girl named Jerseygirl sought employment in the kingdom of what is now known as NBC-Universal. She traveled many miles from her humble abode in the shadow of the ivory towers of Ithaca to a hamlet called Secaucus.

Once there, she was given an audience with a man whose enemies may or may not have dubbed him Lord Poopypants. He seemed a kind and benevolent Lord, and so, when a member of his court offered fair Jerseygirl employment as a humble servant, she duly accepted. The pay was low and the hours were long, but still, Jerseygirl was grateful to have the means to provide for herself so she did not have to make like many others and call Lady Mommy and Lord Daddy for extra pence to spend at the local tavern.

Lo, the first few months were good to the fair maiden. Although she had to complete tasks she felt were beneath her, like call the local coach company constantly to make sure the Lord's coach driver had not gotten into an accident (because then the Lord would be unacceptably late for work), and pick the chicken out of the pasta salad her Lord ate for dinner, she felt welcome in the Lord's court.

Alas, one day, a dark cloud was cast over kind Jerseygirl's employ at the castle in Secaucus. Suddenly, her Lord was tempermental. He stormed past her. He did not acknowledge the research she carefully culled from kingdoms far and wide. She was confused and saddened.

She may have been going crazy, but slowly, it seemed as though her Lord would ask her to complete tasks for him, but then not give her essential information. Having been told by her Lord's closest advisors that it would not be wise to bother the Lord, she did not want to risk bodily harm by asking him to clarify the tasks, and instead, tried to complete them herself. You see, poor Jerseygirl thought that she had simply forgotten what she had been commanded to do.

One day, after being scorned by Lord Poopypants for failing to get him the 10 boxes of organic cereal he had not specified he wanted, and then daring to ask him if he needed alternate travel plans since he was unexpectedly traveling to a faraway kingdom in order to tell the world of a past ruler's death and funeral, humble Jerseygirl had enough. "I do not know what is wrong with me!" she cried. "I used to be smart and happy and pretty, but now all I do is push parchment around, cry myself to sleep, and wear my 'Cornell XL Athletics' hooded garment to work because I don't care enough to wear a real shirt!"

Suddenly, Jerseygirl's Fairy H.R. Godmother appeared. "I have heard your plea, my child," said she. "I can wave my magic wand, and tomorrow, you may leave this hamlet and never return. I shall even compensate you for your hardship. But know this. Should you leave suddenly while your Lord is in a faraway land, you will never be able to return. Now, shall I wave my wand and make it so?"

Fair Jerseygirl hesitated. Should she take the offered pence and leave, she had the deep satisfaction of stealing away suddenly, and without having made coach reservations for the following week. But it meant that no matter how talented a producer she might one day become, the drawbridge to that hamlet in Secaucus would be forever closed. Word of her action would spread far and wide to the kingdoms of Faux News, ABC-Disney, CNN, CBS, and perhaps even the WB. Many courtesans there would probably cheer her, but also wonder, "If she did that to Lord Poopypants, how long until she does that to us?" Jerseygirl knew that everyone in those kingdoms, no matter how benevolent, had long memories and would not turn on one of their own. She knew that she did not have a chance of returning to the kingdom in Secaucus until her friend Sir Anthony the Smooth ruled, and Lord Poopypants had long been driven out by the Neilsen-goths.

Knowing this, Jerseygirl gratefully accepted the Fairy H.R. Godmother's offer. The next day she gathered her meager belongings and bid farewell forever to that hamlet in Secaucus.

And, by the way, she's living happily ever after, and just got a raise and a bonus at her new job.

***Basically what I am saying is, if someone screws me over, there's a damn good chance I'll take a few swipes at them myself. But I realize that the price to pay for those swipes is I forfeit my relationship with that person or organization as long as everyone who remembers the swiping is still around. Fair? No. Realistic? Yup. I particularly hate this issue because there are super cool people on both sides of it who are friends of mine. What amazes me is I am the most malleable of all of them. ***

P.S. What has two thumbs and is going to the Toledo Storm/Boardwalk Bullies action packed weekend Feb 20-21? THIS GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never thought I would say this, but it may be time to dust off the old game worn Cornell sweater. Who's psyched? I'm psyched. Mostly because I'll be drinking for free (kidding!).

so i dont mean to point out something that is likely obvious and not possible but can you not just ask whomever you would ask of such things - "what is going on?"

Not in a whiny-you-are-a-bastard-do-this-now attitude (not that i am saying you would do this), but just bluntly and politely ask them what you are doing wrong preventing you from covering Cornell the way you wish to cover Cornell. Kinda like when I have a patient who isnt adhering to our plan, sometimes asking bluntly what is preventing them from doing what they had agreed to do and had wanted to do leads to a solution.

Do they take a look at the ratio of forum/news type page hits? Would it make a difference if those of us checking into the forum also clicked on the editorial or something similar each time we did so?

Does all this bad blood have anything to do with the partiality that the site displays? I know that this gift to the community is all Age, but maybe if the commentary was limited to just posting, rather than the permanent jabs like references to the Cleary "Jell-O Mold" ?

It'd be a little ridiculous for the athletics office to get so sensitive about these things, unless someone has actually filed a complaint. That sure wouldn't be a first, and neither would over-reacting, either.

The main issue, from what I've heard out of athletics in the past, is that to be issued credentials for sporting events a site/paper/publication has to have a legit and unbiased editorial board.

I wonder if they would extend press privileges to TBRW. I've been running it for 16 years, it is 99% statistical information, it has no message board, there is a healthy percentage of conference and NCAA information along with the Cornell content. If so, I would be more than happy to have Age be the Official TBRW Ithaca Correspondant, or Photographer, or Athletic Department Fluffer, or whatever they deem would entitle him to be ticketed on behalf of the publication.

Again, you don't get any more legitimate than USCHO, and the fact that they turned them down means they wouldn't put my name on a credential, regardless of the source of the request.

How about if *I* become the TBRW correspondent, but get mysterious illnesses each weekend that prevent me from travelling to the games, necessitating finding a last-minute replacement...

Y'know, I kind of like that idea, Age. I like the idea of your trying, as politely as possible, to make an appointment with the current SID or even with Andy Noel, and saying that whatever there was between you and Athletics in the past, you'd like to leave it in the past because that will benefit you and Athletics. Then see if you can start fresh from scratch, ask what you can do not to step on their toes, and then ask how you can help, making it clear that there are specific ways in which you'd like to help that would benefit them significantly.

If that doesn't work, if they really just have it in for you, maybe an open letter to them in the Sun sports section (we could all pitch in a few bucks for a half-page ad or something) calling them out (again, politely but firmly) would be fun.

Beeeej

I can't really bring myself to suggest further prostration to Cornell on Age's (or anyone's part), but the sheer amusement factor of calling Athletics out in the Sun would be worth a small donation on my part.

It is sheer pettiness for Athletics to require anything beyond simple compliance with a given set of 'standards.' Why prostrate oneself to a department that should be unbiased itself? If they cannot answer the question, "What can I do to get proper credentials," in a straightforward manner, they're clearly not doing a good job and should be called out for it, plain and simple.

[Q]Darren Leung Wrote:

It is sheer pettiness for Athletics to require anything beyond simple compliance with a given set of 'standards.' Why prostrate oneself to a department that should be unbiased itself? If they cannot answer the question, "What can I do to get proper credentials," in a straightforward manner, they're clearly not doing a good job and should be called out for it, plain and simple.
[/q]

If they're already being petty and vindictive, why would you think that publicizing it is going to cause an improvement in their attitude? If the point is to get a higher-up's attention, well then why not go there directly?

[Q]Jacob 03 Wrote:

I can't really bring myself to suggest further prostration to Cornell on Age's (or anyone's part), but the sheer amusement factor of calling Athletics out in the Sun would be worth a small donation on my part. [/q]

no need for prostration, just ask "What can I do to get credentials." "Why was I refused credentials."

sometimes to get things you have to swallow your pride. might be better in the long run

[Q]Beeeej Wrote:

Y'know, I kind of like that idea, Age. I like the idea of your trying, as politely as possible, to make an appointment with the current SID or even with Andy Noel, and saying that whatever there was between you and Athletics in the past, you'd like to leave it in the past because that will benefit you and Athletics. Then see if you can start fresh from scratch, ask what you can do not to step on their toes, and then ask how you can help, making it clear that there are specific ways in which you'd like to help that would benefit them significantly.

If that doesn't work, if they really just have it in for you, maybe an open letter to them in the Sun sports section (we could all pitch in a few bucks for a half-page ad or something) calling them out (again, politely but firmly) would be fun.

Beeeej[/q]I'm down with this and would contribute to the ad if things don't go well.

I'd like to see the hatchet buried and Age back in the good graces of Athletics. It would be good for eLynah's patrons, good for Cornell hockey and good for Age's photographic pursuits.

I can see where this would be a bitter pill to swallow, Age, but I think the long-term makes it worthwhile.

In full agreement. I see no reason to run a smear campaign, no matter how odious the receiving end may be. They just don't speak to the facts. Now, if a particular office has chronic and systemic problems relating to students and alumnae, we'd be talking about an issue at least somewhat newsworthy.

Fan / user group / buff sites everywhere run into this problem. Some conferences, conventions, and press boxes have a flat out ban. Others say they don't accredit fan sites then make a few careful exceptions.

Sometimes there are personality conflicts and even when the people on one side go, institutional memory lives on. In technical terms: You're hosed.


One way to bridge the gap would be for a fan site to become more of a timely, dare we say news site. Nothing says USCHO can be the only legitimate source of online Web news about Cornell.

1) Post game stories that night. Can't get into the locker room after the game because you dont have a press pass? Grab the Cornell players as they're coming out and the Colgate coach as he's going in. Or just barge into the Colgate locker room like you belong there.

2) Put up (some) pictures that night, even if it means they're not perfectly color balanced. If you have pictures of the majority of goals and that big fistfight with 2:00 remaining, people will want to see that. You can still put up more, well edited pictures in a second pass. BTW, with longer, better lenses and better lighting now (vs. in Larry Baum's Speed Graphic and flashpowder era), you can shoot from most anywhere in the rink where you can go with just a regular ticket. You could sell those photos to USCHO, too.

3) Break more stuff like Davenport's leaving. Call the guy and ask him why. Then USCHO and the Journal, who can't reach him, have to quote the site and quote the site as quoting Davenport. Call the coach. Coach doesn't respond, say he didn't return repeated calls to his office and home. If you're gonna be a pain the butt, be a high profile pain.

4) Do a better press / media / fan guide then Cornell does and alert the media: USCHO, the beat writers in Albany, Boston, Ithaca as well as the other college papers. Remember, given Cornell's lack of timeliness, the only hockey media will de facto be the best guide through December when Cornell finally gets around to publishing.

5) Do neat and quirky stuff. Ask Pete Shier '78 to write a couple of his observations on the game and post them here. Or to make sure it goes up right away, find him and his kids at this weekend's games, stick a tape recorder in front of him, and ask him to chat about it for 90 seconds.

That's one way. It's gong to require some work. A lot, in fact. So much so you might wonder if it's not just easier to buy season tickets and be done with it.

If not, the site is pretty damn good as it is.

[Q]billhoward Wrote:

That's one way. It's gong to require some work. A lot, in fact. So much so you might wonder if it's not just easier to buy season tickets and be done with it. [/q]

"Age getting free tickets" isn't the issue. I think all he wants is to be able to stand at the glass (where it isn't very crowded and where he isn't bothering anybody) so he can get good action photos for his site without being chased away by certain people. His beef is that he was told that he needs a press credential to stand there, even though there are others allowed to be in that area without credentials.

Also, Bill, in suggesting Age dive full-force into print-media content, you're ignoring Age's point that photojournalists are often given the shaft.

At least that's how I understand it.

What Rich said...

Photographers getting treated poorly by people who are (sometimes barely) in authority is non-news. It falls into the category of dog bites man and is probably applauded by most people who would say in a different time and place, "So what if those horrible camera-men got roughed up a little when Sherriff Connor kept those agitating Negroes from rioting in our streets. Somebody has to keep order in Selma." They bring home unwelcome realities such as that we weren't flat-out winning that conflict in Vietnam. Journalists and photographers exist so that car salesmen and politicians aren't at the very bottom of the respected-profession polls.

Nor is it news that at sports events there are hangers-on who flout the rules that apply to most of the people in the rink such standing in the area behind the glass at the Zamboni end. A bunch of the rules-flouters may be the kids of people working for safety division or the rink or they're on the same youth hockey team as the team trainer's kids. In fact the move-em-on rule probably only applies to people who'd benefit from being there, like uncredentialed photographers.

If you take a time lapse picture of who's there and show it the sports information office, they'll just dislike you all the more for pointing out the obvious. This was the same sports information office that circa 1972 (okay, this is the sins of your fathers, but I'm on a roll here) with a straight face told the female sportswriter for the H*arvard Crimson, "No women in the press box," even as the Cantab scribe standing outside the door to the not over-full press box could see a bunch of athletic department spouses keeping themselves warm inside.

I haven't heard the full history, but if there's a also personality issue involved on top of eLynah being a fan site, then you've probably already found out that while Cornell can't discriminate based on race, creed, gender, gender-preference or color, "don't completely like the guy" is not a constitutionally protected class, especially when it's a marginal call as to whether or not to issue a press pass.

I still think Cornell would benefit from having more, good photos of hockey action up online and credentialing the most active Cornell hockey site wouldn't cause a safety hazard. Meanwhile, I guess you make sure you bring the long telephoto lenses to the rink ... while that lasts. Some pro rinks specifically say you can bring in cameras but not good cameras that might take decent pictures.

So that's why I suggested an alternative that would make it impossible not to be noticed. All at the cost of only, maybe, another 10-20 hours a week out of your life.