As sports teams go, the Eagles are known to reporters as being the organization that complains the most about coverage and threatens to block access, or otherwise intimidate press outlets. The newest example of this could be the team's most brazen and apparently sucessful campaign of intimidation thus far.
Sources say that the Eagles front office approached Comcast SportsNet and said that the team didn't want John Gonzalez covering the team in any fashion. Gonzalez, who left the Inquirer for CSNPhilly.com over the summer, hasn't said a word about the team on the website, or posted about the Eagles on Twitter, where his musings have included football games such as Temple/Penn State coverage.
Gonzo, as he was dubbed at the Inquirer, declined to comment, and referred our inquiry to Comcast SportsNet spokeswoman Maureen Quilter, who said, "Comcast SportsNet and CSNPhilly.com have plenty of Eagles coverage with Ray Didinger and Reuben Frank on the digital side and Derrick Gunn on the TV side . . .. If we need John to write about the Eagles he will."
Asked again, specifically, whether the Eagles had complained about Gonzalez, Quilter replied: "We talk with all the teams, including the Eagles, all the time. And as a good business practice, we don't share those conversations with the public."
If Gonzalez upset the team, it likely was through his Inquirer columns. Asked if the Eagles had ever complained about Gonzo, Inquirer sports editor John Quinn said, "Every organization at some point complains about coverage and columnists."
Eagles spokesman Rob Zeiger says that the team "made no such request" about Gonzalez not covering the team.
If it is true that the Eagles demanded parameters be set for coverage by Comcast and Comcast took it under consideration, then shame on Comcast and and shame on the Eagles. This would be a lot worse than the fact that the Eagles have not won a championship since Dwight David Eisenhower was US president. It would be sad for sports fans throughout the region.— psubrian- It's well known that the eagles throw a hissy fit if they don't get first billing in the local media. It's hard to support a team that refuses to share the spotlight with fellow city teams.— Pelti
- Gonzo's stuff was so lame in the Inqy, maybe that's why the Eagles didn't want him covering them.— jimmymack
- The Eagles consistently put out the same product - pretty good team with major holes that can't win the title. Why waste Sunday investing time and energy into a team that won't win because they have a great business model and don't need to change anything? I'd rather go for a nice walk with the family.— 1stTimeCaller
- Must be a Mormon thing— NewMick314
- gonzo is a hack. his wife must have gotten him the CSN job.— main liner
- It's hard to support either side in this dispute. What I can support is Dan's sharp new look in his profile picture. Very professional.— Roger Podacter
- This is a huge, front page story. The eagles Mgt. is blocking our First Amendment rights! Commissioner Goodell needs to investigate this and if true take dramatic action again Lurie, Banner, and anyone else involved in the action and cover up (Quilter). Maybe we will then have local, non carpetbagger ownership that respects our fans and our city.— Earl J
- Earl. How is the Eagles management blocking YOUR First Amendment rights? Gonzo is free to shout his opinion from every rooftop without fear of retribution. He's even free to publish it, albeit independently or for another media outlet. And you're still free to throw misguided constitutional arguments into your Tantrum Blender and spray them onto this comments section. Just express your discontent with the ownership and management plainly. Don't get too fancy.— Roger Podacter
- I live and die by the Birds (the team, not the carpetbagger owners). The free press is my prism into the daily goings on with the team. When Eagles ownership and CSN collude to make the press representation either biased, minimized (not all views) or have them intimidated from writing anything negative we don't get many of the real stories. Not fancy but actually pretty simple stuff and why it was important enough to be the First Amendment of our Founding Fathers.— Earl J
- Good point. Those Founding Fathers did love themselfs a rollicking good game of "The Foote Ball" and thirsted for all manner of inside knowledge about those teams...which were owned by private business enterprises.— Roger Podacter
- Funny how Comcast won't even cover a story about itself. If Comcast was not involved, it would be complaining. Comcast is way too big and should be broken-up under anti-trust laws.— ejp-bjje
- People thing the first amendment means they can say anything at anytime with no consequence. Ever actually read it? "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The First Amendment protects freedom of speech from the government. It's got nothing to do with communication between or about two private entities. (like say a reporter and a sports team).— JettMartinez
- they ban Gonzo BUT they let the guy that looks like the Burger King sit on Andy's lap the entire game.
KING~out— thee~KING - All of the teams here have "talking heads" for broadcasters. Comcast doesn't tolerate criticism of the local teams they cover. Apparently, the Eagles feel the same way. Their rich track record of success apparently gives them this privlidge. There is much to be said for the mute button.— richw38
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