Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The other side of the story

Thanks to Shawn Mitchell for the follow-up.

I give Marcos props for his honesty. I don't agree with what he did, even given the rationale of modesty and I take issue with the story spinning it as him being completely ignored (I didn't, I told him why I was there, and then tried to get back to my job. Also, he was wearing a towel, a perhaps minor, but important detail.) But I appreciate him admitting the basics of the situation.

Also, I'd add that while Marcos may be very soft-spoken normally, he wasn't while he was addressing me.

Thanks also to Eric at the Off-Wing, who fixed a slight discrepancy in his post on the story (he had it as happening in the Galaxy locker room but if there's any locker room that's used to me being around, it's that one).

Eric also asked if the league had responded and here's what I told him:

Yes, they have, actually. The funny thing is that MLS is really a very media friendly league. There are hardly any primadona players who refuse interviews, for example. I've been contacted by league officials and even the commissioner now knows about the situation.

The Crew press people were very apologetic and at the same time, perplexed when they called me, because they said Marcos is a really nice guy, and that there have been women reporters in the Crew locker room before - at least once, they said, and he didn't seem to have a problem.

But they weren't trying to excuse it, and they said they'd talk to him and the entire team as well.

Really, I'm less concerned about an apology, or any disciplinary measures, than I am about it just not happening again.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess I would be curious to hear from Andrea what type if any punishment should be given to Marcos since Dan Courtemanche was quoted as saying "I'm not sure what action will be taken with Marcos.It could be a warning or something stronger." Or is the fact that MLS has advised the team and players that it not happen again enough?

A.C. said...

I'm have no problem with Marcos receiving just a warning, frankly. As I wrote in my post, I don't care about punishment, and I don't really care about an apology (especially if it's a forced one). I just don't want any female reporter to be kept from doing their job.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info. I would say since you and Marcos were the ones involved and you are fine with a warning, then MLS should follow your lead, as well as refresh ALL MLS teams as to the policy.

Anonymous said...

according to the cultural values that I share with you andrea, he was completely out of line, I think he is now learning more about our culture. to fry him in the press as much as you have, and to show so much anger only shows that you are unwilling to try to understand the 'others' point of view, very american of you. He should never have acted that way, but your reaction, and you with all the weapons (press) should not be attacking him so hard. you look hurt, but you also look very mean. signed, Adam, American citizen teaching in Mexico.

L.B. said...

Some general views on how visiting teams work:

There are lots of differences among them. We had one team earlier this year that made us wait outside the locker room because they felt it was too small for anyone but players so the handful of us that waited obliged (begrudgingly). However, that was a problem because although I talked to three players and the coach, I didn't get to talk to the player who scored the game-winning goal because I had to wait and was on a tight deadline. That was very irritating.

Most teams will offer the coach first or tell us that the coach is available in a side room. But if you don't need or want to talk to the coach, then you are free to go try and interview players.

Typically, there is one PR person per visiting team. I can't think off hand of a team that visited Chivas or Galaxy that had two PR people, though there may have been a team.

The policy that almost no team follows (Chivas and Galaxy included) is the 10-minute policy. There is a sign outside each locker room that says the locker rooms will be open 10 minutes after each game by order of commissioner Don Garber, but sometimes it's several minutes past that and the HDC security won't let us in. Usually it's not a big deal because they know, the teams know that they have to open soon so they don't keep us waiting.

A.C. said...

It's amazing how many people have assumed so many things about my character and my motives in this incident.

You're right - I do have a lot of contacts in the press world. I could have made a truly big stink about this very easily.

I didn't. No, I didn't keep quiet about it, either, but my blog was probably the most low-key way to address the whole issue and to also open up a forum on a topic that I personally hoped to never confront.

In Mexico, I hope that you do your best to conform to the expectations there as a courtesy. That's what anyone working in a foreign country should do as a courtesy.

Anonymous said...

thanks for answering my comment, I am a fan of yours, I think your insight and writing are of the highest quality...I suppose that's why you aren't permitted a 'human' side, and that it's shocking to read a writer's (reporter's) anger. I still believe you are a class act, thanks for all your excellent work. Adam, in Mexico.

Murfmensch said...

Where is this culture that doesn't recognize women's equality? Every Latin American country has signed onto UN declarations opposing discrimination against women and every culture has businessess that expect employees to follow their policies. To invoke American imperialism here (which is in fact an American and a global problem) is to trivialize it.

And press is interesting and influential but individual reporters are not powerful. Bueno's point about being kept out fits that point.

MLS is using the press to generate interest in their league. Witness Lalas. Reporters are entitled to respect.