It occurred to me after the Arizona Coyotes’ loss in Calgary that it must be difficult for the Phoenix metro sports media folks to “tell it like it is” when the team they cover “underachieves” (tactful and diplomatic for “stinks”). In reality, they can’t and they won’t.
Because of the relationships they’ve cultivated and developed and the trust they’ve earned, those human beings need to remain cool, calm, and collected (and indeed supportive) when all heck is collapsing around the team and its hopes for a successful season comes crashing down. If writers and bloggers want access to those athletes and are able to garner information from them, they can’t very well bad-mouth the very organization and its members that they depend on.