Canadian Press - 8/27/2003
MONTREAL (CP) - Reporters covering the Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes boycotted the CFL club Wednesday, a day after head coach Don Matthews refused to talk to reporters.
The sports editors of the Montreal Gazette, Journal de Montreal and Montreal La Presse as well as the French-language all-sports television channel RDS decided together to skip the team's practice.
It was not certain if the boycott would extend beyond one day, although all are expected to cover the team's game Friday night in Ottawa. RDS is to broadcast the game.
Alouettes spokesman Louis-Philippe Dorais said team officials would meet with the editors to "see what we can do.
"Right now, we support our coach," he added.
The Alouettes lead the CFL at 9-1, but there has been tension between the media and Matthews since last season when he barred reporters from the locker-room on practice days after accusing one of reading internal team memos.
The locker-room ban remains in effect.
On Tuesday, Matthews declined to attend his regular meeting with the media.
A spokesman said the coach was angry that reporters went to question general manager Jim Popp after he had already explained to them the reason defensive tackle Adriano Belli was absent from practice.
Matthews said Belli still had symptoms of a concussion suffered weeks ago, but he has not been seen since he got into a fistfight with teammate Marc Megna in practice after returning from the injury.
RDS was also not happy that Matthews reportedly gave a light shove to one of its sideline cameramen during a game Aug. 16 in Hamilton, accusing him of stealing the coaches' signals.
"It's nothing against the players," said David Arsenault, who covers the team for RDS. "They've always been great with us. "It's just the media policy of the team and how Don acts with us that we're not happy with."
Matthews is the most successful coach in CFL history, with 195 regular season victories and five Grey Cups.
MONTREAL (CP) - Reporters covering the Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes boycotted the CFL club Wednesday, a day after head coach Don Matthews refused to talk to reporters.
The sports editors of the Montreal Gazette, Journal de Montreal and Montreal La Presse as well as the French-language all-sports television channel RDS decided together to skip the team's practice.
It was not certain if the boycott would extend beyond one day, although all are expected to cover the team's game Friday night in Ottawa. RDS is to broadcast the game.
Alouettes spokesman Louis-Philippe Dorais said team officials would meet with the editors to "see what we can do.
"Right now, we support our coach," he added.
The Alouettes lead the CFL at 9-1, but there has been tension between the media and Matthews since last season when he barred reporters from the locker-room on practice days after accusing one of reading internal team memos.
The locker-room ban remains in effect.
On Tuesday, Matthews declined to attend his regular meeting with the media.
A spokesman said the coach was angry that reporters went to question general manager Jim Popp after he had already explained to them the reason defensive tackle Adriano Belli was absent from practice.
Matthews said Belli still had symptoms of a concussion suffered weeks ago, but he has not been seen since he got into a fistfight with teammate Marc Megna in practice after returning from the injury.
RDS was also not happy that Matthews reportedly gave a light shove to one of its sideline cameramen during a game Aug. 16 in Hamilton, accusing him of stealing the coaches' signals.
"It's nothing against the players," said David Arsenault, who covers the team for RDS. "They've always been great with us. "It's just the media policy of the team and how Don acts with us that we're not happy with."
Matthews is the most successful coach in CFL history, with 195 regular season victories and five Grey Cups.
