MVN - Most Valuable Network

Ten Questions-Plus with Oakland Raiders beat writer Jason Jones

Jason Jones makes a special appearance in the Dark Side

After an eventful week, we at TFDS are pleased to present a new edition of Ten Questions-Plus with an Oakland Raiders beat writer. You may recall that the first in the series was with Jerry McDonald. In that article, we explained that the pounding by the media to interview officials after a game gave us this idea. Hey, we think there would be some value to that, especially after a Raider game. What about the Raider Nation asking some questions to the guys writing the stories?

That’s what this is. What we’ve done is devise ten questions that we intend to ask them all, followed by a few that’s just for that reporter. We hope to be able to bring you all of the Oakland Raiders writers in the future as well. We’re going to let you guys do the follow up. So if we haven’t nailed the questions that you’d like asked, we encourage you to let us know what it is you’d like us to follow up with. We’ll do our best to get those answers at a later date.

Many in the Raider Nation will agree that it’s difficult to find a writer that can be objective, let alone be biased in the Raiders favor. For this reason, reporters that are able to accomplish this seemingly minor task of objectivity are well regarded by the fans that follow the silver and black. Few reporters have obtained the respect of Raider Nation like this reporter, and lucky for us he was kind enough to answer some questions.

This reporter runs a blog called, Raiders Blog And Q&A - News, observations and reader questions about the Oakland Raiders. He reports and Blogs for the Sacramento Bee, and he does it with a flavor that isn’t found anywhere else. Unlike most reporters in the media, he’s not afraid to tell his readers his opinions and let them know that they are just that, opinions. That doesn’t stop him from being meticulous with the facts, and it isn’t uncommon for him to report it when the facts aren’t being reported.

This is why, it’s our privilege here at TFDS to introduce you to Jason Jones. We’d like to thank Jason Jones for taking the time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions which give us a better view at what it’s like to cover the Oakland Raiders. We hope you all enjoy it as much as we did.

1. What was it that led you into becoming a journalist? How long have you been at it now?

Growing up someone told me to find something I liked and make a job of it. I’ve been an avid sports fan as long as I can remember and have always enjoyed writing and talking about sports. And I wanted to find a way to watch sports for free. I knocked those out with this gig. Plus, I actually get paid to watch football. What’s not to like about that? I started in print journalism my senior year at Cal. It was something I did in high school, but I had this crazy idea I wanted to be on sports talk radio before realizing writing is where I wanted to be. I joined the Sacramento Bee as an intern in 2002 after graduate school at Cal and I’ve been there since. I started covering the Raiders part time in 2005 and took over full-time in 2006.

2. Growing up, what were your favorite teams? Favorite players?

I grew up a BIG Laker fan. Magic Johnson was my idol and I cried back in middle school when he retired in 1991. The Dodgers and Lakers remain my two favorite sports teams. I was spoiled growing up, especially by 1988 when the Lakers and Dodgers won championships. I thought my teams were supposed to be in contention every year. I was a big Raider fan growing up in Southern California. Howie Long is still one of my all-time favorites along with Reggie White. I sat in shock watching the 51-3 AFC Championship loss to Buffalo and was young enough to believe Todd Marinovich was the future of the franchise. I also liked the Eagles because of White and Randall Cunningham, who played quarterback with a flattop haircut.

3. How difficult is it to be objective without letting any personal feelings get in the way of your reporting?

It’s not hard if you’re reporting the facts. It’s not fun detailing the mishaps of players you come to know personally and like, but if you’re telling the truth and not getting personal, they usually understand. I get along with a lot of players on defense, but there’s no way I couldn’t write about poor tackling against the run. And my childhood feelings about the Raiders died when the team moved back to Oakland when I was in high school so I’m not torn about cheering for them (except for anyone that attended Cal: Go Nnamdi, Mark Wilson and Adimchinobe Echemandu).

4. Is the Raiders ‘veil of secrecy’ real or perceived in comparison with any other football team? With the ‘Spygate’ scandal, do you feel that will only cause teams to be more secretive? As a writer, how does that affect your reporting?

It’s real, but it’s not a big deal to me. The Raiders don’t go out of their way to tell you anything but the bare minimum. There’s no press conference or conference call with new players for the most part. But you learn to deal with it rather than complain about how other teams operate. When I visited San Diego before the playoffs after the 2006 season, there seemed to be a completely different atmosphere when it came to the media. For example, I was able to speak with Chargers general manager A.J. Smith on the phone for a story because he wasn’t available when I was in town. The Raiders really don’t have a GM and Al Davis isn’t always available, though I know some writers have been able to arrange phone interviews. Are the Raiders different? Sure. But it’s not impossible to get the job done. You just have to be creative sometimes.

5. What do you think about the proliferation of sports blogs, where anyone with a PC and an Internet connection can comment on the stories of the day? Is there room for bloggers to have press access?

I have no problems with blogs. There are good and bad blogs, but there are also good and bad journalists. I don’t think it would be wise to give anyone with a blog press access because that would lead to anyone with an Internet connection applying for access and that could be trouble. But those with established followings or from reputable sites, I’d have no problem with them having access.

6. What have been your favorite and least favorite moments in your time covering the Raiders?

Favorite moment … that’s tough considering my first full season was a 2-14 campaign. But I’d go with a story from that season. The Raiders were 0-5 and Colleen Dominguez from ESPN was there for a story. And whenever ESPN shows up, they like to make sure they’re mic is visible and dominate the interview session with the coach. Art Shell pretty much shut her down, especially when she asked for his thoughts on a winless season. Art rarely got animated, but he was pretty tough on Colleen that day. I’d throw in Art dogging Mike Lombardi after he demoted Tom Walsh. He wouldn’t mention Lombardi by name, but everyone knew those two didn’t get along and Art only calling him the “fox in the hen house” was hilarious.

My least favorite moment is hard to pinpoint. It was tough watching a lot of really good guys go 2-14 in 2006. Not that I had a personal interest in any particular player, but there’s only so many ways to ask what’s wrong with a team that finishes with the worst record in the NFL.

7. If you had a Hall of Fame vote, which former Raider would be the first that you’d vote for?

Ray Guy. I’m not old enough to have seen him play, but anyone who was the best at their position – regardless of position – is a Hall of Famer. If a punter can’t go into the Hall of Fame, punters shouldn’t be on NFL rosters.

8. When you’re done reporting, what is the one thing that you’d hope people would say about you or your career as a journalist?

That I told the truth. Also that I somehow used this profession to become insanely rich. I still haven’t figured out how to do that yet.

9. What are the most and least difficult tasks associated with covering the Raiders?

Most difficult would be securing one-on-one time with players. Because the players aren’t always available, when one is, everyone rushes him. Sometimes getting a one-on-one interview means leaving a group session with an important player like JaMarcus Russell to secure that time. I try to make sure I’m not writing the same story everyone else writes week-to-week, which isn’t easy when there might be only five players in the locker room over an hour period of availability.

The least difficult task is watching the game. Sure, the teams aren’t always good and the football isn’t always the best, but I’m watching football. If I can’t have fun with that, I need to find a real job.

10. How many wins do you think the Raiders will have at the end of the coming season?

I think seven wins is a realistic mark with 8-8 not completely impossible. The team probably should have won six or seven last year. To go from two wins in 2006 to close to or at .500 in 2008 would be a great step in the right direction.

PLUS (Like we’ve told you before, we can’t leave well enough alone)

What affect if any do negative comments have on you as a writer?

• Have you ever responded to any of them?

I have no problem with someone disagreeing with something I write. Sometimes I can see their point of view and see something I missed. I’ve responded a few times to personal attacks or someone questioning if I’m making things up. But I was told a long time ago, not everyone would agree with me.

Anyone that’s read your blog knows that you are a big-time Laker fan:

• NBA Championships - Lakers in…?

Lakers in 6…They split in Boston, take 2 of 3 in L.A. and close it out on the road. Can I amend that Lakers in 5? No way they lose at home. ((Editor’s note - This question was asked and answered prior to any game being played.))

• Shaq or Kobe?

I’ll take Shaq over Kobe just because I’m always partial to the big man. But it’s close. Now that Shaq is gone and if Kobe wins a few rings; that might change. But I’ll always have love for Shaq for putting the Lakers back on the NBA map.

• Kobe or Magic?

Magic, hands down over Kobe. Five titles, and he’s the face of the NBA I grew up on. Plus, have you been to his movie theater. Gotta love that leg room.

• Favorite Celeb-Laker fan?

((crickets chirping…Mr. Jones left this without an answer, so we’ll take that as a no comment or a no kidding - Jack Nicholson/Snoop Dog/etc…ah, we’ll stick with the no comment for now.))

• Do you buy into the conspiracy theory about Jerry West giving the Lakers Paul Gasol before retiring/quitting?

I don’t buy into the West conspiracy because the Bulls could have had Gasol before the Lakers. Also, it wasn’t the first time a good player has been traded to clear salary cap space. Remember Vince Carter? What about Baron Davis?

• Admit it, you bought in to last year’s ‘We Believe’ Warriors didn’t you?

I believed the Warriors were hot and the Dallas Mavericks had one of the worst gameplans against a No. 8 seed in league history. But you won’t find a ‘We Believe’ shirt hidden anywhere in my closet. It’s all purple and gold for me.

That’s alright Jason, We Believe In You.

Just changing it up here at TFDS

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 7th, 2008 at 1:34 am and is filed under 2008, Jason Jones, TFDS Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.