
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 16, 1993                   TAG: 9310160298
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ODESSA, TEXAS                                LENGTH: Short

TEXAS TEAM BARS NEWSPAPER

Upset with what he termed "negative coverage," the Odessa High School football coach has barred the Odessa American from dressing rooms and practice fields.

Coach Bill Barron also issued a gag order for his staff and all players.

The newspaper retaliated by running white space where it usually runs Broncho game advances.

The disagreement began last Sunday when the newspaper revealed three Odessa High players, including both backup quarterbacks, had left the team.

Barron had earlier told media members that the departures were "for disciplinary and other reasons."

Barron said that all agreed not to run a story on the matter.

American editors decided before Friday's Midland Lee game, which Odessa won 13-9, to tell readers why some players were not suited up.

"We ran the story partly because the quarterback they were using had been injured several times and the key backup was suddenly going to be gone," managing editor Gary Newsom told The Dallas Morning News. "At the very least, it was of interest, if not important, to the readers."

Barron disagreed with the newspaper's decision.

"I know news is news, but we have so many good kids who don't get covered. I thought it was a negative to cover the ones that we had to discipline," he said.

by CNB