Comments on: Friday Links and Randomness

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:08:21 +0000

Which is what I’ve been trying to do more of, with the “Top ten” posts – just linking the very best stuff each day. I can see what you’re saying, but don’t I still have to speak up occasionally when there’s stuff I really don’t like?

By: mandb97

mandb97 — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:14:34 +0000

With the New York Times looking like they are definitely going to charge for their content at the end of the year, which of course means the Globe will as well, you will have no problem ignoring Shaughnessy and Mazz. Since Larry Dolan, the genius who runs the New York Knickerbockers, has gone to a pay format a few months ago. A whopping 36 subscription have been sold for Newsday online content.

By: VaTaHa

VaTaHa — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:12:35 +0000

Glad to see my “reality check” provoked such an outpouring of commentary. On the other hand, sorry to see most of it was based on misunderstanding of what I meant…which was this: If you’re claiming Boston sports media as your turf, getting negativity thrown in your face every day goes with the territory. And I really don’t know that complaining about it does any good. Like that scorpion who hitched a ride on the back of the frog to get across the river, they do what they do. It’s their nature. Speaking of which…Danny-Boy’s torch is passed to Peyton piece this morning…I mean how utterly predictable was that? But pointing that out to the guy does no good. He’s like a kid in seventh grade who can’t wait to interrupt class with another fart noise. He relishes the negative reaction. I think the only fix is to link to the hardworking guys (Reiss!) and ignore the bozos unless or until they start to bring more to the party than their wise little asses.

By: Angry Old Bastard

Angry Old Bastard — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:20:23 +0000

right on, Tony….and isn’t that “the game” for 98% of the Boston Sports media?….to “tweak” the fans?….to “rile up” the fans?….it’s so tiring. That’s why Mike Reiss stands alone. Reiss has been critical of the Pats at times but he does it in a RATIONAL manner and backs it up with SOLID FACTS. I have no problem with that. ….It’s these screaming numbnuts like Felger,Mazz etc.. that I can’t stand. I don’t even believe their “opinons”….I look at those guys as actors who are playing a part. They are just doing their shtick. They look at themselves as “entertainers” not reporters….It amazes me how many people buy their act.

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:54:30 +0000

Bruce, here’s another storyline I’ve already seen covered about 10 times since the conference title games ended two weeks ago: “Sorry Pats fans, but Manning is better than Brady.”

Shank was the latest to chime in on Saturday morning.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with stating that if you legitimately believe it, but in the case of Shank, Mazz and a few others, you know they’re just saying it to rile up the Pats fans.

The funny thing is that two years ago in the wake of 16-0 and the 50-touchdown pass season, before the disaster in Glendale and then Bernard Pollard, that statement would have seemed utterly ludicrous, and these mediots (except for maybe Borges) wouldn’t have felt emboldened enough to write a story like that. Now, with the Patriots rebuilding and with Brady just a year removed from having his left knee put through a blender (and on his 3rd or 4th offensive coordinator since 2004); and with Manning in the Super Bowl for a second time (still two times less than Brady and still playing more than half of his games inside a dome, by the way); they now all feel “brave” enough to tweak Pats fans with this tired old storyline.

Typical.

By: Classless

Classless — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 04:06:36 +0000

Bruce mentions his points because the agenda of the media down in Miami is clear: they are looking for all the “chicken little” and negative quotes from ex-players so they can run on the radio and say “I told you so! I told you they shouldn’t have traded Seymour/cut Thomas/sent Adalius home!”

Besides, why are they bothering the Super Bowl participants with Patriots related questions anyways? They have no bearing on the Super Bowl and frankly I could care less what their opinions are.

By: Angry Old Bastard

Angry Old Bastard — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:10:48 +0000

“I’d rather come to your sight being steered to quality sportswriting and interesting articles, etc”

…LMAO…from Boston sportswriters??….seriously, Bruce does that all the time. Check out Wednesday’s blog where he lists the “Top Ten of the morning”…….as far as the “complaining and negativity” It’s called holding the media accountable and it’s the reason this site is so popular.

By: JonnyApps

JonnyApps — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:18:46 +0000

Bruce,
I agree about those storylines and topics would definitely read them. They’re fresh and insightful and offer more than the standard tired, cliche driven, reaction sportswriting.

I think that those story ideas are more likely to be written in the offseason…not during the season, when we’re reacting to the previous weeks game and looking ahead to the next game.
Mike Reiss and others have written or at least touched on some of those topics recently…i’m not sure exactly when.

I’m just saying that if a catastrophic injury occurs, like the Welker injury, of if a horric, embarrassing playoff loss happens, i don’t mind reading about the analysis and reaction for a few days. I don’t want to be reading about it a week later, but writing about it on Tues or Wed after the injury or loss is completely in bounds, imo.

I get it. You don’t like most of the sportswriting/blogging/reporting in this town and think they all write about the same old stuff and take the same old viewpoints and approaches to articles(shaughnessy).
I’d rather come to your sight being steered to quality sportswriting and interesting articles, etc…not to hear the complaining and negativity about how this sportswriter sucks and that article was terrible and how substandard the boston sports media is around here.

By: Angry Old Bastard

Angry Old Bastard — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:33:22 +0000

Bruce, come on now. We are talking about the BOSTON sports media here. Those kind of stories would take WAY too much work and effort from the local hacks……not to mention there is not nearly enough DRAMA for them in those stories. They like to create their own “storylines” such as, “WHY IS RANDY MOSS ALWAYS LOAFING!!!??……”BRADY WAS SEEN WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH GISELLE!..WHY ISN’T HE STUDYING HIS PLAYBOOK!!?? HAS HE LOST HIS PASSION FOR FOOTBALL?…..IS NEW ENGLAND STILL AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE FOR FREE AGENTS!??…THEY HAVEN’T WON A SUPER BOWL IN 6 WHOLE YEARS!……

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:35:08 +0000

1) Where is the NFL headed in terms of style of play, and how do the Patriots fit into that future?

2) An in-depth look at the rules that will be going into effect in the uncapped year, and how that might impact the 2010 roster. For instance, rules like this (Article 19, section B)

In the event that an Unrestricted Free Agent has not signed a Player Contract with a Club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, in the League Year following the expiration of his last Player Contract, he may negotiate or sign a Player Contract from July 22 until the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m. New York time, only with his Prior Club, provided that the Prior Club by June 1 has tendered to the player a one year Player Contract of at least 110% of either (a) his Prior Year Salary (if his expiring Player Contract is not a Player Contract he entered into as a Rookie), or (b) his Paragraph 5 Salary (if his expiring Player Contract is a Player Contract he entered into as a Rookie, without renegotiation), in each case with all other terms of his contract identical to his prior year’s contract.

3) What assets do the Patriots currently have on their roster, and how would they best be utilized?

4) Historically, what percentage of teams have run a 3-4 front? Did these trends run in spurts? With so many teams jumping on the 3-4 bandwagon, the Patriots are competing for players with more teams. How can they keep their version fresh?

5) The differences in the offensive style prior to 2007 and from that point until now…pluses, minuses of both.

Those are five stories that I would read. Off the top of my head.