Ask Tim Graham, version 2.0

[The Dean]

Dude brings his own bottle to a bar and you think he's gonna buy a game ticket?

 

 

 

I'm guessing Ralph didn't invite Marshawn to his box, the way Lurie did Vick. Lynch may not have been aware that it was OK to come to the game, or he may have felt the team didn't want him to come if they didn't make special arrangements. Who really knows?

[Beerball]

Quick couple of questions for you TG...simple questions...hopefully not stupid..

 

Edwards TD pass to Evans appeared to be an audible. To those of us watching he (Edwards) tapped his heal as a signal to the WRs.

 

So, was the heal tap a ruse or did it indicate what routes the WRs were supposed to run?

 

If it was a signal to the WRs...how often do teams change these up so that the defense doesn't know what to expect?

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Tim,

 

I know you will probably not respond to this until after the game, but I have to know-

 

I noticed that the NFL Countdown crew made it a point to ask if the weather would give the Saints more problems or would it be the Buffalo defense. Isn't that unfair to take away from the Bills' defense if they do do well? If the Bills do manage to stunt the Saints attack or even win the game, then I feel that the weather has been put out there as an excuse.

 

Ohh, and it doesn't help that two former AFC East players (Keyshawn Johnson with the Jets and Cris Carter with the Dolphins) have places in front of the camera to say it will be the weather... just a note.

[cåblelady]

OK, Tim. I generally don't do this, but.......I'm giving your TO article a boo! (kinda like the ones we gave the Bills Sunday afternoon).

 

[Dan]

Tim, I tried to post this in the comments section of your latest TO article, but they want me to register and I hate sites that want me to participate, but then force me to register. So, I thought I'd post the comments here, FWIW:

 

==================

Tim, with all due respect, TO is paid $6.5 million to catch a football and make plays on the football field, not to do press interviews. For whatever reasons, he didn't want to do interviews; his boss (the league) stepped in and essentially forced him to. Did you honestly expect him to be happy about that and willfully answer any and all questions in a positive manner?

 

Was he petulant? Was he immature? Yes. But, he's a professional athlete that's been catered to for most of his life. Again, would you expect him to act differently?

 

Finally, although you may have had pure intentions in your question asking, can you vouch for everyone else in the room? After seeing the way his Vick comments were blown out of proportion, can't you understand that any answer given, even in response to a seemingly simple question from you, could be twisted into a negative from other media outlets?

[shoveldog]

OK, Tim. I generally don't do this, but.......I'm giving your TO article a boo! (kinda like the ones we gave the Bills Sunday afternoon).

 

 

Tim, I'm with Cable Lady on this one... BOOO! To me, the media types DO look like they are trying to goad T.O. into throwing someone under the bus. Frankly, I wish he would!! You seem like a reasonable guy and I'm sure your questions are well intended, but there are plenty of jounalistic idiots out there looking for sensational headlines. T.O. is a guy with a past.

 

To me, T.O. comes off in this whole thing looking like a guy who knows he's had trouble keeping his mouth shut on controversial issues in the past and is trying to correct those mistakes now... even if he really wants to scream "THIS SUCKS" at the top of his lungs.

 

Shame on you Tim, I've come to expect more objectivity from you.

[thebandit27]

I understand your frustration regardint TO, Tim, and I would tend to take your word for the situation since you're closer to the situation than I am. However, I have one question:

 

If TO had said what Lee Evans did regarding the need to take shots/missed opportunities, etc., how would that preclude some in the media from trumpeting that he was throwing his QB and coaches under the bus? In the past, when TO has said such things, he's been ripped in the media, so--in my opinion--it's not difficult to understand where he's coming from.

[GG]

Hear hear on the article. Seems the only reason it was written was to defend the honor of Jerry Sullivan, and actually reinforced TO's view of the media. Like it or not, but you guys are part of his circus, and it's disingenuous for you to mock his position while you incessantly feed the airwaves every time he takes a dump. It's a two way street and there's a reason there isn't a media frenzy over Josh Reed.

 

Real Bills' fans don't need to hear TO's explanations of why he didn't get the ball on Sunday.

[dave mcbride]

If I faced the questions that Sullivan offered and I knew (as TO surely does) the motive behind Sullivan's questioning, I'd have responded in exactly the same way. Why doesn't the media call Sullivan out? He appears to be the most read columnist in the area, but he does no reporting (good columnists do) and is simply gushing with negativity. Yes, the Bills stink, but his negative vibe is of a different order -- above and beyond what the situation calls for.

[PDaDdy]

I love how on sports center they show only the last portion of that TO Q&A session. Unless you're a die hard Bills fan you wouldn't have seen the whole thing and gotten a true feel for the pace, tone and barrage of questions that TO was asked. I think it is INSULTING to the intelligence of many of us that we are expected to believe that that line of questioning WASN'T intended to get him to blow up, make selfish statements and throw the offensive coordinator and Trent under the bus!

 

I would have been annoyed as heck as well. My new team can't figure out how to throw the ball over 12 yards, a 13 year streak ruined, embarrassing "play not to lose" loss. Like sharks smelling blood in the water these guys took their shot and thought he would be ripe for an explosive outburst. Since he didn't bite NOW the big issue is his petulant attitude. He's not stupid either. He knew exactly what those reporters were trying to do and was annoyed by it.

 

What other Bills were asked that set of questions in this fashion?

 

The comments of Lee Evans were much more to the point as many have said. If TO had said the same thing that would have been the big story about how he was "team obliterator" and "here we go again".

 

 

FOR SHAME!!!!!

[Ramius]

on the T.O. article.

 

I am highly disappointed by this article, because you show that you are no better than the Sullivans etc, or the world. You came across like a jilted 17 year old prom date because you guys didn't get the reaction you wanted from T.O. The article was nothing more than whining and trashing T.O. because he didn't give you guys the answers (ammo?) that you all wanted.

 

I find it highly amusing that you were all over the Bills fans here who trashed jason peters because they felt they got slighted by him, and now you display this exact same behavior because you felt slighted by T.O.

[1976Billsfan]

Tim,

I read your article regarding T.O. 'Wallowing in Martyrdom' http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/...-martyrdom#more .

My question is, did you cry when Owens left you cold?

Regardless of Owens presser being good, bad or ugly...regardless of who (Tony 'God's Gift' Dungy {laughable}) thought what about it, the guy said nothing. Do you know why that is relevant? Because you wrote one of your most lengthy blog enteries of the season about a presser that lasted less than 3 minutes and contained two answers, "It's over." and "Just runnin' the plays that are called."!

Get out the polish baby because the pulitzer is on the way.

You reporters cried and cried to the NFL because T.O. wouldn't do an interview for two games, because T.O. wouldn't write your weekly paycheck, because T.O. wouldn't give you your freebie column of the week. The NFL FORCES Owens to the the interview and you all cry because he didn't give you what you wanted.

Cry me a friggin' river Tim!

[BUFFALOTONE]

"I produce material for people to discuss and comment about. Just like "Two Live Stews" get paid to get people talking. Otherwise, they don't sell any advertising.

 

This blog entry will hit 100 comments by 7 p.m. I'm quite pleased with the response. "

- Tim Graham

He's quite pleased that his article generated hundreds of comments telling him he sucks. As long as it generates traffic he's happy. A true professional of the highest integrity.

 

Tim Graham, ladies and gentlemen! Tim Graham!

 

Does he come into Burger King and knock the hat off your head?

 

The guy is just doing his job. You all are taking this wayyyyy to far. Like we all didn't know T.O. being here was a circus, we cried when Buffalo never gets mentioned in the media, were not on the map all they talk about is the Pats, blah, blah, blah, wah, wah, wah.

 

Can't have it both ways people. Learn to take the criticism, embrace it, soak it in. Cause when he is gone next year it will be the same old song and dance.

[Arkady Renko]

I assume this thread is dead now?

[jreed82]

it's dead because Tim is taking heat and doesn't know how to respond. the article was amateur material and I am assuming we won't hear from him.

[Dan]

it's dead because Tim is taking heat and doesn't know how to respond. the article was amateur material and I am assuming we won't hear from him.

Untrue. Tim is just busy with things like life and a career. He happened to write one piece that many of us disagree with. But, that doesn't in any way detract from the many good pieces he's written nor the contributions he's made to TSW.

[TimGraham]

First off, I need to apologize for not being around more. I'm still in between homes, staying with my folks in Ohio while waiting for our place in Getzville to be ready -- hopefully, in two weeks. But I've been driving back and forth between Buffalo and Ohio Amish country. My brain hurts.

 

As for this question, I have to admit I have no idea about that particular audible. And a good thing, too. Because if I could figure it out, you know an NFL cornerback or defensive coordinator could.

 

Teams change out their signals at different times, depending on whether they've played that team before or who might be on the opposing staff. But some teams change signals every game. Some might even change them at halftime.

 

Quick couple of questions for you TG...simple questions...hopefully not stupid..

 

Edwards TD pass to Evans appeared to be an audible. To those of us watching he (Edwards) tapped his heal as a signal to the WRs.

 

So, was the heal tap a ruse or did it indicate what routes the WRs were supposed to run?

 

If it was a signal to the WRs...how often do teams change these up so that the defense doesn't know what to expect?

[TimGraham]

Tim, I tried to post this in the comments section of your latest TO article, but they want me to register and I hate sites that want me to participate, but then force me to register. So, I thought I'd post the comments here, FWIW:

 

==================

Tim, with all due respect, TO is paid $6.5 million to catch a football and make plays on the football field, not to do press interviews. For whatever reasons, he didn't want to do interviews; his boss (the league) stepped in and essentially forced him to. Did you honestly expect him to be happy about that and willfully answer any and all questions in a positive manner?

 

Was he petulant? Was he immature? Yes. But, he's a professional athlete that's been catered to for most of his life. Again, would you expect him to act differently?

 

Finally, although you may have had pure intentions in your question asking, can you vouch for everyone else in the room? After seeing the way his Vick comments were blown out of proportion, can't you understand that any answer given, even in response to a seemingly simple question from you, could be twisted into a negative from other media outlets?

 

Owens' tone was combative from the start. He kicked the door open and then kept giving snide responses right off the bat. I don't recall all the questions, but the first two were about his streak coming to an end and the Bills scoring only 7 points. Those are the two most obvious questions I can think of.

 

We were asking a football player football questions after a football game. Nobody got personal. Dick Jauron news conferences are much more heated than what Owens went through. This whole "you bullied T.O." theme is silly. How about the Larry Quinn news conference after they lost Briere and Drury? What T.O. faced on Sunday was ordinary by comparison.

 

On the scale of 1-10 for intense news conferences I've attended, this was a 6.

 

I'm sure T.O. averaged an 8 in Dallas.

[TimGraham]

This is the most interesting take I've seen on the topic. Interesting because I want to know how you conjured it up in your head.

 

If I was upset about what Owens said in his news conference, I would have written about it on Sunday. My column on Sunday was sympathetic to him. So was Jerry Sullivan's. Jerry sided with the fans, who expect the Bills to showcase him. People bought season tickets to watch him perform.

 

I didn't write about Owens' news conference on Monday either. What I wrote about on Tuesday was Owens going on a radio program the next day and playing the victim role at a time when coverage was sympathetic to him.

 

Did you see anybody in the local media bash Owens for what he said Sunday? I guess you did based on these remarks. But I didn't.

 

As for the NFL forcing Owens to the interview, you're right. Every player has to be available to the media. Owens wanted the league to give him special treatment. They refused. Simple as that.

 

Tim,

I read your article regarding T.O. 'Wallowing in Martyrdom' http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/...-martyrdom#more .

My question is, did you cry when Owens left you cold?

Regardless of Owens presser being good, bad or ugly...regardless of who (Tony 'God's Gift' Dungy {laughable}) thought what about it, the guy said nothing. Do you know why that is relevant? Because you wrote one of your most lengthy blog enteries of the season about a presser that lasted less than 3 minutes and contained two answers, "It's over." and "Just runnin' the plays that are called."!

Get out the polish baby because the pulitzer is on the way.

You reporters cried and cried to the NFL because T.O. wouldn't do an interview for two games, because T.O. wouldn't write your weekly paycheck, because T.O. wouldn't give you your freebie column of the week. The NFL FORCES Owens to the the interview and you all cry because he didn't give you what you wanted.

Cry me a friggin' river Tim!

[TimGraham]

Thanks for the feedback. I think it's a nonsensical analogy, but it's what you think. I appreciate you taking the time to share.

 

on the T.O. article.

 

I am highly disappointed by this article, because you show that you are no better than the Sullivans etc, or the world. You came across like a jilted 17 year old prom date because you guys didn't get the reaction you wanted from T.O. The article was nothing more than whining and trashing T.O. because he didn't give you guys the answers (ammo?) that you all wanted.

 

I find it highly amusing that you were all over the Bills fans here who trashed jason peters because they felt they got slighted by him, and now you display this exact same behavior because you felt slighted by T.O.