Lurker Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Goes back to a discussion Wawrow and I had on one of the T.O. threads: if people weren't watching/reading those stories, the dreaded "media" wouldn't be spending time and resources on them. They are. So what's that tell you? Lori - I've always been curious about this line of thinking. Aside from Internet page hits, what metrics are we talking about here? And how closely do assignment editors, particularly at small and mid-sized outlets, follow them? It seems like most of the 'boiler plate' stories I've read about TO this offseason had more to do with reporting sloth than readership demand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted June 2, 2009 Author Share Posted June 2, 2009 Lori - I've always been curious about this line of thinking. Aside from Internet page hits, what metrics are we talking about here? And how closely do assignment editors, particularly at small and mid-sized outlets, follow them? It seems like most of the 'boiler plate' stories I've read about TO this offseason had more to do with reporting sloth than readership demand... It's obviously a completely different ballgame between ESPN and the Dunkirk/Tonawanda newspapers. Honestly, I doubt anyone assigned either one of the T.O. columns which took so much heat on here -- it was probably more a case of the columnist thinking he had something to say about the topic, and knowing he had a platform to present it. For example, OTH intern Adam Bennett wrote a piece about Mark Cuban last week. I doubt Chuck Pollock would have asked him for something on the NBA, which is mostly ignored around here. More likely, they had space to fill (especially with Chuck on vacation) and Bennett had an opinion he wanted to share. Tim's on the other end of that spectrum. There were quite a few nasty comments in response to his Lebron-in-the-NFL? piece, complaining about all the coverage King James was receiving ... but I also know that it was one of the most-read stories on the site. Someone asked ESPN VP of Communications (and Bona alum) Chris LaPlaca about the Favre hype when he spoke at the Dick Joyce Sports Symposium at SBU in late April. He replied that they HAVE to cover those stories -- more or less because everyone else is -- and added, "When we do great journalism, it doesn't get the hits." Mark Kriegel, the FoxSports columnist who gave the keynote address at the symposium, took that point a step further, mentioning a great story Tom Rinaldi did on a high school kid who was dying of cancer and wanted one more chance to play on his school's baseball team. (He didn't remember the name and I didn't see the piece, but I'm pretty sure he was talking about John Challis.) "Those stories are great, but they don't pay the bills," Kriegel said. "You have to pick your battles, and there's no shame in giving people what they want. There are worse things than over-covering Favre or Kobe, if it allows you to do stories like Rinaldi's." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Lori - I've always been curious about this line of thinking. Aside from Internet page hits, what metrics are we talking about here? And how closely do assignment editors, particularly at small and mid-sized outlets, follow them? It seems like most of the 'boiler plate' stories I've read about TO this offseason had more to do with reporting sloth than readership demand... The TO phenomenon, IMO, is remarkable and if anything, understated more than overstated. I live in Los Angeles and wear a Bills hat or tee-shirt at least once or twice a week and often more. It have lived here for 14 years now and strangers on the street or in stores or bars or wherever will sometimes say, "Go Bills!" or mention something about the Bills and they are almost always Bills fans. It happens a decent amount of time, too. In the weeks immediately after the signing, every time I wore a Bills hat I was bombarded by all kinds of people everywhere I went, just yelling "TO!" or "Whaddya think about TO?!" or any number of questions or comments about the Bills and TO. I was absolutely astounded at the response, and I follow football and this kind of stuff as much as anyone I know. And I live in a city where it is nothing to see a movie star on the street or in a market and everyone is consummed with the entertainment industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy in 4C Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Tim - have you heard what Pisa Tinosamoa signed for? Any terms of the 1 year deal? Do you know what the Bills' offer looked like? Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Bills Fan Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Tim, Thanks for answering all our questions. We know your time is limited so thank you very much My question is if the Bills fail to make the playoffs.... 1) Will the Bills fire DJ? 2) If he is fired, could you see the Bills making a play for someone like Gruden, Billick, Schottenhimer, Cower? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLZFAN4LIFE Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Tim, Thanks for answering all our questions. We know your time is limited so thank you very much My question is if the Bills fail to make the playoffs.... 1) Will the Bills fire DJ? 2) If he is fired, could you see the Bills making a play for someone like Gruden, Billick, Schottenhimer, Cower? Thanks! I'll take this one. 1) Dick could once again finish 7-9 and Wilson would have 4 million reasons to leave him in place for the sake of "continuity." It would take a total collapse equal to last season's 2-8 finish to finally push Dick out the door. 2) How long have you been a fan of this team. If Ralph does show Dick the door, 4 million dollars of Ralph's money goes with him. Do you seriously think that Ralph will then turn around and pay for a real coach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Big Man Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Tim, Thanks for answering all our questions. We know your time is limited so thank you very much My question is if the Bills fail to make the playoffs.... 1) Will the Bills fire DJ? 2) If he is fired, could you see the Bills making a play for someone like Gruden, Billick, Schottenhimer, Cower? Thanks! Not will... the Bills should fire Jauron. If the Bills fail to make the playoffs? Are you kidding me? I'll take a winning season, you know, the kind we haven't had in quite some time. You should all know by now that King Ralph has short arms and has never paid top dollar for a head coach and until and since Polian has never spent top dollar on high quality players. I have a feeling that even with T.O. we will be still hovering at the .500 mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zazie Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Not will... the Bills should fire Jauron. If the Bills fail to make the playoffs? Are you kidding me? I'll take a winning season, you know, the kind we haven't had in quite some time. You should all know by now that King Ralph has short arms and has never paid top dollar for a head coach and until and since Polian has never spent top dollar on high quality players. I have a feeling that even with T.O. we will be still hovering at the .500 mark. Combined with deep pockets and no elbows. But sometimes he surprises, ie Marcus Stroud and Lee Evans deals. Never quite got the logic of the man. Wish he would spend more on a decent HC, but, you can't say he is always super tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimGraham Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I just revised this post with new info. Just wanted to let you know in case you read the early version. http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-8-138...know-about.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I just revised this post with new info. Just wanted to let you know in case you read the early version. http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-8-138...know-about.html Shifty Johnson, I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Shifty Johnson, I like it. Yes, sometimes the johnson needs to be shifted... oh, wait... never mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPicc2114 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 So unfortunate that Steve Johnson will be buried in the depth chart. Which shows how good the Bills receiving corp is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Great article. I'd heard that he'd showed quite a bit more than Hardy from the beginning, but this is great news, especially about him beating our better CBs in OTAs. Thanks, Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunderbill Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Take a look at the comments under Tims blog. can someone really be as stupid as Kandt? "won't accomplish nothin"... amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Things are not going well. The housing market in Buffalo is hot, with properties getting multiple offers days after they hit the market. With me being so far away, I don't stand a chance. By the time my agent alerts me to something and I would have a chance to take a look at it, it's sold. That's a great sign for Buffalo, a bad one for me. Have you inquired about the availability of 1 Deer Run in Orchard Park? You don't strike me as a drama queen plus I hear the owners would be interested in a lease to buy option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeF Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Have you inquired about the availability of 1 Deer Run in Orchard Park? You don't strike me a a drama queen plus I hear the owners would be interested in a lease to buy option. Plus if you bought a big house like 1 Deer Run you could accommodate Cablelady (now your biggest fan) and TO as roomies....wouldn't that be fun... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 So unfortunate that Steve Johnson will be buried in the depth chart. Which shows how good the Bills receiving corp is. What I find odd is why did our receiving corp blow last year, yet this year all these quality guys are "buried" on the depth chart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy in 4C Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 What I find odd is why did our receiving corp blow last year, yet this year all these quality guys are "buried" on the depth chart. Good call. It's because it's the offseason and right now everyone is 'sweet', until of course the rude awakening we face on the Monday Night Football opener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimGraham Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Have you inquired about the availability of 1 Deer Run in Orchard Park? You don't strike me as a drama queen plus I hear the owners would be interested in a lease to buy option. Here's an indicator of how the nation's economy got so out of whack. When I moved to Florida, I was preapproved for a mortgage that would have allowed me to buy 1 Deer Run. That was a red flag because there's no possible way I could have afforded that -- then or now. Two years later, I'm at ESPN and making roughly 40 percent more than I did at the Palm Beach Post and have a credit score over 800. But I can't get qualified for a modest home in Tonawanda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimGraham Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Good call. It's because it's the offseason and right now everyone is 'sweet', until of course the rude awakening we face on the Monday Night Football opener. The receivers were fine last year. Aside from Royal and Lynch, nobody dropped the ball. The play calling went with short dumps and they couldn't unleash Lee Evans. http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-7-56/...-receivers.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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