pretty good read

[bills-fan in arizona]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nf...ens-cover_N.htm

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Thanks so much for posting AZ. That was a great article. I think the writer Erik Brady might be from or have worked in Bflo. Did he write for the Courier?

 

Anyways the article was fair, balanced, and very comprehensive. It brought up legitimate points both for and against Owens. I think his self-imposed gag order is pure genius. It's the only play he has right now with the media. The writer, Brady gave him a sympathetic but objective forum in which to hit his talking points. And he hit them all.

 

As T.O. pointed out, the Bills have Captains who are chosen partly because the team wants these guys to be the mouthpieces of the team, and yet he has been told by the league that he has to make himself available for interviews. If he won't allow himself to talk, isn't it a bit dictatorial that the league is insisting that he do?

 

I would ask TG, JW, and our own esteemed LC, to clue us in as to what the protocol usually is. Does Adrian Peterson have to make himself available? Randy Moss? I know it's always head coaches and quarterbacks but after them, what is the rule?

 

Anyways, thanks for a great read AZ.

[Lori]

For the Wednesday teleconferences with the out-of-town media, it's coach, QB, and one other player. (Usually a star, although I believe those writers can also request someone with a local angle.) Otherwise, I believe EVERYONE is expected to make themselves available after a game ... but don't quote me on that. John and Tim are the ones in the room, not me.

 

As Tim noted in the comments section of one of his blog posts, Owens was the only man in the room who didn't talk to reporters following the Pats game. Whitner wiped away tears as he spoke, McKelvin answered questions about the infamous fumble, and Poz had just found out his arm was broken ... but they all talked. All but one.

 

Now, when a Bayless or Schlereth spouts off whenever he DOES say something, I can understand Owens' feelings and even sympathize a little. JW touched on that in the linked story; he's previously suggested the same here. Hopefully, 81 can understand that the guys out at One Bills Drive every day aren't the ones stirring the pot. In fact, quite a few of the locals were rolling their eyes just as much as we were about Schlereth's over-the-top performance ...

[Chandler#81]

For the Wednesday teleconferences with the out-of-town media, it's coach, QB, and one other player. (Usually a star, although I believe those writers can also request someone with a local angle.) Otherwise, I believe EVERYONE is expected to make themselves available after a game ... but don't quote me on that. John and Tim are the ones in the room, not me.

 

As Tim noted in the comments section of one of his blog posts, Owens was the only man in the room who didn't talk to reporters following the Pats game. Whitner wiped away tears as he spoke, McKelvin answered questions about the infamous fumble, and Poz had just found out his arm was broken ... but they all talked. All but one.

 

Now, when a Bayless or Schlereth spouts off whenever he DOES say something, I can understand Owens' feelings and even sympathize a little. JW touched on that in the linked story; he's previously suggested the same here. Hopefully, 81 can understand that the guys out at One Bills Drive every day aren't the ones stirring the pot. In fact, quite a few of the locals were rolling their eyes just as much as we were about Schlereth's over-the-top performance ...

 

They don't call him 'Stink' for nothing..

[Just Jack]

"Fans in Buffalo chanted his initials last weekend. They wore blue No. 81 jerseys. They murmured collectively when Owens dropped a perfectly placed pass. And they cheered madly when he caught a 43-yard touchdown strike."

 

I heard boos.

 

Two members of the Bills media relations department talked with Owens this week and told him the league does in fact expect him to talk to reporters after games.

 

Expecting and being required are not the same thing.

[bills-fan in arizona]

Thanks so much for posting AZ. That was a great article. I think the writer Erik Brady might be from or have worked in Bflo. Did he write for the Courier?

 

Anyways the article was fair, balanced, and very comprehensive. It brought up legitimate points both for and against Owens. I think his self-imposed gag order is pure genius. It's the only play he has right now with the media. The writer, Brady gave him a sympathetic but objective forum in which to hit his talking points. And he hit them all.

 

As T.O. pointed out, the Bills have Captains who are chosen partly because the team wants these guys to be the mouthpieces of the team, and yet he has been told by the league that he has to make himself available for interviews. If he won't allow himself to talk, isn't it a bit dictatorial that the league is insisting that he do?

 

I would ask TG, JW, and our own esteemed LC, to clue us in as to what the protocol usually is. Does Adrian Peterson have to make himself available? Randy Moss? I know it's always head coaches and quarterbacks but after them, what is the rule?

 

Anyways, thanks for a great read AZ.

 

 

No problem, that was kind of my take... it was a pretty fair piece from both sides. I loved this signing from day one, for various reasons on the field reasons, but mainly because of the national light it shines on a great organization. I know there is a pretty significant risk, but I absolutely loved this quote... "These people eat, breathe and sleep Buffalo Bills," Owens says. "We get shown so much love."

 

Go Bills!

[BUFFALOTONE]

For the Wednesday teleconferences with the out-of-town media, it's coach, QB, and one other player. (Usually a star, although I believe those writers can also request someone with a local angle.) Otherwise, I believe EVERYONE is expected to make themselves available after a game ... but don't quote me on that. John and Tim are the ones in the room, not me.

 

As Tim noted in the comments section of one of his blog posts, Owens was the only man in the room who didn't talk to reporters following the Pats game. Whitner wiped away tears as he spoke, McKelvin answered questions about the infamous fumble, and Poz had just found out his arm was broken ... but they all talked. All but one.

 

Now, when a Bayless or Schlereth spouts off whenever he DOES say something, I can understand Owens' feelings and even sympathize a little. JW touched on that in the linked story; he's previously suggested the same here. Hopefully, 81 can understand that the guys out at One Bills Drive every day aren't the ones stirring the pot. In fact, quite a few of the locals were rolling their eyes just as much as we were about Schlereth's over-the-top performance ...

 

I think this sentence speaks volumes. I spoke my piece about Schlereth in Tims column but I can see where he is coming from. Bayless is a complete **** starter and his job is to feed off this type of stuff. To look for reasons to talk about T.O. by dissecting his comments and tone.

 

Schlereth at least strapped on the pads and has credibility.

[ricojes]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nf...ens-cover_N.htm

Even better was listening to Sullivan argue with H Simon and J white on WGR regarding this article. Sullivan plays the part of a typical reported that was burnt by TO and now spins everything he says in spite. It's 15 minutes, but well worth the listen...

 

Link

[FLFan]

Thanks so much for posting AZ. That was a great article. I think the writer Erik Brady might be from or have worked in Bflo. Did he write for the Courier?

 

Erik Brady is indeed from Buffalo and wrote for the Courier. He graduated from Canisius College in my class. He has always doen a fair job of covering the Bills for USA Today.

[Dan]

If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say TO really wants this year to work out in Buffalo. Whether its because he likes Buffalo and wants to stay or he wants to show all the other teams that he can play nice and wants out is up for debate. However, just as was suggested this past summer, TO needs to be on his best behavior here. He's probably decided that the best and most surest way to do this is to shut his mouth.

 

So, in some sense, he truly is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. If he talks after games, in the heat of the moment, there's no telling who he'll disparage - intentionally or not. If he doesn't talk, he gets everyone berating him for his self-imposed silence and suggesting that its a sign of his growing frustration with [insert whatever angle you want to pursue].

 

Someone needs to convince him that Bills fans don't care what he says nearly as much as we care about him catching TDs, blocking downfield, telling Jauron to go for it on 4th and inches, and generally just bringing some much needed excitement and attitude back to the Bills.

[GrudginglyOptimistic]

I think a lot of this is about a situation where members of the media can't resist making themselves part of the news rather than just reporting the story.

 

The thing is that I think most fans MAY care a little about what Jerry Sullivan, Skip Bayless, etc think about what the Bills do, what TO does, and maybe what TO says, but generally do not care at all what Sully, Bayless, etc, think generally.

 

When To refuses to talk, it places in stark relief that many readers really do not care what Sully, Bayless, etc are writing if they focus at all on TO since what they are writing is not about the Bills, is disproportionately about what TO has done for the Bills (as was thrown to little along with Evans in the first game and it was bad and then good in the TB game, and he really said nothing after the TB game.

 

In particular Sully, to some extent Bayless, and other media wonks want desperately to write what they want to write with their personally selected pre-chosen script about TO, but with him having no overwhelming impact on the Bills so far, the impact in the TB game was a bad drop but then a capstone TD, it left them with no way to do their pre-determined script since TO said nothing,

 

Sully, Bayless, etc find it really hard now because in order to do their work they have to take the unusual tack for them of simply reporting the news and reality and leave the comfort of their predetermined script behind.

 

It is amusing to watch.

[Alaska Darin]

I was listening to John Feinstein (someone I have a ton of respect for) the other day and he was talking about how Art Monk wouldn't talk to the media during his playing days. When Monk went into Canton, he made himself available to the media but most of them wouldn't have anything to do with him. If Feinstein can be that petty...

 

This is the childishness we end up with. T.O. is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. I don't care if he talks to Jerry Sullivan or anyone else.

[ricojes]

I think a lot of this is about a situation where members of the media can't resist making themselves part of the news rather than just reporting the story.

 

The thing is that I think most fans MAY care a little about what Jerry Sullivan, Skip Bayless, etc think about what the Bills do, what TO does, and maybe what TO says, but generally do not care at all what Sully, Bayless, etc, think generally.

 

When To refuses to talk, it places in stark relief that many readers really do not care what Sully, Bayless, etc are writing if they focus at all on TO since what they are writing is not about the Bills, is disproportionately about what TO has done for the Bills (as was thrown to little along with Evans in the first game and it was bad and then good in the TB game, and he really said nothing after the TB game.

 

In particular Sully, to some extent Bayless, and other media wonks want desperately to write what they want to write with their personally selected pre-chosen script about TO, but with him having no overwhelming impact on the Bills so far, the impact in the TB game was a bad drop but then a capstone TD, it left them with no way to do their pre-determined script since TO said nothing,

 

Sully, Bayless, etc find it really hard now because in order to do their work they have to take the unusual tack for them of simply reporting the news and reality and leave the comfort of their predetermined script behind.

 

It is amusing to watch.

Very well said! I agree completely. i get the feeling that most members of the media are just waiting for TO to screw up, so they can print the "I told you so article" that they already have 3/4 written. It's comical when JS gets put on the spot and can't come up with any logical response though...

[cmjoyce113]

http://www.pfwa.org/2009MP.pdf

 

Here is the requirements for players and the media... just looked through it briefly but it looks like T.O. isn't following the post game procedure. I wouldn't either if I were him.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

http://www.pfwa.org/2009MP.pdf

 

Here is the requirements for players and the media... just looked through it briefly but it looks like T.O. isn't following the post game procedure. I wouldn't either if I were him.

CMJ,

 

Thanks for posting. Great stuff. I was surprised to read the section on O and D Coordinators being required to be available to the media at least once during the week.

 

I know the Bills coaches are pretty accessible but the way some teams are run (ie-Patsies), you'd not think that such a rule existed. Many head coaches are maniacs about restricting the voices of the coaching staff.

[Just Jack]

http://www.pfwa.org/2009MP.pdf

 

Here is the requirements for players and the media... just looked through it briefly but it looks like T.O. isn't following the post game procedure. I wouldn't either if I were him.

The way I'm gonna interpret it, is it only requires the media have access to the players, doesn't say the players have to talk to the media after a game.

[ColdBlueNorth]

Good stuff... thanks for the post.

 

I noticed one week where he was asked before the NE game if he like the no huddle and in the true interview he said "I don't like it" then laughs and says "no.. its alright" and goes on to say how he has to get in game shape to work in it.

 

The next thing you see is AP articles that say, "Owens does not like Buffalo's no-huddle offense".

 

It's wierd when you actually see the distortion taking place so blatently.

 

TO is a glory hound, loves the spotlight, and that is what gets him jacked up to play, but I have to honestly question some of the media roasting over quotes that I have read about over the years.

[Lori]

CMJ,

 

Thanks for posting. Great stuff. I was surprised to read the section on O and D Coordinators being required to be available to the media at least once during the week.

 

I know the Bills coaches are pretty accessible but the way some teams are run (ie-Patsies), you'd not think that such a rule existed. Many head coaches are maniacs about restricting the voices of the coaching staff.

Think that was just added this year, precisely because of the "we speak with one voice -- MINE!" dictators in the league.

[kota]

I personally don't understand why the fans get upset about what TO says or doesn't say. I also don't understand why people let the media make their opinions for them. I believe that most of the hatred people have for TO comes from a newspaper article that has more opinion than fact in it.

 

Last i checked TO was one hell of a football player. Last i checked the NFL was about the fans and the players the fans cheered for. I am willing to bet that most if not all TO hater Bills fans cheered when he scored the TD last weekend.

 

I understand that TO likes to put his foot in his mouth but who doesn't really. Most people say stupid things throughout the week. They just aren't celebrities like TO. TO is only guilty of speaking his mine and giving his honest opinion. The media likes to crucify him for it which i think is somewhat hyprocrital.

[hotwing]

Gotta behonest, wouldnt care if I never read another interview from ANY NFL player.

 

Just like watching the game, could care les about the drama.

 

The people who make/hope to make a living out of feeding on the DRAMA of the NFL without talking of any real game knowledge are worthless.

 

Very few game savy journalists out there anymore, just a bunch of idiots with an English degree working for a garbage local paper latching on to anything .

 

If TO talks, it is news.

 

If TO doesn't talk, it is news.

 

Bunch of lemmings, and that includes some of the so called "writers" on this board.

[MDH]

The next thing you see is AP articles that say, "Owens does not like Buffalo's no-huddle offense".

 

It's wierd when you actually see the distortion taking place so blatently.

 

The media does stuff like this all the time. The problem is you can't battle the media - you will always lose. T.O. needed to learn how to be their friend, make them like him, manipulate them to do his bidding. Instead he's taken a confrontational stance with them which will always lead the the press finding any and every way to bash him.