It's weird. The NHL's showcase event of the regular season is tomorrow in Washington, D.C., featuring the hometown Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, Stanley Cup champions twice in the last four years, but there seems to be a lack of interest. Locally, the dumpster fire known as the Redskins has taken attention away from the Capitals.
For as bad as the 'Skins played this year, media couldn't stop talking about them. There are two 24-hour sports talk radio stations, ESPN 980-WTEM owned by Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and 106.7 The Fan-WJFK. Both stations discuss the football team way too much. The Redskins went 4-12 this season.
However, that didn't stop WJFK from doing an eight hour show, double the normal length, each Monday for five straight weeks. Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier host from 10 am to 2 pm. Chad Dukes hosts by himself from 2 pm to 6 pm. The three hosts were so confident the Redskins would defeat then one-win Tampa Bay that they would all do an eight-hour marathon on Monday. Of course, the 'Skins got blown out 27-7. At a time when less talk was deserved, more was given. It's not just radio. The Washington Post and The Washington Times newspapers devote multiple reporters to cover the 16-game Redskins schedule while the Caps get only one reporter for their 82 games.
The Capitals, for their part, have done a poor job promoting the game and not making it a series of events. In addition, the general public has almost been completely shut out. Yesterday, there was a media/alumni game played on the actual game rink at Nationals Park. Only select season ticket holders with VIP status were allowed to attend. Today's Capitals team practice at Nationals Park is closed to the public. That makes no sense. Many practices at their training facility are open to the public. Why is Nationals Park different?
The answer is ownership. Ted Leonsis, owner of the Capitals and the NBA's Wizards, has turned from a fan-friendly owner to a fan-hating dictator. After the Capitals failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007, individual game and season ticket prices were RAISED!
The team has struggled for much of the last five seasons. In 2009-10, they were the best team in the regular season but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Montreal. Since then, there has been a gradual decrease in wins, points in the standings, and lower rankings.
On local TV broadcasts of games on CSN Mid-Atlantic, tickets are constantly being advertised for future home games and empty seats can be seen at said home games. Capitals fans have invested lots of their money with no reward. Leonsis, the rest of management, and the PR staff need to step up. The fanbase has done its job.
Finally, the National Hockey League shares blame for putting a half-hearted effort in promotion leading up to the game. First, the league left HBO for less cable subscribers with EPIX. Also, the league's broadcast partners have heavily criticized the Capitals best player Alexander Ovechkin. At times, it's completely justified and correct. Other times, the negative analysis is mean-spirited and biased. Ovechkin is an outstanding offense player, however, he's a below-average defense player. When other superstar players like Ovechkin make similar mistakes, they are less criticized than him.
The NHL has also ruined the outdoor game spectacle. There were SIX outdoor hockey games LAST SEASON!, that's equal to the total amount in the PREVIOUS SIX SEASONS! There is another outdoor game this season in late January between Los Angeles and San Jose in Santa Clara, California. Yes, that last sentence was right. In fact, that game will be the second outdoor NHL game in California in two years (Anaheim at Los Angeles, last January). NBC, the NHL national broadcaster in the United States, has a lot of input in the teams selected for outdoor games. The Winter Classic outdoor game on New Years Day has featured Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Chicago and Washington on multiple occasions. Buffalo has participated only once. Teams in cold-weather hockey areas such as Minnesota, Colorado, St. Louis, and Columbus have not even played in an outdoor game, home or away. The scheduling is stale. It's the same teams over and over again. Tomorrow, the Blackhawks will play in their third outdoor game, second in 14 months, and second Winter Classic. The Capitals will play in their second Winter Classic, first at home. Boston has already been selected by the NHL as next year's host. They last hosted an outdoor game way back in...January 2010.
The Winter Classic is a special event which feels less special this year . The D.C. sports media, the Washington Capitals, the National Hockey League, the hockey media, and NBC all are at fault.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Mixed results for Caps, Wiz on Monday
It was strange watching the Wizards and Capitals games last night. The Caps started bad, played well in the middle, regressed to bad again at the end. The Wiz started good and continued through half of the third quarter, played poorly late in the third and early in the fourth quarter. They rebounded, literally and figuratively, late in the game.
For the Capitals, their special teams were not special. They were 0 for 4 on man-advantage power plays and allowed their opponent, the New York Islanders, to score a goal while having more players on the ice than the Islanders.
The Caps took too many penalties (7) resulting in playing more defense than offense. The Islanders scored on 2 of their 7 power plays including the winning goal in overtime.
The most frustrating part of the Capitals performance was their lack of effort and cohesive play in the first two periods. They trailed 3-0 early in the third and came back to tie before losing. If they played like they did when trailing 3-0 earlier in the game then they would've won easily.
The Wizards had to wait 30 minutes for their game in Houston to start. After 45 seconds of play, one of the basket rims nearest to the Rockets bench stopped working. It malfunctioned. The structure needed to be lowered, taken off the court, and a new one needed to be dragged out and lifted up to proper height.
When they started playing, the Wizards held their own with Houston, currently in the top four in the Western Conference of the NBA. Wizards led by 1 at 46-45 at halftime.
They exploded in the third quarter leading by as many as 18 points, 71-53. Paul Pierce, who seemingly has played for 50 years, scored 11 points in 6 minutes. The Wiz outscored the Rockets during the end of second and start of the third quarters, 38-13!
The Wizards, however, let the Rockets outscore them by a 31-13 margin to make the score even. I don't get it. They're the anti-Caps! They start fast and then slow down at times.
Thankfully, they started fast again after the game was tied. The Wiz scored nine straight points to make it 93-84. The Rockets didn't give up, eventually cutting the lead to one at 104-103 with one second left but ran out of time.
For the Capitals, their special teams were not special. They were 0 for 4 on man-advantage power plays and allowed their opponent, the New York Islanders, to score a goal while having more players on the ice than the Islanders.
The Caps took too many penalties (7) resulting in playing more defense than offense. The Islanders scored on 2 of their 7 power plays including the winning goal in overtime.
The most frustrating part of the Capitals performance was their lack of effort and cohesive play in the first two periods. They trailed 3-0 early in the third and came back to tie before losing. If they played like they did when trailing 3-0 earlier in the game then they would've won easily.
The Wizards had to wait 30 minutes for their game in Houston to start. After 45 seconds of play, one of the basket rims nearest to the Rockets bench stopped working. It malfunctioned. The structure needed to be lowered, taken off the court, and a new one needed to be dragged out and lifted up to proper height.
When they started playing, the Wizards held their own with Houston, currently in the top four in the Western Conference of the NBA. Wizards led by 1 at 46-45 at halftime.
They exploded in the third quarter leading by as many as 18 points, 71-53. Paul Pierce, who seemingly has played for 50 years, scored 11 points in 6 minutes. The Wiz outscored the Rockets during the end of second and start of the third quarters, 38-13!
The Wizards, however, let the Rockets outscore them by a 31-13 margin to make the score even. I don't get it. They're the anti-Caps! They start fast and then slow down at times.
Thankfully, they started fast again after the game was tied. The Wiz scored nine straight points to make it 93-84. The Rockets didn't give up, eventually cutting the lead to one at 104-103 with one second left but ran out of time.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Time to give attention to other local teams not Redskins
Thank god, the Redskins season is over. No more games to watch. No more NFL studio shows talking about the team. No more wondering if this week's broadcasters are going to use the team's official nickname or boycott against it by not saying "Redskins". No more bad, depressing weekends.
Sundays and even Mondays can be fun again. There are great pro and college sports teams in action right now. The Capitals shut out the Penguins, their arch rival, in Pittsburgh on Saturday. They are playing their best hockey in nearly four years, 8-1-2 in their last 11 games. Overall, they are 18-11-6 entering Monday for 42 points and a tie for third place in their division. Capitals are one unified team with good offense and defense. They don't depend on only Alexander Ovechkin. Nicklas Backstrom is a great "Robin" to Ovechkin's "Batman". Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen have improved the defense so much this year. Orpik's physical hitting intimidates opponents while Niskanen's smooth skating and passing allows the Caps to not spend time on defense. In addition, new head coach Barry Trotz has diagrammed a playing system which concentrates equally on offense and defense.
In the NBA, The Wizards are second in their division only due to playing fewer games than Atlanta have 21 wins already in 29 games. John Wall is an emerging superstar and quickly becoming one of the NBA's best players. Wall makes a highlight-reel pass or shot or both every night. Bradley Beal is a great shooter. He can make shots from anywhere and dribble past lazy defenders. Nene, Marcin Gortat, and Kris Humphires rebound opponent's missed shots with great frequency. The trio can score on offense close to the basket and far away.
In college basketball, there are a lot of good stories. The University of Virginia is third ranked in the entire country with a perfect 11-0 record. In-state rival Virginia Tech is an impressive 8-4 in a rebuilding season. Georgetown University is 8-3 including two spectacular overtime wins over Florida and Indiana, respectively in neutral-site, non-home games. The University of Maryland has a 12-1 win/loss total with their only loss against undefeated Virginia. Maryland has won three games outside the state of Maryland, two in Kansas City over Arizona State and Iowa State through winning the CBE Classic and one in Oklahoma at Oklahoma State. Finally, George Washington University defeated Wichita State in winning the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii. Wichita State was ranked 11th with a 10-1 record entering the game. George Washington is 9-3 after winning the three round tournament.
For those of you scoring at home, all of the basketball and hockey teams have winning records with at least 12 games played. The Redskins have done that once since the beginning of the 1999 season. The best 12 game mark was a break even 6-6 mark in 2012 after they started 3-6.
In short, these teams are good, the Redskins are bad. Also, it's not going to change. Spend your time, money, competitive rooting interests on basketball and hockey. Don't pay attention to coaching changes, free agent signings, or draft picks selected by the Redskins. It's a waste of time, enjoy yourself with good, hard-working teams.
Sundays and even Mondays can be fun again. There are great pro and college sports teams in action right now. The Capitals shut out the Penguins, their arch rival, in Pittsburgh on Saturday. They are playing their best hockey in nearly four years, 8-1-2 in their last 11 games. Overall, they are 18-11-6 entering Monday for 42 points and a tie for third place in their division. Capitals are one unified team with good offense and defense. They don't depend on only Alexander Ovechkin. Nicklas Backstrom is a great "Robin" to Ovechkin's "Batman". Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen have improved the defense so much this year. Orpik's physical hitting intimidates opponents while Niskanen's smooth skating and passing allows the Caps to not spend time on defense. In addition, new head coach Barry Trotz has diagrammed a playing system which concentrates equally on offense and defense.
In the NBA, The Wizards are second in their division only due to playing fewer games than Atlanta have 21 wins already in 29 games. John Wall is an emerging superstar and quickly becoming one of the NBA's best players. Wall makes a highlight-reel pass or shot or both every night. Bradley Beal is a great shooter. He can make shots from anywhere and dribble past lazy defenders. Nene, Marcin Gortat, and Kris Humphires rebound opponent's missed shots with great frequency. The trio can score on offense close to the basket and far away.
In college basketball, there are a lot of good stories. The University of Virginia is third ranked in the entire country with a perfect 11-0 record. In-state rival Virginia Tech is an impressive 8-4 in a rebuilding season. Georgetown University is 8-3 including two spectacular overtime wins over Florida and Indiana, respectively in neutral-site, non-home games. The University of Maryland has a 12-1 win/loss total with their only loss against undefeated Virginia. Maryland has won three games outside the state of Maryland, two in Kansas City over Arizona State and Iowa State through winning the CBE Classic and one in Oklahoma at Oklahoma State. Finally, George Washington University defeated Wichita State in winning the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii. Wichita State was ranked 11th with a 10-1 record entering the game. George Washington is 9-3 after winning the three round tournament.
For those of you scoring at home, all of the basketball and hockey teams have winning records with at least 12 games played. The Redskins have done that once since the beginning of the 1999 season. The best 12 game mark was a break even 6-6 mark in 2012 after they started 3-6.
In short, these teams are good, the Redskins are bad. Also, it's not going to change. Spend your time, money, competitive rooting interests on basketball and hockey. Don't pay attention to coaching changes, free agent signings, or draft picks selected by the Redskins. It's a waste of time, enjoy yourself with good, hard-working teams.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Too early to predict for NBA/NHL teams (Part 1)
It's too early to make season-long judgements on NBA and NHL. In the case of the NBA, they just started their regular season. Teams began playing games only last Tuesday. So, that's fourteen days or exactly two weeks. That's way too small of a period to make accurate assessments. For the NHL, their season began on October 8th. They've played for a little more than four weeks, 30 days. 30 days is a month so you have a larger sample size. However, it isn't big enough to predict a team or individuals performance over six months. Tomorrow, we'll look at the the NHL. Today, we'll examine the NBA.
In the NBA, teams have played between 6 and 8 games. Cleveland, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Boston, San Antonio, New Orleans, L.A. Lakers, Golden State, Minnesota, and Denver have played the least number of games (6). That's 4 Eastern clubs and 6 Western clubs. 8 of the 15 eastern conference teams and 8 of the 15 western conference teams have played the median number of games (7). If you're good with math than you know this without thinking and better than me getting headaches over single numbers. Three teams from the East {New York, Chicago, and Indiana} and one team from the West {Utah} have played the most number of games (8).By the way, I have a headache as I type this. No sarcasm garbage here.
The Cleveland Lebrons...errr...the Cavaliers started losing three of their first four games. ESPN commentators were debating whether we should be concerned, uh...no. Let's not get carried away. Cleveland won on Friday in Denver. They were on a west coast road trip, 2-3 time zones away from Ohio. On Monday, they returned home and defeated New Orleans. Cleveland is 3-3 after a 1-3 start.
Injuries also play a role in misjudging teams based upon success in previous years and expectations for future years. Two teams who exemplify this are the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Indiana is without All-Star Paul George for the season after breaking his right leg in a Team USA Basketball practice. In addition to George, the Pacers are missing David West, George Hill, C.J. Watson, and Rodney Stuckey due to injuries. OKC are without last season's NBA most valuable player Kevin Durant for an undetermined time, due to a fracture in his right foot, and fellow All-Star Russelll Westbrook broke his right hand during the first game of the season and is out for 4-6 weeks. The Thunder are 2-5 in the West while the Pacers are 2-6 in the East. Again, these teams aren't this bad, when your team's best players get hurt, the worse results occur in most cases. The good news is there are 82 games in the NBA regular season, nobody has played 10 games yet, forget 20, 30, or 40.
I would wait until around Christmas time to give a more well-rounded look at the NBA. That's six weeks. Am I that number-savvy? No...I counted the Tuesdays after this one and allegedly came up with six. I would then give a mid-season report card when everyone plays 41 games. Then, I want to reexamine after play on February 12. There's a break of six days between games due to the NBA All-Star Weekend and extended weekday break. Finally, check-ups are mandatory on March 1, April 1, and a full prognosis after games on April 15, the season's final night. I sound like a doctor, I don't play one on TV, just the Internet. Everybody, it's early, relax.
In the NBA, teams have played between 6 and 8 games. Cleveland, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Boston, San Antonio, New Orleans, L.A. Lakers, Golden State, Minnesota, and Denver have played the least number of games (6). That's 4 Eastern clubs and 6 Western clubs. 8 of the 15 eastern conference teams and 8 of the 15 western conference teams have played the median number of games (7). If you're good with math than you know this without thinking and better than me getting headaches over single numbers. Three teams from the East {New York, Chicago, and Indiana} and one team from the West {Utah} have played the most number of games (8).By the way, I have a headache as I type this. No sarcasm garbage here.
The Cleveland Lebrons...errr...the Cavaliers started losing three of their first four games. ESPN commentators were debating whether we should be concerned, uh...no. Let's not get carried away. Cleveland won on Friday in Denver. They were on a west coast road trip, 2-3 time zones away from Ohio. On Monday, they returned home and defeated New Orleans. Cleveland is 3-3 after a 1-3 start.
Injuries also play a role in misjudging teams based upon success in previous years and expectations for future years. Two teams who exemplify this are the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Indiana is without All-Star Paul George for the season after breaking his right leg in a Team USA Basketball practice. In addition to George, the Pacers are missing David West, George Hill, C.J. Watson, and Rodney Stuckey due to injuries. OKC are without last season's NBA most valuable player Kevin Durant for an undetermined time, due to a fracture in his right foot, and fellow All-Star Russelll Westbrook broke his right hand during the first game of the season and is out for 4-6 weeks. The Thunder are 2-5 in the West while the Pacers are 2-6 in the East. Again, these teams aren't this bad, when your team's best players get hurt, the worse results occur in most cases. The good news is there are 82 games in the NBA regular season, nobody has played 10 games yet, forget 20, 30, or 40.
I would wait until around Christmas time to give a more well-rounded look at the NBA. That's six weeks. Am I that number-savvy? No...I counted the Tuesdays after this one and allegedly came up with six. I would then give a mid-season report card when everyone plays 41 games. Then, I want to reexamine after play on February 12. There's a break of six days between games due to the NBA All-Star Weekend and extended weekday break. Finally, check-ups are mandatory on March 1, April 1, and a full prognosis after games on April 15, the season's final night. I sound like a doctor, I don't play one on TV, just the Internet. Everybody, it's early, relax.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Steelers fans and sports media show lack of judgment in aftermath of loss vs. Jets
Depending upon how you look at things, either the Pittsburgh Steelers lost or the New York Jets won their head-to-head NFL matchup. There are reasons why the 1-8Jets defeated the 6-3 Steelers on Sunday. New York played its best game of the season. Arguably, Pittsburgh played their worst, they did lose at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in September. That is the Bucs' only victory this season against eight losses. Maybe the Steelers played down to their competition. These are valid reasons explaining Sunday's outcome.
Here is the most-talked about reason for why the Steelers lost, singer Justin Bieber showed up at the team's bible study on Saturday. Yes, this is the reason why they didn't beat the Jets. I'm not whether to laugh or cry. It's so laughable that a person could bring bad luck to a team.
Sports fans believe in curses or jinxes. Announcers get criticized often for saying a pitcher throwing a no-hitter in baseball or a goalie is shutting out the opponent in hockey. Because the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees, Boston didn't win a World Series in baseball from 1918 to 2004. Yes, and I am 6'4", 220 pounds. I'm closer to 5'5" and 120, for the record. In reality, Boston had really successful teams but never the best team until 2004. The Jets haven't won a Super Bowl since 1969. They've just been bad to mediocre, no Joe Namath guarantee reverse jinx.
Steelers fans and sports media blaming the Steelers loss on Bieber meeting the team at a religious event is IDIOTIC, GUTLESS, AND HEARTLESS! Would these people say these things about their son, their brother, their cousin, their friend? Is it in spite? Is it jealously? HECK YEAH!What did Bieber do that was so wrong? All of the players who were in pictures with Bieber seemed to enjoy his company and vice-versa. Can't we all get along? Please, Bieber has done some bad things but is trying to make up for it now. Give him a chance.
Here is the most-talked about reason for why the Steelers lost, singer Justin Bieber showed up at the team's bible study on Saturday. Yes, this is the reason why they didn't beat the Jets. I'm not whether to laugh or cry. It's so laughable that a person could bring bad luck to a team.
Sports fans believe in curses or jinxes. Announcers get criticized often for saying a pitcher throwing a no-hitter in baseball or a goalie is shutting out the opponent in hockey. Because the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees, Boston didn't win a World Series in baseball from 1918 to 2004. Yes, and I am 6'4", 220 pounds. I'm closer to 5'5" and 120, for the record. In reality, Boston had really successful teams but never the best team until 2004. The Jets haven't won a Super Bowl since 1969. They've just been bad to mediocre, no Joe Namath guarantee reverse jinx.
Steelers fans and sports media blaming the Steelers loss on Bieber meeting the team at a religious event is IDIOTIC, GUTLESS, AND HEARTLESS! Would these people say these things about their son, their brother, their cousin, their friend? Is it in spite? Is it jealously? HECK YEAH!What did Bieber do that was so wrong? All of the players who were in pictures with Bieber seemed to enjoy his company and vice-versa. Can't we all get along? Please, Bieber has done some bad things but is trying to make up for it now. Give him a chance.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Arqam's Angle - Audio Edition
Today, we're going to try something a little bit different. Instead of one written post on a particular topic, we're going to give two audio posts on two different but similar topics regarding hockey coverage by the hockey media.
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First up, the hockey media's relationship with Washington Capitals player Alexander Ovechkin and comparisons between him and Pittsburgh Penguins player Sidney Crosby. (Length - 13:14)
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6iKgh1EqWPceUw5MEZDeHFubzR5N0xwbzZNMXB6LTExX1FV/edit
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Here is the second part of Arqam's Angle - Audio Edition.
This is about the NHL's and broadcast partner NBC's scheduling of the cable sports network's NBCSN Wednesday Night Rivalry. In addition, we discuss the branding of "Wednesday Night Rivalry". Is it completely accurate? (Length 15:46)
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6iKgh1EqWPcbHEtekJGUTJSaFBYajk0VHZYSnFObXZQYS1z/edit
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Please comment on if the audio file links do or don't work properly. Also, please give a few seconds for audio to start after hitting play. These were recorded off an iPhone. Thank you.
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First up, the hockey media's relationship with Washington Capitals player Alexander Ovechkin and comparisons between him and Pittsburgh Penguins player Sidney Crosby. (Length - 13:14)
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6iKgh1EqWPceUw5MEZDeHFubzR5N0xwbzZNMXB6LTExX1FV/edit
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Here is the second part of Arqam's Angle - Audio Edition.
This is about the NHL's and broadcast partner NBC's scheduling of the cable sports network's NBCSN Wednesday Night Rivalry. In addition, we discuss the branding of "Wednesday Night Rivalry". Is it completely accurate? (Length 15:46)
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6iKgh1EqWPcbHEtekJGUTJSaFBYajk0VHZYSnFObXZQYS1z/edit
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Please comment on if the audio file links do or don't work properly. Also, please give a few seconds for audio to start after hitting play. These were recorded off an iPhone. Thank you.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
The Washington Redskins Vs. The Media
You would think the Washington Redskins would be a little more careful about public relations and media matters considering the never-ending debate about the team's nickname. After a stunning 20-17 overtime upset win over the rival Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago, everybody at Redskin Park should be happy. A two-game winning streak jumped Washington to a 3-5 record with two games against losing teams coming up, Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Well, this wouldn't be the Redskins if there wasn't some sort of circus. Where are The Flying Wallendas? Where is the fire-eating person? Where are the jugglers? I'm rambling.
Anyway, the Redskins announced injured QB Robert Griffin III would start this past Sunday's game against Minnesota or did they? Many local and national reporters claimed through anonymous sources that this was the case. This was Wednesday, two days after Dallas and four days before Minnesota. Later, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden informed the media that no decision had been made. Basically, Griffin would practice with the first team along with then-starter Colt McCoy. If the Redskins' coaches felt Griffin was healthy to play, they would start Griffin. If not, McCoy would start. This is typical behavior for a team with an injured starting QB and a backup QB filling in as the temporary starter. The problem, lack of understanding and communication to the media.
So, Gruden said a decision would be made on Friday. No problem. Friday comes, Gruden says Griffin is the starting QB versus Minnesota. No problem. Sunday comes, problem. Britt McHenry and Adam Schefter of ESPN both reported issues with the Redskins and Griffin. First, Schefter claimed the Redskins decision to start Griffin was not made by head coach Jay Gruden. Schefter said , on ESPN's pregame show and in a story written by ESPN.com staffers, that owner Daniel Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen made the decision. It was interesting because neither Snyder or Allen said anything publicly.
The ESPN.com story's first sentence read, "multiple members of the Washington Redskins organization told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter this week that they believe the decision to go back to quarterback Robert Griffin III and away from Colt McCoy, who had led the team to two straight wins, is an owner- and general manager-driven decision".
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11808434/call-start-robert-griffin-iii-washington-redskins-came-top
Now the word "believe" was used by the people who talked to Schefter. "Believe" is different than "told" or "said". Schefter was "told" by sources who "believe" the decision was from upper-level management. Do the sources know for a fact? Do they not know? Was the story made up by Schefter? Could it be a misunderstanding?
Well, McHenry's negative Redskins story was about how one person said "Griffin has alienated himself" from the rest of the team. This statement was in response to a bizarre incident when Griffin was speaking to reporters on Friday. A group of players yelled and screamed and cheered so loud for so long that the interview needed to be moved out of the locker room. Griffin and the reporters relocated to a nearby hallway where the screaming continued. None of the two sports radio stations, four D.C. TV stations, or around a dozen writers from various newspapers reported anything.
After the Redskins lost to the Vikings, 29-26, Gruden and Griffin both denied friction between the team and the QB and claimed Gruden made the decision to start Griffin. Okay, so, WHAT IS GOING ON? Is this the football version of the old TV game show, "To Tell the Truth"? Maybe it's the old "Truth or Consequences" hosted by famed "The Price is Right" host Bob Barker? Well, I don't know whose telling the truth but there are consequences (thank you, I'll be at the DC Improv on Friday night, sarcasm).
Anyhow, this bizarre mystery gets even more mysterious when 106.7 The Fan's Redskins beat reporter Brian McNally says it wasn't directed at Griffin. Better yet, the group of shouting players were mad at the media. An athlete mad at a reporter, never hear or see that a lot in sports. Insert your joke, wait, I just did. McNally explained there was ongoing tension between the players and the Redskins PR department/news media.
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/11/03/another-pr-debacle-involving-rgiii-and-the-washington-redskins/
Among the highlights or lowlights were... "We’re trying to conduct an interview with Robert Griffin III in the middle of the locker room, and to have 12 to 15 guys just making a ruckus, yelling nonsense, interrupting what we were trying to do; it wasn’t funny — I don’t care what Ryan Clark said, I’ll go at him next time I see him, it’s ridiculous — it wasn’t lighthearted.”
In addition, McNally was asked by the radio hosts if the Redskins demanded he and other reporters to keep quiet. He told the station they reporters were "asked" but not "told" to not say anything if the Redskins punished their players behind closed doors. It was to be an agreement between and the media. In an interesting note, Britt McHenry, the ESPN reporter who reported the ruckus is based in the local Washington, D.C. area but acted as a national media person. McNally didn't single out McHenry and admitted a personal bias on her behalf while discussing the incident.
McNally sounded angry more toward the players involved at the end of one answer stating, “trust me, that bargain would not have been struck if any reporter thought that that was not going to be nipped in the bud, and I think Robert even referenced that — I think he said that in his press conference yesterday, that will not happen again, and it better not happen again". The question has to be asked, why did the local media not refuse the Redskins request to keep it private? Were the reporters afraid of more player backlash? For one thing, it didn't look good.
So, the Washington Redskins have insulted Native Americans by defending their racist team nickname, insulted their fans with two decades of mostly losing football, and insulted the local media with the actions of a few players. If it wasn't for the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings, the Redskins would win "Most Embarrassing Off-Field Behavior and PR for 2014".
In my opinion, Washington is a screwed-up organization with tons of locker room and media issues to fix. However, the Ravens, 49ers, and Panthers all planned on playing key star players (Ray Rice-Ravens, Ray McDonald-49ers, Greg Hardy-Panthers) following domestic violence arrests until media backlash forced them to change their mind. The Vikings in the month of September, Washington's opponent last week, were going to start Adrian Peterson the week after not allowing him to play due to a child abuse arrest then suspended him after fans protested.
At least, Washington hasn't had any arrests or suspensions for off-field conduct. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind! Yes, that was completely sarcastic.
The Washington Redskins ownership, front office, public relations staff, coaches, and players need to show better cooperation and understanding with the media. The media are two-fold. Local reporters need to stand up for themselves and not let the team dictate things. National reporters need to use better perspective of a local story in relation to a national audience. They also have to provide names when mentioning sources. This is sports, this is professional football, nobody is exchanging political or military plans which could affect the world. It's one football team in one professional football league. People's lives and/or professional careers should not be at risk.
It's bad enough for a football team when they're 3-6 with only 7 games left, it's worse when that isn't even the main story.
Anyway, the Redskins announced injured QB Robert Griffin III would start this past Sunday's game against Minnesota or did they? Many local and national reporters claimed through anonymous sources that this was the case. This was Wednesday, two days after Dallas and four days before Minnesota. Later, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden informed the media that no decision had been made. Basically, Griffin would practice with the first team along with then-starter Colt McCoy. If the Redskins' coaches felt Griffin was healthy to play, they would start Griffin. If not, McCoy would start. This is typical behavior for a team with an injured starting QB and a backup QB filling in as the temporary starter. The problem, lack of understanding and communication to the media.
So, Gruden said a decision would be made on Friday. No problem. Friday comes, Gruden says Griffin is the starting QB versus Minnesota. No problem. Sunday comes, problem. Britt McHenry and Adam Schefter of ESPN both reported issues with the Redskins and Griffin. First, Schefter claimed the Redskins decision to start Griffin was not made by head coach Jay Gruden. Schefter said , on ESPN's pregame show and in a story written by ESPN.com staffers, that owner Daniel Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen made the decision. It was interesting because neither Snyder or Allen said anything publicly.
The ESPN.com story's first sentence read, "multiple members of the Washington Redskins organization told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter this week that they believe the decision to go back to quarterback Robert Griffin III and away from Colt McCoy, who had led the team to two straight wins, is an owner- and general manager-driven decision".
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11808434/call-start-robert-griffin-iii-washington-redskins-came-top
Now the word "believe" was used by the people who talked to Schefter. "Believe" is different than "told" or "said". Schefter was "told" by sources who "believe" the decision was from upper-level management. Do the sources know for a fact? Do they not know? Was the story made up by Schefter? Could it be a misunderstanding?
Well, McHenry's negative Redskins story was about how one person said "Griffin has alienated himself" from the rest of the team. This statement was in response to a bizarre incident when Griffin was speaking to reporters on Friday. A group of players yelled and screamed and cheered so loud for so long that the interview needed to be moved out of the locker room. Griffin and the reporters relocated to a nearby hallway where the screaming continued. None of the two sports radio stations, four D.C. TV stations, or around a dozen writers from various newspapers reported anything.
After the Redskins lost to the Vikings, 29-26, Gruden and Griffin both denied friction between the team and the QB and claimed Gruden made the decision to start Griffin. Okay, so, WHAT IS GOING ON? Is this the football version of the old TV game show, "To Tell the Truth"? Maybe it's the old "Truth or Consequences" hosted by famed "The Price is Right" host Bob Barker? Well, I don't know whose telling the truth but there are consequences (thank you, I'll be at the DC Improv on Friday night, sarcasm).
Anyhow, this bizarre mystery gets even more mysterious when 106.7 The Fan's Redskins beat reporter Brian McNally says it wasn't directed at Griffin. Better yet, the group of shouting players were mad at the media. An athlete mad at a reporter, never hear or see that a lot in sports. Insert your joke, wait, I just did. McNally explained there was ongoing tension between the players and the Redskins PR department/news media.
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/11/03/another-pr-debacle-involving-rgiii-and-the-washington-redskins/
Among the highlights or lowlights were... "We’re trying to conduct an interview with Robert Griffin III in the middle of the locker room, and to have 12 to 15 guys just making a ruckus, yelling nonsense, interrupting what we were trying to do; it wasn’t funny — I don’t care what Ryan Clark said, I’ll go at him next time I see him, it’s ridiculous — it wasn’t lighthearted.”
In addition, McNally was asked by the radio hosts if the Redskins demanded he and other reporters to keep quiet. He told the station they reporters were "asked" but not "told" to not say anything if the Redskins punished their players behind closed doors. It was to be an agreement between and the media. In an interesting note, Britt McHenry, the ESPN reporter who reported the ruckus is based in the local Washington, D.C. area but acted as a national media person. McNally didn't single out McHenry and admitted a personal bias on her behalf while discussing the incident.
McNally sounded angry more toward the players involved at the end of one answer stating, “trust me, that bargain would not have been struck if any reporter thought that that was not going to be nipped in the bud, and I think Robert even referenced that — I think he said that in his press conference yesterday, that will not happen again, and it better not happen again". The question has to be asked, why did the local media not refuse the Redskins request to keep it private? Were the reporters afraid of more player backlash? For one thing, it didn't look good.
So, the Washington Redskins have insulted Native Americans by defending their racist team nickname, insulted their fans with two decades of mostly losing football, and insulted the local media with the actions of a few players. If it wasn't for the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings, the Redskins would win "Most Embarrassing Off-Field Behavior and PR for 2014".
In my opinion, Washington is a screwed-up organization with tons of locker room and media issues to fix. However, the Ravens, 49ers, and Panthers all planned on playing key star players (Ray Rice-Ravens, Ray McDonald-49ers, Greg Hardy-Panthers) following domestic violence arrests until media backlash forced them to change their mind. The Vikings in the month of September, Washington's opponent last week, were going to start Adrian Peterson the week after not allowing him to play due to a child abuse arrest then suspended him after fans protested.
At least, Washington hasn't had any arrests or suspensions for off-field conduct. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind! Yes, that was completely sarcastic.
The Washington Redskins ownership, front office, public relations staff, coaches, and players need to show better cooperation and understanding with the media. The media are two-fold. Local reporters need to stand up for themselves and not let the team dictate things. National reporters need to use better perspective of a local story in relation to a national audience. They also have to provide names when mentioning sources. This is sports, this is professional football, nobody is exchanging political or military plans which could affect the world. It's one football team in one professional football league. People's lives and/or professional careers should not be at risk.
It's bad enough for a football team when they're 3-6 with only 7 games left, it's worse when that isn't even the main story.
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