EJ knee surgery, Tim Graham questions, draft QB?

[Delete This Account]

Thank goodness Tim Graham can't make any personnel decisions for any team in the NFL, especially the Bills. When EJ was on the field, he gave the Bills a chance to win. He struggled when his offensive line couldn't win battles.

 

I think Buddy Nix said a QB should be drafted or picked up every year in any case and I agree with that. Picking up a young project in rounds 5-7 or as an UDFA is fine. With that said, EJ deserves a minimum 20 starts before anyone passes judgement on him.

 

i'm half kidding. but if EJ can't stay healthy, a 20-start wait might take a little while.

 

ok, perhaps that was a little bit unfair. but it gets right to the crux of the debate over Manuel: his knees.

perhaps, the Bills are hoping, last year was an anomaly in regards to the knee injuries. there is a chance that it wasn't. what then?

at the very least, and i've gone out and said this, we'll all have a better grasp on Manuel's potential and place as QB by the end of next October, whether that's 9 starts or 2.

 

this QB train is leaving the station. the only question is whether EJ is capable of jumping on board.

 

jw

[YoloinOhio]

He was always the same dude you described after your first sentence. Negative and an outright d*&@k. Wasn’t sorry he left the board. Notice he doesn’t like people calling him out...

So funny that he says the things he does then on Twitter. He revels in anything negative about the Bills and when there isn't anything negative he tries to put a negative spin on the positive. I followed him for about a week and then un-followed him, because as a Bills fan he is obnoxious and doesn't share any real info. He retweets info, and usually with some snarky remark. I'm not asking for sunshine and rainbows PR, but a little objectivity once in awhile would be nice. Does he hate the Bills and want them to fail? If he doesn't, he is giving off that perception... and alienates Bills fans by doing so. Maybe he doesn't care, but then he shouldn't be surprised to see them calling him out.

[purple haze]

Ya know. I personally don't really like Tim Graham. I think he's a lazy journalist myself. But the fact is he did ask EJ a tough question. All year we complain why these reporters don't ask these guys tough questions. Then when they do, we all want to complain about it.

 

The problem wasn’t that he asked a tough question. The problem was he made himself the story. No reason for him to inject his opinion the way he did. He’s not a columnist paid to give his opinion; he’s a blogger/reporter. Sully is the columnist. Larry Felser was a columnist. TG is a reporter who asked a legit question, then followed that up by giving a personal opinion he didn’t need to give. He should have reframed EJ’s question back to him by relaying fan concerns about his knee and asked EJ his response to fans' feeling that’s a reason they might need to take another QB. Journalism 101. Unless one has an agenda. TG wouldn’t have one of those would he?

Edited January 31, 2014 by purple haze

[jimmy10]

Ya know. I personally don't really like Tim Graham. I think he's a lazy journalist myself. But the fact is he did ask EJ a tough question. All year we complain why these reporters don't ask these guys tough questions. Then when they do, we all want to complain about it.

 

It's not the question that bothers me. It's a perfectly valid question, but WTF does he think the current starting QB is going to say in response to a question like that? And what was the point of injecting his own opinion into it, other than to make himself part of the story?

[purple haze]

So funny that he says the things he does then on Twitter. He revels in anything negative about the Bills and when there isn't anything negative he tries to put a negative spin on the positive. I followed him for about a week and then un-followed him, because as a Bills fan he is obnoxious and doesn't share any real info. He retweets info, and usually with some snarky remark. I'm not asking for sunshine and rainbows PR, but a little objectivity once in awhile would be nice. Does he hate the Bills and want them to fail? If he doesn't, he is giving off that perception... and alienates Bills fans by doing so. Maybe he doesn't care, but then he shouldn't be surprised to see them calling him out.

 

Yep. Agree with you. We, the fans are all upset about this run of foolishness, but TG takes things too far. Even when something decent happens he can’t seem to say anything positive about that. I don’t mind criticism. I mind not being even-handed. It’s like he’s trying to play a character. Much like Sully. I guess he’s angling for a spot on First Take. I don’t care for his shtick at all.

[billsfan1959]

High road? Meh? Can you throw a few more pop catch phrases in there? TG threw a hard ball question at the golden boy. Are you concerned EJ is crying himself to sleep tonight?

 

It is not the question that bothers me. When EJ asked "Do you think they should (draft a QB in the first round)?" Graham, who is supposed to be conducting this interview as a journalist, took the opportunity to make it personal. He could have continued to act like a journalist and responded with something along the lines of, "Well, isn't competition always good at every position?" or any number of other responses that would have continued along a path of a journalist interviewing an athlete. He didn't. He turned it into a personal discussion with the response, "I do."

 

I'm sorry, there is no reason for that response. It served absolutely no purpose and, to be honest, pretty disrespectful. If he wanted to get an interview then he should have acted like a journalist and then written his story. If he wanted to turn it into a personal discussion about what he believed - then fine, leave it at that and don't write about it.

[Cotton Fitzsimmons]

It's not the question that bothers me. It's a perfectly valid question, but WTF does he think the current starting QB is going to say in response to a question like that? And what was the point of injecting his own opinion into it, other than to make himself part of the story?

 

Jimmyo, my good man, you are spot on! Is it really a so called "tough" question more so than just a ridiculous question? Either EJ gives the company line and says something like "That's not my call, my job is to get ready and prepare and be the best player I can be, etc." OR he pushes back and makes Tim Graham part of the story as he did. There's really no way to get something productive out of a question like that.

[RuntheDamnBall]

according to John Kryk's transcript of the exchange, the initial question asked by Graham was:

 

What would be your reaction if they draft a quarterback in the first round? (Graham)

 

EJ's reaction to that question was:

 

“I don’t know. We’ll have to see if that happens. You guys think they should?”

 

 

let's be fair, here. questions about the Bills drafting a QB in the first round this year have been raised long in advance of yesterday. that EJ ended his response with a question which to his surprise was answered is not the media's fault.

 

jw

That EJ ended his response with a question - which he likely understood the implications of - is not excuse for a journalist to inject his opinion into the situation, is it?

 

I think it's already been indicated, above, what a more tactful response would have been. Instead Graham is using it to launch his own boat.

 

Potential drafting of a 1st round QB has been a topic of both discussion and contention for some time here. I don't get the sense that confronting Manuel about it was done with an interest in having that discussion. I'd love to be proven wrong.

 

The problem wasn’t that he asked a tough question. The problem was he made himself the story. No reason for him to inject his opinion the way he did. He’s not a columnist paid to give his opinion; he’s a blogger/reporter. Sully is the columnist. Larry Felser was a columnist. TG is a reporter who asked a legit question, then followed that up by giving a personal opinion he didn’t need to give. He should have reframed EJ’s question back to him by relaying fan concerns about his knee and asked EJ his response to fans' feeling that’s a reason they might need to take another QB. Journalism 101. Unless one has an agenda. TG wouldn’t have one of those would he?

Well said.

[YoloinOhio]

It is not the question that bothers me. When EJ asked "Do you think they should (draft a QB in the first round)?" Graham, who is supposed to be conducting this interview as a journalist, took the opportunity to make it personal. He could have continued to act like a journalist and responded with something along the lines of, "Well, isn't competition always good at every position?" or any number of other responses that would have continued along a path of a journalist interviewing an athlete. He didn't. He turned it into a personal discussion with the response, "I do."

 

I'm sorry, there is no reason for that response. It served absolutely no purpose and, to be honest, pretty disrespectful. If he wanted to get an interview then he should have acted like a journalist and then written his story. If he wanted to turn it into a personal discussion about what he believed - then fine, leave it at that and don't write about it.

The only purpose it served, for TG, was to get him attention which he appears to need, and to make EJ feel disrespected. I really have never seen a reporter say something like that in an interview and it was childish and "Look at me!"

[mrags]

Don't get mad at me guys. I said when I started I don't like TG. I think he's full of himself. And honestly, I haven't read the article, or watched/heard the clip so I don't know what context it was brought up. I was simply stating facts that we as fans always complain that tough questioning is never asked by the media. That they always just give the Bills organization so much respect and never want to question their decisions.

 

It very well could have been a BS question. However it was valid. Maybe not the ya it was asked, worded, or the context that it was questioned but it was valid. As far as what did we expect EJs answer to be... Well, we never get tough questions so how would we know what the answers would be?

[BigBuff423]

Oh good, another Tim Graham article for me to ignore. Frrrrrrrrrrrrt

 

 

 

I shortened the post for quoting purposes, but am replying to the entire thing...

 

I was here when the TG thing went down too. The entire "attack" was against ESPN, not TG personally. When Leonidas made a comment along the lines of "tell your employer to cover other cities besides Boston and Dallas", that is when TG had his hissy fit and started with the "Well maybe you dont want a credentialed reporter posting here" and his other BS. And yeah, a number of people called him on it and said "Fine, we dont". So he took his ball and went home.

 

IT was clear in what TG posted that he didnt come here to be a peered member of the community. He showed up thinking that he would be worshipped and given special treatment where no one would question what he said and he'd never have to respond or have an actual discussion. Where as that is exactly how JW has approached posting here and what makes him a welcomed member of our community.

 

It was only after that all went down, and he was already off the board, that the more personal attacks started.

 

And if you don't like personal attacks, then stay away from TG's twitter, because that is his MO when responding to people.

 

Dude is a little weasel. When he started at TBN, he actually had a couple of good articles, but has since developed into the new, even worse, Jerry Sullivan. I don't know if it is ordered from the top to write antagonistic stuff in order to get clicks, or what, but he's losing whatever credibility he had left by the second.

 

Again with the "Dude is a little weasel"....really? Name calling?? Really? I mean, if I were to say - question whether you're really a doctor based on your screen name yet doubt it by the childish tenor of your remarks and insults, wouldn't that wear thin at some point? You don't agree or don't like his viewpoints...fair enough. You think he is wrong and have a bias against Buffalo, I'm listening...you don't believe he is good evaluator of talent and his articles are poorly written, hey - not really going to argue. But, when you start the juvenile, name-calling bulls*it, it reduces this board to school-yard bullying...and it just doesn't have to be that way. I recall that thread, and sorry to say, you may want to review your facts as it was a long and drawn out series of events. And whatever TG's motivation "may" have been, they are immaterial to what it WAS, a personal attack. No reason, no cause, unjust, and indefensable. Period.

 

You can respond all you want, but I will not....this isn't up for debate, a personal attack no matter when it occurs or what you may presume to be someone else's reason for joining the board is irrelevant. Candor and objectivity is great...but not at the expense of a person's well-being and certainly not at the cost of either a professional or a fan leaving the board. In case you haven't noticed, finding and binding with true BILLS fans or professionals willing to have ardent and intelligent discussions with them are farther and fewer between than ever before...if you want to continue to have a community of brotherhoood and sisterhood that bonds as fans together, personal attacks have no place....ever.

[K-9]

It's not the question that bothers me. It's a perfectly valid question, but WTF does he think the current starting QB is going to say in response to a question like that? And what was the point of injecting his own opinion into it, other than to make himself part of the story?

 

He needed the column material.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[GG]

according to John Kryk's transcript of the exchange, the initial question asked by Graham was:

 

What would be your reaction if they draft a quarterback in the first round? (Graham)

 

EJ's reaction to that question was:

 

“I don’t know. We’ll have to see if that happens. You guys think they should?”

 

 

let's be fair, here. questions about the Bills drafting a QB in the first round this year have been raised long in advance of yesterday. that EJ ended his response with a question which to his surprise was answered is not the media's fault.

 

jw

 

Then is TG acting as a journalist or an opinionator?

[RuntheDamnBall]

Don't get mad at me guys. I said when I started I don't like TG. I think he's full of himself. And honestly, I haven't read the article, or watched/heard the clip so I don't know what context it was brought up. I was simply stating facts that we as fans always complain that tough questioning is never asked by the media. That they always just give the Bills organization so much respect and never want to question their decisions.

 

It very well could have been a BS question. However it was valid. Maybe not the ya it was asked, worded, or the context that it was questioned but it was valid. As far as what did we expect EJs answer to be... Well, we never get tough questions so how would we know what the answers would be?

The tough (and fair) question is - "how are you going to prove to the critics that you can be healthy enough to develop into the Bills' franchise QB?"

 

This "what would you do if we get the QB controversy that I as a 3rd rate journalist am salivating for" crap is not a tough question. It's an easy question to answer. He obviously wouldn't like it.

 

It doesn't make him a malcontent or anything that Graham appears to be planting the seed for here.

[YoloinOhio]

Don't get mad at me guys. I said when I started I don't like TG. I think he's full of himself. And honestly, I haven't read the article, or watched/heard the clip so I don't know what context it was brought up. I was simply stating facts that we as fans always complain that tough questioning is never asked by the media. That they always just give the Bills organization so much respect and never want to question their decisions.

 

It very well could have been a BS question. However it was valid. Maybe not the ya it was asked, worded, or the context that it was questioned but it was valid. As far as what did we expect EJs answer to be... Well, we never get tough questions so how would we know what the answers would be?

It really isn't the question I have an issue with (even though even Andy Dalton doesn't get that question in Cincy and he has played there 3 years and it is a much bigger decision there than it is in Bflo when they have been so clear about EJ being their guy from day 1), it is the answer to EJ's question back to him. Although I think the question was stupid, I don't find as much fault with it as I do him telling EJ to his face that he thinks the team should draft a QB in the 1st round a year after he was drafted in the 1st round. Which has not been done by a team in what, 25 years?

[BigBuff423]

according to John Kryk's transcript of the exchange, the initial question asked by Graham was:

 

What would be your reaction if they draft a quarterback in the first round? (Graham)

 

EJ's reaction to that question was:

 

“I don’t know. We’ll have to see if that happens. You guys think they should?”

 

 

let's be fair, here. questions about the Bills drafting a QB in the first round this year have been raised long in advance of yesterday. that EJ ended his response with a question which to his surprise was answered is not the media's fault.

 

jw

 

To second part of your post: agreed. I think TG could have done a better job side-stepping the question, but you're absolutely right about the question of EJ's viability as the QB of the future being disucssed long before yesterday....it started the moment the BILLS Drafted him, and particularly mid-way through the 1st round.

[Delete This Account]

To second part of your post: agreed. I think TG could have done a better job side-stepping the question, but you're absolutely right about the question of EJ's viability as the QB of the future being disucssed long before yesterday....it started the moment the BILLS Drafted him, and particularly mid-way through the 1st round.

 

i have no issue with how Tim explained how the first part went. it's not his fault that EJ was pulled away before Tim could explain himself and bring the discussion to its logical conclusion. if EJ took offense to it without allowing time for an explanation then that's not entirely on Tim.

 

as Tim tried to begin explaining, he said, "I do," and then attempted to begin explaining himself by saying he does because quarterback is the most important position on the team, and one that's been unfilled.

 

remember, EJ asked: "do you think they should?" should is an interesting word in this case, and open to almost begging for an answer. that EJ didn't stick around waiting for an answer continues a trend for him. he doesn't take kindly or have patience for those raising questions about his performance or status in Buffalo.

at the very least, he needs to realize that he has a long way to go before proving he is a bona fide long-term starter.

 

he needs to realize that based on his inconsistencies, injuries and the questionable numbers he put up that this question will continue to be raised until: 1) he proves different (Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning don't have to face this line of questioning because they're proven themselves) or 2) the Bills proceed to draft another quarterback.

 

now sure why the media is being faulted here for asking questions and providing responses that have been raised and discussed on this board for quite some time.

 

jw

[GG]

i have no issue with how Tim explained how the first part went. it's not his fault that EJ was pulled away before Tim could explain himself and bring the discussion to its logical conclusion. if EJ took offense to it without allowing time for an explanation then that's not entirely on Tim.

 

as Tim tried to begin explaining, he said, "I do," and then attempted to begin explaining himself by saying he does because quarterback is the most important position on the team, and one that's been unfilled.

 

remember, EJ asked: "do you think they should?" should is an interesting word in this case, and open to almost begging for an answer. that EJ didn't stick around waiting for an answer continues a trend for him. he doesn't take kindly or have patience for those raising questions about his performance or status in Buffalo.

at the very least, he needs to realize that he has a long way to go before proving he is a bona fide long-term starter.

 

he needs to realize that based on his inconsistencies, injuries and the questionable numbers he put up that this question will continue to be raised until: 1) he proves different (Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning don't have to face this line of questioning because they're proven themselves) or 2) the Bills proceed to draft another quarterback.

 

now sure why the media is being faulted here for asking questions and providing responses that have been raised and discussed on this board for quite some time.

 

jw

 

You're taking EJ to task for storming off at a question he dislikes. Fair enough.

 

Yet, you defend a professional interviewer who needed more time to explain the context of his answer (which he didn't explain rationally, anyway).

 

This is why TG gets flak here, he's a borderline professional. That's also why he, as a professional interviewer, knew that he should not have antagonized his subject by saying "Yes, I do" as the first thing out of his mouth. That was a juvenile twitter response. The proper answer should not have answered directly and would have been couched in the softer language you describe above, as in "Since it's the most important role on the team, the Bills still have a question mark, especially with your surgery news. So, no it would not surprise me if they chose another QB in the draft"

 

TG acted juvenile in his exchange, and EJ's walking out does not change that fact.

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

I'm sure Manuel is frustrated by putting in hard work and getting injured. Honestly, I'm not sure if EJ or Tim benefited from the exchange. But all of us fans are hoping the past injuries aren't any indication of EJ's future reliability.

[KGUNBILLS]

If in fact it happened the way Graham says, it sounds like an immature spoiled little punk answer. IMO we should be looking at another QB after the mess from last year. The FO should be constantly looking to upgrade this team at all costs no matter what position.