EJ knee surgery, Tim Graham questions, draft QB?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

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 his asking EJ the question "what would be your reaction if they draft a quarterback in the first round" that's the problem.

It's his response to EJ's honest reaction "I don't know. We'll have to see if that happens. You guys think they should?"

 

EJ needs to learn not to open the door by asking a reporter his opinion. But there's no reason for a supposed professional to walk through it with the major-league diss by Graham "I do (think the Bills ought to draft another QB in the 1st round this year).". That's not Graham asking EJ a question, tough or not. That's Graham inserting his own personal viewpoint into the interview IN LIEU OF asking EJ tough questions.

 

Personally I don't think Graham's original question was particularly tough. It was a touchy-feely question "what would be your reaction" . I would consider a question like "do you feel your performance on the field as a rookie showed enough such that the Bills should rely on you as their franchise QB going forward?" much tougher and I think there are responses EJ could make that would reveal something about where his head is at.

 

the trouble is how this would affect EJ, who is seemingly under the impression that he is irreplaceable, otherwise why would he be asking others for his opinion. perhaps, a competition might be best?

 

jw

 

John, can you help us understand your basis for this comment? I give you credit to assume you have much more basis than Graham's interview.

[Beerball]

I actually expected more out of EJ, regardless of what TG said. It makes me believe that a lot of his composure as face of the franchise is more of a put on and calculated instead of genuine. Of course, no one is who they come across as in the media, but he really should have laughed it off, IMO.

Yeah, there were any number of ways that question could have been answered, but, EJ lost his composure a bit, maybe was caught off guard by the question; whatever the reason, he tried his spin move & once again it failed.

 

Graham was an ass IMO, but I don't think we should expect better from him. He did his job and I'm sure he's quite happy with the response.

[Maury Ballstein]

Maybe graham should make this his thing and be wacky shock jock shmo and ask the same question to every player on the team

 

Marcell should we draft dt in first round.

 

Wood should we draft center first round. Etc etc etc.

 

I'm sure everyone will embrace his trolled out questions. Pick on the rookie TG. You the man!

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

First off John, I would like to thank you for your response and say that its tone, thoughtfulness, and quality show the reason why you are so valued and respected here.

 

We agree that the media has to ask tough questions. It's your job. I'm not sure I agree "how will you feel if the Bills draft another QB in the first round this year?" qualifies exactly as a tough question. I would rather hear a tough question about EJ's actual performance on the field, but let's give the Q a pass.

 

We also agree that EJ opened the door by asking his own question "do you?" thus violating the sound principle, "never ask a question to which you don't want to hear the answer". Where we disagree is here:

 

there is nothing i can say or write here to convince many here anything different.EJ injected the media into the story by asking a question. that he didn't like the answer is not the media's fault. it's the answer that some here might have raised -- or wish they could have. and that's the trick of our jobs, being confrontational.

(....)

i wish many athletes were more like Alex. many aren't. that doesn't preclude us from at times being blunt, especially when EJ has shown a sensitivity by sidestepping questions hinting at doubt. if he can't handle us non-athletic types, what's that say about oncoming defensive ends and linebackers who make far more money than I or Tim at being confrontational?

 

Here's the apples-to-oranges shift. You're talking about ASKING tough questions. The subject I'm addressing is how a reporter responds to questions from an athlete.

 

I would have total respect for it if Graham responded to EJ's "do you guys think they should?" with what I see as a tough question "EJ, what changes in your play do you feel you must show next season to silence people who might answer 'yes' to that?" IMO that would be a tough question, directly and fairly aimed at EJ's on field performance and at your observed sensitivity to hints of doubt.

 

Instead, Graham chose to inject his own opinion - yes, EJ opened the door but a professional has a choice about how/whether he walks through it. And Graham then followed up with an article COMPLAINING THAT EJ DIDN"T LET HIM FOLLOW-UP AND EXPAND on his dis-you, in-your-face RESPONSE.

 

That's just not the same thing, it has nothing to do with asking tough questions and I hope you can see that. Sorry, Tim, but if you want to make a 2 word response you don't get a pass to complain that someone doesn't want to stay around to hear your footnotes. Respond in a way that clarifies what you really mean up front.

 

I would be very disappointed in you if you did something similar, John, but I don't think you would, I think you'd take the high road and use the opening to ask another tough question instead of making the interview about "John Wawrow's Viewpoint". And that's the difference between you and Tim and the quality of what you write. IMHO.

 

By the way, I personally would have no problem with it if the Bills see a QB they like in any round and draft him this year. I personally think the verdict on EJ is "not proven" and the most troubling thing I heard is his comment that he still thinks he did the right thing to try to get the extra yards in Cleveland.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Hopeful

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

The point I think that isn't being discussed is that there is no story. Graham created a story out of his own comment. what a reporter says is not news, yet graham passed it off as news by making himself the focal point of the article.

 

if he wants to write a straight opinion piece, that's fine. But the story was just spun as reporting on an occurrence of consequence, when nothing happened.

[Sisyphean Bills]

The point I think that isn't being discussed is that there is no story. Graham created a story out of his own comment. what a reporter says is not news, yet graham passed it off as news by making himself the focal point of the article.

 

if he wants to write a straight opinion piece, that's fine. But the story was just spun as reporting on an occurrence of consequence, when nothing happened.

 

That seems like a legitimate take as well. Nothing happened.

 

From what is written in the article, EJ flippantly asked a question that he really didn't want answered to someone not in his entourage as he was being led away by his handler and got a terse answer, which while truthful, he apparently didn't like or want to hear. He could have held up the handler and asked for clarification and refuted TG, getting in his take and explaining how this was now his team; but, who knows, perhaps he had somewhere more important to be. He left, so the article attempts to clarify the answer from TG's point-of-view.

 

Anyone want to fund a billboard calling for the handler's job?

[chris heff]

Manuel should have given the pat answer, "I really can't control that". Graham's article is the reason journalists get canned answers. After reading this thread I now understand why guys like Lynch don't speak to the press. What Graham really asked is, "do you think the Bills should exhibit a lack of confidence in you by drafting a QB in the first round, because you aren't very good at what you do? Because that's what I think". How is Manual or anyone else, for that matter suppose to respond to that?

 

"Hey Tim Graham, your not a very good journalist and I think the organization you work for should go all in on finding a replacement. What do you think?" How do you respond to that?

[Doc]

no, but it certainly raises concerns and leads observant people to begin forming them.

 

jw

There is a huge difference between being concerned and making a determination that a guy is a bust because he'll never play better and/or stay healthy after an injury-marred rookie season with numerous other problems on offense. If we're at the same spot next off-season, yeah I'd say taking a QB in the 1st round again might be a good idea.

Thad Lewis performed on par with EJ. He is also young and relatively inexperienced. Why is he not considered on par with Manuel?

 

Simple answer.......pedigree.

 

EJ was considered an underachiever......or simply a non-elite prospect at FSU.

 

You could argue that there are a half dozen or more QB's in this draft with a higher pedigree in regard to their performance or perceived NFL potential.

 

The Bills picked EJ early with the idea that there was much untapped ability in what was a very inconsistent package at FSU.

 

In truth, his performance at a football factory with otherwise national championship talent probably warranted only 4th or 5th round consideration.

 

He didn't elevate the level of that program so asking him to do that in the NFL required a significant leap of faith by an NFL team.

 

For a QB starved organization like Buffalo, selecting a player like that was only wrong if they weren't willing to draft another QB the next year if he didn't knock their socks off.

 

People can cherry pick for stats to show how EJ played relative to other rookies in NFL history........but the reality is that he played like one of the very worst starting QB's in the NFL, he had injury problems and his deficiencies in college were still there, if not magnified.

You're cherry-picking stats, comparing him to a league full of experienced vets. The point is he was a rookie who had injuries and a lackluster offense. Drafting a QB in the 1st round when you don't know how he will do in his 2nd year and when there are other needs is foolish.

 

As for Lewis, he'd been in the league for 2 years going against NFL players in practice. He'll be kept as competition, but I don't see his future as being much more than a backup.

The point I think that isn't being discussed is that there is no story. Graham created a story out of his own comment. what a reporter says is not news, yet graham passed it off as news by making himself the focal point of the article.

 

if he wants to write a straight opinion piece, that's fine. But the story was just spun as reporting on an occurrence of consequence, when nothing happened.

The only person who looks bad is Graham. EJ handled it perfectly. Now it's up to EJ to shut people like Timmy up.

[thebandit27]

My one and only comment...

 

This is one of the more manufactured stories I've read in a long time.

[K-9]

True. But for fair comparison, we should look at Kelly in 1986, when he was the most frustrating QB. You saw the flashes of potential, but he had the knack of throwing critical ints in clutch time.

 

Yep. Very Fitzlike in that regard as well. Driving for the go ahead score late and DOINK!, the game-ending INT. Or two. Jimbo had the capacity to suck the wind out of our sails on more than a few occasions. It ain't the INTs, it's how you bounce back. EJ, like Kelly, has shown glimpses of that ability.

 

Nobody is more acutely aware of how much he has to learn and how far he has to go developmentally than EJ Manuel. He has said it in numerous interviews, including his segment on ESPN this past Thursday. This notion that he needs the media to remind him of that is asinine.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Sisyphean Bills]

Manuel should have given the pat answer, "I really can't control that". Graham's article is the reason journalists get canned answers. After reading this thread I now understand why guys like Lynch don't speak to the press. What Graham really asked is, "do you think the Bills should exhibit a lack of confidence in you by drafting a QB in the first round, because you aren't very good at what you do? Because that's what I think". How is Manual or anyone else, for that matter suppose to respond to that?

 

"Hey Tim Graham, your not a very good journalist and I think the organization you work for should go all in on finding a replacement. What do you think?" How do you respond to that?

 

Actually, that was his response. He followed the vanilla answer up with the "What do you think?" though. That's where the debate begins: should TG have taken that hook? Could he have formulated and asked a 23 word question in the time it took them to part ways? Should he have just shrugged it off? Was his "yes" answer more flippant than EJ's question?

 

The troubling part of this story is that TG's piece paints a picture of a young man in a pressure packed, leadership position in a billion dollar business who walked away from a situation angry rather than address it. We don't know EJ's side of it, but that is the take-away.

[RuntheDamnBall]

 

 

Yep. Very Fitzlike in that regard as well. Driving for the go ahead score late and DOINK!, the game-ending INT. Or two. Jimbo had the capacity to suck the wind out of our sails on more than a few occasions. It ain't the INTs, it's how you bounce back. EJ, like Kelly, has shown glimpses of that ability.

 

Nobody is more acutely aware of how much he has to learn and how far he has to go developmentally than EJ Manuel. He has said it in numerous interviews, including his segment on ESPN this past Thursday. This notion that he needs the media to remind him of that is asinine.

 

GO BILLS!!!

You're on fire my friend.

[Fan in Chicago]

Instead, Graham chose to inject his own opinion - yes, EJ opened the door but a professional has a choice about how/whether he walks through it. And Graham then followed up with an article COMPLAINING THAT EJ DIDN"T LET HIM FOLLOW-UP AND EXPAND on his dis-you, in-your-face RESPONSE.

 

 

I fully agree and JW is just not responding to this point.

 

Very well written post, BTW.

 

if he wants to write a straight opinion piece, that's fine. But the story was just spun as reporting on an occurrence of consequence, when nothing happened.

 

IMHO, TG thought that he is likely to be portrayed as the instigator and decided to use his position to put forward his defense.

 

We don't know EJ's side of it, but that is the take-away.

 

And we never will. Who in the media is going to write that ? It is evident that JW is fully defending TG. Perhaps other reporters are also taking the "protect your own" stance.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Fan in Chicago

[4merper4mer]

there is nothing i can say or write here to convince many here anything different.EJ injected the media into the story by asking a question. that he didn't like the answer is not the media's fault. it's the answer that some here might have raised -- or wish they could have. and that's the trick of our jobs, being confrontational.

 

when Alex Mogilny first got to Vancouver, i had a sitdown with him in a restaurant at training camp in whislter. we had a bland discussion that lasted 20 minutes until i ran out of questions.

it was at that point, Alex looked up and asked me: "Is that all you want to hear, bull(crap)?"

surprised by his bluntness, i said: "no, that's the last thing i need because i'm wasting my time and your time."

and then the real interview began and Alex and I got along for the rest of his career because i understood the best way to deal with him was asking blunt questions, some so blunt even other members of the media chided me on. and yet, Alex had no difficulty answering them with a wide smile.

 

i wish many athletes were more like Alex. many aren't. that doesn't preclude us from at times being blunt, especially when EJ has shown a sensitivity by sidestepping questions hinting at doubt. if he can't handle us non-athletic types, what's that say about oncoming defensive ends and linebackers who make far more money than I or Tim at being confrontational?

 

jw

 

It is cool that Mogilny did that but no two people are the same. In any profession, the sooner you learn that, the better. I get the sense you have learned it, but Graham has a long way to go. Everyone needs to adjust their style to their clientele. This is true in law, medicine, sales, retail, and I could even argue professions like coal mining and research where the primary clientele is not even human.

 

EJ clearly needs to learn about dealing with the press but it is also very clear that Graham needs to learn. Asking questions to EJ the same way you'd ask Mogilny does not demonstrate any skill on Graham's part. It demonstrates a desire to open a door to which he has no key, then make the door look bad when it doesn't open. Graham is young, judging by his picture, and maybe some day a light bulb will go on for him, but it clearly has not yet. His petulant baiting is but one piece of evidence. His inability to deal well with a fan web site is another. He seems to need "thumbs ups" from guys like Sullivan who haven't had a date since the imaginary one in 8th grade. Unfortunately for all of us, petulant baiting sells and it is easy for a kid like Graham to fall into a trap which either relegates him to the unemployment line in a few years or forces him to become Skip Bayless and fight for attention with all the others like him. Good luck.

 

Whether anyone wants to believe it or not, Graham has missed an opportunity to develop a relationship with EJ. Some people are direct, like Mogilny, and some are guarded like EJ. BFD; people are who they are. It is very rare that someone shuns the media like Steve Carlton, but it happens. Deal with it or get a better technique. Trust builds at different rates and you can't force it. If you force it, it's not really trust.

 

My business is an example of this. If I tried to satisfy all broads the same way, I would probably net less than $25M a year. But I don't. I read them, sense what they need and then minimize the time required to make them happy so profits can be maximized. And you can't even take a long time client for granted as needs change. For Pete's sake do you think it is easy being able to bill out for Beerboy at upwards of $200k per hour? Trust me, it's not but I know my clients so I can do it.

 

BTW, if you're looking to pick up a few bucks on the side, one of my clients is looking for a change. I am picking up the slack at the moment but I'm too busy to sustain things much longer. I think a late night drinking, rambler onner would be just her type. You have to remember to be snarky and complain a lot. What am I saying, you have that down pat. Also, you can't leave when you're done You have to deal with breakfast and talk her out of her guilt so starting at 3AM minimizes your time. Watching her eat is gross but part of the job. Also, you'll blow it if you mention you liked that band that wore the giant eyeballs all the time. You don't have to lie and tell her you think they stunk; just don't bring it up or play dumb if she asks. Anyway, PM me if you're interested. I can't tell you her name based on privacy concerns but to remind me if you write, use her code name which is Fina Tey. Thanks.

Edited February 1, 2014 by 4merper4mer

[billsfan_34]

no offense but your knees aren't as important as a professional QBs knees in the NFL. His doctors are better and his treatment is better. Now to your claim to "no clean ups for scar tissue". That goes along with the other part about your knee not being as important as his. If there's even the slightest little bit of scarring in his knees, you better believe that his Billion dollar company will have it cleaned up so there aren't any future issues. He had multiple issues with his knees this year, there's scar tissue. Believe it.

Heres a little help for you. Some people really dont get it.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthrofibrosis

[papazoid]

when the very first sentence in the entire article is:

 

"EJ Manuel asked the question, and I don't believe he enjoyed my answer."

 

isn't Graham making this story about himself ?

Edited February 1, 2014 by papazoid

[billsfan1959]

First off John, I would like to thank you for your response and say that its tone, thoughtfulness, and quality show the reason why you are so valued and respected here.

 

We agree that the media has to ask tough questions. It's your job. I'm not sure I agree "how will you feel if the Bills draft another QB in the first round this year?" qualifies exactly as a tough question. I would rather hear a tough question about EJ's actual performance on the field, but let's give the Q a pass.

 

We also agree that EJ opened the door by asking his own question "do you?" thus violating the sound principle, "never ask a question to which you don't want to hear the answer". Where we disagree is here:

 

 

 

Here's the apples-to-oranges shift. You're talking about ASKING tough questions. The subject I'm addressing is how a reporter responds to questions from an athlete.

 

I would have total respect for it if Graham responded to EJ's "do you guys think they should?" with what I see as a tough question "EJ, what changes in your play do you feel you must show next season to silence people who might answer 'yes' to that?" IMO that would be a tough question, directly and fairly aimed at EJ's on field performance and at your observed sensitivity to hints of doubt.

 

Instead, Graham chose to inject his own opinion - yes, EJ opened the door but a professional has a choice about how/whether he walks through it. And Graham then followed up with an article COMPLAINING THAT EJ DIDN"T LET HIM FOLLOW-UP AND EXPAND on his dis-you, in-your-face RESPONSE.

 

That's just not the same thing, it has nothing to do with asking tough questions and I hope you can see that. Sorry, Tim, but if you want to make a 2 word response you don't get a pass to complain that someone doesn't want to stay around to hear your footnotes. Respond in a way that clarifies what you really mean up front.

 

I would be very disappointed in you if you did something similar, John, but I don't think you would, I think you'd take the high road and use the opening to ask another tough question instead of making the interview about "John Wawrow's Viewpoint". And that's the difference between you and Tim and the quality of what you write. IMHO.

 

By the way, I personally would have no problem with it if the Bills see a QB they like in any round and draft him this year. I personally think the verdict on EJ is "not proven" and the most troubling thing I heard is his comment that he still thinks he did the right thing to try to get the extra yards in Cleveland.

 

This to me was the central issue in all of this. Graham did not ASK a tough question. You can fault EJ all you want for opening himself up with the question he asked. The truth is this: EJ asked the question. Graham responded, "I do." Again, it is not like EJ cut him off in mid sentence. That was Graham's response. It truly is stretching things to interpret that response as asking a tough question. In an interview setting with other reporters and people around, Graham essentially gave his personal opinion that the Bills needed another QB - with no further qualifiers. I might be in the minority; however, I don't consider that journalism. Graham can say after the fact that he WANTED to provide a further explanation but was not afforded the opportunity to do so. For me, that rings hollow coming from a man who is a veteran of the process and understands full well the nature of words and how you use them - that is how he makes his living.

 

This issue then somehow gets interwoven with EJ's performance on the field. They are two completely different issues, IMHO. They would have remained interwoven had Graham followed up with another tough QUESTION - not a personal response.

 

As for EJ's character, his understanding of his own shortcomings, his willingness to work to make himself better, and what he may or may not think about his situation and need for improvement: I am willing to listen to anything substantive that shows he needs to be put in his place. Until then, I will make my judgement about these things based on how he has conducted himself...not veiled assertions and innuendo. Again - a separate issue.

Edited February 1, 2014 by billsfan1959

[Doc]

Actually, that was his response. He followed the vanilla answer up with the "What do you think?" though. That's where the debate begins: should TG have taken that hook? Could he have formulated and asked a 23 word question in the time it took them to part ways? Should he have just shrugged it off? Was his "yes" answer more flippant than EJ's question?

 

The troubling part of this story is that TG's piece paints a picture of a young man in a pressure packed, leadership position in a billion dollar business who walked away from a situation angry rather than address it. We don't know EJ's side of it, but that is the take-away.

Timmy can paint whatever picture he wants because he's the one actually writing something about it. But actions speak louder than words and the fact that Timmy needed to write an article tells me the one was at least was angry was him, because EJ dismissed him like the 2-bit hack he is. And even if EJ was angry, I'd rather he did what he did than have it escalate.

[DrDawkinstein]

Put this article next to his "interview" with Byrd where he does nothing but poke Byrd with a sharp stick about the Front Office and Free Agency, and I think it's pretty obvious what TG is all about...

[Delete This Account]

Put this article next to his "interview" with Byrd where he does nothing but poke Byrd with a sharp stick about the Front Office and Free Agency, and I think it's pretty obvious what TG is all about...

 

... doing his job.

 

jw

Edited February 1, 2014 by john wawrow