Tyler Dunne story on McDermott - 3 parts, 25 interviews, one damning conclusion

[LeGOATski]

15 minutes ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

I just don't believe anything written in the media, there is always an agenda for them.... What is even the purpose of this article? To get a man fired? 

Having an agenda is not wrong. Everyone has an agenda. An agenda is what drives a person to say what they want to say. You can't deny information if it is legitimate and true. You can say you don't like the spin, but you can't deny the information. 

 

From the business aspect of journalism, it's all about timing. It's less about an agenda and more about how much support the article would get in the current climate.

 

No matter what an article is about, part of their goal is to make sure it gets read and discussed by the most people possible. In this case, it's gonna get read and discussed by a lot more people when the Bills are down than when they are up.

 

So, journalists are often sitting on a story they would love to release right away, but they (or their bosses tell them to) sit on it until the time is right.

[Since1981]

14 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Just weird that not a single player outside of Hyde has anything positive or supportive to say. Even in the least bit.

Agreed. A large dose of truth, otherwise the story would have died )quietly in interweb). Bill Belacheat has complaints, he just shrugs them off: “tough, that’s me”. Boy, would great to hear a drunk Daboll. 

McD simply isn’t comfortable in his own skin or with his own decisions :13, :20, 12 men

Edited December 9, 2023 by Since1981

[balln]

This is quickly becoming sign OBJ thread. In both length and circular polarizing logic 

[JohnNord]

3 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

For $8, I can buy 2- 8 oz cylinders for the butane stove I'm gifting my daughter for Christmas, pay sales tax, and have $1.60 left over for a stocking-stuffer candy.

 

In case that's insufficiently clear, I'll spell it out: I'm a Bills Fan.  I am NOT going to reward Ty Dunne with a subscription to his pay-for-content site, for dropping a controversial piece right before a pivotal game  in the Bills season.  Others upthread have carefully taken the time to dissect available excerpts into events that occured or words actually said, interpretation, and Dunne's opinion of same.  The latter two vastly outnumber the former, and are what qualify it as a "character smear piece" IMO. In the excerpts people have shared, Dunne recounts a weird pastiche of events (some bizarre, some less so), his slant or interpretation (which he presents as the only possible one), and the opinion/interpretations of the people he interviews.  On this last, John Wawrow has worked with many players and coaches for years at OBD and knows as much of the inner workings as anyone, summarizes it neatly:

then:

 

If the leaders on the team are dealing with things internally and spending their time watching film and talking through the game plan instead of making extra appearances beyond their media availability requirements, I think that's a Good Thing and not the damning reinforcement of Dunne you appear to believe it to be. 

 

Dunne has unnamed sources dishing and trashing McD; McD has unnamed supporters.  Looks about the same.

 

I don't think you are the impartial arbiter you wish to believe.  Some of the better, most rational posters on this site have repeatedly run into trouble trying to discuss with you.  There may be a reason for this.

That’s why I think it’s funny when people who defend are like “read the article.”  🤣

[Scott7975]

24 minutes ago, PatsFanNH said:

Well McD admitted to the worst part of the article which was like 4 years old. So it is true, but it seems someone has an axe to grind with the HC and went and spilled the beans to the writer. Oh and his purpose is to get clicks and generate revenue from said clicks. 

 

That actually wasn't the worst part of the article.  It's just what people focused on.  Mostly probably because it was part of the free read.

[Billsfan1972]

23 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

Da fuq? 

 

Yeah, that’s what I did.

 

If you think they are trying to win for McD and because all this came out, you're wrong.  They just want to win was all I was saying.

 

You don't think Diggs wants 150 yards receiving, Allen 350 yards passing and that the D doesn't want 2 ints and 5 sacks?

[MasterStrategist]

1 minute ago, LeGOATski said:

Having an agenda is not wrong. Everyone has an agenda. An agenda is what drives a person to say what they want to say. You can't deny information if it is legitimate and true. You can say you don't like the spin, but you can't deny the information. 

 

From the business aspect of journalism, it's all about timing. It's less about an agenda and more about how much support the article would get in the current climate.

 

No matter what an article is about, part of their goal is to make sure it gets read and discussed by the most people possible. In this case, it's gonna get read and discussed by a lot more people when the Bills are down than when they are up.

 

So, journalists are often sitting on a story they would love to release right away, but they (or their bosses tell them to) sit on it until the time is right.

Exactly.  It's the timing that bothers me the most.  Content/messaging about MCD, some ppl read into it as a personal attack while others may not.  I think it is, but having that "agenda" is part of being a journalist/writing an opinion.

 

Timing is everything. Just like the "supposed" Brittany feud with Josh, night before Bengals playoff game.  True or not, just making mention that the timing influences and impacts alot.  Why did Dunne publish now?  It would seem tat he wants it to derail McD/team, otherwise wait until after season

[GoBills808]

19 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Scroll up and read my prior post that pulled ALL the quotes from the article. He wasnt the only offensive player quoted. Torrence and Murray are in there too.

 

They all confirm there was another meeting to address the comments, but not a single comment about backing McD.

 

Just weird that not a single player outside of Hyde has anything positive or supportive to say. Even in the least bit.

 I wouldn't even characterize Hyde as especially enthusiastic in support 

[Beck Water]

2 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Not sure I agree with that.  If I loved my boss and I was the face of the company... I'd be giving my support in this situation.  My guess is that Josh will speak on it after the pr team tells him what to say.  Maybe I am wrong but I dunno, I just feel like thats what I would do.  I would never let anyone slander someone I care about and not say *****.

 

"Slander" is a word with a specific legal meaning.  It means verbal communication of false statements that damage the reputation of another.

 

So here's the thing about slander.  (I suspect you may know this) If the statements or events recounted actually occurred, but the *interpretation* or *opinion* about what those statements or events mean is negative, it may not be slander.  If you actually said something like "I pay you to coach these guys, not be their friend", that's not slander; truth is a defense.  if I give my opinion that you said that because you're an insecure weasel who is psychologically, mentally, and physically incapable of forming friendships yourself, well, that's my opinion and I'm entitled to it; how do you defend yourself against that?  I believe you would have to show it's actually malicious in intent, and actually caused damage to your reputation.

 

It's a morass.

It's a helluva distraction, and the more time you give it, the more distracting it is.

 

In terms of winning Buffalo Bills football games, the best thing is to try to let the guys focus on football as much as possible and ask them to do that.  In my opinion, of course.

 

[Nephilim17]

I've been looking for public statements from Josh Allen or Stephon Diggs in support of McDermott. 

 

So far, nothing from any offensive team veterans or leaders that I can find. If anyone else sees any, please share.

 

It could be that the team is focused on KC and that's totally fair and understandable as this is a must-win game and distractions are not good.

 

However, after the KC game I would expect team leaders, besides Micah Hyde, and especially on offense, to unequivocally make a public statement in support of their head coach — if that's how they feel.

 

I think what the team leaders, especially Josh and Steph, say or don't say about McDermott should reveal the true sentiment of those players. Do they get emotional and with great vigor shut them down and call them BS or nonsense? Do they issue a boilerplate "we stand behind our coach 100%" statement and deliver it with no emotion that would cause such a statement to be interpreted multiple ways? Or do they remain silent?

Monday should, to me at least, be very telling. 

Edited December 9, 2023 by Nephilim17

[Beck Water]

2 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

 I wouldn't even characterize Hyde as especially enthusiastic in support 

 

Concur.

[wppete]

This guy wants McDermott fired badly. This isn't normal reporting, this is some sort of beef. I don’t trust this guy he seems a little weasely. IMO. 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by wppete

[LeGOATski]

1 minute ago, MasterStrategist said:

Exactly.  It's the timing that bothers me the most.  Content/messaging about MCD, some ppl read into it as a personal attack while others may not.  I think it is, but having that "agenda" is part of being a journalist/writing an opinion.

 

Timing is everything. Just like the "supposed" Brittany feud with Josh, night before Bengals playoff game.  True or not, just making mention that the timing influences and impacts alot.  Why did Dunne publish now?  It would seem tat he wants it to derail McD/team, otherwise wait until after season

They published it now because the current climate will foster the most reads and discussion. It's a "kick them while they're down" mentality or maybe more appropriately a "pour gasoline on the fire" mentality, but it's not about derailing the team. It's about getting the most business.

 

You wait until the team is already derailing/losing and the media market is in a frenzy, and then you release the article. Not the other way around. 

[Scott7975]

7 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

That’s why I think it’s funny when people who defend are like “read the article.”  🤣

 

The snippets that have been posted in this thread are not even 1 page worth of a 3 page article.  People may be dissecting and ripping apart Dunne's injected opinion, which is fine but no one has ripped apart the truthiness of things that actually happened that he gave his opinion on.  As I said earlier.... the truck incident happened and I think McD's reaction to that was horrible.  Regardless of Dunne's opinion on why McD reacted that way, the fact remains that McD still actually acted that way and it was a dog**** thing to do.

[Beck Water]

6 minutes ago, MasterStrategist said:

Exactly.  It's the timing that bothers me the most.  Content/messaging about MCD, some ppl read into it as a personal attack while others may not.  I think it is, but having that "agenda" is part of being a journalist/writing an opinion.

 

Timing is everything. Just like the "supposed" Brittany feud with Josh, night before Bengals playoff game.  True or not, just making mention that the timing influences and impacts alot.  Why did Dunne publish now?  It would seem tat he wants it to derail McD/team, otherwise wait until after season

 

Also concur.

 

Wondering about the quotes on "supposed"?

[PBF81]

11 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

For $8, I can buy 2- 8 oz cylinders for the butane stove I'm gifting my daughter for Christmas, pay sales tax, and have $1.60 left over for a stocking-stuffer candy.

 

In case that's insufficiently clear, I'll spell it out: I'm a Bills Fan.  I am NOT going to reward Ty Dunne with a subscription to his pay-for-content site, for dropping a controversial piece right before a pivotal game  in the Bills season.  Others upthread have carefully taken the time to dissect available excerpts into events that occured or words actually said, interpretation, and Dunne's opinion of same.  The latter two vastly outnumber the former, and are what qualify it as a "character smear piece" IMO. In the excerpts people have shared, Dunne recounts a weird pastiche of events (some bizarre, some less so), his slant or interpretation (which he presents as the only possible one), and the opinion/interpretations of the people he interviews.  On this last, John Wawrow has worked with many players and coaches for years at OBD and knows as much of the inner workings as anyone, summarizes it neatly:

then:

 

If the leaders on the team are dealing with things internally and spending their time watching film and talking through the game plan instead of making extra appearances beyond their media availability requirements, I think that's a Good Thing and not the damning reinforcement of Dunne you appear to believe it to be. 

 

Dunne has unnamed sources dishing and trashing McD; McD has unnamed supporters.  Looks about the same.

 

I don't think you are the impartial arbiter you wish to believe.  Some of the better, most rational posters on this site have repeatedly run into trouble trying to discuss with you.  There may be a reason for this.

 

OK

 

Follow-up question then in that case, does your not reading all but a snippet of the article qualify you (and others that haven't read it) to intelligently and accurately comment on it given the extreme amounts of disinformation being put out against Dunne in the same manner that those complaining about it being put out against McD are complaining about?  

 

I do think that you will end up getting much more clarity on the situation than you're prepared to get by the end of the season or shortly thereafter.  We shall see.  

 

The human nature/behavior aspect of this entire thread is absolutely fascinating.  

 

 

[LeGOATski]

4 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

 I wouldn't even characterize Hyde as especially enthusiastic in support 

Hyde was clearly enthusiastic in support. He was the only one we've heard who was considerably enthusiastic.

[MasterStrategist]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

If that article is the best example of players supporting McD, then McD is sunk. And all this article talks about is McD again addressing his 9/11 speech with the team.

 

 

Ok, so Hyde, which we already knew. Let's see what the Offensive players have to say in pouring out support and love for their coach...

 

 

Nothing major from Sherfield there other than stating the obvious. We know McD doesnt support terrorism.

 

How about from the rook...

 

 

Hmm, how about from the vet Latavius Murray...

 

 

Ok, so a whole lot of talking about McD again addressing the speech from 2019. But not a single quote about how wrong the article is, and nothing about it misrepresenting McD or how the players feel.

 

Maybe they just weren't asked the right question. But I've had great bosses/leaders and if something like this came out about them, I would be front and center to whoever would listen railing against the BS.

 

Reid Ferguson had the most supportive quote

 

What are the players being asked?  

 

I think this is player support.  They all specifically say "I know who Sean is"/what kind of coach he is.

 

That's obviously support, outside of Torrence- both Murray and Sherfield "chose" to play here for this team and coach.  They are reaffirming they know who Sean is, which reaffirms their decision to play here.

 

 

They could have easily just said Sean spoke to us, leave it at that.  Too many ppl reading into this

[Scott7975]

3 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

"Slander" is a word with a specific legal meaning.  It means verbal communication of false statements that damage the reputation of another.

 

So here's the thing about slander.  (I suspect you may know this) If the statements or events recounted actually occurred, but the *interpretation* or *opinion* about what those statements or events mean is negative, it may not be slander.  If you actually said something like "I pay you to coach these guys, not be their friend", that's not slander; truth is a defense.  if I give my opinion that you said that because you're an insecure weasel who is psychologically, mentally, and physically incapable of forming friendships yourself, well, that's my opinion and I'm entitled to it; how do you defend yourself against that?  I believe you would have to show it's actually malicious in intent, and actually caused damage to your reputation.

 

It's a morass.

It's a helluva distraction, and the more time you give it, the more distracting it is.

 

In terms of winning Buffalo Bills football games, the best thing is to try to let the guys focus on football as much as possible and ask them to do that.  In my opinion, of course.

 

 

Ok man I may have chosen the wrong word to use there but I think everyone, including you knows what I meant by it.

[Kincaid Kool-Aid]

Just now, LeGOATski said:

Hyde was clearly enthusiastic in support. He was the only one we've heard who was considerably enthusiastic.

Disagree. I didn’t come away thinking there was a ton of passion. Felt like something he felt he had to say.