Lothar Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Yikes - a half dozen blurbs about the Bills and training camp and the only thing positive he has to say is watching McKelvin will be enjoyable because he'll be toasted as much as he makes plays. The realist in me says he's not far off in his assessment but still ... I'd have liked a little bit more optimism. http://php.democratandchronicle.com/blog/sports1/ It seemed as if the Bills did less and less in practice as the days passed and practices became even more boring than they usually are. Then again, maybe that's just the beat writer in me, unimpressed by no-pad, no-contact practices. Folks, training camp is a snooze. - Trent Edwards is learning how to operate the no-huddle offense, but we can only hope he breaks out of his Captain Checkdown mold. Edwards is about as boring a player as the Bills' practices, which I guess goes hand in hand. ...
The Dean Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Yikes - a half dozen blurbs about the Bills and training camp and the only thing positive he has to say is watching McKelvin will be enjoyable because he'll be toasted as much as he makes plays. The realist in me says he's not far off in his assessment but still ... I'd have liked a little bit more optimism. http://php.democratandchronicle.com/blog/sports1/ It seemed as if the Bills did less and less in practice as the days passed and practices became even more boring than they usually are. Then again, maybe that's just the beat writer in me, unimpressed by no-pad, no-contact practices. Folks, training camp is a snooze. - Trent Edwards is learning how to operate the no-huddle offense, but we can only hope he breaks out of his Captain Checkdown mold. Edwards is about as boring a player as the Bills' practices, which I guess goes hand in hand. ... Salmonella didn't bother to update his blog for 6 days, even though the Bills played on Saturday. Ignoring him is the best option, IMO.
The Big Cat Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 This really irks me. If Sal's so effing cranky at his job, I'd be glad to take it. What say you, Sal?
Lori Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Heh. When I first talked about applying for credentials, one of the veterans on the beat -- not Sal, by the way -- thought it was a grand idea. He told me, "Why should you be spared the boredom of watching practice?" Caught up to him after one of last week's sessions; when he saw me, he shook his head, chuckled, and said, "You really need to find something better to do with your free time." Not sure very many of them are thrilled about hanging out in Pittsford (or making the drive there) to watch camp fodder. Some just hide it better than Sal does ... A little background: not only is he the lone man on the beat (other than Leo's columns for home games), he also gets to join the Twitter revolution. Over 250 employer-mandated tweets since the beginning of June, most of them since camp opened, including a running commentary during the Bears game. (To compare, BuffNews normally has Gaughan, Wilson, a columnist, and at least one other guy in the box at the Ralph.) I saw him on three separate occasions at SJF, and every single time, he was headed to the workroom to take care of that -- not supposed to tweet from the sideline -- before writing his stories. Blog's way down that list.
RJ (not THAT RJ) Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Lori, what you just described is indicative of the tailspin of newspapers, which saddens me... They lay off Pitoniak, then expect fewer reporters to do even more, including a moronic tweeting requirement... sigh. I know I don't have to tell you how terrible that is. Heh. When I first talked about applying for credentials, one of the veterans on the beat -- not Sal, by the way -- thought it was a grand idea. He told me, "Why should you be spared the boredom of watching practice?" Caught up to him after one of last week's sessions; when he saw me, he shook his head, chuckled, and said, "You really need to find something better to do with your free time." Not sure very many of them are thrilled about hanging out in Pittsford (or making the drive there) to watch camp fodder. Some just hide it better than Sal does ... A little background: not only is he the lone man on the beat (other than Leo's columns for home games), he also gets to join the Twitter revolution. Over 250 employer-mandated tweets since the beginning of June, most of them since camp opened, including a running commentary during the Bears game. (To compare, BuffNews normally has Gaughan, Wilson, a columnist, and at least one other guy in the box at the Ralph.) I saw him on three separate occasions at SJF, and every single time, he was headed to the workroom to take care of that -- not supposed to tweet from the sideline -- before writing his stories. Blog's way down that list.
RJ (not THAT RJ) Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Grumpy, but not necessarily wrong about his points. Except for the para on Jauron and the press. Dick has many qualities that make him a less than stellar NFL coach, but his "say nothing" strategy is exactly like that of Belichik, Reid, and many others.... The days of Jim Mora and Denny Green are long gone.
cantankerous Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 "watching Schouman and Fine catch four-yard passes and then fall down is pretty ridiculous." LOL sooooo true!
Lori Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Lori, what you just described is indicative of the tailspin of newspapers, which saddens me... They lay off Pitoniak, then expect fewer reporters to do even more, including a moronic tweeting requirement... sigh. I know I don't have to tell you how terrible that is. Couldn't agree with you more. For the last year or so, the "journalism topics" board on the sportswriting website I hang out at has read like the obituary page -- layoffs here, buyouts there, furloughs everywhere. (Not that this is confined to print media; just about everybody's hurting right now. It's just more obvious when familiar names and faces disappear from the local paper or TV station than when yet another factory padlocks its doors.) And don't get me started on how they kicked Scott Pitoniak to the curb.
Sisyphean Bills Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Grumpy, but not necessarily wrong about his points.
Delete This Account Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 Except for the para on Jauron and the press. Dick has many qualities that make him a less than stellar NFL coach, but his "say nothing" strategy is exactly like that of Belichik, Reid, and many others.... The days of Jim Mora and Denny Green are long gone. i would disagree that Coach Jauron has a "say nothing" strategy. you have to dig a little, and ask astute questions, but he does have plenty to say. i'd not compare him to Belichik. i wouldn't compare him to Lindy Ruff, either, but -- and i know this goes against the grain of what many might think and truly believe -- he's been better than advertised by some of the folks in chicago. an example: Belichik, i don't think would not have updated us on T.O. being out until some time next week. Jauron did. sure, that's small potatoes, but ... he's also been very upfront in discussing criticisms made against him. he shrugs them off, but he does acknowledge them, particularly when asked about the concerns raised by Mr. Wilson when the owner elected to retain him. ... jw
WellDressed Posted August 19, 2009 Posted August 19, 2009 "watching Schouman and Fine catch four-yard passes and then fall down is pretty ridiculous." LOL sooooo true! Fine is leading in rec. in my '010 Madden season.
todd Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 I think Sal has some good points. Football practice is boring, man. The games are exciting. Just like I prefer eating to setting the table, you can't have one without the other, and setting the table is BORING. I think the problem with Dick J is that his demeanor gets in the way of his words. ©
RJ (not THAT RJ) Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 That is an excellent point, mr wawrow, I thank you for that. It also reinforces my feeling that Jauron is far from the least communicative coach, which makes Sal's shot at him even less justified... i would disagree that Coach Jauron has a "say nothing" strategy. you have to dig a little, and ask astute questions, but he does have plenty to say. i'd not compare him to Belichik. i wouldn't compare him to Lindy Ruff, either, but -- and i know this goes against the grain of what many might think and truly believe -- he's been better than advertised by some of the folks in chicago. an example: Belichik, i don't think would not have updated us on T.O. being out until some time next week. Jauron did. sure, that's small potatoes, but ... he's also been very upfront in discussing criticisms made against him. he shrugs them off, but he does acknowledge them, particularly when asked about the concerns raised by Mr. Wilson when the owner elected to retain him. ... jw
GaryPinC Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 i would disagree that Coach Jauron has a "say nothing" strategy. you have to dig a little, and ask astute questions, but he does have plenty to say. i'd not compare him to Belichik. i wouldn't compare him to Lindy Ruff, either, but -- and i know this goes against the grain of what many might think and truly believe -- he's been better than advertised by some of the folks in chicago. an example: Belichik, i don't think would not have updated us on T.O. being out until some time next week. Jauron did. sure, that's small potatoes, but ... he's also been very upfront in discussing criticisms made against him. he shrugs them off, but he does acknowledge them, particularly when asked about the concerns raised by Mr. Wilson when the owner elected to retain him. ... jw Hi John, I never saw any article/discussion about specific concerns raised by Mr. Wilson to DJ but would be very interested to hear them. Do you have a link or could you discuss them? Thanks, Gary P.S. Are you by any chance related to a Walt Wawrow here in Cleveland? I worked with him at a small biotech named Gliatech.
Delete This Account Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 Hi John, I never saw any article/discussion about specific concerns raised by Mr. Wilson to DJ but would be very interested to hear them. Do you have a link or could you discuss them? Thanks, Gary P.S. Are you by any chance related to a Walt Wawrow here in Cleveland? I worked with him at a small biotech named Gliatech. Gary: it goes back to the press release in which Mr. Wilson elected to retain Jauron back in early January, where he stated he shared the fans' concerns about the team's performance, or something to that effect, but rehired Jauron to maintain continuity. i'm too tired to search for a thread. as for Walt, he owes me money, so sure we're related. ... kidding. we could be, but don't know. ... i found a wawrow clan in boston that seems to have some connections, but my dad was an only child. jw
GaryPinC Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 Gary:it goes back to the press release in which Mr. Wilson elected to retain Jauron back in early January, where he stated he shared the fans' concerns about the team's performance, or something to that effect, but rehired Jauron to maintain continuity. i'm too tired to search for a thread. as for Walt, he owes me money, so sure we're related. ... kidding. we could be, but don't know. ... i found a wawrow clan in boston that seems to have some connections, but my dad was an only child. jw John, I did see that PR from Jan, but I always wondered what Mr. Wilson specifically said to DJ when they met in Detroit and wondered if you had been able to extract any specifics in your interactions with the team. It would be nice if RW said something to the effect of: "Dick, once in a while you need to grow a pair and take some chances." And Walt's from Buffalo originally, hence my question. BTW, thanks for responding on this board. I also enjoy your articles. Even in the cut-and-dried articles you always seem to include enough extra facts or ask the types of questions that paint the reality around the situation/topic without being overly biased. Tim does an excellent job too. We're definitely lucky to have you two contributing to this board. Gary
Lv-Bills Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 Yikes - a half dozen blurbs about the Bills and training camp and the only thing positive he has to say is watching McKelvin will be enjoyable because he'll be toasted as much as he makes plays. The realist in me says he's not far off in his assessment but still ... I'd have liked a little bit more optimism. http://php.democratandchronicle.com/blog/sports1/ It seemed as if the Bills did less and less in practice as the days passed and practices became even more boring than they usually are. Then again, maybe that's just the beat writer in me, unimpressed by no-pad, no-contact practices. Folks, training camp is a snooze. - Trent Edwards is learning how to operate the no-huddle offense, but we can only hope he breaks out of his Captain Checkdown mold. Edwards is about as boring a player as the Bills' practices, which I guess goes hand in hand. ... I actually don't really have a problem with anything he wrote. He seems almost dead on to me. It boggles my mind why people think that the writers from the areas with teams have to be positive cheerleaders all the time. The Bills have been pathetic for a long time, and haven't addressed some of the same weaknesses they have had for a long time. Add to that a deadbeat, and bad, head coach, and you pretty much have exactly what Sal writes. I'm not sure what everyone would be looking for. Until the Bills actually do something about it, what actual glowing reviews should they be getting?
Buftex Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 I have to say, I find Sal's tone kind of refreshing. I guess I am in that camp that hopes for the best for the Bills, but is assuming the worst...I think the Bills will need an awful lot of things to work out for them this season, to be markedly better than they have been. I am not sure that simply adding Terrell Owens is the answer to all of the teams' problems. But, at the very least, assuming he plays, the Bills will be a little more entertaining than they have been the last 2-3 years... About 2 years ago, I emailed Sal Maiorana, after reading one of his articles on line. I emailed him to thank him for the work he had done on the two "Relentless" books. I told him that I referred to them often. I asked him if he had any plans to put out a third volume. He emailed back, "No, there will not be another volume of "Relentless." It was a simple sentence, and that was it. No gratitude for the compliments. It didn't bother me, but it did strike me as kind of negative. Like he wasn't deriving much pleasure from covering the Bills. That said, I still like reading his stuff, and hope that he will reconsider doing another volume of the book. This past near-decade of Bills football has been so unmemorable (take out the 2002 and 2004 seasons, and there has been little to get excited about), I would love to be able to go back and see what it was I have blocked out of my memory...
The Big Cat Posted August 20, 2009 Posted August 20, 2009 I actually don't really have a problem with anything he wrote. He seems almost dead on to me. It boggles my mind why people think that the writers from the areas with teams have to be positive cheerleaders all the time. The Bills have been pathetic for a long time, and haven't addressed some of the same weaknesses they have had for a long time. Add to that a deadbeat, and bad, head coach, and you pretty much have exactly what Sal writes. I'm not sure what everyone would be looking for. Until the Bills actually do something about it, what actual glowing reviews should they be getting? It doesn't have to be a glowing review. It doesnt' have to be a review at all. Sal is granted, nay, is PAID to have an access to the players that fans would PAY to have. He doesn't have to just report the facts. Well, I guess he has to twit them, but there should be PLENTY to write about: off the field antics, interesting insights into players' lives, I mean Christ, we're Bills fans and it's August, I'm sure a vast majority of us would LOVE to hear about Kyle William's summer fishing trip, or Felton Huggins quirky pre-practice routines, or even our midget trainer and his 14 border collies (obviously I'm making these things up, but you get the point). Get in there, talk to the people, always have your recorder in hand, it's not that hard! For Sal to write that there's nothing to write about seems pretty ass-backwards. I know we're in the waning days of training camp and for awhile it's just been a lot of the same, but still, DO YOUR JOB, everyone complains about how the news and entertainment industries have been merging, but this is one opportunity to use those powers for good!
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