Who Are These Critics We Keep Hearing About?

Commentaries in blogs/social media, in my opinion, tend to dramatize the dark side of “greatest fans in college football.”  Nebraska is not unique; every college team contends with it.  Players are human and have a “need” to know what people are thinking of them.  If they’re playing on a D-1 college team, they likely came out of high school with everyone singing their praises all the time.  I presume it is a shock to some players when that praise isn’t constant anymore.  So I agree that players should avoid the social media.
For me, I admit that I have sent messages to individual players/coaches - but I go through the official NU web site where it can be monitored by NU staff where they decide if it is worthy of the individual’s attention.  When sending these messages, it is ALWAYS words of encouragement; I NEVER critique.  We have highly paid and experienced coaches who know far better than I what a player needs to improve on.
Professional media on the other hand have a job to do.  Unfortunately many reporters no longer “report” - they insert their opinions into their work and as a result become part of the story.  Oftentimes these stories are a better fit for the editorial page.  I’ve never been to journalism school, but I would think that it is Journalism 101 to stick with the “Who”, “What”, “Where” and leave it at that.  Inserting personal opinions is pervasive in professional journalism today, whether it’s sports, politics, or even a human interest story.  That is unfortunate (and also part of why hard copy news is dying).  Especially when dealing with college sports.  These college kids are just that: kids.  Most have not had the life experiences to read a critique in a state-wide newspaper or national web site and handle it with maturity.  I’d prefer the reporters simply report the facts and leave it at that.  Kind of a “We report, you decide” aspect.

Brilliant, Tom. And I also agree with Old Salt’s comment above. Too many questions after the game from the press seem to be “how did you FEEL about that?”  Just ask about the game and what happened—you know, the facts.

Sports writers have the right to say what they want to say.  Newspapers have the right to hire who they want to hire.  Over here in Iowa one paper had harder hitting sports writing for years.  Their circulation continued to fall and they have now had to lay off all sports writers covering Iowa and Iowa State.  Ever wonder why the World Herald maintains strong readership in the far corners of the state?  I think it is because, for the most part, the sports page has been supportive of NE football, has year round coverage of the team, and does human interest pieces on the people involved.  My suggestion, don’t mess up a good thing just because you have the right to be “edgy.”

I have fond memories of watching the T.O. show the week after a game and hearing the coach talk about what went right and what went wrong on key plays.  Often times he would even state that while this play didn’t gain at the time it was important since it played a role is setting up a play later in the game.  I’ve only seed the Bo Pelini show a time or two, but it was taped right after the game and provided no valuable insight into the coaches reasoning or evaluation. 

In the OSU post-game Bo almost said that Taylor isn’t as good as he may think he is.  I’d have loved to have heard an honest statement like that and had it followed by “but we are working on his throwing motion and I’m confident he will continue to improve…”

A majority of the media seems to be circling the wagons to protect their own.  If we cross the line at work, we will get called on it.  I might be in the minority, but I see coach Bo taking up for his players so the attacks / overly critcal comments can be reigned in.  I’m glad he finally called Dirk out.

Please explain why “Someone may say Taylor Martinez sucks as a quarterback, and that would go too far.” When it is a conclusion based on historical performance it seems like a valid part of any critique. It is not a personal attack. A personal attack would be saying “Martinez is an awful person.” In fact the former statement would be a valid part of any reasoning about moving one person to another position of play.

People need to grow up, get some thicker skin, realize that not every negative statement about how someone plays footbal l means you are a bad fan, and learn to actually think through these categories without getting all emotional.

Imagine where we would be if these same people demanded we never discuss the negatives of Callahan’s work as HC.

Chatelain did cross over into the personal, though. In his Sunday column, he attacked Taylor’s personality because he does not appear to be extroverted and proclaimed that he will never “fit in” in the entire state. Sorry, but he deserves to have his press credentials revoked for that. And, somehow, I think that his problem with Taylor’s personality was his problem all along. I know from personal experience that a lot of smug extroverts hate having to be around people who are not exactly like them. Introversion and extroversion is based on brain chemistry and are inborn personality traits. It is completely wrong for a sports writer to be attacking players’ personalities.

I am a Husker living in Florida and just have to say that everyone just needs to relax. It is no different in Nebraska as it is here in Florida, reporters criticize here just as they do in Nebraska. Urban Meyer went off on the media last year far worse than Bo did. Everybody has options, you don’t have to read what is being reported and you don’t have to listen to Bo’s comments. ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

Yeah, I wasn’t referring to you specifically with the emotional comment. That is more for the “if you can’t say good things you must be a terrible fan” fan.  Yeah, I agree that those people yelling “you suck” at a game or in someone’s face in class is classless and unhelpful. But fans need to realize that (talking to commenters here and everywhere) that not being a rose colored glasses fan does not entail a bad fan. I would argue it is the opposite. However, there is the otherside of the coin, the fan that knows too much and expects tantamount demigod perfection. Get real people. ;)

the OWH sports writers are a mess.

Clarification: “Yeah, I wasn’t referring to you (Tom) specifically with the emotional comment.”

“He better win this hand. He better be right. ”  This is the statement that Chatelain ended his Friday article with.  Old Salt is 100% correct when he states that some journalists pieces belong in the editorial section and the one from Chatelain surely did.  That entire column was about how much Chatelain knows and ‘coaching’ Bo about how his next moves should be to prepare for the remaining Big 10 season.  Chatelain had already given up on Martinez and was suggesting his coach should do the same.  So Bo’s response to him at the post game interview was appropriate, not comfortable and probably not the right timing on Bo’s part but the answer given was justified.  Besides Bo had already answered virtually that same question earlier in the interview.  Your point is well taken about the players and coaching staff leaving the blogs to the computer jocks like you, me and others.  Bo never rips his team or the players after a loss and I think the media should not only realize that but respect it,  by not do it themselves with leading questions with the intent to make a story where there isn’t one to make.

FWIW, I’m tired of seeing the OWH set themselves up as the prime news source on all things Big Red.  The staff appears intent on creating controversy mistakenly on the belief that it increases eyeballs.  Sorry, down here in TX, the WH staff comes off as petty whiners.  I say, “get over it.  You deserve the poor relations with Coach Bo.  Get over it and get on with supporting the team or quit your jobs, move to TX and cover high school football.  GBR!”

Bo comes across in his press conferences as agitated and aggressive. I find it tired and embarrassing. He needs to rise above the fray and act professionally. Just answer the questions and move on.

Dirk and the rest of the OWH bunch aren’t doing or saying anything more then any other paper or sports writer. Dirk is paid to give his evaluation of the game, which he did. He questioned the coaching for having a strategy of throwing the ball when Martinez has rarely been over 50% passing, and you have Burkhead in the backfield. He questioned why Bo will do anything to defend Martinez but pulls defensive guys who aren’t making plays at the drop of a hat. And finally he made the statement that Bo’s commitment to Martinez is great if he improves and helps to win games. If he struggles and the Huskers lose 4 or 5 of their last games then he will need to answer for his decisions and his coaching. Can you really disagree with those points? Bo needs to settle down, sticking up for your players if fine, but he just comes off as a jerk on and off the field.

redandblack, right on dude.

Good advice about players avoiding social media. If Cheers was revived and updated, Cliff would be typing on his laptop or iPad while sitting at the bar, ripping the players of his favorite college team, expressing his know-it-all opinions about what is wrong with the team and coaches, giving everyone the benefit of his expertise.  Also agree that Bo needs to do a better job of suffering fools.

I have a job that deals with the media on a regular basis.  What I have found over the years is the media has changed alot from reporting to entertaining.  Over dramatizing and personal opinions are ruining their own profession.  I will add that I have had alot of good expiriences with the media however, I have seen alot of facts scewed.

redandblack, yup good points.  But consider this.  Martinez finished last year looking like a 1st start freshman, injured as he was.  Yeah, a freshman and until he was hurt was being mentioned along with Heisman.  Also keep in perspective the awful game plan & play calling that everyone threw at Watson by the end of last year.  Martinez has definitely improved from last year and even so far game to game this year.  Actually Martinezs’  passing percentage was 59% last year and so far this year is 54%.  Granted not stellar but virtually identical comparable to Gill, Frazier, Frost, and Crouch, who all never ended with a completion percentage higher than 56%.  Because of one bad game last week even though not all can or should be contributed to Martinez alone your defense of the OWH writers and Chatelin in particular rings shallow with me wanting Bo to write off Martinez at this juncture of the season.  Cody Green, as great a kid as he is, was not ready to take control two years ago even though everyone heralded him as the next coming of quarterbacks.  Ya think maybe the coaches know something we don’t after day to day practices, video review, and game sideline situations.  One bad game top to bottom and it’s all on Martinez.  Haven’t you been paying attention to the defense that all the writers had anointed as something not to have to worry about.  Writers may provide insight but their perspective may not always be what coaches see and for that matter what some fans see.

Good article Tom.  I agree with FLHusker, Strings, and RedandBlack.  I admire Dirk for his writing and for not being afraid to say what many fans are thinking.  I respect Taylor Martinez for his on field skills.  I respect Bo for his on the field coaching skills.  Both have a ways to go (putting it mildly) in the media relations department.  They bring much of it on themselves.  Taylor’s “we are going to shock the world” comment and Bo’s “there are no really good teams out there” comment before the WI game do not help.  Taylor’s failure to recognize the difference between the sports media and social media are also part of the problem. Here’s the deal.  IMO, Bo sometimes lets his emotions get the best of him and he unfortunately comes off like a backwoods classless jerk in post game interviews.  And let’s face it, Taylor comes off like not the brightest bulb in the room.  I know, I know he’s just a kid, and I admit that is probably unfair. But there are a lot of ‘kids’ his age or younger who are light years ahead of him in being able to thoughtfully answer a legitimate question (especially without getting defensive).  Both Bo and Taylor need to grow thicker skin.  Dirk’s skin appears to be plenty thick.  I hope he continues to call out Bo, Taylor, and anyone else on the team that deserve it both positively and negatively.  We have enough writers (and fans) who let their huge man-crushes on Bo get in the way of being objective, to think critically, and to fairly analyze what is truly going on. Let’s face it, if OSU’s starting QB doesn’t go down, we lose the game, are 0-2 in conference play, and most of those who are now criticizing Dirk are on the bandwagon with him.  Lavonte David’s stripping of the ball helped turn the momentum of the game, no doubt, but OSU’s QB sprained ankle helped a lot more.

Enjoyed this article and the comments posted also, there are some very well thought out and diverse opinions.  Bo is in essence a state employee and needs to act accordingly.  I love Bo’s passion and coaching ability and honesty however; Bo, show a little more tact..the press can be your friend or enemy.  As long as your winning life is good but if you have a down season they can sway opinion against you.  Take it from somebody who served 20 years in the military, “You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it”.  I would hate you to leave Nebraska just because of something stupid like dealing with the press.  Go sit down with Dr. Tom and have a little on the job training and perhaps you would eventually learn to like the press conferences instead of despising them.  Just a thought

RE:(Be smart. Be funny. Be nice. Pick two.)

Like a dirty lollipop, I thought this article sucked…just a little, before I finally gave up on it. 

“..wins can cure all that ails”? Not so with the coaching staff. Their job is to never be content, always searching, pushing, straining, encouraging, exhorting, teaching the players, building teh team up. So what if Bo seems grumpy and perturbed at writers offering “advice” in the public sphere. To do so implies stupidity on his part, and he’s a lot smarter on matters of football than 99% of the population, pencil-neck sportswriters included.

This will be my last post on this board.  After this I’m gonna shower and change underwear.  Paul, that is a great post and couldn’t agree more.

One last thought.  On this board and a couple of others the prevailing advice to Bo and Martinez regarding the media seems to be for them to be more polite, more articulate, answer the questions, suffer the comments of wannabe coaches and fools, then move on.  Geez how much fun can that be for us fans?  It’s all about us and what we want and need to know, right?

Regardless of what some of you want to believe, Dirk’s article didn’t come close to crossing any sort of line.  If you look at the comments at the end of the column, most were VERY positive - most agreed with his assessment…nobody thought it was ‘over the line’ on Friday.  Very few had a problem with that story until Bo made it an issue at the press conference.  Think back to what you thought about Taylor Martinez and the state of the Husker offense with him at the helm before the comeback vs. OSU. 

The author here makes an interesting point - what is a personal attack and what is fair football criticism?  Nobody here is talking about how Bo has a problem with BOTH.  I think we’d all agree that some things Bo does can and should be questioned….You don’t have to agree that he’s wrong, but I think it’s fair to ask those questions and have the discussion.

Unfortunately the problem with Bo is that he’s incapable of allowing criticism of the program exist.  Last year he had problems with stories about his ethics (when he misled a recruits about the employment status of an assistant coach).  Whether you agree or disagree with how Bo handled the timing of Marvin’s departure, it’s a valid discussion.  He also had problems with the merits of publishing a story about a star player’s run in with police (Niles’ Public Urination/MIP)....after each of those incidents, Bo called and reamed reporters and cut off access across the board.  And I don’t think any fair minded person can say that those things are off limits.

So love the program and defend it if that’s what you really believe, but standing there blindly following the guy leading it, just because his hat matches yours, is a mistake.  The man in charge deserves to be held accountable for what goes on under his leadership - whether that be the man in charge of the country, a company, or a football program.  Last week, after the Wisconsin debacle, questions needed to be asked about how the coaches failed to compensate for Taylor’s limitations, and how far a team could go with a QB performing at the level that we had seen from Martinez to that point.  That was a legitimate story, but too many people here apparently think he shouldn’t be held accountable for the state the program was in last week….Or have you conveniently forgotten about the air around the program in the wake of the Wisconsin loss?  And how that Friday morning, Dirk’s piece wasn’t too far from the overwhelming public opinion that maybe we won’t be a championship caliber team until they can find a way to work around Martinez’s limited passing ability and sometimes spotty decision making.

‎“When you deal with this politically correct society we live in today, where people blow things out of proportion, the people who are involved in athletics don’t get caught up in all that. That’s more for the media and people who have never competed a day in their lives.”
Bo Pelini.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s​tories/F/FBC_NEBRASKA_PELINI_N​EOL-?SITE=NEKEA&SECTION=HOME&T​EMPLATE=DEFAULT

Great article, Tom, and good advice for the coaches and players.