Semi-OT: Is Mike Reiss headed to the dark side?

[Bring Back Antowain!]

As Patriots fans, we know what bad reporting can be like. I don't want to mention too many names, but there's Breer, Borges, Felger, Curran, Gasper, even SMY to some extent now, etc., who continually seem dead set against the Patriots way, looking for any way possible to criticize the team, with a continually negative outlook.

Mike Reiss was one of the few I really enjoyed reading. Ever since he went to ESPN Boston, he hasn't really been the same, but he wasn't the Breer-type. However, over the last few weeks, and maybe it's just me, Reiss has been getting especially pessimistic and overly critical, and may be headed down the path to the Boston media "dark side." I think it started with the Leigh Bodden injury. Since then, it seems that everything that happens to the Patriots is "end of the world."

I hope he's just in a funk and can get out of it, but I'm a little bit worried. In the mean time, my favorite too have become Christopher Price, Ian Rapoport and blogs such as Pats Pulpit.

It's kind of ironic that just over two years after the walk-through fiasco that my favorite reporter in the region is probably Rapoport. After that it's probably the blog Pats Pulpit. It's not "real" media, but it provides timely, level-headed, and in depth analysis. Besides, what is "real" media these days?

Where are you guys turning to for your Patriots' fix? Do you think Mike Reiss is turning to the "dark side"? Thoughts?

 

[BradyFTW!]

I don't have any problem with what Reiss has written since he went over to ESPNBoston. If his writing has seemed negative over that brief span of time, it's because there's been more bad than good in the interim. He doesn't seem to be any more or less critical than he's always been.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

As Patriots fans, we know what bad reporting can be like. I don't want to mention too many names, but there's Breer, Borges, Felger, Curran, Gasper, even SMY to some extent now, etc., who continually seem dead set against the Patriots way, looking for any way possible to criticize the team, with a continually negative outlook.

Mike Reiss was one of the few I really enjoyed reading. Ever since he went to ESPN Boston, he hasn't really been the same, but he wasn't the Breer-type. However, over the last few weeks, and maybe it's just me, Reiss has been getting especially pessimistic and overly critical, and may be headed down the path to the Boston media "dark side." I think it started with the Leigh Bodden injury. Since then, it seems that everything that happens to the Patriots is "end of the world."

I hope he's just in a funk and can get out of it, but I'm a little bit worried. In the mean time, my favorite too have become Christopher Price, Ian Rapoport and blogs such as Pats Pulpit.

It's kind of ironic that just over two years after the walk-through fiasco that my favorite reporter in the region is probably Rapoport. After that it's probably the blog Pats Pulpit. It's not "real" media, but it provides timely, level-headed, and in depth analysis. Besides, what is "real" media these days?

Where are you guys turning to for your Patriots' fix? Do you think Mike Reiss is turning to the "dark side"? Thoughts?

It's just you

 

[aluminum seats]

As Patriots fans, we know what bad reporting can be like. I don't want to mention too many names, but there's Breer, Borges, Felger, Curran, Gasper, even SMY to some extent now, etc., who continually seem dead set against the Patriots way, looking for any way possible to criticize the team, with a continually negative outlook.

Mike Reiss was one of the few I really enjoyed reading. Ever since he went to ESPN Boston, he hasn't really been the same, but he wasn't the Breer-type. However, over the last few weeks, and maybe it's just me, Reiss has been getting especially pessimistic and overly critical, and may be headed down the path to the Boston media "dark side." I think it started with the Leigh Bodden injury. Since then, it seems that everything that happens to the Patriots is "end of the world."

I hope he's just in a funk and can get out of it, but I'm a little bit worried. In the mean time, my favorite too have become Christopher Price, Ian Rapoport and blogs such as Pats Pulpit.

It's kind of ironic that just over two years after the walk-through fiasco that my favorite reporter in the region is probably Rapoport. After that it's probably the blog Pats Pulpit. It's not "real" media, but it provides timely, level-headed, and in depth analysis. Besides, what is "real" media these days?

Where are you guys turning to for your Patriots' fix? Do you think Mike Reiss is turning to the "dark side"? Thoughts?

It might help to provide some examples, or at least one.

Could be you don't want level-headed analysis as much as cheerleading.

 

[Uncle Rico]

He's pretty candid and has some critical comments in today's chat, but nothing chippy or snide, IMO. Almost a relief to see since he can sometimes come across as a borderline homer. He's still the best on the Pats beat.

Chat: Chat with Mike Reiss - SportsNation - ESPN Boston

 

[Deus Irae]

Reporting on Patriots problems and "bad reporting" are not necessarily the same thing.

 

[upstater1]

I think Mike is objective and good, but honestly I find that he tends to parrot what is being said already by fans and such.

I don't see much that is against the grain or truly enlightening.

 

[reflexblue]

Is Mike Reiss headed to the dark side?...Maybe, i heard they have Cookies over there. ...All it takes for someone to be a Pats hater is to say something mildly critical. All of a sudden your no good any longer.

 

[alphilip77]

Maybe, like Brady, Reiss isn't dialed in.....

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

What do you expect him to do...act as if this team has no flaws and lie?

I swear some of you are probably prancing around the house with your hands covering your ears saying aloud " I don't want to hear the Patriots are not perfect,I don't want to hear that - na-na-na-na-na"

 

[mcsully]

Reiss is objective and of late, seems to be benefitting with his conversations with Bruschi.

 

[tajapandu]

What do you expect him to do...act as if this team has no flaws and lie?

I swear some of you are probably prancing around the house with your hands covering your ears saying aloud " I don't want to hear the Patriots are not perfect,I don't want to hear that - na-na-na-na-na"

this [10char]

 

[Bring Back Antowain!]

Maybe I wasn't clear.

I still like Reiss' reporting, but I've noticed more pessimism from him lately. It could be nothing, but I don't want to see him become another Gasper.

Obviously, good journalists need to be critical. It could be that ESPN sort of restricted his opinion his first months there. He sort of just reported.

Still, I just haven't enjoyed Reiss as much lately. Of course, all of his work on the play-time charts, sub-packages, and offensive package numbers have been great.

Apparently I'm in the minority. Maybe I just need to finally own up to that fact that the days when the Patriots could do no wrong as an organization are over
:bricks:

 

[mgteich]

Other than this site, Reiss is the only reporter I regularly read. I agree tha he does report specualtion from elsewhere; to me that's a plus. I like his analysis and willingness to state his position even when unpopular.

As an example, I can recall his many blogs regarding the expectation that McKenzie was not going to make the 53. After a lot of pressure and convincing, he ended up with McKenzie on his final roster. However, the 3-week discussion was a good one, no matter how many hundred posts here called the idea of McKenzie not making the 53 to be ridiculous.

I suspect that Reiss is too conservative for many here. For example, he saw Faulk go to IR. His thought was that Morris will be the 3rd down back. While that may be obvious to my way of thinking, others would rather see him ask for Woodhead to be our 3rd down back, since we signed him to replace Faulk.

 

[R_T26]

Omg between the patriot commercials thread and this one its too funny on this board sometimes.

People its called journalism... This isnt china.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

People who have read Reiss over the years did not see much negativity in his columns over that period because the team was actually overall pretty darn good and not much bad or negative stuff to write about.

This team is as weak as it as been in the Belichick tenure here so any idiot can realize a weak team will get more negative exposure than a team that is pretty stout.

Take away the bandwagoners who started to become fans in 2002 and the rest of us remember the days in the newspapers and media bashing and ridiculing everything Sullivan,Kiam and this team did or shall we say didn't do,and this was for years at a time,Reiss is nothing we haven't seen before.

 

[reflexblue]

Maybe I wasn't clear.

I still like Reiss' reporting, but I've noticed more pessimism from him lately. It could be nothing, but I don't want to see him become another Gasper.

So all you want to hear is Sunshine and Lolly pops Huh. Doesn't matter what the truth maybe, just as long as reporters tell you what you want to hear.

 

[BradyFTW!]

What do you expect him to do...act as if this team has no flaws and lie?

I swear some of you are probably prancing around the house with your hands covering your ears saying aloud " I don't want to hear the Patriots are not perfect,I don't want to hear that - na-na-na-na-na"

I think this thread shows the opposite: after all, literally nobody has agreed with the OP. Most of us can tell the difference between agenda-based reporting and objective reporting of negative situations. Even the OP is usually pretty reasonable; probably just had a knee-jerk moment.

 

[Kontradiction]

In the last 20 or so games, there's been more negative things than positive things to report on, to be honest. Reiss is still light years better than some of the other trash in the Boston media.

 

[Ian]

I actually commend him for asking some of the questions, and being honest about his thoughts. He's a guy who you actually don't mind if he's critical, because he takes the time to explain why he feels that way and what he feels they've been doing wrong. It makes for a good read and actually makes you think.

It's the opposite of the people who say "get rid of [insert player name here]" and have no plan for after the fact. So I don't mind that he's critical, and give him credit for being analytical about some of the issues they're obviously having. Some of the reports coming out today from that site are backed up with hard numbers. Let's face it, they're obviously not playing great football right now - and unfortunately it's happening on the side of the football that you wouldn't have expected to see it from.

We all knew the defense was going to have their share of growing pains. I'm O.K. with that, because as long as they get better and learn from them that's all that matters. However, I didn't think they'd be as bad offensively as they were last weekend, especially in the second half. So they've got some things they need to fix, and as I said give Reiss credit for being able to talk about them in an objective manner.