Mrs. B's 2007 Training Camp Reports

[bruschifan1]

After posting this in a reply in the Bruschi Story thread, I thought I should probably put it in a thread of its own:

Regarding the camp reports, I hinted last year that I may have written my last one... I'll play it by ear. The reason for this is NOT that I won't be there or that I don't care as much about the Pats or TC, but because, I felt that by the time I would get home and post, everything had already been said.

Years ago, I LITERALLY was the first word out of camp. Guys wrote full features which appeared in the following day's papers but I was the first word on the street with the "tidbits" and scoops.

In this day and age with blogs and the ability for the "media" to deliver the news as it's happening right there, I have little to say when I get home that hasn't already been said, posted and thoroughly discussed.

Writing the reports and posting them on numerous message boards and email lists takes a lot of time, which I don't mind if it's serving some purpose, but it seems to be going by the wayside now. If anything, blogs are the way to go, with everything posted in one centralized location.

Incidentally, in addition to Reiss and Breer, the Pats have their own blog now too, so I expect that all of them (and others) will be posting "live" from camp so I'll REALLY have nothing new to say...

Like I said, I'll play it by ear, but Mrs. B's Annual Training Camp Reports seem to be going the route of the 8 Track Tape....

 

[363839]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

I think I speak for most if not all when I say we like to have your reports as well.

 

[fgssand]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Sometimes with "news", especially for Pat fanatics....it is not what is said, but rather, how it is said.

You are one of us - a fanatic. We need your viewpoints and analysis.

"They" (writers, bloggers) can never give us that.

Please reconsider - you have no idea how many look forward to what YOU have to say and report.

If you do go out...thanks for everything.

 

[DarrylS]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

I think you should reconsider, I enjoy all the anecdotes and innuendos that they as writers, representing big newspapers, miss.

 

[patsox23]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

I agree that Mrs. B's reports are different and special in that way, but I also hesitate to say too much as it would be nice for her to free up the time.

Mrs. B - how's little Ted Johnson, by the way?

 

[bruschifan1]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Mrs. B - how's little Ted Johnson, by the way?

He's doing very well and isn't so little anymore! He'll be a Sophomore next year and plays football, wrestles, and is spending every waking hour right now fishing.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

I'll add my note to those who want your reporting to continue.

It's nice to have more than one source reporting on the same information - if Reiss or Breer report something, and you have the same take, then we readers have two independent sources validating the information. It's also easier to interact with you then with the news bloggers.

Do what's best for you to manage your workload, but please don't worry about redundancy. In your case it isn't as if you were working off a Stacy James press release. I look forward to future Training Camp tales.

 

[Pats726]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

I have to agree...a lot of times I can read beyond the words..there's a lot also that isn't seen....that is missed...Agreed..your reports are tops and would be missed by all...

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

MRS. B -
I have to say that I agree with the other posters who have said that the "MEDIA" doesn't give us a great view point.

One of the things I have always liked about your posts is that you get the things that the media misses. And many times, its the more important stuff.

I hope you consider at least doing a blog and posting it. Same with your podcast. They always have better information than the media pundits. Even the good ones like Breer and Reiss. Because you get it from the FAN perspective.

 

[gomezcat]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Karen, I really enjoy reading your reports. I'd be really sad if you didn't do them again. If I get upset, then so does Miss Gcat! Who knows what she might end up doing to poor Eddie?



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[Box_O_Rocks]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Karen, I really enjoy reading your reports. I'd be really sad if you didn't do them again. If I get upset, then so does Miss Gcat! Who knows what she might end up doing to poor Eddie?



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I knew she was SAS trained!

 

[Fencer]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Mrs. B,

My whole livelihood revolves around blogging, as it's what gets the attention to drive the rest of my (e.g. consulting) business. What keeps me from going crazy is that I do NOT feel a need to recapitulate news other people are writing too. I ONLY post if I think I'm adding something that hasn't been said yet.

What I'm suggesting is that you take a middle course. Stop posting the now-redundant info that you're no longer motivated to. DO post whatever you DO feel like saying. ASSUME your readers have already read the other, timelier blogs.

We'd all love to read it, and you might find it less burdensome and more fun again.

Setting up a blog with your own URL and so on is super-easy by the way. You can get by for less than $100/year, or I'll gladly do it for you totally for free as a service to the Patriot fan community.

For an example of what I do, in a VERY different context (geeky subjects, boring/functional non-graphics, no pictures or sound), see http://www.monashreport.com

 

[shmessy]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Karen, you are the first and best word on training camps for me.

It's nice that there are others, but no one gets the attitude and environmental sense of a training camp session as well as you do. You make many of us from far away feel as if we were sitting there on that hill with you. Even Reiss can't do that.

 

[Urgent]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Karen:

I have always enjoyed your voice.

While there are more options now, you offer the eyes of the knowledgeable fan. Many of the reporters have an agenda. Many of the reporters need to call attention to themselves or their paper/station. Many of the reporters are here for a couple years, then move along.

You offer the view of someone who has watched the Patriots, knows what our concerns are, knows the game, and has no agenda.

There is always a place for objective expertise.

Let your kids fish. Spend your summer with us!

 

[Krugman]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

I always make a point of reading your training camp posts,Mrs.B,and I like the podcasts.I like to have your point of view ,as others here have said.Hope you can do it again this year.(And many more!)Just wondering ,if you had say,200 replies to that effect(or more),would it help to sway you.....?

 

[PATSNUTme]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

I understand the time and effort that you put into you reports. I remember last year that the night before I made my annual pilgrimage to the holy land (Gillette), "I'm Ron Brogess" took a cheap shot at you. From the response to him by posters here, I think you found how important you reports were to us.

Only you can decide if you want to continue to put in the time and effort. All I can say is that I find them worthwhile and would miss them if they were not posted.

 

[Warren94]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Please MRs. B,

Please do your blogs. IT is appreciated here in the southwest in Albuquerque. Where everyone wants to hear about the Lobos of the University of New Mexico.


Please do your reports they are quite insightful


*begging*

 

[patriotsrule]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

If it's too time consuming, then that's a whole seperate issue. I think we all understand you have a busy life and if the training camp reports compromise that, then so be it.

However, I don't agree with your point about the information. Let's say you don't do the reports. We are still going to read everyone else's blog. There could be 20 of them and I believe most of us would read them all. I think it's good to read all the different perspectives. The thing about training camp is it's not an absolute, it's an opinion. One guy may look good to one media member, while someone sitting right next to him could disagree about the same player. So, I don't think the number of blogs out there should be an issue. The more perspective, the better I say. Again, if this is a time issue, then it's your decision. But if it's a content issue, I don't think it should be a concern. Most of us will read your reports, along with every blog and story that mentions anything about the Patriots.

I, for one, will respect any decision you make, but I hope you decide to post, even if it's just a few observations. Thanks for all your hard work, it's greatly appreciated.

 

[bruschifan1]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

Thanks for the kind thoughts and words guys... It's appreciated. While I'm still undecided about what I'll do, I think that maybe a good compromise (for me) might be to just post in one place (a blog) and have ppl come to me rather than cutting and pasting and posting in tons of places all over the net. Doing that twice a day in addition to attending both sessions of camp and making two round trips might be do-able.

If I can figure out how to install a wordpress blog page hosted on my site between now and then, I'll likely give it a whirl and see how it goes. (I had planned on doing it anyway for my podcast shownotes anyway so it just may give the push I need to get it done in a timely manner.)

Go Pats!

 

[Fencer]

Re: Mrs. B's Training Camp Reports

If I can figure out how to install a wordpress blog page hosted on my site between now and then,

If your hosting company has cpanel, then it's super easy. Just go to the Fantastico icon at the bottom and follow your nose.

If not, maybe you should change hosting companies.

Dimension Servers is a smaaaaallll local firm with outstanding service, including for moving the site over. Just make sure you talk with the owner or his wife, which is easy, since they're almost always online.

Please feel free to PM me if you want a quick guide to the very minor "gotchas" of Wordpress.