The Media: Best and Worst

AFPatsFan12 · Jun 2, 2009

Merrill Hoge, John Clayton, and Marshall Faulk jump to the forefront as the worst...

PatriotsDaily.com · Jun 2, 2009

You guys are clearly out of your minds if you're dismissing Reiss as a "homer" or "in the pocket" of the team or as "a platform for Patriot controlled media."

The guy has been critical of the team when necessary, he provides more in-depth analysis of the team's play calling and defensive schemes anyone else, and the reason he gets all the news is not because the team gives it to him, but because the guy is always working, always on the phone, always looking for articles on-line, and probably hangs out in the parking lot at Gillette when no one else is around just seeing if he can find out something new.

He gets dismissed as a homer because he's not out there "in your face" negative about things or ranting and raving about things like a Mike Felger.

He's been critical of the team, he just doesn't scream it at you. Like all his reporting, it's level and even-handed.

The guy works hard.

The praise of King, Clayton and of all people Mortenson, is laughable. Those guys are nothing more than fat cats, who are part of a good ol' boy network of football commentators, who repeat the same things that they hear elsewhere from the little guys, and occasionally get a story by someone who needs or received a favor.

Dozer · Jun 2, 2009

Best:
Schefter
Kirwan
Jaws

Ok:
Mort
Banks

Almost Worst:
King
Schlereth

Worst:
Hoge
Easterbrook
Clayton

jmt57 · Jun 2, 2009

I'm surprised there have been only a couple people that mentioned Gregg Easterbrook. Twelve months ago he was the most hated member of the national media on this board. I also thought there would have been more nominations for Tom Jackson and Marshall Faulk in the worst categories, simply because they let their anti-Pats bias left over from their playing days affect their analysis.

Faulk and the recently fired Emmitt Smith would top my list of the two worst commentators/analysts. Their incompetence should not be allowed on television.

James in Wales · Jun 2, 2009

I don't go a day without checking the fantastic coverage the Boston Globe gives the Patriots and think Mike Reiss and Christopher Gasper do a great job.

And the Patriots Football Weekly guys are awesome. The coverage they provide on Patriots.com and in the paper is informative and they embrace technology more than any other team.

And the podcast, PFW in Progress, is amazing. It's a unique, humorous mix of Patriots, football and off-topic banter. I even made a fansite for it because I love it so much.

Oh yeah, you gotta love Fitzy.

patsox23 · Jun 2, 2009

Forgive my laziness in not checking the rest of the thread, but frankly, the best media coverage of the Patriots - and this includes, in fact especially includes, the criticism - is at Official Website of the New England Patriots. Some will say that it's "too inside," which is an easy out, but the fact is, the most detailed, inside-baseball, detail-oriented yet wide-ranging coverage of the Patriots comes from their own, relatively independent minded website.

Fred, Paul, Andy and Erik may not break stories - that's one limitation their job description prohibits - but their analysis and reporting is the equal of anyone mentioned in this thread, which is both a compliment to them, and a diss of (most of) the media on the Patriots' beat. They may joke around a bit on the radio show - 'though I'd argue even then their reporting is top-notch - but the website and the paper are fantastic sources of entertaining, but informative, stuff.

WelshPat · Jun 2, 2009

I tend to like the guys who worked in NFl front offices like Lombardi, Casserly etc... i don't always agree with what they say but they understand how things work and have been there, so theres always a logic behind what they say

I don't like Clayton.... Hoge annoyes me (he's just an annoying guy) but he's been spot on about somethings recently... like when the rest of the media was praising Vince Young for "winning the games" he called him out and said he was bad... and he was 100% right

During the draft, i love Mayock when he breaks down film... but i hate how he always says how he's 100% right all the time, he get's the best info and is wrong just as much as everyone else.

oh and hey james!

patsox23 · Jun 2, 2009

WelshPat said:
I tend to like the guys who worked in NFl front offices like Lombardi, Casserly etc... i don't always agree with what they say but they understand how things work and have been there, so theres always a logic behind what they say

I don't like Clayton.... Hoge annoyes me (he's just an annoying guy) but he's been spot on about somethings recently... like when the rest of the media was praising Vince Young for "winning the games" he called him out and said he was bad... and he was 100% right

During the draft, i love Mayock when he breaks down film... but i hate how he always says how he's 100% right all the time, he get's the best info and is wrong just as much as everyone else.

oh and hey james!

Couldn't agree more with this post! Right on!

Spiral · Jun 2, 2009

Some that may not have been mentioned that I read:

Nolan Nawrocki - Pro Football Weekly

John Czarnecki - FoxSports.com

John McClain from the Houston Chronicle is also very good. Mostly sticks with the Texans, Titans, and Cowboys, but has sources over the whole league. A reasonable facsimile of Wil McDonough.

Sean Pa Patriot · Jun 2, 2009

Pats Best Media coverage

All of Patroits Football weekly
Mike Reiss
Shalize Young
Karen Grugerian
Chris Price

Worst Media Coverage
All of Espn except for Chris Berman
Marshall Faulk
CBS

PatsFan37 · Jun 2, 2009

Maybe he's not there quite yet, but ...

Rodney Harrison.

A true student of the game, level-headed, insightful. This guy will be one to watch.

Pats726 · Jun 2, 2009

PatriotsDaily.com said:
You guys are clearly out of your minds if you're dismissing Reiss as a "homer" or "in the pocket" of the team or as "a platform for Patriot controlled media."

The guy has been critical of the team when necessary, he provides more in-depth analysis of the team's play calling and defensive schemes anyone else, and the reason he gets all the news is not because the team gives it to him, but because the guy is always working, always on the phone, always looking for articles on-line, and probably hangs out in the parking lot at Gillette when no one else is around just seeing if he can find out something new.

He gets dismissed as a homer because he's not out there "in your face" negative about things or ranting and raving about things like a Mike Felger.

He's been critical of the team, he just doesn't scream it at you. Like all his reporting, it's level and even-handed.

The guy works hard.

The praise of King, Clayton and of all people Mortenson, is laughable. Those guys are nothing more than fat cats, who are part of a good ol' boy network of football commentators, who repeat the same things that they hear elsewhere from the little guys, and occasionally get a story by someone who needs or received a favor.

I totally agree with what is being said here about Reiss. He doesn't play up the negative, stir the pot as Felger does and he does many things that other writers NEVER do. When he gets it wrong, it's always a correction and an apology...simple easy and yet few EVER do that, even if they have it REALLY wrong. He does work hard at things..digging and attempting to get it right, as opposed to first and OOOPS!! It is quite level headed and even..and he's usually there first with things. I really liked his Sunday piece on injuries and took on the NFL and it's flawed study. A BIT of a change for him, but the piece was well done and right to the point. I wish there were more of those; maybe in the future.
As far as some of these others go, I wonder how they would do in some of these chats...I wonder if any could get through 45 questions in 45 minutes as Reiss does.

Pats726 · Jun 2, 2009

PatsFan37 said:
Maybe he's not there quite yet, but ...

Rodney Harrison.

A true student of the game, level-headed, insightful. This guy will be one to watch.

I look forward to seeing him as well.

Sean Pa Patriot · Jun 3, 2009

patsox23 said:
Forgive my laziness in not checking the rest of the thread, but frankly, the best media coverage of the Patriots - and this includes, in fact especially includes, the criticism - is at Official Website of the New England Patriots. Some will say that it's "too inside," which is an easy out, but the fact is, the most detailed, inside-baseball, detail-oriented yet wide-ranging coverage of the Patriots comes from their own, relatively independent minded website.

Fred, Paul, Andy and Erik may not break stories - that's one limitation their job description prohibits - but their analysis and reporting is the equal of anyone mentioned in this thread, which is both a compliment to them, and a diss of (most of) the media on the Patriots' beat. They may joke around a bit on the radio show - 'though I'd argue even then their reporting is top-notch - but the website and the paper are fantastic sources of entertaining, but informative, stuff.

Suck up....

No your right , very enjoyable show..

Pats726 · Jun 3, 2009

patsox23 said:
Forgive my laziness in not checking the rest of the thread, but frankly, the best media coverage of the Patriots - and this includes, in fact especially includes, the criticism - is at Official Website of the New England Patriots. Some will say that it's "too inside," which is an easy out, but the fact is, the most detailed, inside-baseball, detail-oriented yet wide-ranging coverage of the Patriots comes from their own, relatively independent minded website.

Fred, Paul, Andy and Erik may not break stories - that's one limitation their job description prohibits - but their analysis and reporting is the equal of anyone mentioned in this thread, which is both a compliment to them, and a diss of (most of) the media on the Patriots' beat. They may joke around a bit on the radio show - 'though I'd argue even then their reporting is top-notch - but the website and the paper are fantastic sources of entertaining, but informative, stuff.

I really can not agree here..Maybe I should give them another listen, but I have been up and down with these guys. A few years ago, I used to listen all the time. It was one hour a week in the offseason and a LOT of what I heard was interesting and informative, even though there was a lot of lightness and humor. But then I really got tired of the same old inside jokes and there was even less real football even though they were on for two hours. At one point, I just got sick of them.. maybe two years ago. and really thought they were more an embarrassment than anything close to top notch and stopped listening. It is possible they have improved as people have come and gone, and maybe I would listen again, but for now, it's not a thumbs up.

patriotscpfc · Jun 3, 2009

Not really a fair point though.

They don't get the huge amount of on-air interviews with players that the other shows get during the season and off-season. Whereas Patriots Monday gets 4 or 5 interviews a week, PFW get nothing and have to bring stuff from off-air interviews and try and talk about it and comment at the same time.

I would rather listen to the guys (and Erik) every day than the other shows.

And to add to this, their blogging is the best in Boston bar Mike Reiss. Just look at their blogs on the OTAs. They give their own opinions and are rarely homer central.
Their Draft Coverage is the best in the area, they attend the Combine and have 6 hours of coverage every year.

And the writing is excellent in their paper, which is between the 3 guys and the foreword of Fred. Which when produced every week is tough to write, go to the locker room, do a radio show, other appearances etc.

Whether they are the best or not is tough to say. But they are overlooked for no real reason. They provide huge info and have improved my Patriots knowledge infinitely as its hard to find out stuff from across the pond.

PatsFan24 · Jun 3, 2009

Best -

Scott Farrell
Chris Myers
Chris Moore
Kevin Wheeler

Worst -
Anything ESPN
the guy who does Fox Radio in the mornings

PatsWickedPissah · Jun 3, 2009

BEST: (Reiss excluded) Chris Price, sportsbabe SMY, the rational Michael Holley, the comedy team of Fred Smerlas & Steve D'Ossie when diagraming plays

WORST: John Metaparell or however the numbnuts' name is spelled

reflexblue · Jun 3, 2009

Best overall....Holley, specifically football... Breer

Worst, it would be a tie between Tomasse and Andy Gresh. i guess i'll go with Gresh for the attempt at dumb azz humor, and his "Al Bundy" complex. He talks like played at the pro level when playing OT at Rhode Island.

Patriot Missile · Jun 3, 2009

My favorites are probably Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan. Reiss is great because he just gives me what I want to hear and is open in everything he does. He backs up with what he says. Report it, don't make a soap opera out of it or I'll hate you. I also like Collinsworth although I don't agree with his view of --------. Way up there is Al Michaels probably because of "Do you believe in Miracles?" Timeless.

Clayton is the worst by far. I actually liked Salisbury and wonder if John is the reason he is not there anymore. Clayton doesn't look like he ever played a sport in his life and although there are plenty of media I like that didn't, he seems to come off as a pompous pos.

Bob Costas, kind of mixed feelings. I think he brings too many politics and emotions into sports that should be just left out period. I must admit I'm jealous of the interviews he receives and the places he gets to go. It seems like he is hand chosen for every assignment latley whether it be the Derbies,Olympics, Bill Russell etc.

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