How Did Christopher Gasper Get So Stupid So Quickly?

[shmessy]

My guess is that it all occurred when the Globe "promoted" him to columnist:

Patriots owner Robert Kraft focusing on the wrong part of his team?s roster - Sports - The Boston Globe

Hey, Chris, the team that got destroyed in the SB spent alot on loading its team up with marquee players too.

Your column is half incomplete there, buddy. I'll give it a 50% - F.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Just goes to show you can never be wrong if all you do is second-guess.

 

[mayoclinic]

Just goes to show you can never be wrong f all you do is second-guess.

That's the guiding principle that drives half the posters on this board.

 

[Nunchucks]

I think it is quite clear that by spending big money on 1 or 2 star players can destroy a team's season in a hurry if there is an injury. We saw it with the Falcons last year and the Colts when Manning went down.

The truth is that a balanced roster allows teams to win, even in the face of devastating injury.

Each NFL season is too precious to waste because of injuries. I would rather enjoy a winning season and be in competition year after year than have to go through seasons like Atlanta experiences or like the Ravens experienced.

This talk of loading up and then going through a few down years...I do not buy into it at all, because there is no guarantee that loading up will get you anywhere. Plenty of teams load up each year (Redskins) and then crumble.

 

[shmessy]

I think it is quite clear that by spending big money on 1 or 2 star players can destroy a team's season in a hurry if there is an injury. We saw it with the Falcons last year and the Colts when Manning went down.

Hell, look at what happened to LAST YEAR'S SB Champion when they decided to hold onto their "great" QB.

(edit: I see you did include the Ravens in the latter part of your post).

 

[Jackson 2]

Gasper has made the full transformation into a snarky, smug little puke. He worships at the altar of his mentor, Shank Shaughnessy. His other man-crushes were principally centered upon the Ravens, but since their demise he gets himself in a lather, both figuratively and literally, over any person or entity that dumps on Belichick and/or Kraft.

 

[AQPE]

The better question in response to the opening post is, when has Gasper done anything notable as a writer or reporter (or radio/TV talking head)? Did he ever break a big story as a reporter? Did he establish himself as someone such as Mike Reiss and Tom Curran did who worked the beat (any beat, Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins, or something else) day in and day out and established great credibility for his opinions based on his evident network of contacts? Has he ever impressed you as someone whose different perspective translates to some take that you didn't and probably wouldn't have thought of?

My answer to all of this is, obviously, no. I don't see much insight or much talent with him. What I see is nothing more than the same old phony contrarian act we've seen for decades among the Boston sports media. The next time he tells me something I didn't know will be the first time. I don't think he has the ability to do it, which is why his critique of the Pat's team-building strategy is worthless.

 

[Tunescribe]

The better question in response to the opening post is, when has Gasper done anything notable as a writer or reporter (or radio/TV talking head)? Did he ever break a big story as a reporter? Did he establish himself as someone such as Mike Reiss and Tom Curran did who worked the beat (any beat, Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins, or something else) day in and day out and established great credibility for his opinions based on his evident network of contacts? Has he ever impressed you as someone whose different perspective translates to some take that you didn't and probably wouldn't have thought of?

My answer to all of this is, obviously, no. I don't see much insight or much talent with him. What I see is nothing more than the same old phony contrarian act we've seen for decades among the Boston sports media. The next time he tells me something I didn't know will be the first time. I don't think he has the ability to do it, which is why his critique of the Pat's team-building strategy is worthless.

Agreed. Gasper is an example of the Peter Principle in action. He never really earned his stripes but has capitalized on his minority status and glib manner in front of a microphone. Unfortunately, the media these days practically requires writers to be radio and television "personalities" as well.

 

[TonyTucker]

Agreed, he's just another smug little twerp who never accomplished anything. Do all these idiots in the media around here just parrot everything everyone else says? I just would love to go somewhere like, I don't know, Detroit, or Minnesota, just too see if they have the same amount of arrogant mediots.

So now that the Seahawks win, it's "why can't the Patriots be like them"? Last year it was the Ravens, but they suck now, so no more like the Ravens. The Patriots problems are drafting crappy players like Tavon Wilson, Jake Bequette, and Ras-I Dowling with their high picks, not building their team a certain way.

 

[Sicilian]

Seriously, it's like Gasper just forgets that the reason the Seahawks could go out and sign Bennett, Avril, trade for Harvin, etc, is because they have a top flight QB making 800k and were lucky enough (or good enough scouts) to find many of the best pieces of their defense in the 4th round and beyond. When you have a team that has that much talent making that little money, you've got the wiggle room to load up on the short term.

And to act as though the Patriots never go after a big name, or try to load up on talent, is silly as well. 2007 they added Moss, Welker, Stallworth, Kyle Brady, Adalius Thomas (who as the top defensive player available) and others. Can't do it every year.

 

[Sciz]

Seriously, it's like Gasper just forgets that the reason the Seahawks could go out and sign Bennett, Avril, trade for Harvin, etc, is because they have a top flight QB making 800k and were lucky enough (or good enough scouts) to find many of the best pieces of their defense in the 4th round and beyond. When you have a team that has that much talent making that little money, you've got the wiggle room to load up on the short term.

Not to mention that Harvin only had a $4.9M cap hit this season ($13.4M next year) and that Bennett's free agent market was ruined when teams found out he needed surgery for his torn rotator cuff.

 

[shmessy]

Agreed. Gasper is an example of the Peter Principle in action. He never really earned his stripes but has capitalized on his minority status and glib manner in front of a microphone. Unfortunately, the media these days practically requires writers to be radio and television "personalities" as well.

I disagree. I thought Gasper did an excellent job as a reporter - then football beat writer - for the Globe after Reiss left. Did he fill Reiss' shoes? No - - but Reiss is the platinum standard. Gasper did his job and did it well. This is why today's column is so sad - - Gasper obviously knows better and he is being told by his employer to publish what he knows is incorrect in order to receive a paycheck. Maybe he could do the equivalent of a Jeremiah Benton and (instead of blinking it) simply embed the code for "torture" in his next column.

Once they moved him to "columnist" it is as if the editors told him to do the WWE Cartoon Villain act that Shaughnessy does. Where it is sad is that Shaughnessy does it from ignorance. Gasper is doing it from coercion.

It's 2014 - newspapers (and their employees)are desperately trying to survive.

 

[RayClay]

When was he not stupid?

 

[Joker]

When was he not stupid?

pre-womb obviously...

 

[JMC00]

So he's basically criticizing the Pats because Seattle lucked out in the draft?

Seattle's estimated cap space is less than the Pats for 2014 and Seattle has 21 Free Agents, 17 Unrestricted.

Then there is the inevitable shoe that is gonna drop when those guys on rookie contracts come up.

 

[Uncle Rico]

That's the guiding principle that drives half the posters on this board.

Absolutely. And half is a conservative estimate. Difference is none of us get paid for it.

 

[Uncle Rico]

...

Once they moved him to "columnist" it is as if the editors told him to do the WWE Cartoon Villain act that Shaughnessy does. Where it is sad is that Shaughnessy does it from ignorance. Gasper is doing it from coercion.

...

Yup, it's those special Snark Education courses they give. Professors Breer and Shaughnessey presiding.

 

[Kontradiction]

So he's basically criticizing the Pats because Seattle lucked out in the draft?

Seattle's estimated cap space is less than the Pats for 2014 and Seattle has 21 Free Agents, 17 Unrestricted.

Then there is the inevitable shoe that is gonna drop when those guys on rookie contracts come up.

Carroll was recruiting a lot of those guys since their high school days. That's not luck, that's have preexisting knowledge of the players that were coming out.

 

[Patsrock]

Why do you guys get so upset at a columnist opinion piece?

 

[Joker]

we have Acquired Tomase Backlash Syndrome....