I am in an argument with Michael Silver and need help

[The Sarge]

I seem to remember the Bills also running out as a group in their last superbowl appearance. I think thats the first time I saw it happen. They got beat so nobody remembers it.

 

[BradyManny]

I like the fact that Silver begins his email with 'Dude', though.

The fact that he led off with "dude" has led me to the conclusion that Michael Silver is a dork trying too hard not to sound like a dork.

 

[brdmaverick]

No offense, but of all the things to argue about, this is a pretty lame one. Even if the League changed the rule, it is cleary a result of the Pats' team intro - which will forever be awesome. Anyway, you may very well be right on this issue but Wikipedia has zero credibility.

I like the fact that Silver begins his email with 'Dude', though.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

So either way, the Pats directly or indirectly changed the way the introductions are done. I don't even think the league would have had to have madated such an act though, as I think teams would have followed the Pats' lead regardless.

I don't know why Michael Silver would have a problem with it though. I think it is classier to introduce an entire team rather than 11 out of the 53 players on the roster.

 

[unoriginal]

I'd like to salute BrianPat for actually responding to the OP and doing some research.

If I wasn't so lazy I'd bring this up on the Wikipedia talk page.

 

[Hoodie]

I suspect Silver was trying to be funny when he accused the Pats of forever ruining SB introductions.

But we Pats fans have a reputation for getting our ire up when the media criticises our team (even in jest) so it's nice we can stregthen that rep.

 

[patfanken]

Pretty much agreed on that but as far as this "journalist" is concerned, I fail to understand why being intoduced as a team would be shameful in any form regardless of how it came about.
But this can also be spun: By him saying other teams have been "shamed" by the Patriots into appearing on the field as a unit he essentially just endowed the New England Patriots with some interesting power lol. And for other teams to be "shamed" into doing what the Pats have done,that must mean teams hold us to a higher standard. Now had he simply said teams "copied" us-different story- but he didn't.He used the word "shamed".

"Your New England Patriots-transforming the league,one ego at a time.Apparently transforming sinners into saints one ego at a time."
Awesome. Just think if we succeed with Moss,Meriweather and Stallworth... Foxboro, The Mecca to the entire NFL.
What's not to like about this:cool3:

This is the correct answer. The fact is that the Pats DID shame the rest of the league into a team intro. AND THAT WAS THE RIGHT THING. The individual intros are not only antithetical to the very concept of football as a team sport, they were increasing becoming more and more merely self promotion opportunities for ego obsessed players trying to out do Ray Lewis

So I guess you are wrong, but turn that negative into a positive by being strong in defending what the Pats did, and how it made the game better. If he is so obsessed with stardom, suggest he give up football and start commenting instead on American Idol, or dancing with the Stars. That would seem to be more in line with his midset.

 

[The_Dragon]

The concept of individual introductions goes against the very basis of team sports. Football is one the most team orientated sports in the world and I couldn't agree more with the stance the Pats took in coming out as a team. Any writer that would cite that as a negative issue is missing one of the basic points of a team game - everyone is equal on the field.


The ironic thing about this is that Silver and the press in general would have no problem in writing a piece, criticising a player for not being a 'team player'. Yet they then turn around and bemoan the loss of a party piece that goes against the essence of team sports and singles out individuals.

 

[Bella*chick]

I like the fact that everyone copied us for fear of looking egotistical. What's the big deal?

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

wow, some people are attacking Silver over this?

Dudes, chill out.

 

[JoeSixPat]

His whole article suggesting the Pats have "lost their way" is based on the fallacy that Moss won't be a team player.

Maybe he won't but the jury couldn't be more "out" - and even if Moss doesn't put team first its a stretch to think he's going to be a cancer of any sort for the rest of the team camraderie that has helped this team win SBs in the past.

Now if Moss is a team player and drinks the Patriots koolaid, Silver and everyone else better be prepared to say that the Patriots didn't sell out - quite the contrary - they showed their team chemistry and team philosophy is bigger than any one player - even Randy Moss.

 

[primetime]

wow, some people are attacking Silver over this?

Dudes, chill out.

More his "dude, now I'm laughing" beginning to the e-mail. It makes him sound like someone with a stick up his crack.

 

[cblesz]

Now if Moss is a team player and drinks the Patriots koolaid, Silver and everyone else better be prepared to say that the Patriots didn't sell out - quite the contrary - they showed their team chemistry and team philosophy is bigger than any one player - even Randy Moss.

Well put...perfect. That is exactly what they are putting on the line and will hopefully prove.:rocker:

 

[Seven Nation Army]

Thanks to BrianPat for doing some research on the original question. The Wikipedia article is not accurate it would seem.

In 2004 the Patriots and the Panthers both ran out on the field as a team. Did both of them defy the NFL? Did the Patriots and Eagles do the same? What about the Steelers and Seahawks? Colts and Bears? All of these teams can't be thumbing their noses at the league. It's too big a coincidence.

 

[ilduce06410]

stop fooling around, call the league and/or the nflpa

Hey guys, I am having an e-mail exchange with Michael Silver of SI over his recent article about the Patriots trade for Randy Moss. I need your help over a factual dispute.
In his article from May 2, 2007 he blames the 2001 Patriots for shaming every subsequent team into doing group introductions at the Super Bowl.
I e-mailed him when I saw the article. I'd read somewhere that the NFL itself actually changed the way introductions are done at the Super Bowl. Every team for the last four years has been introduced as a team rather than individual starters.
I eventually found my source. Unfortunately it is Wikipedia:
Silver was dismissive when he wrote back:
Now I need your help. I seriously doubt that shame over the way the 2001 Patriots introduced themselves has caused every subsequent team to voluntarily give up individual introductions. It's more likely the NFL simply changed the way introductions are done at the Super Bowl. Is there someone on this board who knows the answer and can prove it? Silver has already opened his mouth, we just need to help him stick his foot in it.

just call the league, eh?
or call the nflpa in washington.
and be done with it.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Hey guys, I am having an e-mail exchange with Michael Silver of SI over his recent article about the Patriots trade for Randy Moss. I need your help over a factual dispute.

In his article from May 2, 2007 he blames the 2001 Patriots for shaming every subsequent team into doing group introductions at the Super Bowl.



I e-mailed him when I saw the article. I'd read somewhere that the NFL itself actually changed the way introductions are done at the Super Bowl. Every team for the last four years has been introduced as a team rather than individual starters.

I eventually found my source. Unfortunately it is Wikipedia:




Silver was dismissive when he wrote back:



Now I need your help. I seriously doubt that shame over the way the 2001 Patriots introduced themselves has caused every subsequent team to voluntarily give up individual introductions. It's more likely the NFL simply changed the way introductions are done at the Super Bowl. Is there someone on this board who knows the answer and can prove it? Silver has already opened his mouth, we just need to help him stick his foot in it.

You should ask Silver why its a bad thing to honor a "team" rather than an individual. Also, tell him I said he's a prick.

 

[BrianPat]

I finally found something

"For the third straight year, each team took the field en masse. In prerecorded video segments, Andover, Massachusetts native Michael Chiklis introduced the Patriots, and Philadelphia-born Will Smith introduced the Eagles. (In Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots were the first team to forego individual introductions.)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XXXIX

Granted, it's also from wikipedia. BUT I REMEMBER THIS !!! This MUST have been sanctioned by the NFL. You don't line up movies stars to do team introductions at the SuperBowl without the NFL knowing and giving it the green light !!!

 

[godef]

Hey guys, I am having an e-mail exchange with Michael Silver of SI over his recent article about the Patriots trade for Randy Moss. I need your help over a factual dispute.

In his article from May 2, 2007 he blames the 2001 Patriots for shaming every subsequent team into doing group introductions at the Super Bowl.



I e-mailed him when I saw the article. I'd read somewhere that the NFL itself actually changed the way introductions are done at the Super Bowl. Every team for the last four years has been introduced as a team rather than individual starters.

I eventually found my source. Unfortunately it is Wikipedia:




Silver was dismissive when he wrote back:



Now I need your help. I seriously doubt that shame over the way the 2001 Patriots introduced themselves has caused every subsequent team to voluntarily give up individual introductions. It's more likely the NFL simply changed the way introductions are done at the Super Bowl. Is there someone on this board who knows the answer and can prove it? Silver has already opened his mouth, we just need to help him stick his foot in it.

When Wikipedi says "the NFL" it may have really, more vaguely meant "the establishment", meaning nothing official, just everyone deciding to drink the kool-aid or else appear to be narcissistic heathens. Hey, that's what Silver said! Not meaning to naysay your premise, but you should have looked for a more explicit statement on this. You left yourself exposed.