Ben Volin

[PatsGuy]

For years, reading the "On Football" column in the Sunday Globe has been my meat and potatoes for everything football. Understanding that Volin is in a "grace period, and, following a great writer like Bedard, I'll see how he pans out. However, prior to posting any future articles, he needs to mutter under his breath; " Geez Toto we're not in Florida anymore". In today's column, about a third of it, is devoted to various forms of Florida football. First it's Flutie talking Tebow, then Florida Gator football. Jacksonville football and finally, another episode of American Idol south Mike Wallace and the soap that is his ankle, groin whatever.
As provincial as Boston can at times be, Pats Fans and fans in general, like to know information throughout the league
LOL that's my vent for the week

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

Not a fan of Mr. Volin. Too much Florida, too much asking if Slater will make the team on twitter. Other stuff like asking why Parcells didn't mention BB by name when he didn't name any ex NFL assistants by name. JAG compared to Bedard so far.

 

[Mike the Brit]

For years, reading the "On Football" column in the Sunday Globe has been my meat and potatoes for everything football. Understanding that Volin is in a "grace period, and, following a great writer like Bedard, I'll see how he pans out. However, prior to posting any future articles, he needs to mutter under his breath; " Geez Toto we're not in Florida anymore". In today's column, about a third of it, is devoted to various forms of Florida football. First it's Flutie talking Tebow, then Florida Gator football. Jacksonville football and finally, another episode of American Idol south Mike Wallace and the soap that is his ankle, groin whatever.
As provincial as Boston can at times be, Pats Fans and fans in general, like to know information throughout the league
LOL that's my vent for the week

Bedard got a lot of criticism on this board when he as at the Globe, but we all know that he was someone who knew his football, used his eyes and wasn't afraid to be in a minority. I hope that Volin develops the same kind of strong, independent voice -- but GB is a hard act to follow.

 

[Rob0729]

Bedard is a tough act to follow, but even so, I am not all that impressed with Volin. Badard's training camp wrap ups were must reads. Volin's are pretty pedestrian.

 

[102 Pat]

I miss the "wet blanket of reason"

 

[Deus Irae]

Bedard's reporting was solid, but his analysis was very hit and miss. Let's give Volin time to settle in before pigeonholing him. I would agree that his reporting, so far, seems to lag behind most of the other locals. I just think he deserves a little time to get settled in before we start casting stones.


On the other hand, if he tries telling us that the Jets don't suck, I'll lead the tar and feathers brigade. :rocker:

 

[PatsFan37]

I'll go with the Belichickian, 'you don't know what you've got until 8 games into the season', but right now it seems Volin has a long way to go.

 

[Fencer]

Bedard's reporting was solid, but his analysis was very hit and miss.

So is anybody's, including the coaching staff's.

Bedard deserved and for the most part got respect for his work.

 

[shmessy]

Let Volin have a little time.

Too many people conveniently forget how Green Bay centric Bedard was his first few months at the Globe.

It's normal. He'll get his feet wet.

 

[james87654]

BTW i think Bedard was excellent, nobody is perfect, but he was the best we had. Thats why SI swooped him up with an offer he couldnt refuse. Bedard wasnt as bland as Reiss and he was more consistent and less biased than guys like Borges(who can be really good when he wants to be)

 

[Deus Irae]

So is anybody's, including the coaching staff's.

Bedard deserved and for the most part got respect for his work.

Bedard deserves the respect for his reporting. He doesn't deserve it for his analysis, which is very spotty.

 

[Fencer]

Bedard deserves the respect for his reporting. He doesn't deserve it for his analysis, which is very spotty.

I disagree.

I am, among other things, a professional news analyst in a different field; I think I'm the best in my area; and there's no way I'd have a super-high accuracy rate if I had to deliver in the time frames a daily newspaper demands.

I think Bedard did as well as could be reasonably hoped for, and further that -- which too many "analysts" aren't -- that he was responsible about communicating the basis or lack thereof for his views.

 

[shmessy]

I disagree.

I am, among other things, a professional news analyst in a different field; I think I'm the best in my area; and there's no way I'd have a super-high accuracy rate if I had to deliver in the time frames a daily newspaper demands.

I think Bedard did as well as could be reasonably hoped for, and further that -- which too many "analysts" aren't -- that he was responsible about communicating the basis or lack thereof for his views.

I'm with you, Fencer. I thought his X's and O's analyses were brilliant and I learned alot of new concepts from him. There were several pieces he wrote over the past year or two that were great insight. This guy truly knew his stuff, got into pretty arcane technique lectures and made it all seem quite interesting.

 

[james87654]

I disagree.

I am, among other things, a professional news analyst in a different field; I think I'm the best in my area; and there's no way I'd have a super-high accuracy rate if I had to deliver in the time frames a daily newspaper demands.

I think Bedard did as well as could be reasonably hoped for, and further that -- which too many "analysts" aren't -- that he was responsible about communicating the basis or lack thereof for his views.

I tend to agree with you and would like to thank you for offering your "professional" perspective on things.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

deus irae still hasnt forgiven Bedard for not "entirely" blaming the missed catch in the SB on welker when it was obvious brady could have put it in a better spot. Even the offensive coordinator said it was not a "drop." Deus Irae, the intelligent, overzealous, sometimes annoying debate nerd strikes again!

Let me be the first to welcome one of Deus' ex-girl friends to the Forum!

 

[Sciz]

My position on Bedard isn't because of that play. It's because his hit/miss percentage was very unimpressive to me.

Are you already counting him supporting the Pats getting rid of Welker as a miss?

 

[supafly]

I'll admit that I was a bit surprised to see Volin stick his neck out as much as he seemed to do regarding the Dennard situation. That caught my attention.

 

[Rob0729]

So is anybody's, including the coaching staff's.

Bedard deserved and for the most part got respect for his work.

Not to further highjack the thread here, but I agree Bedard was as good or better than any other writer when he did analysis. I think personally he was the best here by far. Although looking at some of the analysis skills of the writers in this town, it is a bit of a backhanded compliment.

Bedard has his detractors because he goes against the grain. He, in my opinion correctly, believed that McCourty was far better at CB last year than people gave him credit for while most of the people on this board and on the radio were killing the guy. And of course he did advocate for letting Welker walk (only time will tell if that was the right decision or not).

 

[Rob0729]

I'll admit that I was a bit surprised to see Volin stick his neck out as much as he seemed to do regarding the Dennard situation. That caught my attention.

I'm not that surprised. The guy is trying to make a name for himself in this town. Being the first with some of Dennard's side of things no matter how controversial, may be that way. He did get the attention of people on this board for at least a minute or two.

 

[Deus Irae]

I disagree.

I am, among other things, a professional news analyst in a different field; I think I'm the best in my area; and there's no way I'd have a super-high accuracy rate if I had to deliver in the time frames a daily newspaper demands.

I think Bedard did as well as could be reasonably hoped for, and further that -- which too many "analysts" aren't -- that he was responsible about communicating the basis or lack thereof for his views.

I think he didn't do as well as could be reasonably hoped for, and I don't think he was particularly close to such a level. My use of "hit and miss" to describe his analysis was a way of sugarcoating the fact that I thought he frequently sucked at it. And we're now at an impasse. So it goes...