Tom Curran really has lost it since his binkie Brady left (implies to Agholor he either needs to re-do his deal or get cut)

[Ian]

Curran was there before 2000, People who just write off a guy whos been in the locker room that long doesnt make sense to me

I was there with him in the late 90s when he was working for the Providence Journal and I was with Rivals.com. He was a hard-working kid (LOL, I say that - but we're essentially about the same age) and also just a great guy. I've been happy to see his ascension (it's well-deserved) but I do feel like he's potentially been asked by people above him to give more controversial opinions, even if they go against the grain as this market is incredibly saturated media-wise. We see it with F&M - those types of opinions are attention-grabbing and at the end of the day, that's what causes ratings and keeps them employed. So knowing that, I do understand it a little more.

But anyone who believes he's a hack needs to keep in mind he's been at this on a local level for 20+ years. You might not necessarily like his opinions, but he's definitely one of the better on-air reporters we have, hands down. And his opinion columns after games, even if I don't always agree with some parts of them, are always a fun read because the guy at least tells you what he thinks and doesn't ride down the middle.

I also think he and Phil Perry both do a terrific job with their podcasts and there are always little tidbits that come up that are things that we may not have known. Definitely recommended if you're not already following and listening to them.

 

[All3Phases]

I was there with him in the late 90s when he was working for the Providence Journal and I was with Rivals.com. He was a hard-working kid (LOL, I say that - but we're essentially about the same age) and also just a great guy. I've been happy to see his ascension (it's well-deserved) but I do feel like he's potentially been asked by people above him to give more controversial opinions, even if they go against the grain as this market is incredibly saturated media-wise. We see it with F&M - those types of opinions are attention-grabbing and at the end of the day, that's what causes ratings and keeps them employed. So knowing that, I do understand it a little more.

But anyone who believes he's a hack needs to keep in mind he's been at this on a local level for 20+ years. You might not necessarily like his opinions, but he's definitely one of the better on-air reporters we have, hands down. And his opinion columns after games, even if I don't always agree with some parts of them, are always a fun read because the guy at least tells you what he thinks and doesn't ride down the middle.

I also think he and Phil Perry both do a terrific job with their podcasts and there are always little tidbits that come up that are things that we may not have known. Definitely recommended if you're not already following and listening to them.

Wow! Very cool! I am not sure how his opinions are altered by bosses/media...Very well could. But I guess my point was, I dont think Ive ever heard him ask a question and think it was out of line or wasn't at least a respectable question at the time. I know hes had good sources inside the Brady camp, and Im sure a lot of Patriot fans were turned off by his commentary during that period of the split. Hes still on the level as if he says he knows something or hes heard it from somebody, then its probably legit info.

 

[All3Phases]

It's also a symptom of being a (primarily) one sport journalist during that sport's offseason. He has to take a first round guard storyline and these fluff interviews happening before anyone has even put on a jersey and stretch them into three months of "content". Much easier to do that with controversy than with things like, "Maybe Agholor does better in year 2, and maybe he doesn't. We'll have to wait and see!"

But do you think theres a chance that he simply has the opinion of not liking the pick of a guard? I guess, do we have to think its a made up storyline to annoy fans to get clicks?

 

[Boomer B]

But do you think theres a chance that he simply has the opinion of not liking the pick of a guard? I guess, do we have to think its a made up storyline to annoy fans to get clicks?

If you hear the audio of him during real time of the draft, it's clearly not a made up storyline for clicks. His words were something like "You can't make this up...a trade down and then a division 2 guard..." Later he qualified that he thinks Strange will be a good player, but he doesn't like where he was picked and we could have picked an impact defensive player in round 1 and picked up a guard later on. An opinion shared by many on here.

 

[Ian]

But do you think theres a chance that he simply has the opinion of not liking the pick of a guard? I guess, do we have to think its a made up storyline to annoy fans to get clicks?

I think he legitimately didn't like it, although rather than ride down the middle, he didn't mince words and he was certainly more vocal about it. Greg Bedard did the same thing on 98.5 but if you read him on BSJ, the way he writes and what he writes doesn't tend to match who he is on the radio. That's because how he writes doesn't work on the radio, especially on F&M.

That's the world we live in now media-wise. If it's not controversial and opinion/disagreement-inducing, it doesn't work.

 

[Sicilian]

But do you think theres a chance that he simply has the opinion of not liking the pick of a guard? I guess, do we have to think its a made up storyline to annoy fans to get clicks?

Oh most definitely. I don't even necessarily disagree with him on that philosophically. That was more a general example of a storyline that isn't going to move the needle for very long on its own.

 

[Sciz]

If you hear the audio of him during real time of the draft, it's clearly not a made up storyline for clicks. His words were something like "You can't make this up...a trade down and then a division 2 guard..."

That's part of the problem here. There's a huge difference between FCS and D2. Cole Strange was a Division I football player.

 

[paco130]

Always liked Curran. He’s well connected to the team, not afraid to give an opinion, and is entertaining.

He may be "Shank" Shaughnessy's evil twin.

 

[Pape]

Our only hope is that he takes a year 2 jump and starts opposite of Parker.

Contract year, so at least there's hope he will have a decent season... worst comes to worst, at least there will be no dead cap hits going forward...

Over rated as an eagle. got lucky in LV because outside of Waller, Renfrow was still growing into the player he is and there were no other options...

Never liked this signing.
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as for curran, fwiw, he's better than chb, and used to be a must read, just like reises pieces was

 

[All3Phases]

I think he legitimately didn't like it, although rather than ride down the middle, he didn't mince words and he was certainly more vocal about it. Greg Bedard did the same thing on 98.5 but if you read him on BSJ, the way he writes and what he writes doesn't tend to match who he is on the radio. That's because how he writes doesn't work on the radio, especially on F&M.

That's the world we live in now media-wise. If it's not controversial and opinion/disagreement-inducing, it doesn't work.

I didnt read Greg Bedards columns (I dont pay for them), but definitely listen in on F&M and his podcast as well. I will have to take your word for it on his columns

 

[BTTA]

Curran has been well connected to many players and others in the organization. It wasn’t just Brady.

In terms of the draft, we’ll see. Hopefully it’s a good draft. I like the fact that Curran will take a position though. Reiss is nice, but he’s basically a mouthpiece for the team. Id rather have someone say what they feel, even if I don’t agree with them 100% of the time.

I agree it is nice to have multiple types of reporters. I see three types here:

• reporters who get facts, organize them, and provide them to us, like Reiss (and through that process, make us better informed)
• investigative journalists, who dig for previously unseen information, organizes it for us, and tell us what they think or what the implications might be (and through that process, make us think and get smarter)
• entertainers, who tell us what they feel (and through that process, provide some emotional satisfaction, of some kind)

Two problems are typical around here: 1. a reader/fan is disappointed when a reporter doesn't fit the profile they want, and 2. when a reporter pretends to be something they aren't.

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

I'd have more confidence in a rebound if Fat Matt wasn't the one calling plays.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'd have more confidence in a rebound if Fat Matt wasn't the one calling plays.

Yea I don't like that scenario either.

I'd rather they have Caley do it and maybe Bill, Judge and Fat Matt mentor behind the scenes.

That could be their plan.

 

[Sicilian]

I'd have more confidence in a rebound if Fat Matt wasn't the one calling plays.

I haven't seen any reports that indicate he would be. Nothing official at all, and the only rumors we've heard is that he's working with the OL.

 

[RedSleevesPinkStripes]

I don't hate him or anything but I wouldn't say I'm a big fan anymore. I miss the old Curran who seemed like your goofy, but smart uncle.. talking to you about the Pats, trades, news etc. Not the gotcha conspiracy ahole uncle nobody wants at holidays.

 

[Triumph]

Agahlor did try to redo his contract.

Nelson sat down with the Pat's brass and when they handed him the pen he dropped it.

 

[rochrist]

Mac was a rookie, Agholor's numbers didn't get cut in half from 2020 to 2021 because he lost half his talent.

He's on a one year deal now, if he and Mac still don't click in year two he's gone.

Curran definitely started rooting for Bill to fail once Brady left, there was an opportunity for comeuppance for all the times Bill was short or gruff with him and his media pals.

I don't think it was entirely Tom leaving. I think he spent too much time on the same tv set as Felger and saw what had worked for him in a HUGE way.

 

[rochrist]

His connection left when Brady did. It's the same thing with Dan Shaughnessy and Ron Borges, they were Bledsoe guys and then Belichick binned him so there was nothing left stopping them from ripping everything the team did. I mean they already pretty much at that point were ripping everything Belichick did.

Curran's take about this draft reminds me of Borges' take on the '01 draft

That never gets old.

 

[rochrist]

The reality is that agholors 2021 season was affected by:
1) He often runs routes that are slower developing.
2) Mac clearly, consistently gave up on slower developing routes to check down. It worked out ok for a rookie, but is probably the #1 area he can and hopefully will improve in 2022.
3) we had early season OL issues which exacerbated 2

None of this means that Agholor would have shined if these issue didn’t occur, but it means these issues, to a large degree prevented him from shining if he could/would have.

He also dropped more than a couple of perfectly thrown bombs.

 

[rochrist]

But do you think theres a chance that he simply has the opinion of not liking the pick of a guard? I guess, do we have to think its a made up storyline to annoy fans to get clicks?

No, because it goes WAY further than that.