Kiffin takes step in right direction..

#52
#52
Writer32 said:
I think it's silly now that I'm not a fan of a pro or college team...now, when my daughter or son is competing, I get those same nervous feelings....

Part of the anticipation to watch my favorite team, back in the day, is what made it fun

I was just trying to say, I understand that world.

Once you become a sportswriter, you lose that -- you have to, because objectivity is so important to a clear analysis.
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It would be nice if you had some...<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
BTW I still haven't seen your apology to the state of Minnesota. <o:p></o:p>
 
#53
#53
I've been there. Some 20 years ago, I was a fan. I got nervous before my team played in Super Bowls, and my mood was affected by the outcome.

Looking back, it all seems silly to me now. Especially once I realized that if my team won or lost, it didn't make me any better or worse of a person.
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If it weren't for fans with that kind of passion, covering collegiate athletics would be about as exciting and lucrative as reporting on AYSO soccer games.

I don't understand the need (common in Griff's writing) to be so condescending to ordinary fans. The fact that they care so much -- which he thinks is "blind" and "silly," apparently -- is the only reason why it's possible to make a good living writing about sports.
 
#54
#54
Writer32 said:
Kiffin is great for the media to deal with. He has open practices, and he is very quotable. I think that bodes well for him. I've talked to him twice, and both times I came away impressed with his football knowledge and approach. He just needs to brush up on his public speaking savvy.
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great admin decision,pay catdaddy millions of dollars while waiting for him to GROW up :crazy:
 
#56
#56
Writer32 said:
I think the military has changed in the 22 years since I served....I was at the bottom, getting promoted to E-4 in my three years...I was fortunate to serve in an excellent unit with good leadership.

I can not stress enough, however, how important it was to follow orders immediately in a unit designed to be combat ready -- anywhere in the world -- in 24 hours. The 82nd, when I served, was the President's strike force.

As for the green Lt., as an officer he was entrusted with decision making ability -- that's why he was in a position to command. As an enlisted member, I was in a position to follow. There is an art to both. It was very hard to me to follow at first, but man, I learned pretty quick during boot camp at Ft. Jackson, I promise you.

I'm writing this wondering how this became about me -- it's funny how people sometimes ignore the message and attack the messenger. Part of the game, I suppose. Not intimidating, just kinda different.

I'm on twitter, by the way, if you would like to follow: mgrif32
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it seems to get personal around here quick :p

if you want to get along and be revered as the greatest writer since (insert famous name) you must bow down to the new messiah of u.t. football :eek:lol:
 
#57
#57
utmba93 said:
Welcome back, Posi. You're just in time to brighten up the weekend. :hi:
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thanks ut93.

i did like the quote another fellow made who said he didnt know if we had a trainwreck or a championship in the making :)

i think its a coinflip right now.
 
#58
#58
posivol said:
thanks ut93.

i did like the quote another fellow made who said he didnt know if we had a trainwreck or a championship in the making :)

i think its a coinflip right now.
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I agree that more mediocrity will not be an outcome of what is happening in Knoxville. :good!:
 
#59
#59
Would it be possible to get one of you to explain to me why all most all of the journalist writing about the University of Tennessee and this incident in Pahokee seem to place all of the blame on coach Kiffin? I just do not understand the logic in what they are pontificating about. None of these writers seem to want to direct any blame or responsibility to the principal for his in inappropriate behavior. Please this is supposed to be a principal of a high school which one would hope has sufficient intelligence to know his behavior in asking a Tennessee coach to leave the school would be judged as extremely inappropriate. It has to be obvious that someone has reprimanded him and told him to remove the University of Florida logo from the Pahokee High Schools web page. I agree that coach Kiffin was out of line when he made his infamous remarks about the living conditions in Pahokee. However, his comments were not intended for the public and he did apologize shortly thereafter for his mistake. As far as I know this principal has not gone as far as to suggest that he may have been a little out of line when he told Tennessee coach to leave the school property and demanded coach Kiffin fly down to Pahokee and public kiss his will you know what I am thinking. Come on if the writers are going to attack and criticize coach Kiffin for his behavior they should also direct an equal amount of journalistic review toward the behavior of the Pahokee principal. I personal have no respect for the integrity of these journalist when they only present the safe side of the story.
 
#60
#60
posivol said:
thanks ut93.

i did like the quote another fellow made who said he didnt know if we had a trainwreck or a championship in the making :)

i think its a coinflip right now.
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Wow. So we have you up to 50/50. That's real progress Posi. :hi:
 
#62
#62
jakez4ut said:
i wasn't in the military, so some of the lingo escapesme, but to be fair, he did state he was a grunt.

i don't think it regular policy for grunts/foot soldiers to tell commanding officers or their superiors "no".
.
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I was an officer in a training unit... drill sgt's worked for me. I taught the class several times to "grunts"/new soldiers. The Army thought the topic so important that NCO's weren't allowed to give it. Usually it fell to a company commander or higher- sometimes a battalion chaplain.
 
#63
#63
Writer32 said:
It was very hard to me to follow at first, but man, I learned pretty quick during boot camp at Ft. Jackson, I promise you.
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Now I know why Griff doesn't know this.... he was that kid asleep in the back.:)

Were you in a starship or on Tank Hill?

I'm writing this wondering how this became about me -- it's funny how people sometimes ignore the message and attack the messenger. Part of the game, I suppose. Not intimidating, just kinda different.
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It isn't. It is about the validity of EVER being a blind follower of anything whether as trivial as a CFB team or as important as a sniper at the moment he's commanded to fire.

For what little it might be worth, I agree with many of your actual points in the article.
 
#64
#64
I am still trying to figure out how you compare military discipline to being a college football fan and/or reporter. In the military, everyone has to think alike or the unit falls apart. For college football reporters, the more fans disagree the better off they are.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#65
#65
Writer32 said:
I don't look down my nose at anyone. I enjoy sports as much as anyone, but I enjoy it from a different perspective now. I've been a player, a fan, a coach, and when I write I try to approach things from an analytical standpoint.
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Analyze this....Ever notice how annoying it is when women try to analyze your thoughts...trying to find something in your words that just aren't there?

You just revealed, Grif, that this sort of behavior is precisely what you're doing in regard to Kiffin. Trying to find the juicy nugget of nothingness to make a story out of.:question:
I've taken less and less interest in reading your articles anymore. Seems to me, that even if Kiffin made those statements about Pahokee, nobody is asking the important question, "What prompted him to say it?....what got under his skin so bad, that he felt the barbs justified...to a select crowd of Vol faithful?
Obviously he had some diffuculties down there with the folks at the school (the principal's a UF grad himself) as Nuke's Aunts went through the trouble to have his signed LOT faxed at a Middle School. They didn't rebuff Kiffin's statement, so there has to be something substantive behind his words. Again, the comments he made wasn't to a reporter...it was directed to UT fans a rally. That's an important point that keeps getting lost in the translation here. I'm sure he was plenty peeved at the folks he had to deal with to get Nuke out of there.

Now, imagine having a conversation with your best friend and somewhere within, you make a jest about your wife...maybe something that nags you. Then later have her grill you over that comment. How would you like it, Griff? How would you like someone coming along and passing along your words, intended solely for your friend?
Like your wife doesn't do the same with her friends, right?
Again, all of this say...you're being just another media type trying to play the role of the instigator and make a whole lot out of so little.
 
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#66
#66
Writer32 said:
I am one when it comes to my country, having served in the 82nd Airborne when I was younger.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that, so long as you recognize that about yourself and feel true to the cause.

It is what it is.
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my Dad was in the airborne in Korea,a Purple Heart vet,(and hell no he didn't get it in a mess tent either,as he will tell you ) and he signed up to fight Hitler, but made Germany right after the war was over,was the airborne called the 82nd in Korea?
i like your writing Griff,if i agree with it or not :)
 
#67
#67
Writer32 said:
I think it's silly now that I'm not a fan of a pro or college team...now, when my daughter or son is competing, I get those same nervous feelings....

Part of the anticipation to watch my favorite team, back in the day, is what made it fun

I was just trying to say, I understand that world.

Once you become a sportswriter, you lose that -- you have to, because objectivity is so important to a clear analysis.
Click to expand...

I have been a sports fan for 42 years. My favorite writers/announcers have been the old Knoxville Journal sports writers and (of course) John Ward. They always knew how to intermix objectivity with unbridled excitement for "the team".

If you want objectivity, read the rest of the paper. If you want to enjoy sports, find a writer/announcer who is enjoying their job, I mean enjoying the team, the sport, etc. I enjoy science as much as anyone, but whoever is teaching sports broadcasting these days is missing the boat to some extent. I don't desire mere description, I want something to get excited about.

No offense meant to you, but I do wish that more sports writers were pro-team. I am not talking about the desire to hide the truth when there is a scandal, but just showing enthusiasm when the team is doing well. I don't know how you can properly do that if you can not allow yourself to get excited about the team. Sorry, I just don't get that.

I just think sportswriters are trying to be "political correct" with fellow sportswriters. I believe that to be a mistake that hurts sports in general, and the local papers nowadays too.

Don't worry, someone will let you know when you are not being objective enough. Go ahead, get emotionally involved. It won't hurt a bit. JMHO
 
#68
#68
I understand the overall sentiment. Most would agree that the time for talk has come and gone.

Fulmer may have had a backbone, but in the end it was used entirely to hold up the mass of his noggin.
 
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