Why Does Steve Czaban ....

[jimster]

I think if everyone on here sat around and discussed how great this team is and how they have vastly improved themselves it would be a very boring place to visit.

I have never, ever implied that I want to sit around and talk about how great the team is. The point I was trying to make is to me it's more fun to talk intelligently about football than to cry over spilt milk over and over and over.

Very true, but some would rather it be that way unfortunately.

But Jimster, isn't it a little ridiculous to complain about guys on the radio criticizing a team that hasn't done squat in, what, 15 years now? Two playoff appearances - big whoop. Do you really only want to hear good things and never wonder about what might need to be done to change the direction of the team? If all you ever hear is the positives and all we ever do is lose, does that really make you feel good?

I find it far more offensive to drink the kool-aid even though it's really spoiled milk.

Like I said, if we win the Super Bowl and Czabe is still critical, then I'm on your side.

Hail,

H

for starters, I'm not complaing about Czaben - I just don't listen to his radio program or watch Comcast post game show any more. - More because he makes up or therorizes too much to the cynical slant.

- I'm talking about the media in general and their negative spin is tiresome. - It's to the point that guys like Howard Bryant gets busted making stuff up.

..and yes, I do want to talk about what might need to be done to change the direction of the team - that's exactly what I'm saying. It just doesn't have to be done while constantly attacking.

[hail2skins]

I find Czabe entertaining, but have to admit that sometimes I just don't get where he's coming from. Witness this recent article from his website on why hockey isn't an appealing topic for sports talk:

http://czabe.com/daily/archives/2007/05/index.html

Somehow I think Czabe and Pollin would've managed to find more time for the Caps if the team was consistently reaching the later rounds of the playoffs. Also, I don't get how he says sports talk is about "predictive boasts" before the game and "I told-you-so gloating" after the event. I don't seem to recall Ken Beatrice using this formula, and he seemed to do all right in the local sports talk world.

I also will agree with those who think that Steve just goes with whichever way the wind is blowing. During the early part of the offseason before 2005 he was with the national media who was crapping all over the Skins. Then right before the season starts he predicts them to go 10-6, as to hedge his bets so he could say "I told you so." This year he has predicted 6-10, then about a week later said "the Skins may make a playoff run." I'll be curious to see what he has them at right before this campaign starts.

Having said all this, I think criticism of the Skins certainly has been warranted. They haven't gotten any better during the Snyder regime. As far as the stadium goes, true, Dan didn't build it, but he has contributed to certain aspects of the game-day experience that turn people off. We'll see what kind of approach he takes with this team once Gibbs (probably) departs in a few years.

[Phat Hog]

i think the best way to view czab's commentary is by understanding that he is a satirist by nature....

...and he's a woman...

[ouvan59]

Somehow I think Czabe and Pollin would've managed to find more time for the Caps if the team was consistently reaching the later rounds of the playoffs. Also, I don't get how he says sports talk is about "predictive boasts" before the game and "I told-you-so gloating" after the event. I don't seem to recall Ken Beatrice using this formula, and he seemed to do all right in the local sports talk world.

I do agree that most of his hockey conclusions are wrong but he does hit the nail on the head on a couple of points.

1. Stats: This is the lesser of the two points. Baseball, football and basketball lend themselves very well to stats. Hockey does not. The boxscore only gives you a small understanding of the game.

2. You have to watch the whole game: This is the biggest problem with hockey and sports talk radio. You can't pick up the paper in the morning and b.s. your way through a conversation about tonight's Anaheim-Ottawa Cup Finals match. Rod Langway is the perfect example of this. He was a dominant player but you wouldn't know it from a stat sheet. You really need to watch the games to get a good feel for it. Steve Czaban (and most radio talk show personalities) doesn't watch the games. In his defense, he just can't watch everything. The difference is you can b.s. your way through the NBA playoffs by watching the highlights and reading the boxscore and recap. Same thing for baseball and football.

[stupidsuck]

The skins created the Nightly news and a lot of features I think to try to get unbiased news about the team to the fans.

unfiltered and unbiased straight from the Redskins themselves

by the way, Redskins.com covered those Portis dog fight comments pretty well

[InsaneBoost]

LOL, I love this guy, he gets to all of you so much, who gives a **** what he thinks, there are haters, and there are lovers, just calm down.

[GODSACOWBOYFAN]

You know, I listen to SPORTSTALK 980. On most occassions I find the Sports reporters to be both entertaining and informative. But exactly what should Czaban be praising the Skins for:

1. Their Ground breaking approach to the draft?

2. Responsible spending on Free Agents?

3. Performance?

4. How the Skins have revolutionized the league by building a team almost exclusively thru Free Agency?

The only thing Synder has been able to do well on a consistant basis is increase the hype of the team during the off season, then immediately profit from it. When the Cowboys went on their run of 5-11 seasons, I had nothing positive to say either. :2cents:

[SKINS FAN #56]

Czabe tries so hard to be famous, so he'll ask rude questions and act pompous as evident in his Mark Brunell interview.

Yeah i've noticed. The style and facial expressions he makes when he talks

[2006Skins]

Is there any way to hear these shows from outside the local DC area?

[0mega]

Is there any way to hear these shows from outside the local DC area?

I get his show here in AL. Fox Sports I believe.

[0mega]

You know, I listen to SPORTSTALK 980. On most occassions I find the Sports reporters to be both entertaining and informative. But exactly what should Czaban be praising the Skins for:

1. Their Ground breaking approach to the draft?

2. Responsible spending on Free Agents?

3. Performance?

4. How the Skins have revolutionized the league by building a team almost exclusively thru Free Agency?

The only thing Synder has been able to do well on a consistant basis is increase the hype of the team during the off season, then immediately profit from it. When the Cowboys went on their run of 5-11 seasons, I had nothing positive to say either. :2cents:

I hate to agree with a Brokeback fan, but this post is money.

B Mitch seems to have taken it too far, but Czabe is just a frustrated fan. You can really see/hear how much the losing has gotten to him. He's pissed at the current pattern of crap that has become the norm.

So am I.

And of course, there are those around here that will slam him because he doesn't join in the unofficial circle-jerk.

[HailSkinz1]

I hate to agree with a Brokeback fan, but this post is money.

B Mitch seems to have taken it too far, but Czabe is just a frustrated fan. You can really see/hear how much the losing has gotten to him. He's pissed at the current pattern of crap that has become the norm.

So am I.

And of course, there are those around here that will slam him because he doesn't join in the unofficial circle-jerk.

The bad news - I'm with you Omega, but damn it's hard agreeing with a Cowboy fan.

The good news - we found a smart one!!

Welcome to the Board "GodsaCowboyfan." (Man, it's hard to type that!).

Hail,

H

[HailSkinz1]

Is there any way to hear these shows from outside the local DC area?

Yeah, just go to www.sportstalk980.com.

You can hear Czabe in the morning (6 - 9 ET) on First Team on Fox, and then in the afternoon from 4 - ??? (not sure actually when it ends) ET with his sidekick Andy Pollin on the Sports Reporters.

The morning show is national, so there's not a lot of Redskins stuff. The afternoon show is local, so they discuss the Redskins and other local teams more.

Hail,

H

[endzone_dave]

Didn't Czabe predict the Skins to go 12-4 last season? He's just a Redskins fan that gets tired of the losing. He's not afraid to call out the stupid moves this organizaiton makes, like AA, Duckett, Mark Brunell, ...

[Tom [Giants fan]]

These writers are more popular if they are hated than if they are liked. They probably get under the skin of fans just so they can stay popular and have their stuff read.

[jimster]

']These writers are more popular if they are hated than if they are liked.

exactly.

[Gilligan28]

Czaban is not an objective journalist who gives a validated opinion on something...He is a bitter, incompetent hack who makes up for his lack of talent by trying to be outrageous and rude. After a game last year when the team was playing hard and Brunell was doing all he could do to win, Czaban cant ask any good questions just questions that no one could answer and that were actually disrespectful to Brunell. He casts aside professionalism for shock value. Oh yeah my buddy works at those clear channel stations in Rockville. He knows all the on air talent and the only one he talks poorly about is czaban. Not only is he a incompetent journalist he is a poor person. He can go to hell, and for all those people who think I am just being a homer, I love B Mitch and he is very critical of the skins but he makes good points and never becomes petty or disrespectful in his criticisms.

[ttr77]

I have never, ever implied that I want to sit around and talk about how great the team is. The point I was trying to make is to me it's more fun to talk intelligently about football than to cry over spilt milk over and over and over.

Personally I think this has been a pretty decent conversation. However, I'm still waiting for the guy who told me I was 'parading my ignorance' to join back into the discussion. Or perhaps he is one that likes to insult people then run away.

But anyway, I don't think pointing to the deficiancies of this team and their recent record is 'crying over spilt milk'. This team has missed the playoffs 13 out of the last 15 seasons. That is a horrible run. How many seasons will it take before this fact has beaten the enrire fanbase down? 20? 30?

[ouvan59]

But anyway, I don't think pointing to the deficiancies of this team and their recent record is 'crying over spilt milk'. This team has missed the playoffs 13 out of the last 15 seasons. That is a horrible run. How many seasons will it take before this fact has beaten the enrire fanbase down? 20? 30?

Pointing at deficiencies is one thing but having every conversation about the team revert back to the same things over and over and over is another. He ignores the actual facts and harps on the same tired, threadworn things that don't apply anymore (i.e. Bruce Smith, that overrated CB that we signed at the same time, etc.). If the team had signed a big name DE or DT he would have ragged on them for throwing money at the problem. Since they didn't he rags on them for not addressing their weaknesses. Then in the next breath he will praise the Patriots or Ravens for not panicking and building with the young guys on the roster already.

Here is a perfect example of Steve Czaban's hypocracy. A couple of years ago he took a call from a fan who was talking about the draft. Czaban stated that we always screw up the draft and that only Marty Schottenheimer knew how to draft properly. He went on to give them a high grade for that draft because they had gotten Rod Gardner and Fred Smoot. This was right before the Skins got rid of Gardner and Smoot was already gone. The very next caller asked if he thought they could trade Gardner to the Steelers for a 2nd day pick to which Czaban replied "Who the heck would trade for Rod Gardner. He's a bum."

[ttr77]

Here is a perfect example of Steve Czaban's hypocracy. A couple of years ago he took a call from a fan who was talking about the draft. Czaban stated that we always screw up the draft and that only Marty Schottenheimer knew how to draft properly. He went on to give them a high grade for that draft because they had gotten Rod Gardner and Fred Smoot. This was right before the Skins got rid of Gardner and Smoot was already gone. The very next caller asked if he thought they could trade Gardner to the Steelers for a 2nd day pick to which Czaban replied "Who the heck would trade for Rod Gardner. He's a bum."

I agree...Czaban is overly negative and often seems to harbor some bitterness towards this team.

However, I am inclined to agree with someone who is more on the negative side in regards to the current state of this franchise. Why? Because recent results have earned this team all the bad press it gets. Most of it is deserved.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

czaban is the man, when you talk as much as everyone on the radio does, youre going to say some stupid things, but hes funny and a guy like scott lynn keeps him on track so he doesnt go overboard.

hes 10x better than bmitch, who makes himself sound like a retard on a daily basis. he sucked so bad they took his show away haha.

[cyfar]

Hell if you can't stand Czaban now, wait till the regular season starts. God forbid the team underperforms.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

its just funny that a team goes 5-11, the local radio shows bash us, and somehow theyre all negative idiots. what was there to be positive about last season? answer = not much.

[AlmightySkins!]

...a good example of fair coverage- watch one of those mini-camp specials the NFL network is airing now. It doesn't matter who the team is, they talk about the future and the optimism they have for so and so player or unit or whatever. They don't keep crying over and over about some guy the team signed in 2000.

If you have no hope, what's the point of watching sports?

This kind of sums my thoughts up ...

What I REALLY want is a FAIR reporting. Not support without bounds for a team that is under performing OR overly Czaban-esque negativity.

I want the middle ground. And right now in DC there seems to ONLY be negative coverage of the skins... where are you people going where you see overly positive coverage? (besides maybe a post or two on this forum).

I want a show that #1 sticks to the facts and #2 has a slightly postive tone to it - After all, they are the Home Team and I enjoy Rooting for the Skins more than BASHING.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

the media doesnt "root" for anybody. sure they cover teams like the yankees and the cowboys more than others, but they bash those teams even more when they suck. look at the yankees, all espn talks about is how bad they are and how theyll be in the cellar all year. but, its probably true, so they discuss it. its negativity for the yankees, and even though they get more media coverage, its all negative.

i like hearing discussion about the redskins, even if its negative and i disagree with it. i just like when people discuss the team. i dont want to hear all rainbows and sunshine when were coming off of a 5-11 season. trust me, if you wanna hear positives, wait til campbells progression gets more media coverage, all the sports reporters are gonna be oozing all over him if the reports weve heard are true. when last season is just a bad memory and the 07 is closer to start, the positives will start rolling in.