Gruden's Press Conference after Signing Foster

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

I bet Jay didn’t expect to answer whether or not he personally talked to the victim.  Sheesh.  We all have those days where we absolutely dread going into the office and when we do get whatever we were dreading over with, you still feel like you didn’t accomplish anything.  I’m certain that’s how it was for him yesterday.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

9 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

I bet Jay didn’t expect to answer whether or not he personally talked to the victim.  Sheesh.  We all have those days where we absolutely dread going into the office and when we do get whatever we were dreading over with, you still feel like you didn’t accomplish anything.  I’m certain that’s how it was for him yesterday.

 

That was an absolutely asinine question to ask.

 

No way in hell was it asked with the belief that he (or anyone on the team, or anyone on any team) would have done so.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

16 minutes ago, CousinsCowgirl84 said:

this is an unnecessary distraction and makes weakens the team culture period.

 

 

The "distraction" angle in situations like this is overblown by fans, at least in terms of wins and losses. Even players have said this. It would take something FAR more serious than merely putting in a claim for a controversial player to distract a team from focusing on their goals. Remember how the lack of distraction from having to answer questions about Kirk Cousins was supposed to help the team? How much did it help, really?

 

And if something like this has weakened the team culture, then, in reality, there was no team culture to weaken. That's the beautiful thing about (and purpose of) "team culture": it's supposed to help the team withstand unexpected hardships and situations and keep them focused. If the Skins' "team culture" can't withstand something like this then there was no real team culture to begin with.

[RandyHolt]

"Any attempt to reach out to the victim?".... No, I am really sorry m'am, I am not a grief counselor.... I am Jay, Jay Gru.... were you lyin.....oh FML.

 

We should pummel that dudes twitter for asking such a dumbass question. Who was that.

 

I would have preferred Jay just say no comment, and if not, keep his answers very short and apologize and just say sorry, I need to focus on Philly right now. I am sure you understand. Over and over until the questions focus on anything but RF.

 

He answered WAY too many questions about something totally out of his control.  Bruce or Doug should have been by his side on this one. Or better yet stick Wyllie's ass out there.  It wouldn't surprise me to learn Jay no longer wants to coach here, and that he is just biding his time.

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

16 minutes ago, Califan007 said:

 

The "distraction" angle in situations like this is overblown by fans, at least in terms of wins and losses. Even players have said this. It would take something FAR more serious than merely putting in a claim for a controversial player to distract a team from focusing on their goals. 

Of course they all say this.  I’m sure nobody looks at it like “man, if not for this Foster distraction, I’d be getting better today”.  However it is a distraction, no matter how you slice it.  I’m sure there are wildly varying opinions about this in the locker room.  The Skins didn’t even get their story straight prior to folks having to answer to it.  Is it going to make a team sink or swim? No.  But it certainly doesn’t help.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

5 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

Of course they all say this.  I’m sure nobody looks at it like “man, if not for this Foster distraction, I’d be getting better today”.  However it is a distraction, no matter how you slice it.  I’m sure there are wildly varying opinions about this in the locker room.  The Skins didn’t even get their story straight prior to folks having to answer to it.  Is it going to make a team sink or swim? No.  But it certainly doesn’t help.

 

I alluded to this in the other thread, but if the opportunity cost of putting in a claim for Foster is "distraction-free practices" that don't really hurt or help the team's chances of winning from week to week, then that's rather telling.

 

 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

1 minute ago, Califan007 said:

 

I alluded to this in the other thread, but if the opportunity cost of putting in a claim for Foster is "distraction-free practices" that don't really hurt or help the team's chances of winning from week to week, then that's rather telling.

Only one thing is certain though, this doesn’t HELP right now.  The only way it helps is down the line if the guy is actually innocent, can play and plays really well.  But right now, it doesn’t help in any way and can only be seen as a detriment to the folks currently tasked with trying to win games.

 

As for what’s telling, I certainly won’t argue that the Skins organization fosters a winning culture that could soften this blow whatsoever.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

10 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

Only one thing is certain though, this doesn’t HELP right now.  The only way it helps is down the line if the guy is actually innocent, can play and plays really well.  But right now, it doesn’t help in any way and can only be seen as a detriment to the folks currently tasked with trying to win games.

 

As for what’s telling, I certainly won’t argue that the Skins organization fosters a winning culture that could soften this blow whatsoever.

 

Short-term gain vs long-term gain....usually that's argued around here when the team is 5-6 and some fans prefer a higher draft slot over winning meaningless games, and the other fans feel winning games leads to a winning culture lol...

[Skinsinparadise]

As for it not being a distraction.  Don't know.  This story is a national new story that has transcended sports, just saw it was up on Good Morning America.

 

Some ex-players have said the RG3 stories were distractions for them.  How you define distraction not sure.  But Jay and players are addressing things that have nothing to do with the game.   does that make them lose some focus?  Don't know.  But I've heard multiple times from ex-players in interviews that weekly soap opera things don't help.  I gather there is no way for us to know one way or another since we can't relate to this first hand since we don't play.

 

 

11 minutes ago, Califan007 said:

 

Short-term gain vs long-term gain....usually that's argued around here when the team is 5-6 and some fans prefer a higher draft slot over winning meaningless games, and the other fans feel winning games leads to a winning culture lol...

 

Playing off of this point, if the team loses on Monday and there is some narrative about this being distraction and that along with the rest of the laundry list cost Bruce his job -- I agree short term pain-long term gain.  😎

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

7 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 I've heard multiple times from ex-players in interviews that weekly soap opera things don't help.  I gather there is no way for us to know one way or another since we can't relate to this first hand since we don't play.

As a manager in the corporate world albeit a different industry, I can tell you first hand that distractions indeed do impact focus and quality of work.  Where I worked, the constant bad press about the company as a whole, that had literally nothing to do with my team, caused folks to lose focus and it was my job to constantly squash this stuff.  It’s exhausting.  I imagine it to be even worse for a multi billion dollar sports franchise.

[wit33]

Zero distraction for players on the team. These are dudes trying to win and put good tape on the field to protect there livelihood. 

 

 

[Morneblade]

11 hours ago, 757SeanTaylor21 said:

 

Are you insinuating that jay said that he didnt talk to the alabama players? Causr im.not sure we heard the same thing

 

No. Jay said they did. But the Alabama players on the team we asked if they were asked about it by the FO and they all said they same thing. The were not asked about it. So, what I'm saying is that Jay said they did, but the player said they were not asked. So, someone is either lying, or really misinformed.

[757SeanTaylor21]

7 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 

No. Jay said they did. But the Alabama players on the team we asked if they were asked about it by the FO and they all said they same thing. The were not asked about it. So, what I'm saying is that Jay said they did, but the player said they were not asked. So, someone is either lying, or really misinformed.

 

 

Ahhhh...ok. i didnt see that myself but i was curious to know if that was what you interpreted his response as. Appreciate it. 

 

@Morneblade i read the article. It is interesting that doug said he spoke to the players but only a few said they didnt have a convo. Who knows if the others did....

[Califan007 The Constipated]

41 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 

No. Jay said they did. But the Alabama players on the team we asked if they were asked about it by the FO and they all said they same thing. The were not asked about it. So, what I'm saying is that Jay said they did, but the player said they were not asked. So, someone is either lying, or really misinformed.

 

Actually, I don't think Jay said they did...at 5:56 it's asked if he talked to any of the team leaders about Foster and he says "No". I don't remember if anyone asked him only about the Alabama players.

 

[Morneblade]

1 hour ago, 757SeanTaylor21 said:

 

 

Ahhhh...ok. i didnt see that myself but i was curious to know if that was what you interpreted his response as. Appreciate it. 

 

@Morneblade i read the article. It is interesting that doug said he spoke to the players but only a few said they didnt have a convo. Who knows if the others did....

 

The other possible players have not said they were questioned. Also, if Jonathan Allen was not, (and he's one of the ones that said he was not asked) and he's become one of the team leaders, as well as playing with Foster, it's doubtful he would be bypassed and others asked.

15 minutes ago, Califan007 said:

 

Actually, I don't think Jay said they did...at 5:56 it's asked if he talked to any of the team leaders about Foster and he says "No". I don't remember if anyone asked him only about the Alabama players.

 

 

He might not have, but Doug Williams said they did. No, this might be a issue of semantics where Jay took the question as did you personally ask, as opposed to you ( the collective FO) ask. Doug Williams said they did. The players say they were not. Misinterpretation by Jay perhaps? Or maybe he was not involved with it?

 

Edit: and this: Twice before, at 1:33 and 1:56 he was asked 2 different questions, both framed "after talking to Alabama players, why did..." Neither time did he address that they had not talked to the Alabama players. Doug Williams said they did.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

9 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 

He might not have, but Doug Williams said they did. No, this might be a issue of semantics where Jay took the question as did you personally ask, as opposed to you ( the collective FO) ask. Doug Williams said they did. The players say they were not. Misinterpretation by Jay perhaps? Or maybe he was not involved with it?

1

 

I interpreted the question as being asked of Jay specifically, not as an all-encompassing "you." But either way, just pointing out that when you said "Jay said they did" that he really didn't say that.

[Morneblade]

 

@Califan007 See my above edit.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

7 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 

@Califan007 See my above edit.

 

1:33 was a question asking whether or not any attempt was made to reach out to the victim...not sure why Gruden or anyone in his shoes would have decided to first address talking to Alabama players. Especially on a question that moronic lol...as well as he may not even know who the "higher ups" talked to.

 

Not sure what you're referring to at the 1:56 mark.

 

But again, saying "Jay said they did" doesn't seem to be accurate.

[Morneblade]

4 minutes ago, Califan007 said:

 

1:33 was a question asking whether or not any attempt was made to reach out to the victim...not sure why Gruden or anyone in his shoes would have decided to first address talking to Alabama players. Especially on a question that moronic lol...as well as he may not even know who the "higher ups" talked to.

 

Not sure what you're referring to at the 1:56 mark.

 

But again, saying "Jay said they did" doesn't seem to be accurate.

 

The questions start, in both cases "After asking the Alabama players". He at no point said they didn't ask the Alabama in either one of those questions.

[mbws]

JM2Cents: Alleged victim. 

[RandyHolt]

i hope Jay wasn't lied to, or forced to lie, when asked to address if our existing players were consulted with.  If they were to be consulted with, one would assume Allen had to be at the top of the list, being our defacto captain and all.

 

It could be a little odd for the Bama players and Jay going forward if management is lying about this.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

1 hour ago, Morneblade said:

 

The questions start, in both cases "After asking the Alabama players". He at no point said they didn't ask the Alabama in either one of those questions.

 

I didn't hear the question at 1:56 start that way...

[Est.1974]

Jays a big boy in a high profile job. Heat comes with the territory. He should have handled that differently. Walk in, make an opening statement on Foster, then move the press conference on. 

[757SeanTaylor21]

Well without watching the video....i recall the first few questions asking did they talk to the accuser or alleged victim...and he said no and looked dumbfounded

[Darrell Green Fan]

What a gutless move it was to make Jay take those questions. Hell he couldn't even answer most of them as he was obviously not involved in the investigation and the decision to sign him.