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2 DC Institutions Hurling Feces at Each Other Like Monkeys


Dan T.

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I grew up loving the Washington Redskins. And I grew up reading the Washington Post Sports section. They are two of the venerable institutions that make the DC area a community, beyond the politics of the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Federal Government.

So it's disheartening to see the pettiness that each has sunk to in recent days. And I hold both sides to blame.

The way the Redskins have retaliated for inaccurate or critical reporting is petty and unbecoming a formerly proud organization. Pulling tickets. Hastily issued, erroneous press releases calling out the Post specifically . They can barely hide the vindictiveness. Who's behind it? Snyder? Cerrato? Stop already.

I don't begrudge the Post for writing critical articles about the Skins. The game of football is results-oriented, and it's been a while since we've been winners. So there's got to be bad with the good.

But it's clear that the Post coverage has become even more negative as this pissing match continues.

Neither side is distinguishing themselves these days. The pettiness is unbecoming.

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I agree with how disheartening this is, I taught myself to read when I was five by reading the WP coverage of the Senators. The fact that the Redskins performance has been dismal for some time doesn't exonerate the Post from reporting accurately and objectively. It doesn't exonerate the Post from assigning knowledgeable professional reporters to the City's premier sports franchise. The Post's failure in these areas is the beginning and end of this problem.

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Originally posted by Dan T.

I grew up loving the Washington Redskins. And I grew up reading the Washington Post Sports section. They are two of the venerable institutions that make the DC area a community, beyond the politics of the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Federal Government.

So it's disheartening to see the pettiness that each has sunk to in recent days. And I hold both sides to blame.

The way the Redskins have retaliated for inaccurate or critical reporting is petty and unbecoming a formerly proud organization. Pulling tickets. Hastily issued, erroneous press releases calling out the Post specifically . They can barely hide the vindictiveness. Who's behind it? Snyder? Cerrato? Stop already.

I don't begrudge the Post for writing critical articles about the Skins. The game of football is results-oriented, and it's been a while since we've been winners. So there's got to be bad with the good.

But it's clear that the Post coverage has become even more negative as this pissing match continues.

Neither side is distinguishing themselves these days. The pettiness is unbecoming.

I think we've all seen what 5 years of unmitigated journalism has done to this once proud franchise, it's players, it coaches, it's owners.

And now, when the franchise has attempted to offer the "TRUTH" - the other side of the story behind the team decisions - you view this as petty and unbecoming?

Since when is formulating an educated opinion a vice?

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Originally posted by GSF

If I made a post on here that said," Dan T likes little boys", would you want to set the record straight, or would that be petty? [/quote

I'm not sure what the outrageous libel is that the Post has printed that would warrant all the effort the 'Skins front office is putting out.

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Originally posted by Dan T.
Originally posted by GSF

If I made a post on here that said," Dan T likes little boys", would you want to set the record straight, or would that be petty? [/quote

I'm not sure what the outrageous libel is that the Post has printed that would warrant all the effort the 'Skins front office is putting out.

Then again Dan, to be fair, you and I know nothing about the 'truth' when it comes to the Redskins, how the Post may have distorted, misrepresented, even fabricated the facts. Perhaps it looks a little more malicious when its you and your decision-making and coaching staff that is being lied about, repeatedly, and at times seemingly knowingly. It may seem more than a nuisance or appear to be something other than journalists aggressively seeking a story when their constant 'best guesses' and unfounded speculation begin to negatively impact team plans.

Its easy to be objective and take the high road when it doesn't effect you and what you're trying to do.

I understand your distaste - but sometimes, you've got to give back a little of what your getting to effect change and get someone's attention.

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Originally posted by Dan T.

I'm not sure what the outrageous libel is that the Post has printed that would warrant all the effort the 'Skins front office is putting out. [/b]

I think you are missing the point, and it has been made very clear by Gibbs. Back when the Post and other media decided to do its own interpretation of his comments to a NASCAR audience concerning his longevity with the team (a report the Post went with despite the opposition of its reporter who was at the event), Gibbs said he wanted to find ways to speak more directly to the fans.

He proceeded to go on radio so that fans could hear the words straight from him, without the media filter/editing. The team is now trying to clarify in releases and redskins.com postings just what its intentions are. In just the past week they have started posting brief interviews with team officials on redskins.com.

Today, in a significant break with tradition, the team broadcast its annual pre-draft media briefing over the web. (TV and radio have never been allowed to film these sessions) And, Gibbs clearly decided to address errors published in the media. For example, the media (and members here) have had a laugh at Gibbs calling out the Post for reporting the team had the oldest coaching staff in the League - clearly implying decisions are being made "because they don't have much time left."

If you listened, Gibbs made a point of mentioning that he got league-wide data "with one phone call," and it showed the Post didn't do even a modicum of research before publishing that "fact."

I think it is clear that the team has decided to open its windows and let fans hear from the team itself what is being said to reporters. You, then, can read tomorrow's story and decide for youself what the true story may be.

Snyder said it today when he uttered the word "unfiltered."

I'm guessing the team is thinking ... just let fans hear the coach talk, the personnel guy talk, the owner talk. Then ask youself in the morning whether the media is accurately portraying the team's words and actions.

I, for one, find this refreshing. The team is essentially saying, "you decide, don't rely on someone else's interpretation of our words and actions."

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Andyman, you point out a good example of how the Post's reporting has gone so negative with how they wrote about the"oldest staff in the league" stuff and extrapolating that somehow they have to adopt a future-is-now policy because of it -- pure speculation on the part of the Post with a mean-spirited undertone.

Like I said before, I think both sides have stooped low here. And if I didn't care so much about the 'Skins and if the Post wasn't such a part of my daily life, it would be entertaining to sit back and watch them duke it out like a couple of drunken barroom patrons. But it brings both institutions down to be so petty about it.

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Originally posted by WilberMarshall

It should be extended to the petty clowns at WTEM... Andy Pollen, Steve Czaban, and "the Skins never do anything right Al Koken"... used to listen to those clowns… their pettiness and shear idiocy never ceases to amaze me...

Man they have gotten very, very negative too.

But why? Why turn on their bread and butter? Czaban grew up in this area loving the 'Skins.

The 'Skins are still Kings in this town, so why alienate your viewers/readers? Why is there all the negativity among the media outlets?

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And now, when the franchise has attempted to offer the "TRUTH" - the other side of the story behind the team decisions - you view this as petty and unbecoming?

The Skins say it and it's the "TRUTH"? Umm... well... it's certainly another side of the story, but is it really the truth? It's spin, not the truth. They have a bias -- the certainly don't want to look dumb, even if they are dumb. They want to deliver it directly into your brain, unfiltered, because the filters in the media might not be charitable.

Most hometown papers are glorified cheerleaders for the local team. The WP used to be the same. The Skins, under Snyder, have changed the atmosphere.

To some extent, you can't blame the Skins. The Skins have truly sucked in recent years, and they've gotten heaps of **** piled on them by both local and national media for it. Losers get beat up in the media -- that's the way the world works. For all I know, the Mongolian Daily News reports that Vinny is a bug-eyed towel boy for the Dwarf. It hurts to be slammed daily. Want that to change? Just win, baby. It'll all be roses if you make it to the Superbowl.

But... they've picked a fight in response, and they've picked it with the wrong newspaper. Why fight your hometown paper? ESPN has been a hell of a lot harsher in their criticism over the years, but the Skins still talk to them. This is childish.

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Originally posted by MRMADD

The Skins say it and it's the "TRUTH"? Umm... well... it's certainly another side of the story, but is it really the truth? It's spin, not the truth. They have a bias -- the certainly don't want to look dumb, even if they are dumb.

What if the truth involved publishing entire chat transcripts? Or showing the ENTIRE press conference by audio or video?

Is that biased reporting?

Or would you rather get LaCanfora's or Nunyo's editorials... with a quote here and there - taken out of context - and some unnamed sources?

Seriously.

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