Marrone Speaks!

[Chip]

But there was media access and reports.

That's the big difference, and it is a big difference. Like I said, I really don't care, practices are half over by now anyway I think, I'm surviving, and by surviving, I mean barely noticing.

But there is a big difference between the 10-15 fans who go to practices not seeing anything (even though Marrone said they always would be open, but I digress), and the media being able to cover some portion of it, and have short pressers with the HC after.

I think there are maybe 10 people that are upset that fans can't attend. There are more that are probably more upset that the media can't attend. No matter how much kool-aid reporting came from prior Spring sessions, it was a month for the die hards to get their fix before the long dead period.

Personally I think Marrone just doesn't want the distraction of having to deal with the media. I don't really blame him, that part of the job is probably torture. But it is part of the job, and the local media here can't be bad by comparison to places that live and die with this stuff. Just win games, no one will even remember this after the Spring Game. And please don't waste this Saturday and the Spring Game practice on ultra vanilla stuff. If that's what you're going to do, then close them too. If you win, everyone will get over it, I promise. If you don't win, then it won't have mattered either, you'll have bigger problems.

 

[rrlbees]

That's the big difference, and it is a big difference. Like I said, I really don't care, practices are half over by now anyway I think, I'm surviving, and by surviving, I mean barely noticing.

But there is a big difference between the 10-15 fans who go to practices not seeing anything (even though Marrone said they always would be open, but I digress), and the media being able to cover some portion of it, and have short pressers with the HC after.

I think there are maybe 10 people that are upset that fans can't attend. There are more that are probably more upset that the media can't attend. No matter how much kool-aid reporting came from prior Spring sessions, it was a month for the die hards to get their fix before the long dead period.

Personally I think Marrone just doesn't want the distraction of having to deal with the media. I don't really blame him, that part of the job is probably torture. But it is part of the job, and the local media here can't be bad by comparison to places that live and die with this stuff. Just win games, no one will even remember this after the Spring Game. And please don't waste this Saturday and the Spring Game practice on ultra vanilla stuff. If that's what you're going to do, then close them too. If you win, everyone will get over it, I promise. If you don't win, then it won't have mattered either, you'll have bigger problems.

Exactly. Very well said. While it is nice to hear what GO and Tomcat and X and others have to say about practice, that only helps those of us here which is a very small part of the fan base. Media reports, interviews, some insight etc done by the media hits a far greater portion of the fan base. It is called creating some buzz around the program and gaining fan interest. With our attendance issues, I would have thought that would be one of the priorities. And I will remain someone who thinks SU needs to do a far better job at fan relations etc rather than be a person who one day calls it cotton candy and the next calls for the coaches head.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Go google it. You'll find that not every single practice is closed. You'll find from some schools; videos of practice, interviews, pictures, coaches quotes and takes, etc. What do you find for SU? 2 articles about practice being closed until further notice. There is a difference between closed and closed.

I din't say that you couldn't find anything, but most of the reports are through the ACC schools athletic sites. They are controlling the message. I think that if SU is going to close practices and keep out the local media they should do the same. Control the message through the SU athletic site. The media would still be irritated but at least some of the fans might be "happy".

 

[rrlbees]

I din't say that you couldn't find anything, but most of the reports are through the ACC schools athletic sites. They are controlling the message. I think that if SU is going to close practices and keep out the local media they should do the same. Control the message through the SU athletic site. The media would still be irritated but at least some of the fans might be "happy".

UVa

 

[CuseLegacy]

UVa

http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/clem-m-footbl-body.html

 

[Scooch]

That's the big difference, and it is a big difference. Like I said, I really don't care, practices are half over by now anyway I think, I'm surviving, and by surviving, I mean barely noticing.

But there is a big difference between the 10-15 fans who go to practices not seeing anything (even though Marrone said they always would be open, but I digress), and the media being able to cover some portion of it, and have short pressers with the HC after.

I think there are maybe 10 people that are upset that fans can't attend. There are more that are probably more upset that the media can't attend. No matter how much kool-aid reporting came from prior Spring sessions, it was a month for the die hards to get their fix before the long dead period.

Personally I think Marrone just doesn't want the distraction of having to deal with the media. I don't really blame him, that part of the job is probably torture. But it is part of the job, and the local media here can't be bad by comparison to places that live and die with this stuff. Just win games, no one will even remember this after the Spring Game. And please don't waste this Saturday and the Spring Game practice on ultra vanilla stuff. If that's what you're going to do, then close them too. If you win, everyone will get over it, I promise. If you don't win, then it won't have mattered either, you'll have bigger problems.

Well said. The funny thing is that by closing down all access, to media and fans alike, Marrone is prolonging the hideous stink that was the 0-5 collapse to finish last season. There are some coaches who may have been eager to give access for the spring since it's a chance to change the narrative from "my God did last season end badly!" to "we're on the path to a brighter tomorrow!".

But whatever, we may all appreciate this quiet time when we're 3-7 in November and in the midst of 14,000 "FIRE HIM NOW!" threads.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If SU's offense moves the ball well, consistently scores a lot more points and the team goes bowling all will be forgotten...at least until next spring. If the team struggles this year, not so good.

Those ifs make me want to :bang:

No margin for error. That's how Marrone likes it.

 

[billsin01]

Well said. The funny thing is that by closing down all access, to media and fans alike, Marrone is prolonging the hideous stink that was the 0-5 collapse to finish last season. There are some coaches who may have been eager to give access for the spring since it's a chance to change the narrative from "my God did last season end badly!" to "we're on the path to a brighter tomorrow!".

But whatever, we may all appreciate this quiet time when we're 3-7 in November and in the midst of 14,000 "FIRE HIM NOW!" threads.

That's my point -- I'm furious that he has taken away the only month I ever get to be optimistic about the program.

 

[billsin01]

That's the big difference, and it is a big difference. Like I said, I really don't care, practices are half over by now anyway I think, I'm surviving, and by surviving, I mean barely noticing.

I think what's also funny is that people hypothesize that he doesn't want to deal with the media portion of the job. How funny is that? Who is at these practices? Two TV stations, the paper, the school paper and a radio station? That is brutal.

 

[billsin01]

The point is that closing practice is nothing new. It was SOP for the prior two HC's.

I'm one of the few that would be out there, and guess what, it's no big deal.

People need to let this crap go. The guy is doing what he thinks is right to improve the team. Just maybe he's telling the truth, it's been going well, working behind the curtain has freed them up, and he doesn't want to change what's working at this point. It could also be a disaster, there are things he doesn't want out in public that would distract him and team, and he's just trying to get through the spring period and get something accomplished. It could be both.

I'm OK with him closing practice. Not sure I agree with it but it's certainly well within his rights to do so and not terribly uncommon. What I think needs to be pointed out, however, are two things:

1) Distractions? What, the "he's in the best shape of his life" and "Jarrod West made a great catch on a deep ball from charlie loeb" and "Jerome Smith was riding the stationary bike" articles are too big a distraction for these guys? Nolan's hard-hitting interviews are throwing them off? The 18 stragglers wandering around the field are causing them to jump off-sides? Seriously?

2) The whole idea of closing spring practice is funny to begin with. I mean this for all coaches. They spend half the time doing drills, then they run vanilla scrimmages and, what, that's the reason we lose to USC? By week 2 everyone knows exactly what you have and, truth be told, they probably have plenty of tape on you from the previous year to get a pretty good idea of your tendencies, even if you're mixing things up a good bit. I don't know, it strikes me as classic football coach paranoia.

 

[OrangePA]

A little coach speak on SUA OAA right now! Nothing earth shattering.

So, I gather that the closed practices mean the following: (1) the coach wants the team and the staff to concentrate on coaching - not PR; (2) lots of changes are being made on offense, defense and special teams and (3) he does not want those changes disclosed or discussed on this board or in the press.

He obviously is doing this in order to better the won-loss record.

As someone else said, it's his ship - if that's how he feels he needs to run it, that's fine with me.

 

[cusestudent]

It's actually my fault guys. I asked Doug to close down practice and not let word get out, so that I could focus on school work

 

[orangepassion]

If he just let Rahme in, that would be something.

 

[richmondcuse03]

So, I gather that the closed practices mean the following: (1) the coach wants the team and the staff to concentrate on coaching - not PR; (2) lots of changes are being made on offense, defense and special teams and (3) he does not want those changes disclosed or discussed on this board or in the press.

He obviously is doing this in order to better the won-loss record.

As someone else said, it's his ship - if that's how he feels he needs to run it, that's fine with me.

As bees and others have said, the issue isn't closing practices, it's restricting the media access...even with P when practices were closed, the head coach, assistant coaches and certain players were available to speak with the media three times a week usually (different players had different days so each player only had to speak once a week...usually only P or the assistant coaches were there each day, depending upon who requested who).

If Marrone wants to go with this approach, he can, but he's not going to build any support amongst the media...and if things go south to begin the year, he's assuring that the press won't be on his side.

It flabbergasts me that he cant make himself available for 15 minutes after practice a few times a week to talk to the media to generate a little bit of interest in the program to ensure that the football program is on tv or in the paper, but to each his own...If it were my program, I would think the little time would be worth any free publicity (even if that was just a story in the paper each day or 30 seconds on the sports report three times a week).

 

[richmondcuse03]

I think what's also funny is that people hypothesize that he doesn't want to deal with the media portion of the job. How funny is that? Who is at these practices? Two TV stations, the paper, the school paper and a radio station? That is brutal.

Exactly. The Syracuse tv reporters aren't very tough and are more often than not, are sucking at the teet of the football coach when they interview them...he has no clue what it's like to work in a real media market so using that as an excuse just shouldn't cut it.

In spring practices, all the stories are almost all positive ones too...look at years past in the Post-Standard, D.O., on tv etc., they're all positive fluff pieces.

 

[DeepThrowIt]

I din't say that you couldn't find anything, but most of the reports are through the ACC schools athletic sites. They are controlling the message. I think that if SU is going to close practices and keep out the local media they should do the same. Control the message through the SU athletic site. The media would still be irritated but at least some of the fans might be "happy".

Ding ding ding!! I am fine with HCDM closing practice (even though I think they look silly for originally opening, then closing them) but how isn't there at least some sort of internal message? We have the #1 public communications school in the USA at our disposal and we cant get anything?? Do we have a SID dept anymore??!

 

[Scooch]

I think what's also funny is that people hypothesize that he doesn't want to deal with the media portion of the job. How funny is that? Who is at these practices? Two TV stations, the paper, the school paper and a radio station? That is brutal.

Yeah, it's pretty freakin' hysterical. The media that the Syracuse head football coach has to deal with might be among the softest touches in all of college football, and I'm including the MAC, Sun Belt, Ivies and much of D-3 in that comment.

 

[Chip]

I think what's also funny is that people hypothesize that he doesn't want to deal with the media portion of the job. How funny is that? Who is at these practices? Two TV stations, the paper, the school paper and a radio station? That is brutal.

I don't think he finds it inimidating or overwhelming by any means, I just think he just finds it annoying. We've seen increasing examples as time has passed, his reactions to some of the questions.

 

[richmondcuse03]

I don't think he finds it inimidating or overwhelming by any means, I just think he just finds it annoying. We've seen increasing examples as time has passed, his reactions to some of the questions.

I find 99% of the things I do with my job annoying. But I still suck it up and do them.

 

[billsin01]

I don't think he finds it inimidating or overwhelming by any means, I just think he just finds it annoying. We've seen increasing examples as time has passed, his reactions to some of the questions.

Oh, I agree. I think interacting with media and fans and boosters are activities he finds annoying. And I don't blame him a bit. I just think the idea that that group of media is a distraction is humorous somehow.

 

[hungrychuck]

Oh, I agree. I think interacting with media and fans and boosters are activities he finds annoying. And I don't blame him a bit. I just think the idea that that group of media is a distraction is humorous somehow.

Wait, aren't we talking about "the friendliest coach in America?"

 

[tipphill]

i have not been disappointed that the practices have been closed. i think he needed to do this. the three things that impressed me re: his video are 1. he seems more relaxed and flexible, 2. his comment about about team chemistry, i said last year that they appeared to not have any identity and cohesion, which i felt was the predominant reason for our implosion, and finally i agree with the emphasis on focus w/o outside distraction, which we need to do. i hope he is getting the b/u qb situation in order.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Oh, I agree. I think interacting with media and fans and boosters are activities he finds annoying. And I don't blame him a bit. I just think the idea that that group of media is a distraction is humorous somehow.

I think Marrone actually likes interacting with alumni, fans.. the media not so much. You catch Marrone somwhere say like Tops on a random Wednesday evening, he will sit and BS with you for a while. He loves talking shop, he just doesn't like every aspect of the program plastered all over social media and local media, that I am sure he finds annoying as many coaches probably do.

I have had a couple of discussions with Doug in random spots, the guy is as engaging as anyone, as was GROB, P not so much FWIW doesn't make any of them bad coaches or good coaches, IMO. All three are great people who represent the University well. The notion that Marrone is a curmudgeon of some sort is simply false, I would imagine that the 5 game skid is eating him up and he is working his arse off to correct the issues so that we as fans can have something we can be proud of as most coaches would try and do and this is the path he has chosen to take for the good of the program.

And like I have said, I am and have been as critical of some of Marrone's on field stuff as anyone but the off season stuff is crazy with what people are pinning on him

 

[SmilinBob]

Interesting assumptions. I understand that since information has been basically cut people are guessing as to why and that's all well and good but I find it kind of ironic that Marrone didn't want labels put on them and yet because of the cut in information people are starting to formulate their own labels as to why. Maybe that's what he wants, for people to go after him and keep the team focused.

 

[xc84]

Ok...this is the last straw. I called up coach Marrone. I told him I am a long-time season ticket holder and asked him if I could move in with him and his family. He said I could not. Needless to say, I will not renew my season tickets!