Marrone v Rahme

[A Clockwork Orange]

My opinion of the reporters is they are a bunch of a$$holes and what Rahme did tonight proves it. Marrone said yesterday that he was not going to answer any questions about injuries this week because they were playing Rutgers (but he would answer there questions next week) and Rahme has to bust his balls by asking who practice, were there any injuries, etc. Rahme doesn't work for the university but without SU the newspaper goes out of business. The Post Standard is losing money and employees are being forced to take unpaid leave so they can keep their head above water.

I guess you would prefer that Marrone tells Rahme who is injured, the nature of the injury, and whether they will be playing on Saturday so Schiano has four days to prepare. Marrone is just trying to win an important football game. He could give a crap about the covragein the Post Standard.

I'm not sure what you do for a job, but lets just say you're an insurance agent. Your job requires you to ask people to buy insurance from you. Sometimes you have to make cold calls to people and ask them. Sometimes you have to ask people two or three times -- stay in touch to see if something might happen at some point. That's the sucky part of the job, but it is your job, and you have to do it.

That's what Rahme has to do as well. He has to ask the questions regardless of whether the coach says he will answer or not. It's part of his job. He wouldn't be doing his job if he at least didn't ask.

If Coach Marrone came out after a game and said, "I'm not talking about this game, I'm only talking about the next one." Would you expect the journalists not to at least try to ask him about this game? About the story that is important RIGHT NOW?

Now lets be absurd and broaden this a little. When Woodward and Bernstein started sniffing around the Watergate stuff, should they have just said "okay, forget about it, these people don't want us asking these questions," and packed up and gone home?

I know YOU don't think of Dave Rahme as a journalist, but that's what your taught in journalism school. Ask the tough questions, even if the interviewee doesn't want you to ask them. That's journalism, that's how stories get broke, that's the job. You may not like that he does it, but he's not paid by SU, and his job isn't always to be sunshine and lollipops. Tough if you don't like it, that's his job.

And by the way, the Post Standard IS losing money, but it's not because of SU, or anything like it. It's economics, and people who read their content online for free, and then b!tch about said content anonymously on sports forums. Maybe they should charge you to read and/or watch what they report? I'm sure you'd be p!ssed about that as well.

 

[kingottoiii]

I know YOU don't think of Dave Rahme as a journalist, but that's what your taught in journalism school. Ask the tough questions, even if the interviewee doesn't want you to ask them. That's journalism, that's how stories get broke, that's the job. You may not like that he does it, but he's not paid by SU, and his job isn't always to be sunshine and lollipops. Tough if you don't like it, that's his job.

They should ask the tough questions. But once it is made clear that they will not get an answer it is just a big waste to continue asking. At that point they need to move on to another source for info. It becomes combative to keep going on and on. Why would a journalist want to make things hostile? Press conferences are not trials. The speaker doesn't have to answer the question. Journalists act like they are an authority and all questions HAVE to be answered. I would hope that in journalism school they would teach people not to be morons. But since this happens quite often, I doubt it.

 

[GoSU96]

They should ask the tough questions. But once it is made clear that they will not get an answer it is just a big waste to continue asking. At that point they need to move on to another source for info. It becomes combative to keep going on and on. Why would a journalist want to make things hostile? Press conferences are not trials. The speaker doesn't have to answer the question. Journalists act like they are an authority and all questions HAVE to be answered. I would hope that in journalism school they would teach people not to be morons. But since this happens quite often, I doubt it.

You have no idea what you are talking about in this situation. It obvious from the game stories and analysis that Rahme has had very open access.

There wasn't anything combative or hostile about Rahme's question. That exchange was as much about everybody is stressed and in a tough spot because of what happened before the Monday press conference.

For everybody's sake, in particular us, let's hope everyone involved gets past this.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

They should ask the tough questions. But once it is made clear that they will not get an answer it is just a big waste to continue asking. At that point they need to move on to another source for info. It becomes combative to keep going on and on. Why would a journalist want to make things hostile? Press conferences are not trials. The speaker doesn't have to answer the question. Journalists act like they are an authority and all questions HAVE to be answered. I would hope that in journalism school they would teach people not to be morons. But since this happens quite often, I doubt it.

He asked it, Marrone didn't answer. What's the issue? Did it hurt Marrone's feelings? Did Rahme somehow leak incredibly important, top secret information by asking the question? What great harm came of him asking a question about injuries a day after Marrone said he wouldn't talk about injuries? If I were Rahme's editor, I'd be irritated if he didn't at least ask it.

It's like at any job out there, sometimes you have to do things knowing you won't get an answer, a client etc... But you have to do it, because it's your job to. Same with Rahme. The faux outrage by a few here is insane. It makes me understand more and more why most people in the U.S. absolutely hate the press. It's partially because they don't fundamentally understand what the job of the press is, and partially because some segments of journalism (24 hour news channels, etc...) have degraded their own ethics and standards to such a point that most people look at them as completely unreliable.

What Dave did wasn't egregious, it wasn't awful, it didn't harm. He asked a question that he needed to ask and didn't get the answer. It's done and over with, and I would hope he'd do it again if he were in the same situation. It's little inconsequential issues like this that can lead to big issues with consequences down the road. The reason you ask this question, is the same reason you ask the tough question about the recruit driving around with a $25,000 vehicle on a campus visit. I mean, should they ask those questions? Knowing full well the coach won't answer, or will be p!ssed that the question is even asked?

It may be a small thing to you, and you may think that these two things are on opposite ends of the spectrum, but in journalism those two things are exactly the same. Because the result -- your story, informing the public, etc... is what your job fundamentally is. The injury thing might not be that important to people, but to some it is. Those people are paying for your content because they want (in part) answers to those questions. If you don't ask them, well you're not doing your job... for your newspaper, or for the public you serve.

So while you think journalists are morons for asking questions that you in particular don't care about, it doesn't mean there aren't many people out there that do care. That's what a free press is. Maybe Dave Rahme isn't Woodward or Bernstein, but he's taught in journalism school the same exact things. Ask the tough questions, follow up on those answers, don't become buddies with the people you cover, etc... These are ethical standards and rules that dictate what journalists (good ones at least) do, and why they do it.

Check out this website: spj.org and read up on what a journalist's job is. It might help you understand why these type of things are important for journalists to do.

 

[rrlbees]

I am not upset at Doug's actions nor Dave's line of questioning. It is what it is. I actually like to see Doug get like this from time to time.

That's where I'm at also.

 

[kingottoiii]

So while you think journalists are morons for asking questions that you in particular don't care about, it doesn't mean there aren't many people out there that do care. .

I do care very much what the answer is. I want to know what is going on. I am saying what is the point of asking a question you know that will not be answered? There are two possible results. One is that the speaker will ignore it and move on. Which is hard since the media often keeps asking and asking and asking. Two is that the speaker gets pissed and the rest of the pressor becomes combative between speaker and press. This means the press is LESS likely to get information on the questions the speaker IS willing to answer. So now you end up worse off. If there is no possible good outcome and only a bad outcome, why ask the question? It makes zero sense. Move on to the next question or go to another source. This is common sense. The press does this all the time. They keep poking and poking and poking until the speaker gets angry. I think they like it. The job of the press is to find information, not to be combative. If they really want info, then go find a good source. Instead it seems like the press likes to roast speakers and make them squirm. That isn't the media's role. Go break a story instead.

 

[Chip]

I'm not sure he actually intended to ask about specific injuries to specific. It was very awkward with Marrone just standing there staring at people. Nobody knew what to say and the first question that was asked by Dave was how did practice go trying to open a dialogue. Doug didn't even answer that, he replied with a question himself asking what he meant. Then Dave mumbled something and asked about the status of anything since they weren't at practice and Doug was. Doug kept prodding for Dave to be more specific. I got the sense that Dave almost tossed out asking about player status for lack of anything else. Wish Doug had just opened with a few words it may have gone differently. Maybe he just shouldn't have had the presser but it was his idea.

Yep, agree completely. Marrone always follows a pattern and he completely broke from it. Which is fine. But it caught everyone off guard. Even Rahme's start when he said "Douuuug?" And when Marrone's tone completely threw Dave off, I think Dave just let injuries slip. Was it right? Probably not, but in the context hard to get on him about it.

I'm glad Marrone is so passionate, and I'm glad he takes this game so seriously. But since he does, and given our situation with injuries, just don't have pressers this week. It's obvious you don't want to talk much about this game, so don't. Then go out and win on Saturday, that's all we want to see anyway. Then do your postgame stuff, a quick Monday presser to get ready for Tulane, go underground again, then after the Tulane week, use the bye week to get everyone on the same page again.

If it's supposed to be a mental game with Schiano, so be it. But while Schiano is a terrible gameday coach, I really doubt he's getting some false sense of security that he'll have an easy game because Marrone is so stressed about all the injuries. Maybe if Marrone wasn't 2-0 against him, but since he is...

 

[kingtidge]

Disagree. He already said no comment on injuries. And he gets a question on injuries. I hate that about reporters. You see it at all press conferences. Whether it be sports or politics you will see the speaker say that they have no comment and a reporter will ask their question as if it will be answered. Really? Why in the hell would you get the answer after hearing no comment? Are reporters dumb? Do they really think they will get an answer? All they do is piss off the speaker. It is almost as if reporters have a question written out and aren't listening to what the speaker is saying. So when it comes their turn to ask a question they ask the same thing. Either that or they have a question and no backup question, so they ask anyway because they can't think of anything else.

Rahme's job is to get content for an article. If he was already told he would not be given any content on injuries the why the **** is he asking a question on injuries. What the **** was his thinking there? What did he think would happen? It was beyond stupid. He had NOTHING to gain by asking that.

Maybe Rahme had other motives for asking the question?

Like having visual proof he's trying to do his job?

It's all good and well for Marrone to state he won't answer any questions on injuries... that doesn't mean the the question shouldn't be asked publicly.

Marrone says he understands that the reporters have a job to do...

If he really understood that, then he'd know that whether he likes it or not, the injury question needed to be asked publicly for the journalists to do their job.

It's nothing personal.

No need to take it as such.

 

[Upstate]

Marrone doesn't dislike Schiano. They get along very well from what I've read.

I don't think he dislikes him, but Marrone knows the significance of beating Rutgers every year and the implications of winning and its effect on recruiting in NJ. I think the players don't like Rutgers whatsoever, but this is one of the year's big games as far as Marrone and the team are concerned.

 

[Fjoinkay]

Don't remember the line but will accept that this is what Rahme wrote. No problem with that whatsoever. They're 2-2 at that point and if you look at the back half of the schedule..."begin to slip away" does not seem too harsh if the goal is to get to a bowl game. Again, it's Rahme's job to cover the team, not to get fans into the stadium. (Agree, by the way, that Toledo is a good team.)
It was Rahme who came on this site and said a big reason Doug can't reel in the big recruits is the lack of butts in the seats. He seems to understand that well. It's just not his job to soften critiques to make that happen.
It's important to look at context. Is Rahme a chronic pessimist? Is he a basher, a bear? Or is he fair-minded and if anything someone who has seemed to be pro-Marrone? And a writer with a real appreciation of college football and an ability to describe the nuances more skillfully than the average D1 beat writer?
Someone's been struggling with his job this week. But it's not Rahme.

I would argue that over the years Rahme is prone to doom and gloom, and that's been my only issue with Rahme. Again, this is my issue, and I have no idea what happened, or if anything happened, between Marrone and Rahme. Rahme writing that the season could start to slip away when the team is 2-1 in September and hasn't played a BE game is doom and gloom, and what's even worse is it's vague. What did Rahme mean by slip away? Isn't the team's goal related to the BE? How would losing to Toledo affect that? And if Rahme thought it would affect that then he should have been more specific! All that sort of doom and gloom does at this point in the season is play into the status quo where people stay at home and wait and see if it's all a bunch of hot air from fans who go to the games.

Rahme doesn't owe HCDM anything and it's not the media's business to protect the student/athletes and the program, but it is Doug Marrone's business and he takes it very seriously and he is very good at it. This is college football not the NFL. In my opinion HCDM can do whatever he wants with the media as long as it's in the best interests of the student/athletes. Rahme's been around a long time, and I'm sure he's seen a lot worse than what happened yesterday.

 

[gocraz4dasu]

Yes, but it's not about what you like.

And you're not the guy who's trying to restore a program lacking in fan interest, in a town with one newspaper.

Keeping your cool doesn't cost you a thing, and could have big upside.

That's not being a robot. That's a human with a brain.

1. I never said it's about what I like? Why would everything be about what I like? I simply am saying that I think it is great that he has no desire to reveal information, especially when he told the reporters ahead of time that he wasn't going to tell them anything. Rahmes can ask all he wants, just like Marrone has all the right to react the way he did.

2. Neither are you. He's doing it the way he wants to and right now that is not telling the papers about the the injuries. He can react to the question however he chooses, this one presser wouldn't magically make fans more or less interested lol. LOL at the fact that you think Marrone telling the paper about injuries is going to somehow spark more interest from the fans. The fans will show up when they start winning and even then it is not a given. Refusing to talk about the teams injuries isn't going to hurt fan interest, there isn't too much lower the interest can get anyways.

3. And him going off on a reporter won't cost him a thing either, I don't see the "big upside" of keeping his cool.

4. I disagree and it appears Marrone does also

 

[CINYer]

You should read some of the earlier posts in this thread as to when and how Rahme asked the question.

Let me ask you this: if reporters had come out earlier in the week and told Doug at the press conference, "you're doing a poor job with the Okie defense, just don't run it in this week's game and we'll try not to criticize you on other issues," what do you think his response would have been?

It's not reporters' role to pre-empt his coaching options, and it's not his role to pre-empt how they conduct themselves as journalists. This may be hard for you to understand, but it's a relationship of equals, not one side dictating to the other.

What's hard for me to understand? I have an opinion just like everyone else on this board. I get so tired of self-righteous blowhards who think they know it all. Instead of picking out bits and pieces of an OPINION to analyze, read the whole statement.

 

[Moontan]

I just saw the "encounter"... didn't seem like all that big a deal to me.

 

[JoeSU]

I just had a chance to watch the video clip, and I didn't think Marrone's response was all that combative. He seemed tired after practice, and I would characterize his response as mildly annoyed, but from the discussion here, I thought he ripped Rahme a new one. It's abundantly clear Marrone didn't want to discuss injury status, so why even go there? I can think of 101 other questions to ask, starting with why Crume hasn't played the last 2 games (unless of course, it is injury related)

 

[ImperialOrange]

Marrone doesn't dislike Schiano. They get along very well from what I've read.

Also, from whats visable from BE media day they get along quite. Marrone and Schiano spend quite a bit of time talking, I'd venture to say more than Marrone and any of the other coaches. Possibly because they are fighting the same battles with largely indifferent fan bases aside from the core die hard fans? The best possible option for NY fan interest is both teams being ranked and undefeated when they matchup... and Syracuse winning big everytime.

 

[tep624]

I just had a chance to watch the video clip, and I didn't think Marrone's response was all that combative. He seemed tired after practice, and I would characterize his response as mildly annoyed, but from the discussion here, I thought he ripped Rahme a new one. It's abundantly clear Marrone didn't want to discuss injury status, so why even go there? I can think of 101 other questions to ask, starting with why Crume hasn't played the last 2 games (unless of course, it is injury related)

Doesn't Dave Rahme post here? Why doesn't someone just ask him his opinion rather than playing this guessing game and then we can put this thing to bed.

 

[rrlbees]

Doesn't Dave Rahme post here? Why doesn't someone just ask him his opinion rather than playing this guessing game and then we can put this thing to bed.

Because he is a professional who has to work with Marrone on an almost daily basis. Personally, I don't think it would be appropriate for Dave to address what happened on a message board, unless he was just going to say everything is cool.

 

[tep624]

Because he is a professional who has to work with Marrone on an almost daily basis. Personally, I don't think it would be appropriate for Dave to address what happened on a message board, unless he was just going to say everything is cool.

My guess is that everything is cool or was made cool or is being blown out of proportion. Our version of reality show drama.

 

[690West]

My guess is that everything is cool or was made cool or is being blown out of proportion. Our version of reality show drama.

Rahme was on axe today and said he and marrone talked and things are fine. No biggy

 

[mantonio]

We should all stop worrying about recruiting against Rutgers from now on. We have the lucrative new contract to lure in the better players, & THEY will be scrambling to get 1aa talent within a year or two...