Scott Shafer fit the 'new guy' stereotype at ACC Football Kickoff

[cuseincincy]

Thanks for the heads up. Now I know not to waste my time reading this.

 

[TheCusian]

Seriously? What a lousy read.

It was a lot of "inside baseball" about who was popular with the reporters? Really sophomoric.

And let me help you Mr. Cohen. Instead of a cheat sheet - we call it doing his due diligence? Instead of making a mistake on a team or coach, which you would have ripped him for publicly, he did what smart people do - brought help to ensure that he gets it right.

Awful.

 

[MSOrange]

I, too, have held off on the Post-Standard bashing. I found some of their articles to be more than decent and it's a noticeable upgrade from Nolan Weidener. That being said, I sat to read this article this morning and was just confused.

Not only are you directly hammering on the new head coach, but, you had 45 minutes of one-on-one time with him and this is what you and Mink "divided" up for a story. I was honestly saying to myself, what am I reading right now? Even if you're trying to make a point, I don't understand this one. And, the readers you think you're making a point to, mostly want football related info. Don't you agree? I could give two shafts whether or not HCSS is the cool kid in the Holiday Inn lobby.

If we're successful on the field, then the other reporters will take notice. The only thing they've got to report on right now is our inclusion in the ACC, which has been beat to death already.

Odd choice of story.

I couldn't come up with the words of why I felt it was so awful when I first read it this morning, but you nailed my feelings exactly.

 

[Yegorange]

Just another one of Cohen's abrasive scribblings. This article is awful. Also laughed hard a couple days back at him dedicating a whole piece to Scott being "concerned" about the QB situation. Breaking News!!! Syracuse will have a NEW QB on August 31!!! The coach is CONCERNED he doesn't know exactly WHO yet! Must be baaaaad!

But he's clearly doing it on purpose - what SmilinBob hilariously called Colon Cowherd journalism. Doubt it's coming from above to raise ratings (as someone also rightly mentioned, Donna and Mike are very fair). He was doing it at DO, and is thinking negative journalism will stir up controversy and advance his career. Judging by popular sentiment this strategy may be backfiring on him. You need to be really talented to pull it off. If he's smart enough, he should rethink his approach.

 

[anglerman]

That was a pointless article. God forbid that the guy was human and may have been tired. Frankly I would think the ACC media would know very little about SU because they have never been in the ACC. There is no story here at all. Cohen needs to grow up!

 

[sutomcat]

There is NOTHING worse than reporters who write about reporting.

Cohen, here's a tip, no one cares about your job.

Talk about a worthless, navel-gazing "article".

Don't want to kick a man while he is down but, yes, this was a very self absorbed article that had no business getting published.

If you don't know what to write about, make a post here and ask. Or just read.

There was a giant thread on the possibility of SU and UMd establishing a series, and there is constant chatter over future out of conference scheduling. Ask Herman Frazier, Dr Gross and Coach Shafer about what schools they are targeting for OOC play, what the future plans are and what their rationale is.

Does Syracuse still want to play regularly in the NYC area with Coach Marrone gone and the need for money greatly reduced?

Is there a desire to play former conference rivals like WVU, RU, UConn, USF and Temple, etc.?

Ask about changes that will be made to basic philosophies with a new OC and new DC in place? So far they have been unable to get anything substantive regarding changes on offense, haven't heard word one regarding changes on defense. I know the staff will be reluctant to give specifics but Dave Rahme was always able to get some information and provide some insights into what the staff is thinking heading into preseason camp.

Get details on which assistants are responsible for recruiting which geographic areas, and why.

Get details on recruiting as can be provided. Obviously they can't comment on specific recruits but a good reporter should be able to get insights as to things like how many players that are planning to take at each position; that kind of thing.

Does the staff plan on taking a placekicker or punter in this class? A second QB? How many RBs are they looking for?

 

[Orangello]

Total Douchenozzle.

Fire, Fire, Fire !!!! Everybody look !

 

[Orange Fever]

Did anyone see the interview that HCSS had with ESPN? He was great. So much so that the interviewer commented at the end that he would want to play for HCSS.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The New Guy, you say?

 

[SWC75]

What i got from that article is that we will have to earn respect- and interest- on the field and so will Scott Shafer. Right now we are barely a blip on the radar for the conference and the national media.

 

[GoSU96]

Don't want to kick a man while he is down but, yes, this was a very self absorbed article that had no business getting published.

If you don't know what to write about, make a post here and ask. Or just read.

There was a giant thread on the possibility of SU and UMd establishing a series, and there is constant chatter over future out of conference scheduling. Ask Herman Frazier, Dr Gross and Coach Shafer about what schools they are targeting for OOC play, what the future plans are and what their rationale is.

Does Syracuse still want to play regularly in the NYC area with Coach Marrone gone and the need for money greatly reduced?

Is there a desire to play former conference like WVU, RU, UConn, USF and Temple, etc.?

Ask about changes that will be made to basic philosophies with a new OC and new DC in place? So far they have been unable to get anything substantive regarding changes on offense, haven't heard word one regarding changes on defense. I know the staff will be reluctant to give specifics but Dave Rahme was always able to get some information and provide some insights into what the staff is thinking heading into preseason camp.

Get details on which assistants are responsible for recruiting which geographic areas, and why.

Get details on recruiting as can be provided. Obviously they can't comment on specific recruits but a good reporter should be able to get insights as to things like how many players that are planning to take at each position; that kind of thing.

Does the staff plan on taking a placekicker or punter in this class? A second QB? How many RBs are they looking for?

The whole editing thing is a thing of the past. It's a glorified blog.

 

[orangenirvana]

I thought it was a great article.









Just kidding. It was so awful you can see stink lines above orangeyes' link if you look closely.

 

[DoubleDee]

What i got from that article is that we will have to earn respect- and interest- on the field and so will Scott Shafer. Right now we are barely a blip on the radar for the conference and the national media.

And neither is Pitt. And barely so for both BC and WF. so what?

And why not point out that Addazio and the coach from Pitt are newbies too?

Cohen sits when he pees. Makes me feel like I'm wasting time in my job and should be a reporter. I didn't know I was qualified, but I don't think I'd be any worse. What's the salary?

 

[OttosBestFriend]

The piling on of contrived rage in this thread is nothing but impressive.

What the hell was the guy supposed to write about? The battle for #2 tight end?

He was down in Carolina covering the ACC meetings and noted how our coach - while now actually part of the ACC - still seemed like an outsider who got little attention from other media outlets who traditionally cover the league.

His bosses at the PS require that he write something and, IMO, this piece may help explain why we were picked 6th on our side.

Apparently, the ACC writers from down South don't care to know anything about SU... And until we prove something in "THEIR" league, we're just some yahoo Yankees on the schedule before the big game against (insert traditional ACC power) next week.

Oh, what a jerk that guy is for writing on how our coach didn't quite fit in yet!!!!

 

[DoubleDee]

C'mon, he doesn't have to give little jabs about running late, etc.

 

[Chip]

The piling on of contrived rage in this thread is nothing but impressive.

What the hell was the guy supposed to write about? The battle for #2 tight end?

He was down in Carolina covering the ACC meetings and noted how our coach - while now actually part of the ACC - still seemed like an outsider who got little attention from other media outlets who traditionally cover the league.

His bosses at the PS require that he write something and, IMO, this piece may help explain why we were picked 6th on our side.

Apparently, the ACC writers from down South don't care to know anything about SU... And until we prove something in "THEIR" league, we're just some yahoo Yankees on the schedule before the big game against (insert traditional ACC power) next week.

Oh, what a jerk that guy is for writing on how our coach didn't quite fit in yet!!!!

I guess the question, to me, would be, had he already written enough articles to fill whatever quota they have? Or since the site is so much more blog-ish, can he write whatever and whenever he wants?

I don't really want to pile on, but it seemed like a filler article to me.

If he could have gotten away with not writing another article, that would have been my recommendation. But if he had to get one more out there, then so be it. Not the end of the world.

 

[OrangeMojo]

holy crap - if I was HCSS at the end of day 2 and I look out and see bunches of reporters at other tables and friggin Cohen & Mink sitting at mine - I wouldn't have even waited for someone to come over and say only time for one more minute, I'd have been out of there long before then

 

[SUFan44]

The piling on of contrived rage in this thread is nothing but impressive.

What the hell was the guy supposed to write about? The battle for #2 tight end?

He was down in Carolina covering the ACC meetings and noted how our coach - while now actually part of the ACC - still seemed like an outsider who got little attention from other media outlets who traditionally cover the league.

His bosses at the PS require that he write something and, IMO, this piece may help explain why we were picked 6th on our side.

Apparently, the ACC writers from down South don't care to know anything about SU... And until we prove something in "THEIR" league, we're just some yahoo Yankees on the schedule before the big game against (insert traditional ACC power) next week.

Oh, what a jerk that guy is for writing on how our coach didn't quite fit in yet!!!!

There are ways to do it without killing a guy for being tired and/or 9 minutes late.

 

[OttosBestFriend]

There are ways to do it without killing a guy for being tired and/or 9 minutes late.

He killed him?

Killed?

Really?

I thought it was a funny anecdote - noting the Chick Fil-A sandwiches and cheat sheet.

Frankly, I like that our coach doesn't know the names of all the other coaches... Tells me he's more interested in our guys than theirs.

Some of you have such thin skin.

 

[OttosBestFriend]

Don't want to kick a man while he is down but, yes, this was a very self absorbed article that had no business getting published.

If you don't know what to write about, make a post here and ask. Or just read.

YES!!! Because that's how to keep a job - any job!!!

Ask people on Internet message boards - who're known the world over for being completely rational - what to do and how to do it.

There was a giant thread on the possibility of SU and UMd establishing a series, and there is constant chatter over future out of conference scheduling. Ask Herman Frazier, Dr Gross and Coach Shafer about what schools they are targeting for OOC play, what the future plans are and what their rationale is.

Does Syracuse still want to play regularly in the NYC area with Coach Marrone gone and the need for money greatly reduced?

Is there a desire to play former conference like WVU, RU, UConn, USF and Temple, etc.?

Ask about changes that will be made to basic philosophies with a new OC and new DC in place? So far they have been unable to get anything substantive regarding changes on offense, haven't heard word one regarding changes on defense. I know the staff will be reluctant to give specifics but Dave Rahme was always able to get some information and provide some insights into what the staff is thinking heading into preseason camp.

Get details on which assistants are responsible for recruiting which geographic areas, and why.

Get details on recruiting as can be provided. Obviously they can't comment on specific recruits but a good reporter should be able to get insights as to things like how many players that are planning to take at each position; that kind of thing.

Does the staff plan on taking a placekicker or punter in this class? A second QB? How many RBs are they looking for?

None of the above questions - while all interesting - have anything to do with the ACC meetings.

And the ACC meetings are what he was down there to report on. Not when we might sign a kicker, assistants who recruit, or the possibility of playing Rutgers, Temple, etc.

He can get ANY of those stories back in Syracuse... Not saying he will, but he can.

 

[SUFan44]

He killed him?

Killed?

Really?

I thought it was a funny anecdote - noting the Chick Fil-A sandwiches and cheat sheet.

Frankly, I like that our coach doesn't know the names of all the other coaches... Tells me he's more interested in our guys than theirs.

Some of you have such thin skin.

Allow me to help you figure out why we are flummoxed by the approach of Cohen (or is that you? are you Cohen? are you Ray Finkle?):

But it was the crowd around Doeren, along with the way he conducted himself (patently unnecessary, intimates Shafer did not conduct himself the way he should have and was wrong in doing it the way he did), that personified the difference between Shafer and his new colleagues. At 6:04 p.m. on Monday, four minutes beyond the end of the media session and with many writers having already retreated to the press room to file their stories, Doeren still commanded a crowd of more than a dozen reporters. Thirty feet to the right sat Fisher, flanked by at least 16 reporters.



...

In his interview session he had been polite and friendly for the 45 minutes or so that he was present, but he lacked the emotional gusto (again a shot at him being tired, which isn't necessary for what the "purpose" of the article that you imply is, that he got little attention from the reporters) that has won over so many Syracuse fans to date.



...

Yet the coaches around him, and I took careful notice of Doeren, also a first-year ACC coach that was seated at the table to Shafer's left, captivated larger groups from start to finish and did not leave early. (Once again critiquing the fact he left early - while also saying Doeren was "captivating" a larger group, which implies his charisma and charm were main reasons there were more people there).


The whole tone of the article is negative - that's what most are irritated about I'm guessing. If he wants to write a story about how other coaches have more media around them and nobody gives a crap about Syracuse football in the ACC right now, that's totally up to him.

But A) there are better and more balanced ways to go about it (ESPECIALLY for a beat writer BEFORE the season has even started), B) there is absolutely no need for a negative tone to the article (what is he trying to accomplish, other than sensationalizing things and working his own agenda), and C) there are SO many other things he could be writing about that would interest Syracuse fans (again, his agenda what he writes, but this topic is not one that would interest the masses, as you are seeing).

If Cohen continues to write articles with the tone and sensationalism that he has started to, he's going to be on the outside looking in with regards to Syracuse football and access... and if the P-S keeps him in the same position that he is in, we will all be losers if/when that happens.

 

[TheCusian]

YES!!! Because that's how to keep a job - any job!!!

Ask people on Internet message boards - who're known the world over for being completely rational - what to do and how to do it.



None of the above questions - while all interesting - have anything to do with the ACC meetings.

And the ACC meetings are what he was down there to report on. Not when we might sign a kicker, assistants who recruit, or the possibility of playing Rutgers, Temple, etc.

He can get ANY of those stories back in Syracuse... Not saying he will, but he can.

Sigh. Look, if no other reporters show up to ask questions - you go to your list of Syracuse related questions, dig for new info on in-depth Syracuse stories. You don't write about how he was late, had a cheat sheet, and that no one was there to ask questions. You were!!! Mink and Cohen should get info we'd like to know about. I could care less what some beat reporter from NC thinks about us.

It's not thin skin. I like reporters to dig for info on a subject. Tell me something new - don't give it a negative feel, just because you want more clicks and ad buys - get good info, write about it.

 

[crzdsufan]

This article sickens me. I posted in Sub Standard Post for first time in ages and will do so here hoping to make my point.

So the guy was drained at the end of day two, getting the same old questions, from the same reporters. We are predicted to be sixth out of seven teams in our division, we are the team from the north that no one really wants (ask Boston College how they were received, and are still treated). Now you state, "My goal as a reporter is to be completely neutral in my coverage of the team. That means no positive slant toward the team and no negative slant toward the team."

Let me tell you MY opinion. I find it humiliating as a Syracuse fan that at this particular time, in this event you decided to pull out the stops and criticize HCSS because he didn't hold down the audience, that he was late (and by your own reporting he was to have been there at 5:09PM, was there just over 45 minutes, yet an athletic communications staff member from SU approached the table just before 6PM and said Shafer had time for one more question. Just how late was he? Given your own account of time he could not have been anything more than five minutes late, and that is if the communications staff member from SU approached HCSS for that final question at 5:59PM. Then I would have to ask also, if he did answer that final question just how early he left. How about reporting he may have had a flight to catch as it "appears" this was the case, how about reporting SU has a long ways to go to earn the respect of a new conference with new reporters, how about reflecting that even our typically enthusiastic head coach may have understandably worn down at the end of day two.

Let me close by stating that energy promotes energy. Just maybe HCSS’s energy was down because he didn’t have droves of reporters flocking to him, that the few reporters there didn’t have enough new questions for him to respond to, or energy enough themselves to promote the atmosphere you apparently were seeking.

This is a hard working man from EVERY account I see and you have taken a time when the focus could have been on what he has accomplished in such a short time, new coaching staff, new conference, new offense, new stars to hopefully evolve, the small recruiting class to date but very valuable the same, and put a negative twist to it.

Great job Mr. Cohen, Bud would be proud of you. That is NOT a compliment.

 

[NashvilleOrange]

Really weak article. It's long and detailed but at the same time seems really lazy. It's a slow play by play of the day and shows that the author really didn't head into the ACC media day with any real plan for a story. Instead of covering an important emerging storyline within the conference he chose to recap the day minute by minute with no real focus on the football that's going to be played. Maybe he could have focused on our new opponents? The impact of the new targeting rule? I'm sure a short story on either or both would have been sufficient. I don't think this guy hates Syracuse, he's an alum and covers the team; instead of trying to make a big splash and a big story out of nothing, he should focus on covering football. That's his job.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Here's the thing -

Sometimes if you feel the need to defend your neutrality, there's a pretty good reason why it's been called in to question.