Hall speaks (for the last time)

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
A lot of quite reasonable comments in that.

Much is reasonable but the "get ready Hall and Swans - we media can kick you when you fall" line is simply pathetic. Very News Ltd to take that approach.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
A lot of quite reasonable comments in that.

Lol alot of bull@@@@ more like it, and this quoted from the comments section describes my feelings perfectly.

What part of this is actually journalism. Insults and putting yourself on a pedistal is not what a respected writer should be doing. Is it no wonder Baz doesn't want to speak to the press when gooses like you are given free reign to put their personal agendas into print.

Wells i look forward to seeing you on Before the Game next year, as the unchallenged Tool of the Year.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Originally posted by swannieserin
The number of grammatical errors in that article made it difficult to read. Where do these 'journalists' come from?

That's the Tele for you, about as respected as Britney at a "How to raise your baby" seminar.

[SimonH]

Originally posted by hammo
I tend to agree with you Bloods.

I normally don't like Wells or his columns but he is spot on about the Swans and their media strategy.

It's all very well to have puff pieces about the bloods code and a weekly profile piece on Captain Kirk, Jolly's baby or some up and coming star spoon fed to the complient Sydney media, but as the club and Sydney market matures they have to expect criticism as well.

Barry deserved some criticism - instead of facing it he went into hiding. As a captain that's not really good enough... would Ricky Ponting get away with avoiding the media after getting out for a duck?

If this is a sign that the Sydney media is going to start being more critical of the Swans, rather than an adjunct of the cheer squad, then it is probably a good thing.

This is all a load of hypocritical crap (from the Tele, not you). It's an extended sook because BBBH:
a) wouldn't speak to them, the 'official paper of the Swans', at their beck and call
b) when he did finally speak, it wasn't to the Tele.

If he had spoken exclusively with the Tele within 24 hours of the match and uttered the most meaningless puff-piece cliches ever to come from a player's mouth, and if he hadn't complained about a Tele journo calling his mum, this piece would never have been even contemplated, let alone written.

It's nothing to do with having to accept criticism for his performance. (Does anyone seriously think that BBBH wasn't the worst critic of himself after the GF?)

It's nothing to do with writing actual insightful (and if need be, critical) pieces about the Swans with light and shade, rather than just recycling press releases.

It's nothing to do with BBBH's ability to bounce back and answer his critics on the field after having a bad one. He's done it before, and will do it again in 2007.

And it's absolutely nothing to do with BBBH's ability to perform in big games; for the love of god, have people already forgotten the 2005 GF and in particular the last quarter? Plus the idea that in 2006 he kicks 5 in the QF, 6 and is probably BOG in a knock-out preliminary, but then plays badly in the GF, is any kind of evidence he is prone to be 'found wanting in big games'? Give me a break.

The ridiculous claim that he's weak 'cos he failed to stick up for his mate in the MOL/Hunter stoush, just shows up this article for the 'straw man' attack that it is. Just a large corporation protecting its perceived proprietary rights. Nothing to see here.

[ScottH]

Not much happeneing in Jeffs world, obviously.

[giant]

Originally posted by hammo
It's all very well to have puff pieces about the bloods code and a weekly profile piece on Captain Kirk, Jolly's baby or some up and coming star spoon fed to the complient Sydney media, but as the club and Sydney market matures they have to expect criticism as well.

To be fair to the Swans, if they hadn't spoon fed something there is a pretty good chance nothing would've been written about the Swans for years there.

Yes, you'd love to think the quality of criticism would improve but I suspect it's far more likely to come from a Richard Hinds than a Jeff Wells.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Well said Scott, i for one have nothing against anyone critisizing the Swans, but there's a major difference between constructive critisism and blind critisism, and Wells can't see past his own fat ego to realise this. As for suggesting the support will drop off dramatically when we have this apparently neccesary fall from grace, i (and many others) will be cheering just as hard for the red n white no matter what position we hold on the ladder, though considering we've only missed the 8 once or twice in the last 10 years, his theory of every team needing a bad period looks a little pathetic.

[NMWBloods]

But, meanwhile, Bazza has decided, like his club, that he can dictate to the media. You know, those fickle bastards who smother you with praise until your ego is inflated to the size of your pay cheque, yet dare to report it when you have an off day.

Mr Hall will no longer speak to the media about himself, only about the team. And he has stated that it was unconscionable for a reporter to call his mother after the grand final "without permission".

Without "permission"? What is this, a totalitarian state?

If the reporter was rude or aggressive he might have a point.

But that is not what happened.

This is just another example of the Swans' administration becoming too precious in this town.

They put a free speech ban on players during the finals ? and Nick Davis got into trouble for telling a reporter how great it was that his teammates had backed him after his return from being dropped.

This is a pity because almost all of the players are an absolute credit to the team and the city, and coach Paul Roos is a genius. But this is big-time professional sport.

Chairman Richard Colless might want to have a look at the World Series in America, which is probably the most pressurised sporting event in the world. Nobody is more under the gun than the manager who is playing a deadly game of chess with his opposite number.

And yet during the playoffs these managers have put on the headphones during play and answered tough questions from the commentary box, for the sake of the fans.

This is an awareness that sporting teams and the media need each other.

[Chow-Chicker]

Originally posted by NMWBloods

That's a load of rot. What Hall said was not even close to the sort of outbursts constantly demonstrated by Mick Malthouse. Wonder why nothing is said about that!!?? If Hall doesn't want to talk about his own form, then he doesn't @@@@ing well have to. Totalitarian? Yeah, from the media side that is!

What a wank to compare US "World Series" as the most pressured sport. @@@@ it makes me laugh!

[swannieserin]

Originally posted by Chow-Chicker
What a wank to compare US "World Series" as the most pressured sport. @@@@ it makes me laugh!

Not pressured! Pressurised! Sounds scary to me.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Chow-Chicker
What Hall said was not even close to the sort of outbursts constantly demonstrated by Mick Malthouse. Wonder why nothing is said about that!!??

There are constantly comments about everything Melbourne-based players and coaches do and say in the media.

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by Chow-Chicker
That's a load of rot. What Hall said was not even close to the sort of outbursts constantly demonstrated by Mick Malthouse. Wonder why nothing is said about that!!??

You're joking, yeah?

[AnnieH]

Originally posted by Chow-Chicker
That's a load of rot. What Hall said was not even close to the sort of outbursts constantly demonstrated by Mick Malthouse. Wonder why nothing is said about that!!?? If Hall doesn't want to talk about his own form, then he doesn't @@@@ing well have to. Totalitarian? Yeah, from the media side that is!

What a wank to compare US "World Series" as the most pressured sport. @@@@ it makes me laugh!

Nothing is said about Mick Maltmouth??
Please.
Alpha Centuri anyone?
I wait with bated anticipated for Maltmouth to open his mouth and change feet. It's an ongoing, constant highlight of my footy season.

[Ed_Gein]

Originally posted by Ruda Wakening
Big Bad Blubbering.

He is an idiot that Jeff Wells. Pure and simple.

[Chow-Chicker]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
There are constantly comments about everything Melbourne-based players and coaches do and say in the media.

Yes but not to the extent this is being reported on. Fairdinkum, all he said was that he will not comment about his personal form, and that he has a long memory. He did say he will discuss the team and their performance. Malthouse thumps his fist into the desk, tells them they are pathetic and walks out. You then don't see @@@@ articles written like the one Wells wrote. All the media reports on Malthouse is "Malthouse storms out of conference"...."Malthouse in another angry outburst"......and here they are writing that Hall is trying to "dictate" to the media. What complete hypocrisy as they continue to write and virtually dictate to Hall about how he should be more media friendly.