CGC on 680 this AM

[Northeast Stinger]

Now I’m REALLY curious.

If CGC doesn’t give press conferences for the fans, and what he says is different from what he tells the players in the locker room, and the sports writers aren’t getting any real information about the team, and what he says isn’t working to bring in top rated players, why does he even give press conferences?

Seriously folks! Those who tell us not to listen to his press conferences have systemically over time ruled out every single audience I can think of that he might be talking to. But I do agree with his apologists that he gives no real information.

 

[SteamWhistle]

Now I’m REALLY curious.

If CGC doesn’t give press conferences for the fans, and what he says is different from what he tells the players in the locker room, and the sports writers aren’t getting any real information about the team, and what he says isn’t working to bring in top rated players, why does he even give press conferences?

Seriously folks! Those who tell us not to listen to his press conferences have systemically over time ruled out every single audience I can think of that he might be talking to. But I do agree with his apologists that he gives no real information.

I get it’s a slow part of the year but breaking down pressers in this detail is a wast of time.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I get it’s a slow part of the year but breaking down pressers in this detail is a wast of time.

Wasn’t breaking it down.

I listen to them to get information. But those who want information are told we shouldn’t expect information. So, I’ll ask again. If pressers are not for fans, not for players, not for the press and not for recruits, what’s the point of doing them?

 

[GTpdm]

Contractual obligations.

 

[Richard7125]

Contractual obligations.

Truth!

 

[kalld12]

Guaranteed? Ok. You going to stop the boosters from buying him out and firing the AD?

Let’s revisit this in 365 days. Mark it big dawg!

 

[forensicbuzz]

I’ve been hearing this since Year 1. That’s all great when you’re winning and players want to come here, but pretty dumb when you lose basically all of the fans’ support and many don’t even want to hear you speak anymore because it’s all nonsense and gibberish. And you lose your best recruits because you can’t win more than 3 games a year.

And actually, it’s not great even if you are winning. Why piss off your customers/supporters?? Just a stupid way to handle your business. But, if the shoe fits….

I don't disagree with you. I was just making the point that when he says what he says, he is talking to a specific audience through the Press. I think he does a poor job because he should know that everyone is hearing his message and it is missing badly with a large contingent of his fanbase. You know he's been told that. So, there's a conscious decision being made to do what he does, the way he does it.

He didn't lose his best recruits because he couldn't win more than 3 games a year. He lost 1 player (Gibbs) and 1 recruit (LB who wanted to be a S) who commented on wins. The rest, they all have their reasons and none have said it was because the team wasn't winning. So, although your comment may be true, there's not really any empirical evidence to support your statement.

He speaks in a manner that rubs many of us the wrong way. Most of us are successful in whatever we've decided to do in our life, so his approach bristles. I get that, and agree.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Fine. However, unlike previous years where I pay attention and am excited about football I am just planning to just wait until September. I think there is a large portion of the fan base that is apathetic at this point. Because he "Never has been" ... "talking to the fans", there is zero chance of him changing the fan apathy until September. At that point the only way he can change the apathy is to win games. As I said in my post a couple above the post you quoted:

This is what I've been saying for 2 months now. Nothing's going to change until next fall. Next season he'll show he has what it takes or he'll be gone. Heartburn between now and then is fruitless.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Now I’m REALLY curious.

If CGC doesn’t give press conferences for the fans, and what he says is different from what he tells the players in the locker room, and the sports writers aren’t getting any real information about the team, and what he says isn’t working to bring in top rated players, why does he even give press conferences?

Seriously folks! Those who tell us not to listen to his press conferences have systemically over time ruled out every single audience I can think of that he might be talking to. But I do agree with his apologists that he gives no real information.

Press conferences are for the Press. We are fortunate enough to get to see the raw tape. Press conferences are NOT for the fans. Seriously! You can listen if you want but understand the context.

 

[Richard7125]

I don't disagree with you. I was just making the point that when he says what he says, he is talking to a specific audience through the Press. I think he does a poor job because he should know that everyone is hearing his message and it is missing badly with a large contingent of his fanbase. You know he's been told that. So, there's a conscious decision being made to do what he does, the way he does it.

He didn't lose his best recruits because he couldn't win more than 3 games a year. He lost 1 player (Gibbs) and 1 recruit (LB who wanted to be a S) who commented on wins. The rest, they all have their reasons and none have said it was because the team wasn't winning. So, although your comment may be true, there's not really any empirical evidence to support your statement.

He speaks in a manner that rubs many of us the wrong way. Most of us are successful in whatever we've decided to do in our life, so his approach bristles. I get that, and agree.

He rubs people the wrong way because of his lousy coaching. The complaining about the way he talks, the clothes he wears, the Waffle House cups he uses, the 404, the way he breaths, etc, etc, is just petty complaining. If he was winning, all of these would be chalked up to other weird things coaches do.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Press conferences are for the Press. We are fortunate enough to get to see the raw tape. Press conferences are NOT for the fans. Seriously! You can listen if you want but understand the context.

In theory. But the press is getting zero info to report and they act like they’ve given up even getting an answer and are just going through the motions.

 

[GTLorenzo]

Press conferences are for the Press. We are fortunate enough to get to see the raw tape. Press conferences are NOT for the fans. Seriously! You can listen if you want but understand the context.

I don’t think this is correct anymore. When everything is live streamed or out on YouTube, it IS for the fans as much as the press and he’s losing the press conferences as spectacularly as he’s losing games. Sad to watch.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

My opinions are based on my contacts inside the AA. I do not read the AJC.

Noted. But when you report what is said verbatim in the AJC then don't be surprised when someone assumes that...

 

[RonJohn]

Press conferences are for the Press. We are fortunate enough to get to see the raw tape. Press conferences are NOT for the fans. Seriously! You can listen if you want but understand the context.

You usually have good arguments in your posts, whether I agree with you or not. For that I am genuinely surprised at what I consider a weak response.

I agree that press conferences are set up for reporters to ask questions and get information for stories they are working on. This thread is about a thirty minute radio interview that was most likely set up by the athletic association and our flagship radio station as an attempt to strengthen the brand. The interview that started this thread was NOT for the press.

I also think you highly underestimate the impact of fan apathy. I have no real information, but I believe season ticket sales this year are going to be very low. For the past 20 years or so I have consumed information from ESPN, back then, and now mostly other sources about GT football during the offseason. (Before that I would read stories in the paper version of the AJC.) I would keep up with signing day and watch high school film of recruits who signed trying to figure out how they might fit into GT. I would sometimes go to the Spring games. I would pay attention to emails from the GTAA about football. I would visit the ramblinwreck website to check on football news. I donated to AI2020, and I donated to 404 day.(among other donations)

I do not feel like I am part of the GT football community anymore. I am not quite ready to give up. I already purchased my season tickets for next year. However, if the team doesn't have major improvement next year and major changes are not made I can't guarantee that my fandom will continue. Maybe to coach could have prevented those feelings if at some point he actually had tried to address the fans.

At this moment I am not paying attention to: The coach in press conferences, interviews, etc, The AD discussing football, Football related emails, Football related stories on websites, or Football coaches/players/journalists on the web/Twitter/etc. I am disgusted with losing, and I can't say that being disgusted has nothing to do with it. However, from what I have heard from the coach and the program for the last few years, I am more than certain that there are absolutely no words that will improve my outlook on the program. It goes even deeper than that. I do not care who the assistant coaches are in September. I do not care what players are on the team (who leaves and who transfers in) in September. I do not care what offense we run in September. I do not care what defense we run in September. I do not care who is kicking and who is returning kicks in September. I do not care if the team practices well or poorly or even not at all. I do understand that those things will impact the odds of winning, but my attitude now is that it is all on CGC. If he starts to believe that not having practice leads to winning then he can go for it for all I care. When the season starts I will see what the team looks like on the field and will be able to see how many games the team can win. That is the ONLY thing I am willing to base my opinion of the program on now.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Yeah, I can't listen to him anymore. He's like the Uncle at the family get together that I try to avoid. And, I feel the same about listening to our AD.

 

[swampsting]

Press conferences are for the Press. We are fortunate enough to get to see the raw tape. Press conferences are NOT for the fans. Seriously! You can listen if you want but understand the context.

The problem with that is the press records and then turns that around to the fans. So the end user and consumer of press conferences are the fans. The press is there, ostensibly, to ask questions to produce the answers that ultimately will be for the fans.
If he just wanted to talk to the press without that getting out to the fans, he'd ask them up to his office. It would be that kind of stuff you get from the White House or Congressional correspondents, who quote a "senior administration official" or call it "on deep background" or some such.

 

[swampsting]

Saban uses his press conferences to talk to a number of audiences — the press, whom he apparently has varying levels of disdain for, the fans and at times his own players. For example, rat poison, and at times "yummy" rat poison.
Some coaches know how to use that to convey their message. CGC did it early on to push the branding and all the other trappings. But the more you lose, the less people, i.e., the fans, and to a degree, the press, are interested in the fluff.
PJ may have been abrasive but he took his radio call in show to the people. And he didn't sugar coat stuff to the press. If they asked a direct question, he gave a direct answer.
And he can be really blunt and direct — and downright funny — off the record. Good reporters know how to put that info to use without burning their source.

 

[forensicbuzz]

You usually have good arguments in your posts, whether I agree with you or not. For that I am genuinely surprised at what I consider a weak response.

I'm responding to this before I read the rest since I'm on a plane and it's hard to read. You have to read a series of my responses in this thread to understand my entire response. I think I've probably agreed with some of your other points in other posts. I know I'm not always right, but it's just really hard to figure out which responses of mine are actually wrong.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I agree that press conferences are set up for reporters to ask questions and get information for stories they are working on. This thread is about a thirty minute radio interview that was most likely set up by the athletic association and our flagship radio station as an attempt to strengthen the brand. The interview that started this thread was NOT for the press.

100% right!! I'm 100% wrong. Totally forgot the whole premise of the thread. Absolutely for the fans. But this doesn't really discount the comments I made in other posts associated with this thread.

 

[RonJohn]

Collins is the poster child for the Peter Principle, no offense intended.

From my own observations related to the Peter Principle: I have seen very few who work thru it and become very good at the new position eventually. I have seen a few who basically give up. I have seen a few who just continue to struggle until they are let go/demoted/repositioned.

I have seen more people who revert back to their previous lower position in what appears to be an attempt to prove they are still valuable. Such as an engineer promoted to manager who struggles managing a project, then becomes so involved in technical details that he allows the project to crash. After reading your post, I started thinking about this and seeing the head coach on the field controlling a section of pre-game warmups.(moving the ball for defensive linemen or something like that) On one occasion, he even put on a jersey and was running with the scout team. I assume there are student assistants or GAs who could do those things. Putting those things together seemed an awful lot like this section of people in the Peter Principle.