GordonGekko said:
Last thing, a question.
What is it like to be an NFL insider and what are the parameter of what you can and can't talk about compared to what you see, observe, hear and are told?
One of the reasons I ask is because last year, you two took a bit of a beating on Ronnie Hillman instead of Knowshon Moreno, and I thought the response by many was short sighted. Insiders and expert pundits are going to sometimes get them wrong. It's the nature of the beast. Attacking or taking shots at known insiders only encourage them to say less and share less. Maybe a guy misses on one, but will hit on the next two tidbits of key info he knows, why would he share that if the peanut gallery turns into a lynch mob over one projection?
My appeal to you guys to appeal to the general Shark Pool. Insider information is valuable. Let's not drive away the folks who might give us that key edge on day when we need it the most.
Like Ed Harris says in Glengarry Glen Ross, you don't make a living by selling one guy a Cadillac once and screw him over, you make a living selling him five over the course of a lifetime.
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"You want to know the only thing you can assume about a broken down old man? It's that he's a survivor." James Caan, Way Of The Gun
Thank you for your attention,
Marcus
Old Man Gekko
I wanted to get to this question Gekko. It's close to the same for every team regarding their media policy. Here's what we have to comply with post training camp but before the start of the regular season.
MEDIA REPORTING GUIDELINES FOR REMAINING PRESEASON PRACTICES:
While media are welcome to observe practice for the remainder of the preseason, please note that phone conversations, text messaging and other data transmissions, including the use of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, are
NOT allowed inside the practice gates after the photography period has ended (stretching and individual drills).
Consistent with the club’s usual reporting guidelines, media are asked to comply with the following:
· No texting, blogging or posting real-time updates on practice plays/structure
· No written descriptions or visual accounts of tactical information (anything involving general strategy—personnel groupings, formations, blitz schemes, gimmick plays, tendencies and any coaching or player dialogue)
· No photo/video transmissions after the designated shooting period has ended.
The Broncos are one of the best run organizations in the entire league and the staff from top to bottom is top notch.
Being wrong is part of the analyst game. You obviously try to minimize it and you do that by trusting your sources and spending time at the facility to get a feel for what is going on. There's nothing better than being able to ask questions in person to gauge reactions, answers, body language...all of it!
The Hillman/Moreno thing last year was a closely guarded secret and one that we ALL got wrong. By we I mean those of us at the facility every day (Klis, Legwold, Jones, Mason). Some fans guessed Moreno but that's all it was - a guess. After being inactive eight weeks (and fully healthy) it was a shock to see him start that week. A big thing that prevented better insight was the fact that we don't get to see practice during the season. We get about 20 minutes at the beginning of practice to watch stretching, get a head count, and watch some individual drills. Had we been able to see practice we would have seen them favoring Moreno over Hillman.
There were a few clues now with hindsight, such as Hillman on the injury report with the hamstring injury that bothered him all year. That week it flared up and it was the only time he was listed as a limited participant in practice. Small clues like when Peyton answered questions about the RBs he was mentioning Moreno first then Ronnie. Looking back we had little to go on and the staff was tight lipped about that situation. There were some rumblings that Ronnie would be the guy but that obviously didn't happen. We didn't know about his weight loss until after the season.
There are TONS of things you know but can't talk about per media policy. For example, earlier in training camp the Broncos were running the Pistol offense. I can't report on that but I can ask a question about it and see if I get an answer. I can report on the answer. After practice I asked Manning about the Pistol offense and he essentially didn't answer my question. Then against the 49ers the Broncos unveiled their Pistol offense and Twitter was like OMG THE BRONCOS ARE RUNNING THE PISTOL!!!!!1!
I can't report specifics about formations but I can say something like "the Broncos are being very creative with the way they use Jacob Hester." Before fans see him in the slot I can't report "Hester's in the slot sometimes!"
When I see Montee Ball in on most every red zone package I can't report that (until it's seen). But I can say something like "It would surprise me if we saw any other RB besides Montee Ball on the field when the Broncos get in the red zone."
People have asked me about the pecking order at RB after the Seattle game and I can't comment on what I've seen at practice this week. However, I can say "Things haven't changed in the RB rotation since training camp ended."
I'm there every day that is open to the media, I ask the questions, watch as much practice as we are allowed to, talk to coaches and players off the field and in the locker room, etc. I do everything I can to be the most informed I possibly can about this team (and the league).
The lynch mob is just what comes with the territory. Adam Schefter is my mentor and has opened many doors for me over the years. I am extremely loyal to him and listen closely to his advice whenever he offers it. There are fans that attack him and he just shrugs it off. There's no need to get defensive, just do the work, keep working, and work as hard as you can.
Hope that gives you some insight from my perspective!
