McGinn Love

[mraynrand]

McGinn is one of the best beat writers in the NFL
I've always had that position and maintain it; perhaps because he often agrees with me.......lol
But he's a great writer.

People often light him up when he is not on the kool aide train; that is not what he's paid to do

Sounds like you like McGinn's POV. I think he is a so-so writer skill-wise (technically he is sound, but his writing lacks verve and inspiration), and that his insights are not much better or more prescient than any fan who knows a decent amount about football. But he's a hard worker and provides good content. He seems quite distant from the players, but that's OK, because few players have much insight either and/or are unwilling to share much of it (I don't blame them). Just because he sin't a team shill isn't a reason to dislike him, but at times he most certainly is deliberately controversial (there is a difference between asking a challenging question and specifically trying to create tension; Bob often does the latter).

[Fritz]

What he said.

[Harlan Huckleby]

(technically he is sound, but his writing lacks verve and inspiration) .

Your posts are technically unsound and lack verve and inspiration. You could never fill Bob McGinn's loafers.

McGinn is the man.

[texaspackerbacker]

I NEVER liked McGinn.

[pbmax]

The absolute trust of scouts drives me nuts. It not based on any kind of success rate. Its just a cudgel to beat arguments to death from readers and fans. "They do it for a living, you are just fans" WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP.

Scouts spout off ALL the time about things and players they don't know and don't understand, using the hoariest cliches. And the opinions on skill level are always a choice of terrible, replaceable and great. The insights about how they play often betray less familiarity than I have with the Packers.

Its different with college players, because I don't know them at all, but I am not sure the insight is any better.

However, he does hold to team accountable for success and addressing areas of weakness. He is willing to publish facts that do not reflect well on the team. Those are good things that are not evident in every beat writer (Demovsky probably comes in second and I am not sure who would be third). Dougherty and Oates are happy to bash obvious faults, but they don't report internal material very often.

He is careful and scrupulous in his reporting. The columns can be dicey, especially the Sunday Game Day bombshells. Some of those would fit in a NY tabloid.

[mraynrand]

You could never fill Bob McGinn's loafers..

I thought you were the one who was light in the loafers.

[HarveyWallbangers]

The absolute trust of scouts drives me nuts. It not based on any kind of success rate. Its just a cudgel to beat arguments to death from readers and fans. "They do it for a living, you are just fans" WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP.

Scouts spout off ALL the time about things and players they don't know and don't understand, using the hoariest cliches. And the opinions on skill level are always a choice of terrible, replaceable and great. The insights about how they play often betray less familiarity than I have with the Packers.

Its different with college players, because I don't know them at all, but I am not sure the insight is any better.

However, he does hold to team accountable for success and addressing areas of weakness. He is willing to publish facts that do not reflect well on the team. Those are good things that are not evident in every beat writer (Demovsky probably comes in second and I am not sure who would be third). Dougherty and Oates are happy to bash obvious faults, but they don't report internal material very often.

He is careful and scrupulous in his reporting. The columns can be dicey, especially the Sunday Game Day bombshells. Some of those would fit in a NY tabloid.

This. Especially the comment on the scouts. The scouts are often wrong and even contradict each other.

[pbmax]

This isn't good, rom Bob today: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/323330421.html

Green Bay — Chip Kelly doesn't care about NFL orthodoxy, reputations, traditions. Nothing.

Show up soft, slow, disorganized, unemotional and unprepared against Kelly's Philadelphia Eagles, as coach Mike McCarthy's Green Bay Packers did Saturday night at Lambeau Field, and you'll get taken to the proverbial woodshed.

It was the third preseason game. It was the dress rehearsal for most teams, even the Packers on defense. Exactly what is it about Chip Kelly that made the difference yesterday? Was it his disregard for traditions and orthodoxy? No, he played it straight and he torched an underperforming defense that had its normal 11 out there for the first time in preseason.

This game was evidence of Chip's ORTHODOXY Bob. Writing on deadline doesn't lend itself to deep arguments. These two paragraphs read like click bait. And only one of them applies to the game.

[Teamcheez1]

I think Chip Kelly treated it as regular season game; we treated it as a preseason game.

Most of our looks and play-calling were straight-up vanilla. MM and DC are not going to show anything even if it is the so-called dress rehearsal for the season.

[mraynrand]

Show up soft, slow, disorganized, unemotional and unprepared against Kelly's Philadelphia Eagles,

Show up with mouth-breathing histrionics, and the players will never talk to you.

[pbmax]

I think Chip Kelly treated it as regular season game; we treated it as a preseason game.

Most of our looks and play-calling were straight-up vanilla. MM and DC are not going to show anything even if it is the so-called dress rehearsal for the season.

Actually, the Packers use cards and do scout team work for preseason games. Not all teams even do that much game planning.

But I do think Chip was all in with his starters in the game. But the game plan was to keep Bradford out of the hospital.

[mraynrand]

Actually, the Packers use cards ...

[pbmax]

Is that the Cobb catch in Chicago in the signature?

[mraynrand]

Is that the Cobb catch in Chicago in the signature?

Indeed. 12to18W.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Show up soft, slow, disorganized, unemotional and unprepared against Kelly's Philadelphia Eagles,

Show up with mouth-breathing histrionics, and the players will never talk to you.

That's writing - full of verve. Inspired.