Christl blog : contentious

[HarveyWallbangers]

Reporters aren't supposed to take a stand on stuff. They are supposed to report the unbiased truth. Objectively. They seem to do less of that as we go along.

Not really. Depends on what type of journalist you are. Christl is an opinion writer. You have him confused with a reporter.

[Rastak]

Reporters aren't supposed to take a stand on stuff. They are supposed to report the unbiased truth. Objectively. They seem to do less of that as we go along.

Not really. Depends on what type of journalist you are. Christl is an opinion writer. You have him confused with a reporter.

True, totally different species.

[MJZiggy]

He still pisses me off.

[woodbuck27]

Re: Ponder

There was NO EXCUSE for TT to pass on Ponder. It's just another mistake on a very long list.

Are you using twist nails or just the regular variety?

The real accent on that miss...

is that the Seahawks of ALL TEAMS trumped "Ole slow draw".

ahhhh.

[HarveyWallbangers]

True, totally different species.

That being said, we have two many opinion writers (with a political axe to grind) that try to pass themselves off as reporters. I don't mind the folks that say "here's how I see it." I don't like the ones that are "reporting" the news with a slant that favors their own viewpoint.

[Terry]

Well, I just have three things to say about Christl:
1) He's engaging in what was called 'yellow journalism' during the Spanish-American war;
2) He's no Letterman;
3) He's abusing his position and power.

Ultimately, he's only destroying his own credibility.

Deputy Nutz, I agree with you in principle about a journalist taking a stand, but that's not what I call this - and even if it is a stand, it's a safe stand. But he's over reaching and that will not be so safe for him - but the position itself is safe.

Personally, I have a preference for a journalist who dares to make an unpopular stand.

My example of that type of journalist was the Islamic copy editor of a newspaper in Lebanon who wrote an editorial about the Danish cartoon hulabaloo. He wrote (to paraphrase) that murder and terrorism were surely more offensive to the proper respect and awe of Allah than a bunch of innocuous cartoons. I'm sure he put his own life in danger with that stand. Whatever, he was out of a job the next day. That's what I call a stand.

I don't think Christl's idea of a stand deserves to be discussed in the same conversation.

[the_idle_threat]

I think his stand is unpopular with a lot of Packer fans, who care nothing about character, and apparently public safety, if a signing leads to wins.

[motife]

Christl constantly says he could care less about the Packers. He's just doing a job.

The emotion he displays here, contradicts that completely. Which is it, Cliff?

He really went for "overkill" on this one. Sheesh.

Expectorate, murderer, cesspool?

[the_idle_threat]

Christl constantly says he could care less about the Packers. He's just doing a job.

The emotion he displays here, contradicts that completely. Which is it, Cliff?

He really went for "overkill" on this one. Sheesh.

Expectorate, murderer, cesspool?

This is a good point. But I think I've always suspected ol' Cliffy had a soft spot for the Packers. Perhaps this situation has smoked out his true feelings.

[swede]

Christl does not have a soft spot for the Packers. He enjoys not caring and passes it off as objectivity.

I'm surprised at the tone and the words he used. Christl likes to be provocative but he usually takes an edgy, cranky tone. I don't remember him using abusive and inflammatory language like this before.

Brett also had issues with chemical dependency and overcame them. I hope Koren Robinson can too. From everything I've heard people love the kid. What other kind of person could get second and third chances given the serious and endangering mistakes he has made?

The more I learn the more I support the decision to sign Koren Robinson.

And the more I read Uncle Cliffy the more I think he and Matt Millen should buy a time-share together in Florida and learn to fish.

[Terry]

I think his stand is unpopular with a lot of Packer fans, who care nothing about character, and apparently public safety, if a signing leads to wins.

First of all, I think it's unfair to characterize any Packer fans who don't object to this signing as people who don't care about character or public safety.

I think you may find that some Packer fans who do NOT approve of this signing may also be somewhat disgusted by Christl's editorial.

[pacfan]

I really lost my remaing respect for Cliff in his last post/blog. Robinsen has a drinking problem, he's an alcoholoic. He is also a football player by choice. He has a right to seek employment as a football player. He agreed to play for the Pack, good for us and good for him.

I hope and pray that he doesn't hurt himself or others. But I do the same for the people who drive school buses, wear police uniforms, firefighters, janitors, and cranky sports journalists.

He made mistakes and will probably make some more before he is all done. I've made mistakes, some very embarassing and stupid ones. I'm thankful that I don't have a person with access to millions of readers to trash me or fabricate worst-case scenarios so that people would develop a bias towards me.

[MJZiggy]

Christl himself has done more to convince me that this is a good idea than anyone else. Why, you ask? Because, in one of his rants on this topic, he asked if we should allow someone with his background to fix our roof (among a number of other jobs, like our bank teller). This question brought it home for me. I had my roof replaced not long ago. Did I ask whether my roofer had a DUI on his record? No. As long as he didn't show up drunk wanting to use power tools on my roof, and as long as it no longer leaked when it was done, his driving record had no bearing on his ability to do this job. As long as my bank teller's not slurring words, I will not be asking if this person who handles my cash was on a bender last night. I don't use valets or their lots, and the only one I might be concerned about would be the bus drivers. Their driving record is of direct concern in this occupation and if someone's driving my kids, I'd really love it if they had a license and a clean record. Koren Robinson has a special skill and as long as he's not showing up drunk to do his job, it should have no bearing on his ability to do that job (hell, he could probably even do it drunk and still do it well). Everyone says what if he kills someone. Are you seriously telling me that everyone who had ever had a DUI should be run out of the state on the grounds that they might kill someone too? If you wanna make it so that every alcoholic who ever fails at an attempt to stay sober can no longer be employed, then you'd better figure out a way to house and feed them all or your streets will be overrun with recovering alcoholics who can't support themselves.

[Harlan Huckleby]

It's an interesting debate. One year ago, Robinson recieved various "good guy" awards for his achievement of over-coming alchoholism, and being a model teammate. Then this past summer, another dramatic fall from grace. The guy is trying. He just failed again.

Whether or not Robinson has another relapse and gets behind the wheel of a car has nothing to do with whether he plays football. The Packers did not endanger society by giving him a job.

There are millions of people in jail right now for alchohol/drug related crimes. What is to become of these people when they get out? Should they go on public assistance? Should they be refused jobs on moral grounds? What morality is that?

It's a practical question, not a moral one. If a player makes a public nuisance of himself, it's bad for business. Thompson took a carefully considered risk that Robinson is likely to stay straight during his period of employment. Don't know if he made a good gamble, but it is a practical decision.

[mraynrand]

Sorry, but K-rob is a public figure, and that's why you know about his record. And can you honestly say if you knew your roofer had multiple reckless driving incidents and had DUIs that you couldn't care less? That's just crazy. Cristl grew up in Green Bay and his point of view is that he doesn't want a known trouble maker and/or felon in the town. It's bad enough that K-rob is such a miscreant, but to be given such a visible position is galling. PacFan, but I think you're wrong. It's not that simple. If he has an alcohol problem, sure, try to take care of it, but his repeated history of incidents, without any resolution, makes his hiring highly questionable. Ziggy, how would you treat the roofing company that hired a guy like K-Rob, if he destroyed your house while either being reckless or drunk on the job. You'd hold the company accountable, wouldn't you? K-Rob may not have the direct ability to wreck stuff while 'on he job' with the Packers (maybe he could screw up a game or two), but he can certainly tarnish the reputation of his employer, and possibly kill someone in the process. Cristl, as a Green Bay native concerned about his home town, has every right to say what he did.