AvengerRam vs. Bernie II

I just posted this on Bernie's Pressbox:

Bernard,

I was disappointed, though not shocked, by the manner in which you have responded to recent inquiries about the upcoming NFL draft.

Clearly, you are entitled to your opinion about the manner in which the draft is covered and atmosphere at Rams Park on draft day. Your opinions may, in fact, be dead on.

But, in expressing these opinions, you seem to overlook your role as a "leading journalist" coving St. Louis sports. In essence, you have lost touch with your audience.

The people who read your writings, along with those of other local sportwriters, consist largely of hard-working individuals who view things like Rams football as a welcome respite in their lives. Many of these readers would absolutely love to have the opportunity to be at Rams Park on draft day, and to have the ability to pick the brains of true insiders prior to the draft. You have these opportunities. But, rather than embracing them - and allowing your readers to experience these things vicariously, you instead, for lack of a better term, spit upon the whole process.

You call yourself a journalist. Well, then do your job. Suck it up and use your contacts and access to provide true insights for your readers - even if it means fighting through a crowd of food-grubbing, wanna-be's who invade Rams Park on draft day.

If all you're going to do is tell us that the Rams are interested in Jammal Brown (who 90% of the published mock drafts over the past 6 weeks have picked for the Rams) and complain about how much you hate the draft, maybe you should just step aside and let someone who is interested in providing the readers with information they desire to have your job (And no, I don't want your job. I live in Florida, so covering the Rams would be difficult for me).

As always, just trying to help.

L'Chaim

AvengerRam

Let's see if he responds...

I predict that no less than half-a-dozen of his winged flying monkeys respond to your post before he does. And their monologues will contain such awe-inspiring phrases as "AvengerRam, you suck", "you must be a whiner fan", "why don't you go back to Florida and count some ballots", "I want to birth Bernie's children"...and so on.

Interestingly, the first response was from a poster who essentially agreed with what I said. But, I'm sure I'll get plenty of the types of responses you have described.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AvengerRam

Interestingly, the first response was from a poster who essentially agreed with what I said. But, I'm sure I'll get plenty of the types of responses you have described.

---

That same individual shows up around here from time to time as well. See, just goes to show you, a fan hangs around here and they start seeing through journalistic smokescreens. :king: (I'm sure some nay-sayer will knock me for that one.)

However, I noticed the other thread where BM's original response came from and there were a few winged BM Monkey's flying on that thread.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HUbison

I predict that no less than half-a-dozen of his winged flying monkeys respond to your post before he does. And their monologues will contain such awe-inspiring phrases as "AvengerRam, you suck", "you must be a whiner fan", "why don't you go back to Florida and count some ballots", "I want to birth Bernie's children"...and so on.

---

And exactly one hour later the 6th winged Bernie monkey replied to AV's post.....and of course still no BM.

...why not just post the link for the thread rather than the transcripts?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NickSeiler

...why not just post the link for the thread rather than the transcripts?

---

ask and ye shall receive...

AV,

You should share your writings of da Bernie's inepitude with the editors of his prestigeous St. LOuie paper!

MAybe we will have our first "sack" before the first game of the season! :tongue:

Bernie is a punk ...

Good luck and shalom,

FLO

ps I am going to watch this one from the sidelines :redface:

If you check out my thread on the Pressbox and the other 2 regarding the draft, you'll see how Bernie responds to me. A lot of name calling and hackneyed "don't you have better things to do" comments, but no actual responses to my points. I think maybe I've gotten under little Bernard's skin. :redface:

AV, you and Bernie should get together for TEA...........Then smash his F'N head in with the pot!!!!!!!! :tongue:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HUbison

ask and ye shall receive...

---

Thanks. Just seemed like a better idea than continuously topping this thread with each response, IMO.

What are you, some kind of Bernie-lover!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


Kidding, Nick. But do stop by Bernie's Pressbox some time. You'll see that doing his job requires only two things (1) the good fortune of actually getting hired and (2) a bunch of mindless drones to applaud everything you write, no matter how inane.

Honestly, on this issue, I just might be.

Bernie is a sports columnist, correct? Not a Rams reporter? So I'm not sure why he should be reprimanded for choosing to go to a baseball game as opposed to a PR stint at Ram Park about the draft. I think he's welcome to whatever personal opinion he has about the draft, and if there was nothing else going on that day, I'd expect him to make an appearance.

But football is in the offseason, while baseball is not. If I'm a sports reporter covering all professional local teams, then I'm going to chose a sport that's in season over one that's not. So I can't object to his passing on the draft coverage to hit up a baseball game on Saturday. Besides, he said he'd write an article on Sunday about the draft, so he's going to be covering it.

I don't think Bernie showing up on Saturday at Ram Park is going to give us any more insight than someone else who's there. And even if the suggestion is for Bernie to dig deeper into the organization prior to the draft, what are the Rams going to give away? Are you expecting the team to tell Bernie all their little draft secrets so he can leak them to the public? Teams don't hand out their draft To Do list, so the liklihood of Bernie getting some kind of huge news by poking around doesn't seem very likely to me.

I don't know - I guess I'm just not sure why this was something to make such a big deal out of by going to the PD and making a post to reprimand and criticize him. Taking pot shots at some points when his stuff is posted here seems harmless, but to go out of your way to go to his forum to pick and criticize him seems childish, to be honest with you. Just my thoughts, man.

Here's the bottom line on this...


Bernie is an arrogant blowhard. He has lost touch with his role as a journalist, and thinks that he should be the story.

I, along with others, thought his comments about the draft were obnoxious. He spends all this time telling us what an insider he is, then when something is actually going on with the Rams, he tells us that he's not going to bother writing anything or even going to Rams Park.

Also, as I pointed out over at his board, he's a Heisman voter. Presumably, he has researched many of the prospects. Yet, he has written nothing - nada - regarding the draft.

I enjoy taking him down a peg or two.

I enjoy watching his minions twitch as I take shots at their hero.

And I particularly enjoy how he gets so defensive.

For the record, he's now making a big deal about how Brian Burwell will be at Rams Park on Saturday (a point he neglected to make when he was ripping the draft and the media that covers it), and how he might, if he feels like it, go on Sunday.

The guy's a clown.

Me... I'm just having a bit of fun.

Postscript: Bernie went back and posted a new thread giving a bit of draft analysis. Nothing monumental or surprising - buts its nice to see he got the message somewhat. :tongue: