It's all about noting your sources and/or stating clearly, "I think, I believe, what if..." instead of, "I/we know xyz, since abc..."
Really? I didn't think so. Usually the typical ESPN pieces are littered with a political and social propaganda. This one seemed pretty straight forward to me.
It was a one-on-one interview with Kei Kamara after Berhalter and the front office dragged his name through the mud on social media and any other avenue they could find. After a week of Pipa refusing to speak to the media and then pulling the wool over people's eyes with a so called "professional" interview. Twellman brought up the contention in the locker room, and made no bones that to the outside Kamara looks like the bad guy. I think Twellman is awful and don't watch or listen to him if I don't have to. That said, I have no idea what else you would expect to happen in that piece.
If Precourt tweeting out once that the PK incident was one chapter in the book equates to "dragging (Kamara's) name through the mud", I'd hate to see your reaction if they had actually gotten into specifics.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This organization talks about keeping things in house as part of their culture. Precourt knowing that some of the fan base hated what Kei did in the PK fiasco took the worst possible route. It was worse than going into specifics. He gave a vague but insinuating answer to let peoples imaginations run wild and go with whatever horrible thoughts they had of Kei. It was immature, unprofessional, and above all it was hypocritical. But it was also really quite typical from a guy who always is desperate to be liked, desperate for acceptance, and begging for a seat at the cool kids table.
Simply asking a question as I didn't see it and nor do I want to. However it is used as exhibit A in the Kei vs Crew case. Of course Kei, when asked for the interview, could have politely declined to comment. I would have actually respected him more for that and may have actually changed my opinion on the incident.
Wait a minute... You're actually saying that a vague statement referencing bad chemistry is MORE UNPROFESSIONAL than a point-by-point laundry list airing specific grievances? I'd like some of what you're smoking. Because that would have been the polar opposite of "keeping things in-house." Frankly, if Kamara was as much of a head case as he's appearing to be, there's a good chance that Precourt handling it the way he did was actually taking the high road.
I'm saying neither is keeping it in house. You may think Precourt is an idiot. I'm sorry I don't. Jackass, perhaps, but not an idiot. He knew exactly what he was doing. All you have to do is read the vitriol towards Kamara on these boards and elsewhere. It's a smart business move to paint the guy as a cancer or malcontent when shipping him out of town, especially if you are receiving nothing immediate in return for the star. But it's even smarter to gague the temperature of the fanbase towards said player, and let their imaginations run wild. In that sense, Precourt is a genius. A total hypocrite, but also a genius.
So this was a selfish AP move to dump the salary? Otherwise getting rid of your most lucrative asset seems like an idiot move.
Well, he can either let all the fans call himself and GB a 100 different insults for trading kei over 1 incident, or he can tell people that this isnt the only reason and try to give a justificaton without getting into an all out flame war. One seems more reasonable than the other to me, just thats just imho of course.
If you're looking for anything reasonable, you've come to the wrong internet. Opinions have been cemented, lines have been drawn, sides have been chosen, realities have been set. Everyone has an agenda except my guy.
Trigger Warning: The following contains rampant speculation. I do think the salary dump was a big motivation. My *speculation* is that they were never comfortable paying 2 guys over $1 million, did so begrudgingly, and cut bait at the first sign of trouble. They had a chance to claw it back plus some and did so.
and your speculation is based on what? It's interesting that the Fire Berhalter thread has actually got to the root of the issue. AP is the issue.
Never said it was selfish. But, do I think it was an idiotic trade. Yes. Do I think it was mostly done by Berhalter? Yes. Do I think that reflects very poorly on his overall skills needed for these dual jobs he has. Absolutely. That's in part why this is the Fire Berhalter thread. Do I think Precourt's comments afterwards were also ridiculous? Yes.
Remember when Pipa was the center of the whole PK controversy and didn't speak to the media for a full week. He was hailed as professional, wonderful, and held up as blameless by much of the Crew SC fanbase. Precourt could have left it alone. He has Berhalter as his Sporting Director in charge of soccer decisions to make these difficult decisions and to face the press afterwards. Unfortunately, Precourt couldn't just leave it at that. He had to go out and insinuate that there is a multiple chapter book of incidents like the PK incident that inflamed the fanbase that we don't know about. He's too desperate for acceptance to leave it alone or let Gregg handle it. He could have said, "It was a soccer decision that I left to my Sporting Director and I trust his judgement." He didn't. He aired more laundry in public.
Don't you think, though, that if they do line up a quality striker that they are probably going to have to pay that much?
e My speculation is based on the actions - trading the league goal leader (non PK) for what I believe is not enough to replace him with any degree of certainty plus we know that the Crew is more limited in either what they can spend and/or what they are willing to spend. They appear to not want to and not intend to spend as much money as the big spenders. We can have 3 DP's but choose 2 or 1. Prior to this, was there not a 3rd DP level player out there that would improve the team? We know there are many but they cost. (and no, I'm not saying they won't spend ANY money). So by necessity and/or choice the Crew is more frugal. The holdout is the only other publicly known "bad" behavior (though accepted as a reasonable action and part of the business in football for example). So given financial limitations, a holdout, and what I consider a terrible trade I speculate that his behavior was not the main driver, and that they may have had mixed feelings about increasing to over $1 million the salary of a guy they already had under contract for much less. I think that's good enough for speculation, and at least for me, helps explain what appears to be the monumentally stupid move of giving up a huge number of goals in a sport where goals are extremely hard to come by. To me goal scorers in soccer are like elite QB's in football. Even if you're willing to spend money, you can't always get one. And when you have one, you find a way to keep them.
As CREW SC supporters, we already have reserved seats at said table and ultimately determine who else may join. Other individuals get de facto seats: - kids who actually are cool - kids who are tuff - kids with money who are desperate to be liked This last group is is one of my favorites! I especially like to have owners with these codependent tendencies. I hope they are surging full force come July. I say - AP gets a seat at the table until the transfer window closes. Then - I'm either giving him my milk money everyday, or he's getting wedgies and nooggies at recess.
AP/GB got a lot of productivity and publicity with Kei. AP never paid a full $1M/yr for him. New England paid AP $0.5M to get rid of the Kei problem. Combine this with the fantastic short-term investment gains on Giancarlo González a couple years back and I'd say AP/GB have a good idea of what they're doing. Whatever it's worth to fans today, we've got a good shot at winning the Moneyball Cup again this year.