I'm really shocked that anyone thinks that columnists should be writing what their bosses want and what's good for their business. Should the Globe and Times writers only write what's in the best interests of their corporate owner? Should the WSJ writers only write what's good for Rupert Murdoch?
Should the Globe and Times writers only write what's in the best interests of their corporate owner? A majority of left leaning writers supporting the interest of their left leaning owners and readership? Should the WSJ writers only write what's good for Rupert Murdoch? A majority of right leaning writers supporting the interest of their right leaning owners and readership? I'm sure it's just a coincidence.
For anyone convinced that "a media partner" wouldn't allow a columnist to rip a sport that the network covered if that sport weren't soccer, I note the following: CSN New England's primary reason (and perhaps only reason) for existence is to air Celtics games. Their partnership with the C's is far more important than the one they have with the Revs. One of CSN's lead broadcasters is Michael Felger, who openly, proudly exclaims his disdain for the NBA on a regular basis, and is a Wisconsin guy who still resents the fact that the Celtics stood in the way of his Bucks 25 years ago. Don't tell me that what Haggerty did is beyond the pale, or even out of the ordinary.
How long has the NBA been around? Who's the most successful team in the history of the league? Where was the sport invented? Pretty sure basketball's got a leg up on soccer in New England.
A few deck chairs off the SS Celtic isn't gonna matter as much as a few off the already sinking SS Revolution. OK I'm done.
Totally agree with you Man... I'm sure the red slurpee lovers can't in the least way find what's wrong with the picture. I HAVE NEVER EVER read an article from any "AMERICAN" sports writer that vehemently states that the nfl is one big 4 hour infommercial..and that a 60minute game needs to take 3-4 hours to complete..or that it's no more than 20min of any action from snap to down. And most of the time in an nfl game there's a bunch of people standing around the middle of a field.. Never ever seen anyone vilify MLB as one big yawn of a summertime sport..or the NBA as a showcase for God knows what. They just don't see the constant, "I don't care what you say about it..I am never ever going to like soccer and don't care how much passion you say it has..and blah blah blah.." They simply CANNOT see that..as well as they can't see that the Krafts, have such a strangle hold on the sport now in this area it's absolutely mind boggling. I guess they're very content with the drivel that they give everyone once in a loooong while...and jump up and down whenever someone named Kraft says.."This team will get an SSS, we just Love the Game" Oh...We can see how much you LOVE the game!!!
Let me help you out ... ... where each team of tobacco spitting slobs actually sit on there ass for half of every four hour snorefest, in hundreds of meaningless contests primarily scheduled as a vehicle to sell hot dogs and beer. ... where essentially, freaks of nature run up and down a postage stamp sized court throwing in hundreds of 'hoops' in a contest so bound up in rules, it takes an army of officials, timekeepers, scorers and floor swabbers to keep the hundreds of meaningless games per season moving.
Yabutt... Hockey ROOOLZ! Good ole time Eddie Shore 'ockey, eh? Yannow, da guy, he hain got too many brain an he hain got too much teet, but ByGollyITellYa, da guy, e shore know ow ta put da puckindanet, eh?
Although I turned it off when JK began to give his Brady answer, I didn't think the interview was all that bad. (I will add that my expectations were as low as they could go, and I was ready to turn it off if the whole bit went south) I actually thought it was more painful listening to Jonathan Kraft try to give a straight answer. Talk about your boring, run-on, Mike Burns-esque kill-me-now type answers. Does everyone in that family sound like the 1965 Disney audio-animatronic Abe Lincoln?
When I cam back to the USA as a kid..I remember watching Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Wayne Cashman and company..I loved it..Way different time, way different era..wow!! I cannot name one Bruin player today, not a one! The only reason I can name some of the players in the other big 3 teams is because whenever I watch even a few seconds of Boston sports newscasts they can't stop saying Brady Papi Pierce's name. Man, that guy must be really good in something..??
LOL Monty.. Was gonna post something..but I don't want a BS Red Card.. Where's Joekeefe when you need a laugh???
I'm not about to suggest that people here just want to b!tch, but if you read this thread, there're 2 pages of b!tching about the speculation that he wasn't going to talk about soccer, followed by 3 pages of b!tching about what he said (after he spent the majority of the time talking about soccer, and quite a bit on the Revs). hmmmm.....
He answered one question about the Revs, which was basically, do you treat the team as a charity? Unless I'm mistaken, he never mentioned that the Revs were actually playing a game that night (please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). It was a soccer interview, more than a football interview, so at least that's good.
Nope, no mention of SuperLiga I will say this, however, the Red Sox ownership, for all their faults (and they have many), never miss an opoortunity to promote whatever is going on that they have intersets in. Whether it's the Picnic in the Park, Celtic-Sporting Match, Can Collections, Hurricane Relief, etc. they paste the airwaves with ads and/or player appearances/call-ins on every radio station regardless of format. One would think with the market cache that the Krafts have that they'd promote the Revs at every opportunity they get. And because they don't, it's disappointing to the hard-core fans of the team.
Jonathan let us know that they LOVE the game! He didn't say they LOVED the Revs! So please cut them some slack!
Can someone paraphrase or summarize what was said? It can't be that hard since he only spoke for a couple of minutes, right? As for talking up the Revs, encouraging people to come check them out, and giving hardcores something to chew on, that is never going to happen if we are the only ones who have an interest in it. If the hosts are so ig-nint that they can't aske an even remotely intelligent question, then it is up to Kraft to go on with a few soundbites, just like a politician. If they get asked about healthcare, they start talking about supporting the troops, whaddevah! If Kraft has an agenda, he should take advanage of the opportunity to steer the interview. On the other hand, if he isn't all that committed dnd the interviewers are just willing to let him talk about anything, then you get a whole lot of nothing.
Not sure if you're being facetious, but if you want to hear the interview, go to the 98.5 the sports hub website. Click on the Revs logo on the left, below the headlines and click on "More" under the Kraft story.
I don't bother listening to these things anymore. Whenever J. Kraft does an interview that is supposedly regarding the Revs, it always goes: 1. Very brief question about how the Revs are doing this year. 20 seconds. 2. A discussion of whether or not soccer will ever become popular in America. 3. Talk about the US national team or some sort of international club event 4. 20 second boilerplate on a designated player. Looking for the right guy! 5. Oh hey, Mr. Kraft, how are things going with the Randy Moss contract negotiations?
Interviewer: I know that every time you do an interview, there’s a throwaway Revs question at the end, not because anyone cares, but in deference to you. I’m going to do something totally different and ask you about soccer first. [ignorant interviewer should know that this NEVER happens. It is always some throw away Revs questions to start, while the interview quickly devolves to all things Patriots.] Interviewer: How bout that World Cup. Is soccer here to stay? Kraft: ESPN did a great job. Gotta love HDTV. Spoke with Chief Marketing Officer of MLS in South Africa, Kathy Carter, who has companies coming out of the woodwork who want to talk to her. US should have done better. Soccer academies will help. Interviewer: What does the US have to do to get to the next level? Kraft: Depend on Sunil Gulati to get the utes of America the development they need. Yes, we should do better with 300 million people to choose from. [Jonathan might want to exclude gramma, newborns, oh well, we get the point] Interviewer: Why are good US players forced to play overseas. Donovan is wasted playing here in MLS, against teams like the Rapids. Kraft: Disagree with your premise. World stars are coming to this league. Interviewer: [Exactly HALFWAY through the interview] Jonathan, one last soccer question before we move on and close with one Patriots question, Do the Kraft’s think of soccer as a charity or do you think it will be a big money maker? Interviewer: We got in based on our love of the sport after WC94. We’re more vocal about soccer than football . Teams in MLS are expanding and we’re very passionate. We’re looking forward to building a 20,000 seat venue, somewhere. Remaining HALF OF INTERVIEW … Blah Blah Blah and eight more questions about Tom Brady or something.
Thanks, Alan. I listened to the link and Felger spent the first 1:30 with that bit about how he isn't like all the other guys, he actually knows and likes soccer. And then he goes on to prove just the opposite. Well, in fairness, I have heard him talk about the WC in a semi-intelligent fashion, so I'll give him that. Still, very little Revs content at all. I don't know what it is whenever Sonny Kraft goes on the radio, but it seems like he's never heard of the "call to action" concept. You know, work it in somewhere in the conversation that the Revs are playing TONIGHT against a Mexican team, and this is a special occasion because it isn't just some random game against KC or Colorado, but a (allegedly) higher quality team from Mexico. Oh yeah, by the way, the Revs WON this tournament a couple of years ago, so even though the team has been struggling, this is something worth checking out. And tickets start at just one finger, compared to the arm and a leg that a Patriots ticket will cost you.... Maybe more than 700 people would have come to the game the other night if he had said something like that.
The Krafts seem very dedicated to soccer... that is the big exhibition soccer games that fill their NFL stadium. They seem rather less enthused about their MLS team that can barely crack 10k attendance on a normal night. I believe when they say they want to bring soccer to this region but I am afraid it is not the Revs they are talking about. It is more like one-off concert events with foreign teams.