Excerpt from Cliff Christl postgame chat.

[CaliforniaCheez]

A: Cliff Christl - I have this rule that when fans come up to me and start bending my ear about the quarterback or coach, I shut up and usually walk away. Why? Because I immediately assume they know nothing about football. Their knowledge is so shallow they wouldn't know who else to blame. You never hear those people point to a breakdown in execution by a guard or notice a defensive lineman getting blown off the ball or talk about a receiver's limitations. They're clueless. So they blame the coach and the quarterback. Or the kicker. It's like a reflex reaction.
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Some only care about the final score.
Some people only observe those who touch the ball on a play.
Most of the players are on the line but determine the outcome of each play.
I'm suprised how much football goes unobserved.

I'm glad that Cliff isn't as shallow as CBS is in their coverage.

 

[musccy]

EXACTLY!!! I've been a little hypocritical when it comes to BF on this, but still this is basically what I've been saying all year...Is it as cut and dry as MS can't playcall, or BF can't hit the broad side of the barn?!? NO! Those other 10 players aren't just there for filler, they play a substantial role in the outcome, yet their contribution is rarely given equal weight.

 

[rabidgopher04]

Ahhh...some sense.

One would think it's common sense that since there are over 22 people that take the field throughout the game there might be more to blame other than 2 particular people ALL THE TIME.

 

[wpr]

A: Cliff Christl - I have this rule that when fans come up to me and start bending my ear about the quarterback or coach, I shut up and usually walk away. Why? Because I immediately assume they know nothing about football. Their knowledge is so shallow they wouldn't know who else to blame. You never hear those people point to a breakdown in execution by a guard or notice a defensive lineman getting blown off the ball or talk about a receiver's limitations. They're clueless. So they blame the coach and the quarterback. Or the kicker. It's like a reflex reaction.

HMM. This sure doesn't sound like anyone who would post on this board.

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

Good Observation, wpr.

 

[wpr]

Good Observation, wpr.

Observation is my middle name. It use to be Philip but I changed it back in '67. :lol:

 

[arrowgargantuan]

HMM. This sure doesn't sound like anyone who would post on this board.

i can smell the sarcasm from here lol...



Mr. Christi's comment definitely has some relevence over here. hell, it holds water with about 95% of heated message board arguments. but the comment itself is rather ignorant and assuming. i understand what he means, that any rational person understands that the blame for a losing season needs to be spread around the team, but of course a quarterback and or a coach have more of an impact on whether a team wins or loses. they don't get a free pass because the roster hold 53..

 

[tromadz]

A: Cliff Christl - I have this rule that when fans come up to me and start bending my ear about the quarterback or coach, I shut up and usually walk away. Why? Because I immediately assume they know nothing about football. Their knowledge is so shallow they wouldn't know who else to blame. You never hear those people point to a breakdown in execution by a guard or notice a defensive lineman getting blown off the ball or talk about a receiver's limitations. They're clueless. So they blame the coach and the quarterback. Or the kicker. It's like a reflex reaction.
***************************************************************

Considering our coach, Mr. Mike Sherman, is the guy who put the crappy guys out on the field (carroll...thanks for that one...or Hunt...or lets bring back terry glenn...or...well...you get the point), it is very easy, and appropriate to blame the head coach. 'Mike and Mike in the morning' have a segment(i think its MnM) called "Just Shut Up" and I nominate Cliff to...just shut up.

ps-read my new article...or...make me cry.

 

[net]

Cliff's comments are right on the money. He's been around the Packers since the '70's, I believe. He was working for the Press-Gazette at the time and he was one of the first in what is now considered the norm of reporting about the Packers: tell it like it is. The reporters up until then wrote glowing accounts of the team, even if they lost.(Lombardi used to ride the reporters if they were critical). The reporters used to ride to away games with the team, to show the cozy relationship. When Christl and Bud Lea at the Sentinel started showing Bart Starr's teams to be flawed, Starr wouldn't let them back on the planes.

Cliff has been around the Packers longer than some of you have been alive.

I absolutely agree with his assessment.

How can New England go from a dominant Super Bowl team to 4-4 this year? Philadelphia has essentially the same team, yet is barely .500.

It shows how very close all the teams in league are, from a talent perspective. You alter the chemistry a bit(two coordinators at New England for example) and you lose close games.

Factor in a Packers team with a few, but not many playmakers, who go down, two new guards, and is it any wonder the team is 1-7?

The one bright spot is Jim Bates. Tremendous job with little talent.

 

[net]

Cliff's comments are right on the money. He's been around the Packers since the '70's, I believe. He was working for the Press-Gazette at the time and he was one of the first in what is now considered the norm of reporting about the Packers: tell it like it is. The reporters up until then wrote glowing accounts of the team, even if they lost.(Lombardi used to ride the reporters if they were critical). The reporters used to ride to away games with the team, to show the cozy relationship. When Christl and Bud Lea at the Sentinel started showing Bart Starr's teams to be flawed, Starr wouldn't let them back on the planes.

Cliff has been around the Packers longer than some of you have been alive.

I absolutely agree with his assessment.

How can New England go from a dominant Super Bowl team to 4-4 this year? Philadelphia has essentially the same team, yet is barely .500.

It shows how very close all the teams in league are, from a talent perspective. You alter the chemistry a bit(two coordinators at New England for example) and you lose close games.

Factor in a Packers team with a few, but not many playmakers, who go down, two new guards, and is it any wonder the team is 1-7?

The one bright spot is Jim Bates. Tremendous job with little talent.

 

[P@ck66]

Doesn't change the fact, net..that

SherRossley has a terrible playoff record...2-4...
turned Lambeau field mystique into HOME FIELD DISADVANTAGE..
hired poor quality cronies as assistant coaches,
and missed his window of opportunity to win big with Brett Favre...

which the coaches you named would have done--Bellichek and Reid..

 

[DePack]

Pack66.....quit approaching Cliff!

 

[wpr]

HMM. This sure doesn't sound like anyone who would post on this board.

i can smell the sarcasm from here lol...



Mr. Christi's comment definitely has some relevence over here. hell, it holds water with about 95% of heated message board arguments. but the comment itself is rather ignorant and assuming. i understand what he means, that any rational person understands that the blame for a losing season needs to be spread around the team, but of course a quarterback and or a coach have more of an impact on whether a team wins or loses. they don't get a free pass because the roster hold 53..

I hear you Arrow. At home I will complain about the play calling or that Brett throws too many untimely int's but when I get up from sitting on my duff in front of the tv I realize that it is much more than just the coaches &/or Brett that creates the "L".

 

[IPBprez]

HMM. This sure doesn't sound like anyone who would post on this board.

i can smell the sarcasm from here lol...

Mr. Christi's comment definitely has some relevence over here. hell, it holds water with about 95% of heated message board arguments. but the comment itself is rather ignorant and assuming. i understand what he means, that any rational person understands that the blame for a losing season needs to be spread around the team, but of course a quarterback and or a coach have more of an impact on whether a team wins or loses. they don't get a free pass because the roster hold 53..

I hear you Arrow. At home I will complain about the play calling or that Brett throws too many untimely int's but when I get up from sitting on my duff in front of the tv I realize that it is much more than just the coaches &/or Brett that creates the "L".

Same here - good call, AG.. no... Great call.
I would, although, point out one amazing stat --- it's always the Coach and QB who get all the raves when they win.... not necessarily those other players.... make sure you assess that into your approach to reviewing "any" game... Cliffy tends to leave that part out, quite often. He's not a reporter-god.. so, let's not elevate him UN-necessarily...