Bernie: Rams Earn Respect In Tough Nfc West

[-X-]

I find myself disagreeing with Bernie as often as I agree...rarely do I get outraged like so many seem to, and frankly, I just don't get it.

I made my peace with Bernie towards the end of the 2011 season. He had a nice sit down with Balzer back in December 2011 when he was still with 101ESPN, and he laid out every logical argument ever made for the reasons why the 2011 season was a disaster, while explaining he was "on the fence" about Spags because nobody could measure a head coach's worth in the face of all that turmoil. Of course he made those arguments in a way that was slamming all of the posters on the Post Dispatch too. You know how he does that -- talking in a child-like voice as a way of making fun of the people who wanted to hang everything on Spags. Then about 3 games later, he went on an absolute tirade slamming the people who he thought were extolling Spags for the way he was holding the team together in the face of all that adversity. Again, in the same condescending child-like voice. But this time he outright ridiculed the people he was defending just three weeks prior. And the worst part was, the team had even MORE injuries between those games.

I took to Twitter with a campaign after that, because I was personally insulted.






(no answer...)

So naturally I had to prove it, so I went back to the 101 archives and downloaded the two separate audio files and pieced them together. The audio file was laid over a picture of him and Spags with his arm around him. Since YouTube deleted my account for having the balls to show NFL players in full dress, I don't have it anymore. But it was a seamless transition of him making fun of the "haters", and then less than 3 weeks later, mercilessly slamming the people who defended Spags.


He obviously watched/heard it, because he blocked me right after that 'tweet' (and subsequent video) went live. He also blocked anyone that tagged him with the video, so it was a bad day for him. I realized I had him and might have embarrassed him a little, and I felt bad. I don't think about anything other than proving my point when someone lies right to my face, and I don't care how I achieve that objective. One of my rare faults, I suppose -- but I've gotten better about that since. lol. Anyway, I got a hold of him on the PD through PM's, and we talked it out. He came to realize I had a forum at the time, and made a lot of videos in support of the team, so he explained his whole methodology behind his thinking and writing style. I don't share PM's, so I'm not at liberty to divulge all that stuff, but I know what his objective is when he writes all of these articles. In a nutshell, he's free to change his mind (sometimes frequently), because he's emotional about the team. But. He's also got a job to do. Take that as you will.

The next time I tweeted about something he wrote that I agreed with, and gave him props, he appreciated it. Because, in the end, he's just a dude with an opinion. He's going to go against people's grain more often than not, but that doesn't mean he's got the golden chalice of truth from which everyone else needs to drink. He's got a job to do, and being a Rams Honk isn't going to pay the bills. If you want clear-cut objective analysis, read Wagoner. If you want to make a post this fucking long, read Bernie. lol.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I like Bernie, despite any criticisms. I read and watch all his stuff.

But; I hope his motives are genuine. Sometimes I wonder if it's to stir an audience at STLToday. Ain't nobody got time for dat.

Good story, X.

 

[Lunchbox]

I don't care for Bernie, try to avoid reading his columns.

I don't doubt he gets emotional about the Rams but over the course of a single year (maybe two) before I quit reading, he flopped around so much I just couldn't believe he truly meant anything he wrote.

On top of that he allows the tone of his columns to become condescending at times, as if it's his burden to enlighten the ignorant masses. Given some of the readership of the PD I guess that shouldn't be surprising but it seems inappropriate for a professional writer.

Like what you did there X. Of all the reasons I dislike him, avoiding ownership of things he's said in the past is the one thing that royally pisses me off about him. Glad you were able to document it.

 

[Sum1]

I made my peace with Bernie towards the end of the 2011 season. He had a nice sit down with Balzer back in December 2011 when he was still with 101ESPN, and he laid out every logical argument ever made for the reasons why the 2011 season was a disaster, while explaining he was "on the fence" about Spags because nobody could measure a head coach's worth in the face of all that turmoil. Of course he made those arguments in a way that was slamming all of the posters on the Post Dispatch too. You know how he does that -- talking in a child-like voice as a way of making fun of the people who wanted to hang everything on Spags. Then about 3 games later, he went on an absolute tirade slamming the people who he thought were extolling Spags for the way he was holding the team together in the face of all that adversity. Again, in the same condescending child-like voice. But this time he outright ridiculed the people he was defending just three weeks prior. And the worst part was, the team had even MORE injuries between those games.

I took to Twitter with a campaign after that, because I was personally insulted.






(no answer...)

So naturally I had to prove it, so I went back to the 101 archives and downloaded the two separate audio files and pieced them together. The audio file was laid over a picture of him and Spags with his arm around him. Since YouTube deleted my account for having the balls to show NFL players in full dress, I don't have it anymore. But it was a seamless transition of him making fun of the "haters", and then less than 3 weeks later, mercilessly slamming the people who defended Spags.


He obviously watched/heard it, because he blocked me right after that 'tweet' (and subsequent video) went live. He also blocked anyone that tagged him with the video, so it was a bad day for him. I realized I had him and might have embarrassed him a little, and I felt bad. I don't think about anything other than proving my point when someone lies right to my face, and I don't care how I achieve that objective. One of my rare faults, I suppose -- but I've gotten better about that since. lol. Anyway, I got a hold of him on the PD through PM's, and we talked it out. He came to realize I had a forum at the time, and made a lot of videos in support of the team, so he explained his whole methodology behind his thinking and writing style. I don't share PM's, so I'm not at liberty to divulge all that stuff, but I know what his objective is when he writes all of these articles. In a nutshell, he's free to change his mind (sometimes frequently), because he's emotional about the team. But. He's also got a job to do. Take that as you will.

The next time I tweeted about something he wrote that I agreed with, and gave him props, he appreciated it. Because, in the end, he's just a dude with an opinion. He's going to go against people's grain more often than not, but that doesn't mean he's got the golden chalice of truth from which everyone else needs to drink. He's got a job to do, and being a Rams Honk isn't going to pay the bills. If you want clear-cut objective analysis, read Wagoner. If you want to make a post this freaking long, read Bernie. lol.

:lol:

Believe me, I've never said he hasn't flip-flopped. Though, he himself has said as much. Like I've said earlier, he has written (or said) many things in the past I have agreed with, many things I haven't. However, I don't believe there is some "jab" or underlying objective throughout everything he writes.

 

[Thordaddy]

Except of course for the principle of "duty of care" .
Bernie isn't just a dude,he's part of what is called the third estate and has a higher duty than an average fan because of the power vested in his position,he fails to live up to that duty,which in a casual observer/fan is forgivable ,not so because his words reach beyond the scope of those of the average man or even a blogger.

I watched two columnists for the Post Dispatch and Globe Democrat,Tom Barnidge and Rich Koster wage a public relations campaign against another NFL owner and franchise , whip up public sentiment against him, and fairly drive that franchise out of the city.
Bernie wields that sort of power and because he does to hold him to the standards of a fan is a mistake of measure I won't make.
He uses his position to BRING coaches down,I demand honesty from someone with that power and once I catch him being dishonest and having agendas I don't forgive him .
If he was a drinking buddy who behaved that way, I'd say no harm no foul, but his fouls bring harm.

Sadly we have lost the awareness that people in power need to be answerable,we've been conditioned to lower the bar, it hasn't worked on me. Bernie needs to be who he pretends to be or I won't respect him.

 

[-X-]

Except of course for the principle of "duty of care" .
Bernie isn't just a dude,he's part of what is called the third estate and has a higher duty than an average fan because of the power vested in his position,he fails to live up to that duty,which in a casual observer/fan is forgivable ,not so because his words reach beyond the scope of those of the average man or even a blogger.

I watched two columnists for the Post Dispatch and Globe Democrat,Tom Barnidge and Rich Koster wage a public relations campaign against another NFL owner and franchise , whip up public sentiment against him, and fairly drive that franchise out of the city.
Bernie wields that sort of power and because he does to hold him to the standards of a fan is a mistake of measure I won't make.
He uses his position to BRING coaches down,I demand honesty from someone with that power and once I catch him being dishonest and having agendas I don't forgive him .
If he was a drinking buddy who behaved that way, I'd say no harm no foul, but his fouls bring harm.

Sadly we have lost the awareness that people in power need to be answerable,we've been conditioned to lower the bar, it hasn't worked on me. Bernie needs to be who he pretends to be or I won't respect him.

Context is important.

I said he's just a dude with an opinion. In the context in which I said that, it meant that whatever he says about the Rams is his opinion only and people are free to agree or disagree with it. Not that he's on the same plane as a fan relative to his duties. He's not stating facts in as much as telling people how he feels about certain things. I'm not sure that Duty of Care applies to a columnist who does op-ed pieces for a local rag though. People know in advance that he's not the shepherd of the masses, and his 'power' seems to be somewhat limited.

 

[Thordaddy]

Context is important.

I said he's just a dude with an opinion. In the context in which I said that, it meant that whatever he says about the Rams is his opinion only and people are free to agree or disagree with it. Not that he's on the same plane as a fan relative to his duties. He's not stating facts in as much as telling people how he feels about certain things. I'm not sure that Duty of Care applies to a columnist who does op-ed pieces for a local rag though. People know in advance that he's not the shepherd of the masses, and his 'power' seems to be somewhat limited.

He does both columns and "news" and I would submit that a great deal of the resentment he collects is BECAUSE he is provided a forum the scope of which dwarfs the average "dude".
Like I said his newspaper and it's position within the community ( a virtual monopoly) provides him with a power that although not absolute has altered the course of the Rams and other sports organizations.
You don't live here X ,your perception of the guy I would surmise is limited to the Rams and his pontification about them.
The reason people complain about Bernie is ostensibly the same reason our President complains about Fox news,the MOST powerful man in the world is effected by the power of the news vs. editorializing blurring he perceives there to be in their "reporting".
The article this thread started with is a news article and the clamor in this thread is ABOUT the perception that he slipped some editorializing into it ( BTW I think 90% of journalists are as guilty as Bernie is so I'd say he catches SOME hell just because he represents the frustration a lot of people have with the press).
Never underestimate the power of the press ,FWIW I have always seen Bernie as exploitive of that power for personal agendas,I think you've seen the same thing ,even proven it beyond his ability to deny ,so we have one difference here and that is what standard we each hold him to.

FWIW when they crafted our bill of rights the power of the press was the first thing they guaranteed ,it was done in that order for a reason..............being it's enormous scope.
AND AGAIN let me reiterate I have seen an NFL franchise run out of this town by people just like Bernie.

 

[-X-]

If Bidwill was able to be run out of town by a couple of local rag writers, then that says more about Bidwill than the power of the press. I think it would be premature to assume that Bidwill didn't have a grand design of his own.

 

[rhinobean]

Except of course for the principle of "duty of care" .
Bernie isn't just a dude,he's part of what is called the third estate and has a higher duty than an average fan because of the power vested in his position,he fails to live up to that duty,which in a casual observer/fan is forgivable ,not so because his words reach beyond the scope of those of the average man or even a blogger.

I watched two columnists for the Post Dispatch and Globe Democrat,Tom Barnidge and Rich Koster wage a public relations campaign against another NFL owner and franchise , whip up public sentiment against him, and fairly drive that franchise out of the city.
Bernie wields that sort of power and because he does to hold him to the standards of a fan is a mistake of measure I won't make.
He uses his position to BRING coaches down,I demand honesty from someone with that power and once I catch him being dishonest and having agendas I don't forgive him .
If he was a drinking buddy who behaved that way, I'd say no harm no foul, but his fouls bring harm.

Sadly we have lost the awareness that people in power need to be answerable,we've been conditioned to lower the bar, it hasn't worked on me. Bernie needs to be who he pretends to be or I won't respect him.

I remember those columns by Koster and Barnidge. At the time I was mad at Billy for leaving. Upon reflection, I realized they help drive him out of town. I don't want that to happen again so having an agenda to the reporting makes me paranoid. I'm just saying!

 

[rhinobean]

If Bidwill was able to be run out of town by a couple of local rag writers, then that says more about Bidwill than the power of the press. I think it would be premature to assume that Bidwill didn't have a grand design of his own.

Bidwill was not well liked by the power brokers in STL so that didn't help his cause. He would have left anyway cause he didn't get want he was wanting. Newspapers piled on is how I saw it.

 

[Thordaddy]

Bidwill was not well liked by the power brokers in STL so that didn't help his cause. He would have left anyway cause he didn't get want he was wanting. Newspapers piled on is how I saw it.

The way he was "run out" was by the creation of public sentiment against the new stadium he needed to compete, he didn't have the resources
If Bernie wanted to mount a similar campaign and keep the drumbeat going I have little doubt he could have some similar success,funny how if you tell a lie enough times it becomes the truth. Bidwell was a very private man who made some PR errors that cost him but was a very charitable person and not nearly the snake in the grass he was morphed into by the press. I was FWIW a season ticket holder during those years and read every column written by Koster and Barnidge ,I gave most of my tickets away for that final season once the announcement was made they were moving.

If Bidwill was able to be run out of town by a couple of local rag writers, then that says more about Bidwill than the power of the press. I think it would be premature to assume that Bidwill didn't have a grand design of his own.

I think for anyone to make that statement without having lived it is an over reach X.

The difference between Nixon and Clinton was the press, the power is as I stated before enormous,it's why the first thing the stateists of the last century ,Musselini, Hitler , Lenin ,Stalin ,Mao all went for the press first and foremost ,people think and believe what the press tells them to, it's as simple as that.
Most every thing we think we know about what we write here is funneled to us through some form of press unless we are at all these games and take our own video.

I'm not assuming this but I would be very surprised if there aren't some Cali. fans on this forum who might not have similar sentiments towards some columnist in LA who "facilitated" the move to St.L by say holding Georgia up to public ridicule , insinuating she murdered Carrol R., class envy rhetoric yada yada ,inhibiting efforts to get public funding for a stadium that would make them competitive THERE. ???????????????

People are sheep X except for a few stubborn jackasses like me and you who almost never give in, most of them think what they are told to and Bernie tells them every day,independent thinkers are a true rarity.