Comments on: What the Packers Should Learn From Bedard http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/ Wed, 22 May 2013 00:24:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: foundinidaho http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12320 foundinidaho Tue, 26 Oct 2010 06:06:52 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12320 I miss Greg. *sniff* I miss Greg. *sniff*

]]> By: PackersRS http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12314 PackersRS Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:23:37 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12314 Boston Globe Boston Globe

]]> By: Mr.Man http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12313 Mr.Man Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:11:30 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12313 I missed the announcement that Bedard was leaving the state. Does anyone know where he's headed? I missed the announcement that Bedard was leaving the state. Does anyone know where he’s headed?

]]> By: PackersRS http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12310 PackersRS Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:44:05 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12310 Here's to Bedard. Salute!!! Here’s to Bedard. Salute!!!

]]> By: Oppy http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12304 Oppy Sat, 23 Oct 2010 17:01:24 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12304 There's no "getting a pass". When they suck, they suck... And, when you think about it, that's when they need to be the most guarded, isn't it? If they were absolutely domination, you could argue (I wouldn't, but you could) that they could afford to toss their competitors a few bones and not worry about it tipping the scales against them.. But when they are struggling, they need to maintain any advantage they can muster.. And that includes keeping their opponents in the dark as much as possible. You know, there's this really, really successful coach that everyone says is a total dick because of the way he deals with the media- he won't give them a straight answer about ANYTHING that REMOTELY could be advantageous to his rivals- but the fans of the team he coaches wouldn't give him up for the world, realizing that keeping a competitive edge far outweighs transparency. What's his name again? I think he's won a few superbowls.. Oh, yeah, It's Bill Belichick. Just Sayin. There’s no “getting a pass”. When they suck, they suck… And, when you think about it, that’s when they need to be the most guarded, isn’t it? If they were absolutely domination, you could argue (I wouldn’t, but you could) that they could afford to toss their competitors a few bones and not worry about it tipping the scales against them.. But when they are struggling, they need to maintain any advantage they can muster.. And that includes keeping their opponents in the dark as much as possible.

You know, there’s this really, really successful coach that everyone says is a total dick because of the way he deals with the media- he won’t give them a straight answer about ANYTHING that REMOTELY could be advantageous to his rivals- but the fans of the team he coaches wouldn’t give him up for the world, realizing that keeping a competitive edge far outweighs transparency. What’s his name again? I think he’s won a few superbowls.. Oh, yeah, It’s Bill Belichick.

Just Sayin.

]]> By: BubbaOne http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12303 BubbaOne Sat, 23 Oct 2010 16:05:03 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12303 One thing Greg did that was great was meeting fans. I met him at Will's Northwoods Inn in Chicago the night before the Packer/Bear game. It was great to kick back, drink Leinenkugel's, and get his honest opinions to questions. I wish him all the best and hope another writer steps up yo do "meet and greet's". One thing Greg did that was great was meeting fans. I met him at Will’s Northwoods Inn in Chicago the night before the Packer/Bear game. It was great to kick back, drink Leinenkugel’s, and get his honest opinions to questions.
I wish him all the best and hope another writer steps up yo do “meet and greet’s”.

]]> By: Alex http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12302 Alex Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:43:05 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12302 So they get a pass when they suck too? I'm not asking for the play book. So they get a pass when they suck too? I’m not asking for the play book.

]]> By: Oppy http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12301 Oppy Sat, 23 Oct 2010 05:35:28 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12301 How much of a cut does the Packers Pro Shop typically get from merchandise sales? Book sales? Could there have been a dispute between the Packers and your publisher over what they would have liked to pay for the book or make on sales of it? No disrespect intended, but these are the first things I thought while reading your post. I have no idea how these types of business dealing would even work- I'm not a publisher or a book vendor. But it doesn't seem likely that, as you put it, "they don’t want any Favre reminders on the Lambeau premises" when I can walk into the Packers Pro Shop and buy full-color prints of Favre and all sorts of Favre-centric books right off their shelves as it stands right now.... At least, these things were still available for sale as of my visit during this last Training Camp around early August. How much of a cut does the Packers Pro Shop typically get from merchandise sales? Book sales?

Could there have been a dispute between the Packers and your publisher over what they would have liked to pay for the book or make on sales of it?

No disrespect intended, but these are the first things I thought while reading your post. I have no idea how these types of business dealing would even work- I’m not a publisher or a book vendor. But it doesn’t seem likely that, as you put it, “they don’t want any Favre reminders on the Lambeau premises” when I can walk into the Packers Pro Shop and buy full-color prints of Favre and all sorts of Favre-centric books right off their shelves as it stands right now…. At least, these things were still available for sale as of my visit during this last Training Camp around early August.

]]> By: Oppy http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12300 Oppy Sat, 23 Oct 2010 05:19:47 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12300 Alex, You are overlooking the fact that Bedard is a reporter and the Packers are a football team. They have completely separate goals, and their success is gauged on separate scales. Greg Bedard is a sports writer. His job is (was, sniff sniff) to report news surrounding the Green Bay Packers and anything else their fans may find interesting or informative. Interest in his work generates readership. That is how his success is gauged. Reporting information about the Packers will never have a negative effect on his success, or the success of his employer. Being transparent or accessible will never have a negative effect on his success. It will bolster it. He needs people to like his work. People want to read his articles if they are informative, if he is accessible. The Green Bay Packers are a professional football team. Ultimately, their success is measured by wins. There is quite a bit of information that fans would love to have about the Packers and their players. Their gameplans. Roster dealings. Etc, etc.. Many of those same things are of great interest to their opponents, as well. And, although the fans may "demand transparency", ultimately, they demand wins first and fore most.. Because wins are measuring stick for success for NFL football teams. Not popularity, not readership. People want the Packers to be competitive, to be a winner. The Packers aren't going to divulge any information that they feel gives their opponents any advantage over them...because even if the fans "demand transparency", the Packers know that if that transparency comes at the price of lost victories, they are doing their fans a disservice.. I just recently posted on this back on CHTV.. I'm a fan just like everyone else here, I want detailed info immediately as much as any one else. But I fail to understand how so many people just don't get why the Packers aren't just an open book for the public to peer into. It seems painfully obvious to me. Alex,

You are overlooking the fact that Bedard is a reporter and the Packers are a football team. They have completely separate goals, and their success is gauged on separate scales.

Greg Bedard is a sports writer. His job is (was, sniff sniff) to report news surrounding the Green Bay Packers and anything else their fans may find interesting or informative. Interest in his work generates readership. That is how his success is gauged. Reporting information about the Packers will never have a negative effect on his success, or the success of his employer. Being transparent or accessible will never have a negative effect on his success. It will bolster it. He needs people to like his work. People want to read his articles if they are informative, if he is accessible.

The Green Bay Packers are a professional football team. Ultimately, their success is measured by wins. There is quite a bit of information that fans would love to have about the Packers and their players. Their gameplans. Roster dealings. Etc, etc.. Many of those same things are of great interest to their opponents, as well. And, although the fans may “demand transparency”, ultimately, they demand wins first and fore most.. Because wins are measuring stick for success for NFL football teams. Not popularity, not readership. People want the Packers to be competitive, to be a winner. The Packers aren’t going to divulge any information that they feel gives their opponents any advantage over them…because even if the fans “demand transparency”, the Packers know that if that transparency comes at the price of lost victories, they are doing their fans a disservice..

I just recently posted on this back on CHTV.. I’m a fan just like everyone else here, I want detailed info immediately as much as any one else. But I fail to understand how so many people just don’t get why the Packers aren’t just an open book for the public to peer into. It seems painfully obvious to me.

]]> By: PackersThad http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12299 PackersThad Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:25:40 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12299 Phil, let me take the time to say (again) that you wrote an awesome book and I love reading it again and again. It is a shame that the Packers don´t see the value of your book (yet). One day they will, but I´m glad it sold well!! Phil, let me take the time to say (again) that you wrote an awesome book and I love reading it again and again. It is a shame that the Packers don´t see the value of your book (yet). One day they will, but I´m glad it sold well!!

]]> By: PackersThad http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12298 PackersThad Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:22:20 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12298 Alex, this is so true. A well written article! The good thing is that one day, I think the Packers will take heed!! Alex, this is so true. A well written article! The good thing is that one day, I think the Packers will take heed!!

]]> By: Phil Hanrahan http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12296 Phil Hanrahan Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:40:24 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12296 Great post, Alex - agree about both Bedard and the Packers org. I remember being surprised in 08 that the Packers org never seemed to fully grasp that my book would be *a good thing* for the team - in love with all things Packers, celebrating Lambeau and Packer-fan culture, making Aaron Rodgers my protagonist, profiling lesser known players like Jordy and Tramon, visiting their home towns, emphasizing the team's national reach (watching Packers-Bears in a Packer bar in Scottsdale, AZ, for example), and basically just spreading the Packers gospel via the first book about the new-era Pack (MM, TT, Rodgers). I made clear the book was not there to "get the dirt" on the Favre fiasco, that it was pro-Packers. Eventually I did get enough cooperation to make the book happen, and Rob Crane in PR (he left last season) ended up being a welcome go-to guy for stuff, but might other teams would have made the process easier, quicker, fuller? The book got excellent reviews ("A+ for Packer fans, A for football fans" from Rick Gosselin at the Dallas Morning News), was well-received by fans, and has sold well. But oddly, you can't get it at the Packers Pro Shop, despite the fact that it celebrates every inch of Lambeau Field, including Curly's Pub. They decided not to stock it. We lobbied; I wrote the store buyer a letter; eventually I even contacted Mark Murphy - no dice. No explanation either. My only theory is that they don't want any Favre reminders on the Lambeau premises - and unavoidably, Favre is in my book's story, obviously. As a general "policy," I can kind of understand where they're coming from, but still - like you say in your post - wouldn't it be better to be a little braver and realize that the Favre reminding (not like fans have forgotten what happened anyway) is WAY outweighed by everything else in the book? It's no contest. Why should fans not be able to pick up a book that features a 30-page chapter telling the story of Aaron Rodgers (the fullest profile in existence), that takes you to Jordy's hometown, and Tramon's, and Kampman's (okay, he's gone, but we still like him), and to Packer bars in Arizona, Mississippi, and all over Wisconsin? It devotes multiple pages to the story of the Neuhaus Family Tailgate, the Neuhaus gang and friends flying in once a year from all over the country. Part of my book's stealth mission to make all football fans want to visit Lambeau once in their lives, and maybe possibly like the Pack a tiny bit even if they're a fan of a division rival. But you can't find it at Lambeau. Great post, Alex – agree about both Bedard and the Packers org. I remember being surprised in 08 that the Packers org never seemed to fully grasp that my book would be *a good thing* for the team – in love with all things Packers, celebrating Lambeau and Packer-fan culture, making Aaron Rodgers my protagonist, profiling lesser known players like Jordy and Tramon, visiting their home towns, emphasizing the team’s national reach (watching Packers-Bears in a Packer bar in Scottsdale, AZ, for example), and basically just spreading the Packers gospel via the first book about the new-era Pack (MM, TT, Rodgers). I made clear the book was not there to “get the dirt” on the Favre fiasco, that it was pro-Packers. Eventually I did get enough cooperation to make the book happen, and Rob Crane in PR (he left last season) ended up being a welcome go-to guy for stuff, but might other teams would have made the process easier, quicker, fuller? The book got excellent reviews (“A+ for Packer fans, A for football fans” from Rick Gosselin at the Dallas Morning News), was well-received by fans, and has sold well. But oddly, you can’t get it at the Packers Pro Shop, despite the fact that it celebrates every inch of Lambeau Field, including Curly’s Pub. They decided not to stock it. We lobbied; I wrote the store buyer a letter; eventually I even contacted Mark Murphy – no dice. No explanation either. My only theory is that they don’t want any Favre reminders on the Lambeau premises – and unavoidably, Favre is in my book’s story, obviously. As a general “policy,” I can kind of understand where they’re coming from, but still – like you say in your post – wouldn’t it be better to be a little braver and realize that the Favre reminding (not like fans have forgotten what happened anyway) is WAY outweighed by everything else in the book? It’s no contest. Why should fans not be able to pick up a book that features a 30-page chapter telling the story of Aaron Rodgers (the fullest profile in existence), that takes you to Jordy’s hometown, and Tramon’s, and Kampman’s (okay, he’s gone, but we still like him), and to Packer bars in Arizona, Mississippi, and all over Wisconsin? It devotes multiple pages to the story of the Neuhaus Family Tailgate, the Neuhaus gang and friends flying in once a year from all over the country. Part of my book’s stealth mission to make all football fans want to visit Lambeau once in their lives, and maybe possibly like the Pack a tiny bit even if they’re a fan of a division rival. But you can’t find it at Lambeau.

]]> By: Shawn http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12295 Shawn Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:56:15 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12295 Awesome piece, Alex! Bedard will definitely be missed around here. He kept us honest. Always an even keel. I will keep following him on Twitter because he is a hell of a journalist. Awesome piece, Alex! Bedard will definitely be missed around here. He kept us honest. Always an even keel.

I will keep following him on Twitter because he is a hell of a journalist.

]]> By: Dayne http://cheeseheadtv.com/eat_more_cheese/what-the-packers-should-learn-from-bedard/#comment-12294 Dayne Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:55:26 +0000 http://cheeseheadtv.com/lounge/?p=13535#comment-12294 I'll sign the petition to the Packer organization. I'll miss Bedard. I’ll sign the petition to the Packer organization.

I’ll miss Bedard.

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