I read Morrissey’s article over lunch (not by choice, but boredom) and the whole thing just reeks of cop out.

He’s basically disowning his own column from last week and I just want to call “B—- S—-”. It’s just funny how he pats himself on the back when he wins and he reaches just a little further to pat himself on the back a bit harder when he loses. And all the while retaining the cheeky smirk attitude that makes you want to puke.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, pal. I hope his tired little act sells papers for the Trib. I’d hate to walk past him on the street holding a cup one day.

I might just smirk at him and walk on by.

rosenbloom backtracked in his recent column as well.

the common denominator in all these reporters is that they dont watch the games. often times they ruin the sport more than they help it.

and im suprised chifan13 that you didnt feel like the bears could have won that game. i agree there were many questions with this team and there still are, but othere than one game last year against the cowboys, this team had a chance to win every game going into the 4th. they were vanilla and experimental in the preseason and i felt like a healthy group this team would have a shot. I like this teams system and i feel like when they play hard and are healthy they can hang with anyone.

i mean really?

common denominator in all these reporters is that they dont watch the games

 
of course they do

That Morrissey doesn’t understand his responsibility/ ethics as a journalist. I mean, that is what he is getting paid for, right. To be a journalist and not an angst-ridden teenager?

All types of media affect the public, with various effects. Morrissey is just a gnat, but when thousands and thousands of gnat attack you, don’t you get a little pissed.

Does he really think, as human beings, that football players are not going to be motivated more so than they already were to prove tens of thousands of people wrong.

Look at the negativity that was on this blog throughout preseason. And we actually like the team.

I guess he doesn’t like that we have literate football players who actually listen to the criticism, and then say, well, fuck you and your criticism.

He’s lucky the Bears players were emotional enough that they acknowledged that the talk of them sucking was extra motivation. They could have ignored all of that and just said, yeah, we won. Duh.

What would this gnat write if the Bears hadn’t mentioned the doubters (wow, a new concept in sports — the underdog fights back its doubters!). Morrissey wouldn’t have anything to write.

Wait. He didn’t have anything to write. That’s why he wrote crap.

oh, and to scoff and admit that he didn’t think much before predicting who would win the game . . . wow. Shouldn’t he get fired for not thinking? For not thinking, and for publishing his lack of thinking?

If one doesn’t even have to think about what they write, I want that job. As an English professor, I’d trade him jobs right now.

Isn’t he telling us that his job could be done by someone less qualified, or any of us, considering we too know how to string together sentences and espouse our opinions on sports?

I entitled it “Super big fan.” And his ego did make him read what he might have thought was going to be fan mail. But then I think my sarcasm was so strong he decided to reply with a very childish, misguided response. This from a journalist, who obviously doesn’t understand that my point goes beyond his picking a score off the top of his head.

My e-mail, admittedly dripping with sarcasm:

"Rick,

I love your writing so much. I thought you were spot on when you said “I didn’t put a whole lot of thought into the pick.”

That really shows beaucoup journalistic integrity and responsibility. Honestly, where is your responsibility as a writer?

You just told the public, and your boss, that you don’t have to have any kind of qualifications to do your job. That means you are very replaceable.

In fact, I think many of my writing students could do your job. If all they have to do is write half-witted, self-inflated sentences . . . oops, they actually are a bit more considerate in their own writing. My bad.

I’m glad I don’t pay to read the Tribune. We’re so lucky for the Internet because it’s free and we don’t have to pay towards your salary.

But I guess that’s why you still have your job. Because so many of us love you. I’m sure you heard this before. I mean, you’re so popular now that even Lovie Smith is reading your column. Or at least you and your clueless editors would like to think this.

bests,
Jay Mariotti"

His super witty defense:

"My responsibility certainly has nothing to do with picking a score. If you judge a writer by how he picks an NFL game, then I’m not sure you really understand what a sportswriter does. If you indeed teach writing, it would be like you being judged on how you line them up for recess.

Rick"

…I then sent back a much longer, considerate reproach of his insulting, half-put-together articles, but I never expected the first reply so I doubt I’ll hear back again. Especially when instead of writing down to his level another time, I actually encouraged him to explore actual issues fully and let his own sarcasm and wit take a back seat.

Of course, he thinks he’s rather funny, and I still think he doesn’t understand his responsibilities as a journalist.

I might e-mail him again just to discuss the finer points of grammar, the easy rules. It really shouldn’t matter, but considering he is getting paid to dress as a journalist, he really should be able to follow a simple rule like writing “a NFL” rather than “an NFL” as he did.

That rule is small with the larger world, but it just serves as an extra point to his hack writing.

again, i think it is sad how worked up this is getting you people.