Feschuk has no business covering the CFL

CFL Talk
1

Take a look at this sorry excuse for journalism:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/271259

Argonauts put fans to sleep
Oct 28, 2007 04:30 AM
Dave Feschuk

[i]Maybe the CFL isn't seeing the upside of the recent hemming and hawing about the prospect of an NFL team coming to Hogtown and obliterating the northland's little league. At least there hasn't been time for moaning and groaning about a product gone bad – about the way a fun-to-watch offensive-focused product has suddenly, in a couple of tough-to-watch seasons, degenerated into a defensive struggle considerably less pleasing to watch than, say, computer-generated horse racing on a Jumbotron.

Yes, we understand Argo faithful is ecstatic about their team's sixth straight win yesterday, even if it was a 16-8 stinker. But yesterday the biggest cheer of the afternoon from the impressive crowd of 40,116 at Rogers Centre was, indeed, reserved for a scoreboard horse race, wherein each of the pixilated ponies represented a section of the stadium. (The purple steed, running for the pride of the 200 Level, won in a photo finish). And woo-freaking-hoo.

As for the guy jockeying the Argos offence, quarterback Michael Bishop, he was abysmal, completing just 10 of his 29 passing attempts for 145 yards.

"I believe we're going to need more offence to win in the playoffs," said Michael Clemons, the Argos coach. "Our team goes as our offence goes. When they play well, we're dominant. ... When they don't play well, we're battling for our lives."

Whatever happened to exciting CFL games in these parts? Yesterday's not-so-thrilling win – a game that saw Toronto overtake the Blue Bombers for first in the East and set up a situation where a win in next week's game at Saskatchewan will give the Argos a bye into the East final – came on the heels of last week's 16-9 win over Montreal, which came a few weeks after they beat Edmonton 18-11. These dead-ball Argos have scored 18 or fewer points eight times in 17 games. They've won just three of those games

Yesterday the score was 4-1 for Winnipeg until there was less than three minutes to go in the first half. And if it wasn't for some enterprising special-teams work by Ray Fontaine, who blocked a punt and forced a fumble that set up both of Toronto's touchdowns, both teams might have posted single-digit tallies for the 60-minute mess. Such is the reality of the CFL these days, especially in Toronto: The star of the game turns out to be an Ottawa-bred worker bee. Forget the offensive fireworks. Enjoy the grunt work.

Bishop said the style of the CFL game has transformed itself "for the better," which underlines that truism that players almost never understand the fan's perspective.

"It's more entertaining as a player. It's more fun trying to beat a good defence," he said. "The fans, they're used to 80-yard one-play drives, big bombs, big plays. But the game is changing. You've got to enjoy what it is."

Not that Bishop enjoyed himself yesterday.

"I played terrible," he said. "You don't want to have games like that, but I've had my games like that.''

Chad Folk, the offensive lineman, said the offence has been dogged by its ineptitude. While the Toronto defence is a loosey-goosey crew, literally bouncing in unison before seemingly every play, the Argos on the weaker side of the ball look tight. No surprise, perhaps, that they had their best moment yesterday when somebody broke the tension.

"(Bishop) came into the huddle at one point and cracked a joke," said Folk. "He brought some levity to the situation, and we went down and scored a touchdown."

Maybe if they miked up the QB and broadcast his one-liners – a little sugar to go with another salty stat line – Argo fans would be getting better value for their day at the horse race.[/i]

I was at that game. Sure, it was low scoring, but the fans were right into it, and we exploded on the two touch downs.

I was so looking forward to reading the paper about the huge success story, 40,000+ fans turning out to support their Argos, even in the face of all the anti-CFL, pro-NFL articles of late.

This joke ought to be fired.

P.S. here's his e-mail address:

dfeschu@thestar.ca
2

The guy should try watching a few NFL games. Then he will be bored.

3

I emailed the guy everyone should too.

4

I guess thats why TV ratings are up and attendance is up cause the products bad?

5

I've emailed the guy several times. I asked him whats a guy covering a who gives a rats ass sport like basketball doing taking shots at a the CFL?

And I mean did you hear about the Buffalo Bills game today? It was 3-3 into the 4th quarter.

But I bet Brunt and the boys will make it out to be the greatest defensive struggle in NFL history!

How'd these guys ever get their jobs? They're idiots.

6

They're Toronto sports media. They're the ones who orchestrate the whole underground "Make Toronto the 51st State" movement. But they do come off as somewhat hypocritical.

Recently, there've been a crapload of articles in the Toronto Star about all the coin Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. have been making for their six primary shareholders; whilst haven't fielding a championship team since 1967. Granted, I'm a closet frustrated Leafs fan (Sens rule!), but it seems like there wankers are flaming everything sports-related in T-Dot.

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This Feschuck guy is obviously just a dweezle who will probably be covering jr. girls volleyball by next week. But Brunt must be on Tannenbaum's payroll, paying him by the word to expound on the virtues of NFL in Toronto...or perhaps offering the carrot of favourable access to the Leafs if he plays it up big??

8

I wrote Dave Feschuk a couple of times yesterday giving him the what for about his CFL article. Here's what his respnse was:

"I appreciate what you're saying. I certainly don't expect or demand that you read my articles. We obviously have very different viewpoints about these things, and I respect yours.
I, for the record, have not written a word of praise for the NFL product, or for the Bills. I have only pointed out that a) the league is extremely powerful, and b) it is insterested in investigating the Taranna market."

Geez. All the guy did was refer to CAnada as the "Northland"? And to the CFL as a "little league"?
And to the qualitly of play as bush league?
And his article was dripping with sarcasm.

But no. He only writes about the powerful NFL?
Thats not praise? HOw sad we have morons like this in the media. My question is why is he covering the CFL then if he hates the game so much?

It'd be like having me cover basketball!

9

Didn't notice this thread, apologies for starting another thread.
Guarantee that Feschuk will not mention the word "sleep" or "snoozer" for an NFL game.

Good point berezin about him covering the CFL if he isn't a fan which I doubt he is.

10

Yeah Earl.
I could write him again because his response is so weak, but whats the point? Nothing will change his mind. And if he did it would make him look even stupider than he does now!

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True. It must bug people like Feschuk when he obviously thinks that Canada is some hick country using the term "northland" in a sense to me that implies hickness but fails to mention he is living in this "northland".

Dave, maybe time to move to the "southland" bud if it's too hicky for you here.

12

It seems guys like this love the reaction from CFL fans. In other words he loves the fact he gets a response. Quit feeding his ego simply do not reply to the moron. This is how he gets his kicks. No one reads his columns so he has to get a reaction some how. :roll:

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Thats what I told him in my first email. Like if he has such little respect for this country, why is he still here?

I've always thought that those who despise the CFL basically hae a lack of respect for CAnada as a whole. And the way this guy refers to CAnada backs up my theory 100%.

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Welcome to the centre of the Universe where the media actually thinks everything revolves around them. Great city lousy media what can you say. But by catering to their needs you only feed them (media trolls). Simply do not react.

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Unfortunately berezin, I think there are many more Canadians than one would care to think that don't really like the fact they are Canadians or live in this country to be honest. And this has absolutely nothing to do with the CFL or sports as a lot of these people wouldn't know the difference between a hockey puck or football or whatever. Goes far beyond that I think.

16

Good advice. Also, don’t buy the paper. No revenue, no advertising, no annoying writers!

17

The CFL is the only league in the world that has its entertainment value scrutinized as much as it is year after year. In this case, the beef is that defenses are getting better. Shouldn't we be celebrating this?

18

Read Feschuks article today in the Star. He takes shots at CFL fans again. I think he called us CFL fans "windbags" because of the nasty emails he got from us.
Meanwhile he loves basketball fans. Surprise surprise eh?

But gee. Do you think its maybe the fact he ridiculed the league and insulted Canadians at the same time that CFL fans got pissed off?

While he is always positive about basketball and the NFL? To the point of grovelling?

But I say cudos to CFL fans. We got this SOB on the run. He knows now he can't slag a league and a country and get away with it.

We have shown this moron what CAnadians aren't backwoods hicks. Amazing we have to prove that to a supposedly fellow CAnadain, eh?

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Most Verbose Fans? CFL Windbags

Oct 30, 2007 Dave Feschuk

Toronto Star

click here

CFL fans are "as insecure as pimply teens
and as likeable as funeral-home greeters.

And it's great to hear from them."

P.S.

Check out what David Cynamon, the Argos co-owner
has to say about that column of David Feschuk's.

20

Thanks for this articel guys.

Like I mentioned earlier, the thing I find strange/unprofessional whatever is that this guy writes for a local newspaper, it's not a national paper, and instead of celebrating the Argo victory like Cynamon suggested he do, he takes the opportunity to cut-up the CFL. That's just a unclassy low blow and shows that the guy doesn't have the class, at least not to be a reporter I don't think. It's his town's team for pete's sakes. Scummer all the way this guy is, the lowest of the low. He can call me insecure or whatever, I don't care less. Call it like I see it.