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This event is always great for newsgathering . . .
Talking about the annual NFL Owner’s Meeting.
It was scheduled to take place this year from March 29-April 1, in Palm Beach, Florida.
The NFL announced today that it was cancelled due to the virus scare.
It’s a wonderful event for reporters, and in turn, fans.
Why?
Because you have NFL owner’s, GM’s and coaches all at the same hotel, for three days, in a casual atmosphere, and you really find out a lot of stuff.
This event is usually scheduled from Sunday-Wednesday, but often it ends on Tuesday afternoon, so the owners can get out of their sooner. A lot of these guys and gals still run their other businesses, so getting out of there a little sooner is helpful. Remember, most of them have private jets, so if you end the thing a day earlier, they don’t have to change their airline reservations.
One of the best parts of this annual event is a party of Monday night. It starts about 6 pm and often ends around 11 pm. It’s usually on a great lawn.
To your left there is Roger Goodell talking to people, to your right is Mike Tomlin chatting, and there is Al Michaels 10 yards of front of you. You get the idea.
It’s a who’s who of NFL people, and since so many heavy-hitters are there, it’s such a great place to gather information.
It’s a great chance to have a long talk with Christopher Johnson, with Joe Douglas, with guys like that, in a relaxed setting, and you don’t feel rushed, like in a more formal setting, where you always feel you are on the clock.
Last year, I had a really long chat, at that party, with Mike Maccagnan and his wife. Learned a lot of about them. Good people. It’s a shame it didn’t work out.
Then, on Tuesday, you have a media breakfast, where each coach is at his own table, for an hour, and you can bounce around, and ask questions to whichever coaches you please. Bill Belichick always arrives late to cut into the hour.
This breakfast not taking place is probably good for the Jets this year, because in this setting, it would give Adam Gase’s arch nemesis in the media, a chance to pepper him with myriad questions at the table, over the course of an hour. This could’ve been ugly. So this might be a win for the Jets.
And this event isn’t just about talking to owner’s, GM’s and coaches, but other team officials.
I will give you an example.
As you know, I’ve have an issue with NFL organizations overhyping young players before they’re truly established.
IMO, this is bad for the culture and the player.
Why do you think Bill Parcells always said when he believed the media was overhyping young players: “Don’t put him in Canton just yet, fellas.”
It can go to the player’s head.
Well I was talking to an executive with another team about the Jets perhaps over-hyping Sam Darnold, still a young developing QB.
And this guy told me that the team he works for, the head coach, reprimanded the guy who runs the team’s website for overhyping their young QB.
“Pump the breaks on hyping the kid – I got to keep him hungry,” the coach said to the website guy.
I’m not saying Sam isn’t hungry, but if you pump up kids too much, it can impact them. Look at Odell Beckham with the Giants – he was so hyped as a rookie (the catch didn’t help) – it went to his head. Look at him.
It’s a shame this event was cancelled.
Such a great event to gather information.
March 12, 2020
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