The Omaha Paper Can't Understand Why Martinez Doesn't Open Up To Them

[knapplc]

Jon, I love ya man, but this article killed me. Just plain killed me.

Nyatawa: We’d all enjoy getting to know Martinez that Huskers loveColumn by Jon Nyatawa / World-Herald Bureau

Martinez’s ill-timed mistakes may drive the NU staff crazy, but they love him. Teammates say the same thing.

Yet Martinez’s choice is to not publicly display the side of his personality that makes him so appealing to those inside the North Stadium walls. He speaks to reporters twice a week, but he routinely hides behind clichés and generalities, presumably unaware of (or maybe apathetic to) the outside perception shaped by his words.

...

Martinez, of course, doesn’t have to answer to the fans. Or the media.

But explaining such game-changing miscues in front of cameras might do wonders for his public image.

...

But Martinez never has been overly comfortable with the press. He’s honest and to the point, though his short answers to pointed questions can be misinterpreted. He rarely goes in-depth with his viewpoints.

I cannot, for the life of me, imagine why Taylor Martinez might be hesitant to open up with the press. Could it be....

Dirk Chatelain Apologizes for Cheap Shots at Taylor Martinez
Just as the furor over Dirk Chatelain's "last chance" ultimatum to Taylor Martinez started to die down, the Omaha World-Herald reporter reopened debate with a partial apology for his article.

Some of my words were too personal for a college athlete. Too harsh for a 21-year old.
For example, in last Friday's column, I referenced Martinez "pouting" during a press conference. I suggested that he "stop with the 'Woe is me.'" I wrote that negativity in the fan base threatens to "sap his confidence."
For those comments and others like them, I apologize to Martinez.
Make it clear, Chatelain isn't apologizing for his conclusion that Martinez should be at the end of his leash. In that light, I frankly don't think this is much of an apology. A lot of people have called Bo Pelini "petulant" over his post-game press conference where he responded to Chatelain's repeated inquiries about Martinez.

This was in reference, as we all know, to the infamous hit piece written by Mr. Nyatawa's colleague. It wasn't the first time the local media had taken liberties with analyses of Martinez' character and thought process. It was part of a growing trend of the press letting their displeasure for the way questions were answered by Martinez & Pelini seep into their reporting. It prompted a new identity tag in one publication, separating "news" from "opinion."

It lasted for the first two years of Martinez' career, beginning shortly after his first interviews, which were, admittedly, awkward. They continue to be, and clearly the local press continues to be affected by that awkwardness.

This is not to say that Martinez is beyond critique. He certainly is not, and he has responsibilities to shoulder the blame for his on-field mistakes. But expecting Taylor Martinez to open up to the press - the same press that has vilified him in a grossly unnecessary manner - is akin to expecting a guy to take back the girlfriend he caught cheating. He has zero reason to trust her ever again. That trust has to be earned, and I'm not seeing an abundance of effort on behalf of the local press to earn that trust.

I, along with every other fan, can completely agree with Nyatawa that it would be better - and far more comforting - if both Taylor Martinez and Bo Pelini opened up to reporters, let them (and us, by proxy) in to their thoughts, let us see the Taylor and the Bo that are so steadfastly supported by the players and coaches around them. But we're not going to get it, and especially not this way.

 

[Saunders]

 

[junior4949]

Considering my time spent away at college is and was a bit foggy, I have to ask: did Frazier, Frost, or Crouch ever really open up to the media? Crouch came along after my mind had cleared up a bit, and I remember most people didn't know a lot about him which would lead me to believe he never really opened up to the media.

 

[HuskerNationNick]

Yeah, lets open up to the media, so the next time you slip up, they plaster you to the wall. I don't blame him one bit for the way he is, and personally I like how he plays with a chip on his shoulder. You didn't believe in him then, why start? The bandwagon fans/media crack me up.

Sad thing, you still hear the same stuff from the last two years almost every game, and the media and fans are the first to still use him as a scapegoat. For example, the OSU game and the UCLA game.

 

[MLB 51]

Jon, I love ya man, but this article killed me. Just plain killed me.

Nyatawa: We’d all enjoy getting to know Martinez that Huskers loveColumn by Jon Nyatawa / World-Herald Bureau

Martinez’s ill-timed mistakes may drive the NU staff crazy, but they love him. Teammates say the same thing.

Yet Martinez’s choice is to not publicly display the side of his personality that makes him so appealing to those inside the North Stadium walls. He speaks to reporters twice a week, but he routinely hides behind clichés and generalities, presumably unaware of (or maybe apathetic to) the outside perception shaped by his words.

...

Martinez, of course, doesn’t have to answer to the fans. Or the media.

But explaining such game-changing miscues in front of cameras might do wonders for his public image.

...

But Martinez never has been overly comfortable with the press. He’s honest and to the point, though his short answers to pointed questions can be misinterpreted. He rarely goes in-depth with his viewpoints.

I cannot, for the life of me, imagine why Taylor Martinez might be hesitant to open up with the press. Could it be....

Dirk Chatelain Apologizes for Cheap Shots at Taylor Martinez
Just as the furor over Dirk Chatelain's "last chance" ultimatum to Taylor Martinez started to die down, the Omaha World-Herald reporter reopened debate with a partial apology for his article.

Some of my words were too personal for a college athlete. Too harsh for a 21-year old.
For example, in last Friday's column, I referenced Martinez "pouting" during a press conference. I suggested that he "stop with the 'Woe is me.'" I wrote that negativity in the fan base threatens to "sap his confidence."
For those comments and others like them, I apologize to Martinez.
Make it clear, Chatelain isn't apologizing for his conclusion that Martinez should be at the end of his leash. In that light, I frankly don't think this is much of an apology. A lot of people have called Bo Pelini "petulant" over his post-game press conference where he responded to Chatelain's repeated inquiries about Martinez.

This was in reference, as we all know, to the infamous hit piece written by Mr. Nyatawa's colleague. It wasn't the first time the local media had taken liberties with analyses of Martinez' character and thought process. It was part of a growing trend of the press letting their displeasure for the way questions were answered by Martinez & Pelini seep into their reporting. It prompted a new identity tag in one publication, separating "news" from "opinion."

It lasted for the first two years of Martinez' career, beginning shortly after his first interviews, which were, admittedly, awkward. They continue to be, and clearly the local press continues to be affected by that awkwardness.

This is not to say that Martinez is beyond critique. He certainly is not, and he has responsibilities to shoulder the blame for his on-field mistakes. But expecting Taylor Martinez to open up to the press - the same press that has vilified him in a grossly unnecessary manner - is akin to expecting a guy to take back the girlfriend he caught cheating. He has zero reason to trust her ever again. That trust has to be earned, and I'm not seeing an abundance of effort on behalf of the local press to earn that trust.

I, along with every other fan, can completely agree with Nyatawa that it would be better - and far more comforting - if both Taylor Martinez and Bo Pelini opened up to reporters, let them (and us, by proxy) in to their thoughts, let us see the Taylor and the Bo that are so steadfastly supported by the players and coaches around them. But we're not going to get it, and especially not this way.

Think ole' d!(k forgot the :sarcasm .

 

[Count 'Bility]

Yeah, lets open up to the media, so the next time you slip up, they plaster you to the wall. I don't blame him one bit for the way he is, and personally I like how he plays with a chip on his shoulder. You didn't believe in him then, why start? The bandwagon fans/media crack me up.

Sad thing, you still hear the same stuff from the last two years almost every game, and the media and fans are the first to still use him as a scapegoat. For example, the OSU game and the UCLA game.

God help the Big 10 if we find a way to field a defense behind him next year, or even the rest of this season. That's the only bugaboo holding him back right now.

 

[knapplc]

God help the Big 10 if we find a way to field a defense behind him next year, or even the rest of this season. That's the only bugaboo holding him back right now.

A stout defense, Ameer/Heard/Cross, that WR corps, and Martinez at the helm next year. That would be a sight to see.

 

[HuskerNationNick]

God help the Big 10 if we find a way to field a defense behind him next year, or even the rest of this season. That's the only bugaboo holding him back right now.

A stout defense, Ameer/Heard/Cross, that WR corps, and Martinez at the helm next year. That would be a sight to see.

Next year, there will be no excuses. If the verbal commits stick, and the depth we have next year, we should have a very decent defense, and even a better offense. Losing Rex will hurt us, but I think Janovich and Cross/Heard/Ameer combo will fill those shoes plus more. If Valentine can remain healthy, with Rome, Moss, Ankrah, Curry & Williams, our Dline will be stout. Our LB crew, I believe will also be better, especially if we plan on giving Santos, Pirman, Roach and Gangwish some more playing time. I don't know why, but my stomach tells me one of those last 3 players will show some unexpected talent.

 

[Undone]

To go a step further though, let's be honest: The vast majority of media & journalism is there to sell ad space. Nyatawa's article did the trick; it's like a car crash that you can't stop staring at. It's a hook.

I know Jon's a really smart guy. It shows in his work & also how well spoken he is. He knows what he's doing. He's writing a piece (of sh!t) that gets noticed. I highly doubt he really believes in what he's writing there. Taylor clearly knows how to handle the media very, very well. Much better than us fans probably understood when we first met the kid in the press.

 

[Husker NoNo]

To go a step further though, let's be honest: The vast majority of media & journalism is there to sell ad space. Nyatawa's article did the trick; it's like a car crash that you can't stop staring at. It's a hook.

I know Jon's a really smart guy. It shows in his work & also how well spoken he is. He knows what he's doing. He's writing a piece (of sh!t) that gets noticed. I highly doubt he really believes in what he's writing there. Taylor clearly knows how to handle the media very, very well. Much better than us fans probably understood when we first met the kid in the press.

FACT!

 

[Eagle1]

God help the Big 10 if we find a way to field a defense behind him next year, or even the rest of this season. That's the only bugaboo holding him back right now.

A stout defense, Ameer/Heard/Cross, that WR corps, and Martinez at the helm next year. That would be a sight to see.

Next year, there will be no excuses. If the verbal commits stick, and the depth we have next year, we should have a very decent defense, and even a better offense. Losing Rex will hurt us, but I think Janovich and Cross/Heard/Ameer combo will fill those shoes plus more. If Valentine can remain healthy, with Rome, Moss, Ankrah, Curry & Williams, our Dline will be stout. Our LB crew, I believe will also be better, especially if we plan on giving Santos, Pirman, Roach and Gangwish some more playing time. I don't know why, but my stomach tells me one of those last 3 players will show some unexpected talent.

I agree. If it hadn't been for an injury, Gangwish was #2 a LB last Spring but fell down the chart after the injury but is working back up. I've heard numerous rumors over the last few weeks of them trying to find a place to play him. Another quote out of a practice after our starting Oline was given fits by him at DE was that he rushes like Wistrom and if they could make themselves block him they could block anybody. Big words I know but the kid could be something special on D if given the chance.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

God help the Big 10 if we find a way to field a defense behind him next year, or even the rest of this season. That's the only bugaboo holding him back right now.

A stout defense, Ameer/Heard/Cross, that WR corps, and Martinez at the helm next year. That would be a sight to see.

Next year, there will be no excuses. If the verbal commits stick, and the depth we have next year, we should have a very decent defense, and even a better offense. Losing Rex will hurt us, but I think Janovich and Cross/Heard/Ameer combo will fill those shoes plus more. If Valentine can remain healthy, with Rome, Moss, Ankrah, Curry & Williams, our Dline will be stout. Our LB crew, I believe will also be better, especially if we plan on giving Santos, Pirman, Roach and Gangwish some more playing time. I don't know why, but my stomach tells me one of those last 3 players will show some unexpected talent.

If by depth you mean alot of inexperienced guys, then yeah we will be deep on defense next year!

 

[kchusker_chris]

Next year, there will be no excuses. If the verbal commits stick, and the depth we have next year, we should have a very decent defense, and even a better offense. Losing Rex will hurt us, but I think Janovich and Cross/Heard/Ameer combo will fill those shoes plus more. If Valentine can remain healthy, with Rome, Moss, Ankrah, Curry & Williams, our Dline will be stout. Our LB crew, I believe will also be better, especially if we plan on giving Santos, Pirman, Roach and Gangwish some more playing time. I don't know why, but my stomach tells me one of those last 3 players will show some unexpected talent.

What are the excuses this year? I thought we had depth this year - wasn't that the talking point all offseason? Peat, Rome, Stein, Guy, Randle, Williams, Carter, Ankrah, Martin, Meredith, Vestal? This is the exact same thing we (myself included) were all saying at the beginning of the year. Most of us weren't entirely unrealistic because of the schedule we faced (which has since turned into a joke)....but not a single person on this planet thought we'd be fielding one of the worst defenses in the B1G. I don't see a lot of "hope" with the defense at this point. Maybe they'll turn it around in the second half like 2008 and we'll be looking forward to next year. But I'm sorry, the above remarks are a recurring theme in the Pelini era. I live in KC. I know what it's like to be a fan of a team that is perpetually stuck in the "we'll be better next year" BS. To think the "verbal commits" are going to have any impact on the team is almost completely ignoring the last 5 years of this football team. Unless we raid the Kansas JUCOS (which i don't know why we aren't)...this class and last class won't be doing much for us. The team we have now, is the team we'll be competing with next year -> minus most of our LBers, 3/4 of the line, and almost all our depth at safety. Who knows, maybe cleaning house is what they need.

 

[Stickney]

If only the Nebraska media were the problem at 10th and Vine.

 

[HuskerNationNick]

Next year, there will be no excuses. If the verbal commits stick, and the depth we have next year, we should have a very decent defense, and even a better offense. Losing Rex will hurt us, but I think Janovich and Cross/Heard/Ameer combo will fill those shoes plus more. If Valentine can remain healthy, with Rome, Moss, Ankrah, Curry & Williams, our Dline will be stout. Our LB crew, I believe will also be better, especially if we plan on giving Santos, Pirman, Roach and Gangwish some more playing time. I don't know why, but my stomach tells me one of those last 3 players will show some unexpected talent.

What are the excuses this year? I thought we had depth this year - wasn't that the talking point all offseason? Peat, Rome, Stein, Guy, Randle, Williams, Carter, Ankrah, Martin, Meredith, Vestal? This is the exact same thing we (myself included) were all saying at the beginning of the year. Most of us weren't entirely unrealistic because of the schedule we faced (which has since turned into a joke)....but not a single person on this planet thought we'd be fielding one of the worst defenses in the B1G. I don't see a lot of "hope" with the defense at this point. Maybe they'll turn it around in the second half like 2008 and we'll be looking forward to next year. But I'm sorry, the above remarks are a recurring theme in the Pelini era. I live in KC. I know what it's like to be a fan of a team that is perpetually stuck in the "we'll be better next year" BS. To think the "verbal commits" are going to have any impact on the team is almost completely ignoring the last 5 years of this football team. Unless we raid the Kansas JUCOS (which i don't know why we aren't)...this class and last class won't be doing much for us. The team we have now, is the team we'll be competing with next year -> minus most of our LBers, 3/4 of the line, and almost all our depth at safety. Who knows, maybe cleaning house is what they need.

Excuse is injuries. Peat, Randle and Williams are coming off of injuries. You can't expect them to be 100% at the snap of a finger, unfortunately.

Guy was never expected to be a huge impact this year, as S&C is still making the most they can in size and speed. Martin has made an impact, but he is a smaller guy, so not sure what you mean by him. Rome has made more of an impact than most think. Look how our Dline looked when he was gone that weekend. Subpar against an FCS school. His coming back week, we looked 100% better, which opened a lot of play for Steinkuhler. Stein is just someone everyone hopes to be a great, like his father, but just because you wear the name, doesn't mean your going to be legendary. Meredith, again lack of size and speed. Take those players who are injured, that are capable of making big plays, add them to the mix where they need double coverage, that makes room for LB's to slip in, or DE's to get to the QB a lot easier.

Like you stated, maybe they can get their act together and turn things around this year. That is something I am not holding my breathe for to be honest lol. Steinkuhler and Rome need to work together, be a brute force, because they are the two who make the strength on that line. Maybe this players meeting will mend what ever is broken. At this point, all we can be is hopeful. Also, I never said anything about verbal commits lol