Sean Taylor doesn't want to be a skin? WTF?

I wasn't going to go here, but I worked with Peter King at CNNSI (when it was still around) and he was a story confirmer, but didn't break many stories. Pat Kirwan got much better information and got it faster. King has some contacts because he's been in the league forever, but they are mostly writers, not front office types or players. If King is 'breaking' a story such as this one, it's because someone who heard it from someone told him, not that he actually spoke to a principal player. If this is splashed all over the Post or Times or Miami Herald tomorrow then I'd give it a little bit of credence, but until then, I won't. Also, if there was something to it, don't you think one of the ESPN guys would also have a blurb on ESPN.com? Just something to think about.

"6. I think I'm hearing ominous signs out of Washington that first-round pick Sean Taylor does not want to be a Redskin. But I wouldn't expect Joe Gibbs to be too worried. He'll figure this one out."

Peter King, MMQB

What is this founded on? Joe Crisp, have you heard anything to back this up?
I haven't heard anything remotely like that-- but what do I know, right? I'm all the way down here in Richmond, VA and the great Peter King is right there in Ashburn-- wait... oh, that's right, Peter King does his speculating from Upper Montclair, NJ-- the oracle of all NFL and Redskins knowledge.

Let's look at the way this speculation is phrased-- and it is speculation until you have quotes from the principal parties to back it up-- "I think I'm hearing ominous signs..."

Okay, what the hell does that mean?

Did someone tell him, "Sean Taylor doesn't want to be a Redskin"?

Or did someone tell him, "you know, Sean Taylor didn't look all that upbeat during minicamp... he seemed a little disenchanted... and now with this whole agent-firing thing...he doesn't seem like a happy camper"?

Which sounds more plausible:

After one three-day minicamp, Sean Taylor confided in someone close to him that he doesn't want to be a Redskin, and then that someone ran off and told a prominent sportswriter like Peter King?

Or an observer-- perhaps another member of the media, maybe even a team employee-- at the minicamp noticed that Sean Taylor seemed rather sullen and unenthused in the face of the media throng that showed up to scrutinize his first practices as a Redskin, that observer casually mentioned it to King, and King-- having little to write about during the NFL's painfully slow news period between the post-draft minicamps and the June 1st cap cuts-- decides to run with it and do a little recreational speculating?

I'll go with the latter. I've read King's stuff for years, and while he's a great writer when he sticks to the facts and writes about things he actually witnessed firsthand or heard during an interview, I wouldn't lend any more creedence to his speculation than that from any of the countless rumormill websites that allege to have their own "reliable sources"-- especially when he doesn't even go into detail about these "ominous signs" or quote any sources that led to him drawing such conclusions-- or "things he thinks he thinks"-- as he likes to call them in his MMQB column.

That particular part of King's SI column is mostly devoted-- as the name of the section would indicate-- to idle thoughts and ramblings about whatever King happens to be cogitating on at the moment. I think sometimes he gets a little carried away with some of his conjecture-- as his Seattle-Jacksonville Super Bowl vision would clearly suggest. I think his comments about Taylor should be taken for how they were offered-- with very little support for belief, other than blind faith in the idea that what King deems worthy of printing is worthy of acceptance as fact.

Here's what I took away from minicamp regarding Sean Taylor: he's a quiet subdued, easy-going kid that didn't seem all that comfortable with the attention he had drawn to the Redskins' second minicamp. He didn't smile a lot around the press, he didn't look overly excited to be there talking to them, and he politely said as little as possible in answering their questions. But he did say all the right things during his press conference, he seemed to be getting along just fine with his teammates during practice-- even Ife Ohalete, whose job Taylor is ostensibly there to take-- and overall he seemed to be enjoying his first experiences as an NFL player.

So at least outwardly, there was nothing to indicate that Taylor was unhappy to be a Redskin, per se. There was nothing said amongst the media that would indicate there were any problems brewing beneath the surface. But I can see how an observer might misinterpret Taylor's aloof demeanor as an omen of general unhappiness or disenchantment with being a Redskin, and not just a sign that maybe he wasn't all that comfortable with having to face a crowd of reporters after his first practice as a pro. If someone didn't know that Taylor is generally reserved in his interactions with the media, they might easily speculate that he wasn't happy or didn't want to be a Redskin. Factor in the surprising termination of his relationship with agent Drew Rosenhaus-- who is known to work fluidly with the Redskins front office-- and it wouldn't be a dramatic leap of faith to assert that Taylor has a problem with the Redskins.

Peter King is a well-respected journalist, yes. But simply because he has more accolades than a lot of other journalists doesn't mean his speculation should be lent any more substance than what he gives it through citation of sources with primary knowledge of the facts. He provides none here, and therefore leaves it up to his readers to decide whether or not to believe it. Given what I saw and heard at Redskins Park, and knowing that Peter King wasn't at Redskins Park and probably is relying on secondhand or even third- or fourth-hand info, I would say that he's just stirring the pot for the sake of stirring the pot-- that's what guys like Peter King do, and that's why they get paid the big bucks.

Just seems like King is trying to drum up some controversy in this slow time for news. I really wouldn't take it too seriously.

I agree with JC, of course he got to see Taylor up close and I'm just going on what I've read and seen from clips on the net, etc., but Taylor just seems like a really reserved and easy going kinda kid that probably isn't totally comfortable or adjusted to the NFL media yet. One could probably speculate that he isn't happy, when in reality it's just his personality.

I agree that the King article is probably a load of BS... but doesn't this sound possible?

Taylor to agent: "Make sure I don't end up in Washington or your fired." Two days after draft, agent is fired.

I would really hate this to be the case, and am very confident that Gibbs will make it work.

It is amazing to me that some of you nimwits think you know more about the pulse of the NFL then Peter King.

The man makes a living writing these columns and is profiled on HBO's Inside the NFL. And you Joe Potatohead from some beach town in Delaware know more about NFL football and/or Sean Taylor then he?!?

I mean, disagree if you want but to discredit his column like you know better then he... just who is the loser in that equation?!?
Just for that Drkstar, you can't come to my beach party. ;)

The reason I listed those quotes - and they could apply to nearly any analysis of the league from any writer - is to point out the fact that writers who write solely about the league are prone to specualtion this time of year. Add to that the fact that King's Monday column is (no disrespect intended) a collection of his musings about the league, rather than substantive analysis (the quotes are from the section "Ten Things I Think I Think"), and you have merits for the debate that I'd hoped to cause.

Since you chose to set the parameters for this debate with insults about my oversized potato-head (about which I am extremely sensitive), I hereby offer you this rejoinder: You are a stinkface.

LOL
This just in "I think Peter King has been hired to be Sean Taylor's new agent."

Drkstar,
I know you think the force is strong in Peter King. But he is not Luke's father.

Joe Crisp,
As usual, you are the calm voice of reason to calm the angry self proclaimed genious. :madani:
You are right, since when does anyone take seriously any quote that begins with "I think..."

sheesh, I did not think I would create such a stir.... MIA CULPA!

Brud, I hope you understand, I was just trying to be somewhat dramatic in making my point of King's credibility over some of the journalist wannabe's and arm chair GM's out there. But i have respect for all of your opinions collectively. Live and let live I say. Its good to see the blood flowing in here today. Beats the hell out of the "let me tell you why U of Miami atendee's (gotta be atendee cause nobody actually graduates from that college and plays football) are the best thing since the Four Horsemen" threads....

I mean it was only 2 sumemrs ago we had all those gator fans in here telling us how SS would master the NFL with Danny F'in Warfael(sp) at QB.... seems to me that they all ran the other way recently. I wonder why that is/was?!?

My point, after I have successfully pissed all the respected members of this board off, is that Peter King knows more then you. This is my opinion of course but then again, what the F do I know?!?

To be honest, notwithstanding the few immature posters that pass through, I'd put up the coverage and discussion you find here against just about any single sportswriter out there.

Right on with this one Phin. I will be the first to tell you that when it comes to the intricate parts of the game, I am still trying to learn about things such as the 4-6 defense, etc. If I ever have a question, people here can answer it clearly and right away. Not to mention anything Redskins they are right on top of. I can name about 20 people off this site who I think are better informed than most of the local media when it comes to Redskin's goings on!

:cheeky-sm ______ Drkstar use your brain properly before u defend the enemy peter-Liar-King or zimmermanure. – Or is it malfunction??.

Well, every1 who are real Redskins fan know that peter-Liar-King is a diehard giants fan who very much hate Dan Snyder & Redskins.
--- Now that the giants FO has been fumbling with KCollins—EManning disaster and Tom Coughlin bad reception in giants locker room, peter-Liar-King is just trying to voodoo his way into creating Sean Taylor fiasco within Redskins organization.

*
We all know that Sean Taylor is buddy buddy with Clinton Portis. – All along Clinton had been saying the magic word "Sean Taylor" whenever he crossed path with coach Gibbs. – Surely, CP will not let coach Gibbs down, knowing that ST does not want to play for coach Gibbs.

*
Re: DRosenhaus
We do not know the real story yet. – Nowadays the good agent will not only negotiate contract with the FO, but she/he will also acts as a top financial advisor & in some instance acts as a "Father—Figure" for those players who were raised by single moms.

Perhaps, DRosenhaus has made a series of bad investments for some other players. – Sean Taylor is spooked by these news and fired DRosenhaus so that he can hire competent financial advisor.

– Or perhaps, Sean Taylor has been tipped off by his father (Florida City – Chief of Police) that DRosenhaus has been linked to some shady white collar crime, and ST wants to distance himself from such scandalous agent.

*
Check this story -- why Postons brother are well respected among some players. – Note: After reading the article, I still dislike the win—lose tactic or the war symbol deployed by the Postons during negotiation with some team.

http://www.freep.com/sports/lions/agents21_20031021.htm

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:eek: __________ Btw: Does Drkstar = Dark-texas-star = cowdung SPY ?!?


*
:dallas:

I haven't heard anything remotely like that-- but what do I know, right? I'm all the way down here in Richmond, VA and the great Peter King is right there in Ashburn-- wait... oh, that's right, Peter King does his speculating from Upper Montclair, NJ-- the oracle of all NFL and Redskins knowledge.

Let's look at the way this speculation is phrased-- and it is speculation until you have quotes from the principal parties to back it up-- "I think I'm hearing ominous signs..."

Okay, what the hell does that mean?

Did someone tell him, "Sean Taylor doesn't want to be a Redskin"?

Or did someone tell him, "you know, Sean Taylor didn't look all that upbeat during minicamp... he seemed a little disenchanted... and now with this whole agent-firing thing...he doesn't seem like a happy camper"?

Which sounds more plausible:

After one three-day minicamp, Sean Taylor confided in someone close to him that he doesn't want to be a Redskin, and then that someone ran off and told a prominent sportswriter like Peter King?

Or an observer-- perhaps another member of the media, maybe even a team employee-- at the minicamp noticed that Sean Taylor seemed rather sullen and unenthused in the face of the media throng that showed up to scrutinize his first practices as a Redskin, that observer casually mentioned it to King, and King-- having little to write about during the NFL's painfully slow news period between the post-draft minicamps and the June 1st cap cuts-- decides to run with it and do a little recreational speculating?

I'll go with the latter. I've read King's stuff for years, and while he's a great writer when he sticks to the facts and writes about things he actually witnessed firsthand or heard during an interview, I wouldn't lend any more creedence to his speculation than that from any of the countless rumormill websites that allege to have their own "reliable sources"-- especially when he doesn't even go into detail about these "ominous signs" or quote any sources that led to him drawing such conclusions-- or "things he thinks he thinks"-- as he likes to call them in his MMQB column.

That particular part of King's SI column is mostly devoted-- as the name of the section would indicate-- to idle thoughts and ramblings about whatever King happens to be cogitating on at the moment. I think sometimes he gets a little carried away with some of his conjecture-- as his Seattle-Jacksonville Super Bowl vision would clearly suggest. I think his comments about Taylor should be taken for how they were offered-- with very little support for belief, other than blind faith in the idea that what King deems worthy of printing is worthy of acceptance as fact.

Here's what I took away from minicamp regarding Sean Taylor: he's a quiet subdued, easy-going kid that didn't seem all that comfortable with the attention he had drawn to the Redskins' second minicamp. He didn't smile a lot around the press, he didn't look overly excited to be there talking to them, and he politely said as little as possible in answering their questions. But he did say all the right things during his press conference, he seemed to be getting along just fine with his teammates during practice-- even Ife Ohalete, whose job Taylor is ostensibly there to take-- and overall he seemed to be enjoying his first experiences as an NFL player.

So at least outwardly, there was nothing to indicate that Taylor was unhappy to be a Redskin, per se. There was nothing said amongst the media that would indicate there were any problems brewing beneath the surface. But I can see how an observer might misinterpret Taylor's aloof demeanor as an omen of general unhappiness or disenchantment with being a Redskin, and not just a sign that maybe he wasn't all that comfortable with having to face a crowd of reporters after his first practice as a pro. If someone didn't know that Taylor is generally reserved in his interactions with the media, they might easily speculate that he wasn't happy or didn't want to be a Redskin. Factor in the surprising termination of his relationship with agent Drew Rosenhaus-- who is known to work fluidly with the Redskins front office-- and it wouldn't be a dramatic leap of faith to assert that Taylor has a problem with the Redskins.

Peter King is a well-respected journalist, yes. But simply because he has more accolades than a lot of other journalists doesn't mean his speculation should be lent any more substance than what he gives it through citation of sources with primary knowledge of the facts. He provides none here, and therefore leaves it up to his readers to decide whether or not to believe it. Given what I saw and heard at Redskins Park, and knowing that Peter King wasn't at Redskins Park and probably is relying on secondhand or even third- or fourth-hand info, I would say that he's just stirring the pot for the sake of stirring the pot-- that's what guys like Peter King do, and that's why they get paid the big bucks.

Upper monclair AAAAA! I am the foremost authority on redskin's football in northern jersey, I also called the taylor pick the day I found out we had the #5 pick, I bet King can't handle being second rate around these part's, and is doing everything he can to top me, SORRY KING AIN'T HAPPENING! :biggthump

P.S. King does post on this site, he goes by the name of Drkstar. :rofl: