Cohen Lynching?

Discussion in 'Prem talk, Those Other Leagues, and International' started by pettyfog, May 24, 2009.

  1. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2005
    Over remarks he made about Hillborough

    Several of us have made comments about Cohen's 'opinions' on here over the years and he's probably the main reason I dont watch WSD or FFF.

    I suppose the nut of it is he's just an average fan, with no more knowledge or understanding of the game than an average fan, but he has the requisite accent to be an 'expert'.

    But do his ignorant statements on Hillsborough {and many other controversies} justify efforts to get him kicked off Fox or his sat radio programs?
     
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  2. SteveM19

    SteveM19 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2007
    Location:
    Cleveland OH
    No.

    A group called LFC NY is agitating for a boycott of his shows and have mounted a campaign against his sponsors to quit doing business with them. Fair enough. -- http://www.lfcny.org/.

    What I really found interesting is that LFC put out an official statement -- http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/archived ... 1-1657.htm

    I looked at a few sites on this issue and am too lazy and/ or incompetent to find them now, but some of the goals of these broadcasters is to get him off the air. That doesn't sit well with me. That's not the goal of LFCNY, at least not on an organizational level according to their statement, and I'm sure LFC has bigger fish to fry, but on an individual level, some people want him gone.

    WSD, warts and all, has been an excellent vehicle for bringing exposure to the game to America. Cohen isn't the first, nor will he be the last, broadcaster to get himself in trouble with his big mouth. It's a tough storm, but he'll be grinning in the face of his detractors a year from now. Hopefully a little wiser for the experience, especially after reading the Taylor report for the first time.
     
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  3. SteveM19

    SteveM19 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2007
    Location:
    Cleveland OH
    Damn, Cohen's hit in the mouth -- they're passing the hat around online for funds to offset lost advertising revenue.

    Also, my earlier incompetence was cured -- I found the site where they said they want him off the air. Well, who died and made them king of the radio?

    http://boycottstevencohen.webs.com/


    No scratch is coming from my corner of NE Ohio, but I'll download shows to help the iTunes numbers
     
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  4. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    Steve, thanks for all this research. The thing is, I keep clicking on all these sites -- yours and the one's that Pettyfog posted, and I have yet to find a transcript of exactly what he said. All I can find is repeated iterations of "restated lies about Liverpool's causing the problems by being ticketless." If that's what he said, it IS an inflammatory lie. If he said it before and was pulled up short about it, he's a bigger asshat [copyright Pettyfog, 2009] than I thought.

    If anyone can find a transcript of what he said, that'll work for me.

    One more thing, pissed off listeners/viewers putting pressure on sponsors/networks to silence an employee of the network is not censorship. That's making the marketplace respond to consumers. Whether it's warranted or not, it's certainly within the rights of the listeners/viewers to express their opinions. If FSC caves, then the weakness is theirs, not the viewers. Only the government or agencies of the government can be guilty of censorship. FSC can hire or fire anybody they want for any reason they want.
     
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  5. dtwondough

    dtwondough New Member

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    Denver
    #5
  6. timmyg

    timmyg Well-Known Member

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    Nov 20, 2006
    Don -- if you search through epltalk.com's archives in April there should be a transcript.

    What I find so appalling about this is not that Cohen said things that were incorrect -- he and everyone else in the media do it all the time.

    But that everyone is flying off the handle in demanding a boycott and and an apology rather than going on his show and dismantling each of his arguments -- 'The Gaffer' at EPLTalk is a prime example. Proving him wrong on his show would ruin his credibility way more than pulling his sponsors and getting him kicked off -- because he'll just find another outlet and another sponsor.

    But instead they want to go the Bill O'Reilly route and demand boycotts, pressure sponsors to pull the plug, and use other strong arm tactics rather than engaging in discourse that will truly educate people on the matter.

    I've been listening to WSD for over 2 years and find it one of the best American outlets for footy. And while I should be upset with Cohen, I find myself rooting for him.
     
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  7. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2005
    As I said in the BS forum thread on it I, also, have a problem with boycotting..

    Especially on FSC.
     
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  8. Lyle

    Lyle New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2007
    I'm with WSD and Steven Cohen on this. "The Gaffer" from EPLTalk is a jealous jackass.

    Where "the Gaffer" and the Liverpool fans go wrong is thinking Hillsborough is their Holocaust. They reject anything but what the Taylor report says. That's fine, but a few other people disagree and think the Taylor report was slanted for political reasons. Not to mention that Liverpool fans have a history and they continue to be on the trashy side at times (hate the video of all their fans poor beer and throwing cans at some poor Chelsea fan who walked through their area prior to a game... pathetic and classless).

    Cohen has a right to his opinion. He can disagree with the Taylor report. I actually agree with him that the English media is too cowardly to go beyond the Taylor report and criticize Liverpool fans. They and everyone accept the report as if that's that. I call balderdash along with Cohen.

    EPLTalk's jackass of an owner is jealous of Cohen's success and thinks that because he's more intellectual and smarter (fancies himself a Marcotti like football mind) that he should be the one with the big show etc...

    The great thing about Steven Cohen is that he doesn't claim to be an expert or a brilliant mind. He's just a guy who talks football on the radio. He isn't brilliant. He says a lot of inaccurate, poorly thought out stuff... but so what, he's doesn't claim he's a know it all.

    And to augment his and Kenny's lack of intelligence and knowledge, they bring on top notch commentators from Europe, South America, and even Africa.

    "the Gaffer" is also a coward for not going on WSD to take Steven on the radio. Total cowardice. You're too ugly for TV "the Gaffer"... too ugly.

    The boycott is a disgrace. Liverpool fans are cro-magnon luddites.
     
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  9. Jensers

    Jensers New Member

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    Apr 18, 2007
    Location:
    Royal City, Wa
    Ah - the whole thing getting old.

    As has been said - His point is simply that the Liverpool fans share some of the responsibility.

    Not to say it is all their fault, but that they were a contributing factor - whether primary or secondary.

    Everything from the road construction, fan management outside of the stadium, inside the stadium, the stupid Hooligans that created the need for fences in the first place, fan desperation to get into the stadium by any means possible, and the overall confusion due to poor planning and the poor decisions by all involved on the day.

    By the way - on the hooligans - Sort of a chicken or the egg debate I suppose... I say this because I have heard the debate on what created the Hooligan and allowed the hooligan culture to thrive - - - But as PF has said, this is getting into 'big picture' stuff.

    The point is - we all have individual agency and so I think many can share some feeling of responsibility due to their personal decisions.

    I would guess that there are a number of Liverpool fans who look back on the day with enormous personal regret because they remember trying to push their way into the stadium.

    The act of pushing was intentional - the result was accidental...

    The whole thing was an accident and even tho there is blame to be thrown around it seems like it can be contributed to a number of sources.

    I believe that is the point Cohen is trying to make, but the issue seems to be the way he is making his point. He is far too abrasive on this subject that obviously carries so much emotion for the Liverpool supporters.
     
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  10. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    Great post, Jensers. What's also left is that there was no compelling reason for Cohen to have made any comment at all. After all, you might think that the girl next door is a little on the ugly side, but saying that to your wife over dinner is one thing. Saying that to her father at her wedding reception is quite another. Cohen is consistently a jerk, so I'm not surprised he took that occasion to say something that did not need to be said at all.
     
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  11. BarryP

    BarryP New Member

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    Evansville, Indiana
    In time there is wisdom in letting things lie no matter how right you believe youself to be.
     
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  12. FulhamAg

    FulhamAg New Member

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    San Antonio, Texas
    Except that we are talking about the media where negative attention is usually preferrable to no attention. I'll bet WSD swims in the shallow end ratings-wise, so if some controversy brings in listeners then.... I'm not trying to morally justify, but there is a compelling reason.
     
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  13. Lyle

    Lyle New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2007
    I disagree. I don't think Cohen is a jerk at all. He spouts nonsense, that's not being a jerk. He goes off on subjects and people, but not really in a jerk kind of way. He's honest about it. What more can you ask from him? His show would be boring as hell if he held himself to the same conduct as a real journalist or real football commentator.

    I think his comments were perfectly acceptable. I would have said it differently, but I'm not him.

    People are just way, way too sensitive. Steven Cohen is coming from a good place, not a bad place. Context and who the guy is matters.

    The guy from EPL Talk should be ashamed of himself.
     
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  14. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2005
    And.. within this thread is signified the reason why FUSA is always going to be a small group of footy fans.
    Reasoned discourse.

    No idiots claiming free speech rights to chant the F*bomb. Or saying people throwing shit on the pitch aint in their control.
     
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  15. SteveM19

    SteveM19 New Member

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    Sep 30, 2007
    Location:
    Cleveland OH
    Sad to say this is true -- have you ever seen WSD's message board? The less said about it the better...
     
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  16. SteveM19

    SteveM19 New Member

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    Sep 30, 2007
    Location:
    Cleveland OH
    Sad day for footy in the US. Cohen is calling it a day. He said that he just got tired of the harassment hen they got to sending nastygrams to his new family.

    Disgusting and sad. I sincerely hope he comes back.

    Actually, I really hope he sues LFCNY for the crap that they condoned by not telling their members to get over it.
     
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  17. Jensers

    Jensers New Member

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    Royal City, Wa
    Love him or hate him - this is a shame because it is the only show of its kind in this country as far as I know.

    If these people wanted to do damage they should have started their own show.
     
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  18. timmyg

    timmyg Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2006
    basically, this is akin to losing your local newspaper for good (which here in Bmore is a sad reality).

    yeah, you may disagree with it from time to time. and other times you vow you'll cancel the subscription next month.

    but regardless its yours. you take pride in it because no one else will cover what matters to your concerns.

    its just sad, sad, sad.
     
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  19. Lyle

    Lyle New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2007
    Way to go the Gaffer at EPL Talk! Pathetic. They have this guy Ethan Armstrong, a Liverpool fan, who didn't know if he should be glad Gerrard didn't get sent to the pokey for the good of Liverpool's season or be upset that Gerrard sold his friends out and plead innocence while they plead guilty and his lawyers got him off.

    What a pathetic lot of humanity Liverpool fans are. American or English or whatever, each and everyone of you is an abomination.
     
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  20. RobG4

    RobG4 New Member

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    Jul 13, 2009
    Location:
    Athens, GA
    I loved this show and listened every day (including yesterday, the last show).

    There's nothing else like it around.

    It will be missed. What a shame.
     
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