A plea to the media asking riders questions

Premixed112
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3/7/2020 11:53pm Edited Date/Time 3/10/2020 1:19pm
"How good does it feel?", "How deep did you have to dig?", "How much does this mean to you?" are NOT compelling questions. Please stop doing this. I'm watching the press conference for Daytona right now and there have already been various iterations of these types of questions asked halfway through it.

For some reason I see Chris Cooksey getting a ton of hate on here, but at least the guy asks what we all want to hear and/or asks something that will get an interesting response! What is it with the softball questions from the media?
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3/7/2020 11:59pm
Most of them aren't 'proper' journalists- they're just fans who fancied a job in the industry and know the right people. Put them in a job interview situation with a bunch of professional journalists and see the difference.

I can't watch the press conferences any more.
aaryn #234
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3/8/2020 12:02am
That was horrible to watch, Eli didn't look like he wanted to be there, the same questions were asked over and over again, its like they were not listening to riders answers or the other journo questions.

Most this year have been good, but I turned that one off half way through.

Did anyone ask Eli what he was thinking when he was behind Barcia early in the race?
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3/8/2020 12:14am
"How good does it feel?", "How deep did you have to dig?", "How much does this mean to you?" are NOT compelling questions. Please stop doing...
"How good does it feel?", "How deep did you have to dig?", "How much does this mean to you?" are NOT compelling questions. Please stop doing this. I'm watching the press conference for Daytona right now and there have already been various iterations of these types of questions asked halfway through it.

For some reason I see Chris Cooksey getting a ton of hate on here, but at least the guy asks what we all want to hear and/or asks something that will get an interesting response! What is it with the softball questions from the media?
Haven't heard this brought up before, but 100% agree—feel like Blair is really guilty of this and given how much he pats himself on the back for his performance on his podcast, I don't see it changing.
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The Shop

3/8/2020 1:28am
aaryn #234 wrote:
That was horrible to watch, Eli didn't look like he wanted to be there, the same questions were asked over and over again, its like they...
That was horrible to watch, Eli didn't look like he wanted to be there, the same questions were asked over and over again, its like they were not listening to riders answers or the other journo questions.

Most this year have been good, but I turned that one off half way through.

Did anyone ask Eli what he was thinking when he was behind Barcia early in the race?
No one asked Eli his thought process of being behind Barcia early in the main event.
Did he have a plan? Because I would think that he’d need to make a pass somewhere on the track where he could make a break without retaliation.
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aaryn #234
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3/8/2020 1:32am
Imagine the sigh of relieve inside his helmet when Barcia made that mistake letting him by with no issue and able to open up enough of a gap that Barcia could not fuck with him.

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3/8/2020 3:51am
Ask compelling questions and watch the riders but their hands behind their backs as the sponsors reach from behind and cover their mouth.

Can’t get cancelled if you say nothing. It sucks for the fans because personality is celebrated until it’s personality you don’t care for.

Me? I love Justin Barcia. I also love Eli Tomac. I am a huge Dungey fan too. My man Chad Reed? Super fan right here. Wanna know why? Cus they’re GDMF super heroes on a dirt bike. I already get it that they aren’t going to just open up a can of worms so I don’t complain about something that will never happen.

The presser is a formality for that big ass M logo to be displayed more often. Not for any other reason.
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GuyB
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3/8/2020 4:48am
You guys act like their primary goal is to take each other out.
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3/8/2020 6:59am
GuyB wrote:
You guys act like their primary goal is to take each other out.
Kinda Barcias goal anytime he gets passed lol
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soggy
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3/8/2020 8:02am
yea that presser sucked, no one really even asks a pointed question just a bunch of variations of take us through your race.
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Premixed112
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3/8/2020 8:53am
GuyB wrote:
You guys act like their primary goal is to take each other out.
GuyB, I appreciate what you do for the forum, but you’re actually one of the offenders on this front. I hear a lot of these type of questions from you and I just want to know why. Is it because you’re too good of friends with these guys now to ask them something that might make them not like you?

And for the record, I didn’t post this thread because of the Eli/Barcia feud not being addressed this week. This is something that’s on my mind every week while watching these press conferences.
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TxGuy
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3/8/2020 9:26am
GuyB wrote:
You guys act like their primary goal is to take each other out.
GuyB, I appreciate what you do for the forum, but you’re actually one of the offenders on this front. I hear a lot of these type...
GuyB, I appreciate what you do for the forum, but you’re actually one of the offenders on this front. I hear a lot of these type of questions from you and I just want to know why. Is it because you’re too good of friends with these guys now to ask them something that might make them not like you?

And for the record, I didn’t post this thread because of the Eli/Barcia feud not being addressed this week. This is something that’s on my mind every week while watching these press conferences.
same reason that threads get clipped - cause they touch on subjects too close to their buddies.

It's sad. SX wants to be a "real" sport like stick/ball...but the "press conference" is simply the media teeing up questions so that the riders can thank their sponsors.

Think two drivers from NASCAR get into an altercation in the pits (on video) and then not ONE media person asks them about it? (eye-roll)
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-MAVERICK-
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3/8/2020 9:30am
The sport is small. Let's see how long Cooksey lasts before he's pushed out.
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JeremyK
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3/8/2020 10:04am
You watched the race ,what else is there to talk about ? They should just do away with the post race deal.
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TxGuy
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3/8/2020 10:11am
-MAVERICK- wrote:
The sport is small. Let's see how long Cooksey lasts before he's pushed out.
that's sad, and your acceptance of it makes it even sadder.
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-MAVERICK-
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3/8/2020 10:40am
-MAVERICK- wrote:
The sport is small. Let's see how long Cooksey lasts before he's pushed out.
TxGuy wrote:
that's sad, and your acceptance of it makes it even sadder.
I didn't say I accepted it. It's just the reality of it. We've already seen one of his interviews cut short with Anderson. Enough of those and they'll just deny his requests.

Sad but true.
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Zaugg
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3/8/2020 10:41am Edited Date/Time 3/8/2020 10:43am
You guys should listen to Matthes podcast interviewing Michael Antonovich. They actually speak about Fanboy Journalism (for lack of a better term.)

http://pulpmx.com/podcast/guest-michael-antonovich/

As for the questions, I'd be curious what types of "hard hitting" questions you'd like to be asked on the podium and during the press conference. These guys are racing for your entertainment...they're not setting public policy. haha





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stillwelding
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3/8/2020 10:48am
Most of them aren't 'proper' journalists- they're just fans who fancied a job in the industry and know the right people. Put them in a job...
Most of them aren't 'proper' journalists- they're just fans who fancied a job in the industry and know the right people. Put them in a job interview situation with a bunch of professional journalists and see the difference.

I can't watch the press conferences any more.
That’s it in a nutshell.
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scott_nz
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3/8/2020 10:58am
both Eli and Barcia did interviews about the incident at Atlanta before the race, and then nothing happened during the race, why on earth would you expect anything to be asked about something that happened the week before,

although, the press conferences are pretty lame, its not really a good place to ask in depth questions,
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TxGuy
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3/8/2020 11:21am
scott_nz wrote:
both Eli and Barcia did interviews about the incident at Atlanta before the race, and then nothing happened during the race, why on earth would you...
both Eli and Barcia did interviews about the incident at Atlanta before the race, and then nothing happened during the race, why on earth would you expect anything to be asked about something that happened the week before,

although, the press conferences are pretty lame, its not really a good place to ask in depth questions,
not a good place? After winning a race in front of 50k fans, this is not a good place to ask questions?

1. talk about setup specifically
2. specific sections of the track - what worked and what didn't?
3. Beef with riders, block passes, rough riding, etc
4. Team issues - how a teammate is doing, a manager is doing, a trainer is doing
5. The industry as a whole and issues related to pro motorcycling
6. goals, struggles, assistance
7. looking toward the next round, what's on the table, how they're approaching the next week


off the top of my head. YES, this would be a great time to ask REAL questions. And yes, I know this industry is very tight-lipped but the old saying "That's how it's always been done...." comes to mind.
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scott_nz
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3/8/2020 11:25am
TxGuy wrote:
not a good place? After winning a race in front of 50k fans, this is not a good place to ask questions? 1. talk about setup...
not a good place? After winning a race in front of 50k fans, this is not a good place to ask questions?

1. talk about setup specifically
2. specific sections of the track - what worked and what didn't?
3. Beef with riders, block passes, rough riding, etc
4. Team issues - how a teammate is doing, a manager is doing, a trainer is doing
5. The industry as a whole and issues related to pro motorcycling
6. goals, struggles, assistance
7. looking toward the next round, what's on the table, how they're approaching the next week


off the top of my head. YES, this would be a great time to ask REAL questions. And yes, I know this industry is very tight-lipped but the old saying "That's how it's always been done...." comes to mind.
do you think you are going to get the riders answer those questions well while 5 of their peers are around them? plenty of interviews get those questions, i think the fact that all of them are together is going to create mundane answers, one on one interviews will bring answers to those questions out much better, like the interviews with Eli and Barcia did before racing,
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3/8/2020 12:05pm Edited Date/Time 3/8/2020 12:05pm
I think the way they do the post race press conferences is whack. They need to bring the riders out one by one and let them talk about their race on their own and then field questions on their own like they do in the UFC or even the NFL.

Having them all sit at the table right next to each other and having some dude standing up there on a podium with them fielding generic questions to get generic responses just isn't worth watching.
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Motodave15
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3/8/2020 12:54pm
I enjoy what cooksey does more so than any other questions. Cooksey and matthes should be in all the pressers and ask the pointed questions
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stremme12
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3/8/2020 12:57pm Edited Date/Time 3/8/2020 12:58pm
I like the questions Cooksey asks but I just don't care for some of his very hot takes. Sometimes I feel like he tries to force something into a story that isn't there.
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Premixed112
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3/8/2020 2:28pm
I think the way they do the post race press conferences is whack. They need to bring the riders out one by one and let them...
I think the way they do the post race press conferences is whack. They need to bring the riders out one by one and let them talk about their race on their own and then field questions on their own like they do in the UFC or even the NFL.

Having them all sit at the table right next to each other and having some dude standing up there on a podium with them fielding generic questions to get generic responses just isn't worth watching.
This is a very good idea and good point! You'd probably get these guys to open up a bit more.
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Premixed112
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3/8/2020 2:29pm
GuyB wrote:
You guys act like their primary goal is to take each other out.
GuyB, I appreciate what you do for the forum, but you’re actually one of the offenders on this front. I hear a lot of these type...
GuyB, I appreciate what you do for the forum, but you’re actually one of the offenders on this front. I hear a lot of these type of questions from you and I just want to know why. Is it because you’re too good of friends with these guys now to ask them something that might make them not like you?

And for the record, I didn’t post this thread because of the Eli/Barcia feud not being addressed this week. This is something that’s on my mind every week while watching these press conferences.
Still waiting on an answer for this, but I suspect I won't get one.
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JeremyK
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3/8/2020 2:46pm
I think the way they do the post race press conferences is whack. They need to bring the riders out one by one and let them...
I think the way they do the post race press conferences is whack. They need to bring the riders out one by one and let them talk about their race on their own and then field questions on their own like they do in the UFC or even the NFL.

Having them all sit at the table right next to each other and having some dude standing up there on a podium with them fielding generic questions to get generic responses just isn't worth watching.

Sounds riveting
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9bro9
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3/8/2020 2:59pm Edited Date/Time 3/8/2020 3:00pm
Usually skip the press conference vids due to the cookie cutter questions and the robotic answers. The SwapMoto "how was your weekend" is a better perspective of what's going on vs. the Presser's IMHO.
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3/8/2020 3:08pm
The post-race press conference isn't the place to be asking what some of you might call the "hard hitting" questions. No rider wants to be put on the spot with those questions after a race. Save those questions for media day, or at a better time when the riders have time to give a fair response. Last week is a good example of why. Barcia and Tomac were both heated and running on emotion, but I'm sure as the week went on, those emotions cooled down a bit and it was back to business as usual. What they might have said post-race (and did to each other as we all saw) might be a lot different from what they would say now having stepped back a bit from the emotions.

I've always seen the post-race interviews to ask questions about how the race went, good or bad. What can be done, if anything to improve for the following week? What were thoughts about the track and track conditions? Etc. And while some of those questions are vanilla, it's not the right time to ask riders about internal team conflicts, "beefs" with other riders, etc.
KurtJ99
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3/8/2020 3:12pm
I am not expecting alot out of a press conference. Occasionally you'll get a real nugget like when Eli complained a few years back about MM25's block pass/takeout, but then the social media world will spin out of control and the riders probably don't want that crap.
I think it is tough to ask a meaningful question in a way that doesn't betray a confidence or offend someone you need to work with in the future.

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