Jeff Kaplan a Pessimist or a Realist?

Is Jeff Kaplan a pessimist or a realist? That would depend on how long it's been since he's gotten laid.

Seriously though, a lot of sports columnists write things that they know are opinionated and controversial just to "stir the pot" to provoke more thoughts and opinions because that's what sells magazines, newspapers, and internet advertising. It's a business like any other. Back in the 80's when Lowell Cohn was a sports columnist for the SF Chronicle, people were constantly p*ssed about the negative stuff he wrote about the team then---even when the they were winning Super Bowls. His job was to sell newspapers---not accurately report on the state of the 49ers. Here's a quote and link as to why he became a sports columnist. And as far as his kid Grant goes, well, my opinion is that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

http://lukeford.net/blog/?p=7234

Luke: "Why are you a sportswriter?"

Lowell: "I am a sportswriter because when I applied to the San Francisco Chronicle in early 1979, I applied as either a film critic or a sportswriter and they already had a film critic. They asked me if I wanted to be a sports columnist. If they had asked me to be a film critic, I would’ve done that. I would’ve been just as happy. Maybe not. I would’ve been a film critic but I’ve been very happy as a sportswriter. I don’t know what it would’ve been like the other way.

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by Janitor:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:
Hey LAFortyNinerfan I live in Pomona moved here from San Jose with my wife. Do you secretly hope the niners move here and play in this new Stadium they have been talking about building down here? Cept for the name change it sure would make it easier to go to games again :).

Duuuuuude, someone is going to light your taint on fire if you keep that crazy talk up.

*tank i think is what you meant to type :) and I'll shhh I know its crazy talk. But I love the team not the place. Hate San Francisco well at least what makes up SF I love the outlying countryside and the coastal front but hate the demographic. I'm glad that the niners are being brought to Santa Clara.

Nooooooooo, taint is what I meant. As in: 'taint testicles, 'taint sphincter. Clinically referred to as the perenium (sp?). Very sensitive, very fragile, bad place to have lit on fire, especially by a flaming arrow, FWIW.

Experience speaking there Wrathman?

I don't wanna talk about it

You are not a fan of Longfellow I would wager.

Originally posted by ninerfan29:

Originally posted by Janitor:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:
agree I'm not trying to attack just saying that he seems a lil on the negative side then the positive. As to the Tolzien signing. Thats the thing I haven't seen any articles recently from him. It seems in a "blinders on" short view of his articles that he only writes when the news is juicy or negative that is.

What do you think Janitor your a mod and probably read more of his articles then I have. Do you see him in a different light then I do?

I think he definitely views this team more negatively than positively, but again, I can't really fault him for it. His opinion is that the current state of this team is not an admirable one, and he could very well be right.

As for if he has a "history" of negative writing, I must say there hasn't been much positive about our team to write about for a long time. If we were on the better half of .500 and he was still giving dour stories, maybe there would be more to saying it was just negative writing, but at this point I think he is more a realist than negative.

Fair enough. I have to give him that it is hard to write something positive when we haven't even seen a playoff berth in years.

Right. I think part of what GoalLineStand said too is true. It's journalism, which is based more negatively as a business in general.

Originally posted by Janitor:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by Janitor:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:
Hey LAFortyNinerfan I live in Pomona moved here from San Jose with my wife. Do you secretly hope the niners move here and play in this new Stadium they have been talking about building down here? Cept for the name change it sure would make it easier to go to games again :).

Duuuuuude, someone is going to light your taint on fire if you keep that crazy talk up.

*tank i think is what you meant to type :) and I'll shhh I know its crazy talk. But I love the team not the place. Hate San Francisco well at least what makes up SF I love the outlying countryside and the coastal front but hate the demographic. I'm glad that the niners are being brought to Santa Clara.

Nooooooooo, taint is what I meant. As in: 'taint testicles, 'taint sphincter. Clinically referred to as the perenium (sp?). Very sensitive, very fragile, bad place to have lit on fire, especially by a flaming arrow, FWIW.

Experience speaking there Wrathman?

I don't wanna talk about it

You are not a fan of Longfellow I would wager.

Are you trying to seduce me?............

Originally posted by Janitor:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:

Originally posted by Janitor:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:
agree I'm not trying to attack just saying that he seems a lil on the negative side then the positive. As to the Tolzien signing. Thats the thing I haven't seen any articles recently from him. It seems in a "blinders on" short view of his articles that he only writes when the news is juicy or negative that is.

What do you think Janitor your a mod and probably read more of his articles then I have. Do you see him in a different light then I do?

I think he definitely views this team more negatively than positively, but again, I can't really fault him for it. His opinion is that the current state of this team is not an admirable one, and he could very well be right.

As for if he has a "history" of negative writing, I must say there hasn't been much positive about our team to write about for a long time. If we were on the better half of .500 and he was still giving dour stories, maybe there would be more to saying it was just negative writing, but at this point I think he is more a realist than negative.

Fair enough. I have to give him that it is hard to write something positive when we haven't even seen a playoff berth in years.

Right. I think part of what GoalLineStand said too is true. It's journalism, which is based more negatively as a business in general.

Yeah, just like no one watches the news to hear that Girl Scout Cookie sales are up this year.

Originally posted by ninerfan29:
*If this is considered inflamatory, stupid or anything against TOS feel free to lock/delete mods*

I'll make this simple and to the point. All I see are negative articles about our team and especially about our QB (Alex Smith) from this guy. And lately especially since our last game of Preseason when things are going a little better on the bright side I see not much from him in fact the last article I see on Webzone is of him talking about our Oline. Am I mistaken? Or is he really pessimistic in his thoughts about the 49ers? Isn't he a fan? Anyway that's it, just wanted to throw my thoughts out there and see if anyone feels the same.


*I could be completely mistaken and wrong but I'm just putting my thoughts out*

Edit: I have nothing personal against Jeff as I know not much about him so please don't take this as a personal attack.

just like the draft board has its wanna be G<s (myself included) the zone has wana be scribes like Kaplan---no big whoop

Originally posted by hofer36:
just like the draft board has its wanna be G<s (myself included) the zone has wana be scribes like Kaplan---no big whoop

I'm thinking you meant GM's, unless you been ridin strapped looking for the punkass that was repping in the wrong hood

After the pre-mature article/blog(what ever) written about the ownership, I told myself I was never going to read him again. I gave him another chance and was just as disappointed. Oddly enough while reading it I thought how familiar the negativity was to a certain group of posters around here.

It's just dreadful to read. No character, or nothing that really sticks out. While he is right on some fronts, and I understand how frustrating this Alex Smith "saga" has been, it like dragging your feet through the mud. Miserable. I just believe to add some life you need to talk about the good things on this team every once in a while. Show that you have knowledge that other people don't, ideas that are like "whoa! I like this guy." Stuff like the Patrick Willis's, Aldon Smith, Justin Smth, "Frank Gore Story". While there is plenty wrong with this team, there is plenty right! I know this team has some major voids myself but what can I do about it? Focusing on nothing but the negatives is not going to change anything. I don't watch this sport for the negatives, I watch it for the joy and excitement, the in game happiness and the WTF!? all-time lows, and the roller coaster of knowing that at any second something amazing could happen.

Think his primary problem is he writes reactionary articles and focuses on the negative rather than any positives that might occur.

Look at his sky is falling Baalke just failed in free agency article followed with the well Baalke still failed just didn't fail as hard article.

Or a post draft article picking apart Baalke's draft picks and putting his own on while admitting to not being a "draft guy". I mean right now I think I would rather have Aldon over Prince, Hunter over Marecic, and so far Culliver is shaping out to be a smarter pick than it was at first.

I think he would be better served letting the dust and emotions settle than writing his article and try to look at both positives and negatives.

Originally posted by JiksJuicy:
After the pre-mature article/blog(what ever) written about the ownership, I told myself I was never going to read him again. I gave him another chance and was just as disappointed. Oddly enough while reading it I thought how familiar the negativity was to a certain group of posters around here.

It's just dreadful to read. No character, or nothing that really sticks out. While he is right on some fronts, and I understand how frustrating this Alex Smith "saga" has been, it like dragging your feet through the mud. Miserable. I just believe to add some life you need to talk about the good things on this team every once in a while. Show that you have knowledge that other people don't, ideas that are like "whoa! I like this guy." Stuff like the Patrick Willis's, Aldon Smith, Justin Smth, "Frank Gore Story". While there is plenty wrong with this team, there is plenty right! I know this team has some major voids myself but what can I do about it? Focusing on nothing but the negatives is not going to change anything. I don't watch this sport for the negatives, I watch it for the joy and excitement, the in game happiness and the WTF!? all-time lows, and the roller coaster of knowing that at any second something amazing could happen.

I agree. Marvin49's vids usually perk me back up when the lows get too low

Originally posted by Janitor:
No he definitely meant taint.

haha

Originally posted by Janitor:

Originally posted by ninerfan29:
agree I'm not trying to attack just saying that he seems a lil on the negative side then the positive. As to the Tolzien signing. Thats the thing I haven't seen any articles recently from him. It seems in a "blinders on" short view of his articles that he only writes when the news is juicy or negative that is.

What do you think Janitor your a mod and probably read more of his articles then I have. Do you see him in a different light then I do?

I think he definitely views this team more negatively than positively, but again, I can't really fault him for it. His opinion is that the current state of this team is not an admirable one, and he could very well be right.

As for if he has a "history" of negative writing, I must say there hasn't been much positive about our team to write about for a long time. If we were on the better half of .500 and he was still giving dour stories, maybe there would be more to saying it was just negative writing, but at this point I think he is more a realist than negative.

I don't mind that he is negative. I mind that he is inaccurate with many of his points. He also seems to skip obvious logical steps at times. Let's be honest, there hasn't been a whole lot to be positive about lately, so I can't fault him there.

Originally posted by ninerfan29:

Isn't he a fan?

This is the problem around here. Just because you're a fan of the team doesn't mean you have to ignore any bad aspects of it (players, coaches, front office personnel, whatever). Many people around here absolutely refuse to accept anything negative about this team and are willingly in denial about it all. The team can never do anything wrong, but even if it did, there would be a million excuses for it. If you're one of the people who don't look for excuses and choose to acknowledge the negative aspects involved with the team, then you're considered a pessimist or a "hater," depending on which player, coach or front office person is in question.

Originally posted by ninerfan29:
*If this is considered inflamatory, stupid or anything against TOS feel free to lock/delete mods*

I'll make this simple and to the point. All I see are negative articles about our team and especially about our QB (Alex Smith) from this guy. And lately especially since our last game of Preseason when things are going a little better on the bright side I see not much from him in fact the last article I see on Webzone is of him talking about our Oline. Am I mistaken? Or is he really pessimistic in his thoughts about the 49ers? Isn't he a fan? Anyway that's it, just wanted to throw my thoughts out there and see if anyone feels the same.


*I could be completely mistaken and wrong but I'm just putting my thoughts out*

Edit: I have nothing personal against Jeff as I know not much about him so please don't take this as a personal attack.

You are correct. Jeff Kaplan is a 49er-hater.

I have become convinced that the more intelligent fans - those who can analyze and evaluate Harbaugh's and Baalke's moves on the basis of both their immediate and anticipated results - tend to have softer voices.

Those who only look for reasons to spout their negativity, the ones who seek out every opportunity to bash the 49ers... they tend to be loud-mouthed blatherers.

The end result is it seems like all there is on the zone is 49er haters, even though that is not the case.

JMHO.

Originally posted by ninerfan29:

Originally posted by LAFortyNinerfan:

Originally posted by SnakePlissken:

Did he write that stuff before we signed Scott Tolzien?

Hey LAFortyNinerfan I live in Pomona moved here from San Jose with my wife. Do you secretly hope the niners move here and play in this new Stadium they have been talking about building down here? Cept for the name change it sure would make it easier to go to games again :).

Hey man, it's your own fault that the team is far away now.

There are a few SoCal posters here who want the team down there because it would be easier for them to attend games and other events. The only thing I have to say to that is they should have chosen a closer team.