(3downnation) rumour has it...

[OV Argo]

As we sports fans all know; Coaches (even good ones) only have so long until till they lose that room. Kent Austin types go even quicker. His types just make coming to work sore everyday.....harder.

Milanovich is a good coach but it was time for him to move along too.

As for CFL journalists, who doesn't get that the hometown bloggers and sports writers assigned to cover a beat, don't have a slant?

Take it with a grain of salt, or simply risk not knowing.

Put it this way; would you rather take your news from some blowhard on Twitter (or a fan board) or from a guy who knows every one of the 50 guys on the team and the whole Coaching Staff and talks, drinks, and eats with every single one of those guys from June until November?

I don't get the juvenile disdain (especially the vitriol on Twitter). I see the paradox of Argo fans who moan about lack of attention and then bitch about the 1 or 2 guys who actually give a shit.

It's rich, and it's tiresome.

Agree with most of what you said. Not about Millanovich though - the good coach part anyways ;o)

However - with regards to opinions or observations or criticism about a football team - I'll gladly listen to a knowledgeable, long-time fan commenting on a fan board who I know isn't a "blowhard" over 97% of the CFL journalists out there - a lot of whom never played the game and are just gullibles who get sold stuff by team shills or hangers-on types and dutifully report it as gospel and seem afraid to make an individual observation about the game or team of their own. There are exceptions of course (like Mike Hogan or Duane Forde, for example IMO). Not sure how many fan boards you peruse, but if you check out a number of them, and are able to wade thru plenty of drivel & homer garbage, you will find many sharp, knowledgeable, devoted football fans who know wayyyyyy more about the game. league or team than your average paid "reporter/journalist". Just IMO of course. ;o)

[Jon Gonzo]

Agree with most of what you said. Not about Millanovich though - the good coach part anyways ;o)

However - with regards to opinions or observations or criticism about a football team - I'll gladly listen to a knowledgeable, long-time fan commenting on a fan board who I know isn't a "blowhard" over 97% of the CFL journalists out there - a lot of whom never played the game and are just gullibles who get sold stuff by team shills or hangers-on types and dutifully report it as gospel and seem afraid to make an individual observation about the game or team of their own. There are exceptions of course (like Mike Hogan or Duane Forde, for example IMO). Not sure how many fan boards you peruse, but if you check out a number of them, and are able to wade thru plenty of drivel & homer garbage, you will find many sharp, knowledgeable, devoted football fans who know wayyyyyy more about the game. league or team than your average paid "reporter/journalist". Just IMO of course. ;o)

Yes, and I agree. I have been a member of a Bruins fans board (with Neely) for almost 20 years and there are a handful of people that I now know personally whom I run into when they are in Ottawa for Bruins/Leafs games, etc. I have 'met' other members of the media, or these knowledgeable fans (now in some cases bloggers) before games. So your point is well taken. And it does take a great deal of sifting. But I think the old axiom "don't shoot the messenger" comes to play here. Also, there's the human factor that so many on social media have completely forgotten (it can be an utter cesspool) take a moment to understand that people are dutifully doing their jobs to put food on the table for their families. And sometimes not a lot of food! It is more passion, than bread usually.

I look at it this way. I grew up having to read the Brantford Expositor as a kid, every day from the age of 12 on. It wasn't the best paper in the world, but was it worth it? Yes, in fact it was not only worth it, but it was ultimately essential for me.

Also don't discount what guys like Frank Z. (for example) pick up just being around these guys 2-3 times a week. They see many things that they don't report on, but it shows up in context later on.

We ought to encourage information and people making the effort to provide it, especially in regards to the CFL/Toronto.