Griffey: "You disrespected me!"

[Brisco]

GRIFFEY VS. WRITER: Ken Griffey Jr. got into a bit of a confrontation with a writer in the visitors' clubhouse at Wrigley.

While Griffey was talking to a Nike representative, Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights," came up and asked for a few minutes of his time.

Griffey said he was having a conversation, and Bissinger said he had only 20 minutes. Griffey basically said, too bad. Bissinger said "You're not worth it," or words to that effect, and walked away.

Griffey followed him and said some not-so-nice things. "You disrespected me," was all that was heard clearly.



I was ok with this story until the last line. Bissinger was impolite to interrupt in another conversation, and obviously felt his current star power justified his ability to step in. Griff was right to call him on it. However, there is a big difference in attitude between pointing out how discourteous Bissinger was to the other writer and following someone and yelling "You disrespected me." The first is how all of us should react, the second is what I would expect from someone of the character of a Allen Iverson. Griff is better than that.

[cincrazy]

Hal McCoy said in his article that he went up to Griffey in the middle of a private conversation Griffey was having, and said "Talk to me. Now. I have 20 minutes," without even introducing himself. Griffey declined, and as Bissinger was walking away muttering about disrespect, Griffey followed him to the clubhouse door and said "No YOU disrespected ME." That version of the story doesn't sound so bad IMO, I applaud Jr. for it.

[Team Clark]

Hal McCoy said in his article that he went up to Griffey in the middle of a private conversation Griffey was having, and said "Talk to me. Now. I have 20 minutes," without even introducing himself. Griffey declined, and as Bissinger was walking away muttering about disrespect, Griffey followed him to the clubhouse door and said "No YOU disrespected ME." That version of the story doesn't sound so bad IMO, I applaud Jr. for it.

In all honesty, only people who have a problem with Jr. could flip this around on him. What a shame. :thumbdown

[Brisco]

Hal McCoy said in his article that he went up to Griffey in the middle of a private conversation Griffey was having, and said "Talk to me. Now. I have 20 minutes," without even introducing himself. Griffey declined, and as Bissinger was walking away muttering about disrespect, Griffey followed him to the clubhouse door and said "No YOU disrespected ME." That version of the story doesn't sound so bad IMO, I applaud Jr. for it.

This is a much better version. Even though I have enjoyed the show... Friday Night Lights just went down in my eyes.

[Redsland]

Hal's version made the most sense to me, too.

[RedFanAlways1966]

See how things can be wriiten in such diffrent ways. I read Hal's version in this morning's DDN too. Then after reading the one Brisco got... two very different ways of writing it. I do not know which is more factual, but I am more inclined to believe Hal's story.

Get out of the REDS clubhouse... NOW.

[Phhhl]

I hate Friday night lights. Jr., I am cool with.

[hebroncougar]

Much ado about nothing. If not speaking to either one of them immediately = disrespect to either one of them they need to grow up.

[uks2h]

In all honesty, only people who have a problem with Jr. could flip this around on him. What a shame. :thumbdown

Ditto. It's such a shame.

[RollyInRaleigh]

Totally agree.

[redssouth]

Hals version is obviously more accurate, he cant see so his hearing is super accurate!!! The other guy probably didnt hear what really was being said! ;)

[Newman4]

I hate Friday night lights. Jr., I am cool with.

Friday Night Lights is overrated. I didn't see the drama in it I guess like some non-sports people did. The Massillon Tigers documentary was much better.

[redsmetz]

Frankly, it was evident that John Fay is continuing his "big shot" trouble stirring mission for this year. What's up with that? It has become quite annoying.

[KittyDuran]

Frankly, it was evident that John Fay is continuing his "big shot" trouble stirring mission for this year. What's up with that? It has become quite annoying.The last 2 paragraphs were not included in Brisco's post...


Ken Griffey Jr. got into a bit of a confrontation with a writer in the visitors' clubhouse at Wrigley.

Griffey was talking to a Nike rep when Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights", came up and asked for a few minutes. Bissinger is working on something for the New York Times.

Griffey said he was having a conversation. Bissinger said he only had 20 minutes. Griffey basically said too bad. Bissinger said "you're not worth it" or words to that effect and walked away.

Griffey followed him and said some not so nice things. "You disrespected me," was all I heard clearly.

The whole thing was over in a minute or two.

I've got to side with Griffey here. Clubhouse protocol is that players are available, but at their leisure. If I wanted to talk to Griffey, I would have waited until he was free. He may or may not have talked to me. But all would have been civil.

[Ron Madden]

The last 2 paragraphs were not included in Brisco's post...

Nice catch Kitty. :beerme:

[remdog]

Frankly, it was evident that John Fay is continuing his "big shot" trouble stirring mission for this year. What's up with that? It has become quite annoying.

I read the blog before I ever came to Redszone and saw this thread posted so I knew what the whole article said. Therefore, I didn't take this as a 'shot' from Fay. My question for you, redsmetz, is: did you read the actual blog before you posted the above or are you making that statement even though you read the full article prior?

My question for Brisco is: did you edit the article when you posted it or did you copy from another source that may not have included everything?

Rem

[Dunner44]

I read the blog before I ever came to Redszone and saw this thread posted so I knew what the whole article said. Therefore, I didn't take this as a 'shot' from Fay. My question for you, redsmetz, is: did you read the actual blog before you posted the above or are you making that statement even though you read the full article prior?

My question for Brisco is: did you edit the article when you posted it or did you copy from another source that may not have included everything?

Rem

Rem, Today's enquirer ran the story, but without Fay's opinion piece at the bottom. That's likely the source...

Online version: Clicky (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/SPT04/704140402/1071/SPT)

[remdog]

Rem, Today's enquirer ran the story, but without Fay's opinion piece at the bottom. That's likely the source...

Online version: Clicky (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/SPT04/704140402/1071/SPT)

Thanks. I read the blog about 6:30 AM my time (9:30 AM EDST) and the on- line version of the Enquirer didn't have that column up. I note that it's a John Fay column and reads like the blog but doesn't contain the last two paragraphs. Perhaps that's why the Enquirer allows/posts a blog---they may want to limit/remove personal opinion from the 'news' side.

I'd still like to hear from redsmetz and Brisco.

Rem

[WMR]

I certainly don't blame Griffey in the slightest.

Sportswriters have become way too comfortable making demands of athletes, IMO.

[Ron Madden]

I certainly don't blame Griffey in the slightest.

Sportswriters have become way too comfortable making demands of athletes, IMO.

I dont know but... I think Sportswriters spend too much time in the clubhouse.

The players and coaches should have more time to be together as a team without a bunch of reporters hangin' around.

The beat writers and other media should be able to get enough info for thier stories in about an hour. Hell they all write the same stuff anyway.

[redsmetz]

I read the blog before I ever came to Redszone and saw this thread posted so I knew what the whole article said. Therefore, I didn't take this as a 'shot' from Fay. My question for you, redsmetz, is: did you read the actual blog before you posted the above or are you making that statement even though you read the full article prior?

My question for Brisco is: did you edit the article when you posted it or did you copy from another source that may not have included everything?

Rem

My response was made based on Fay's account in the newspaper. I was unaware that the OP was quoting from the blog. It certainly wasn't clear. At least in the print edition, Fay seems to be working overtime to stir things up with the Reds, IMO. I don't believe the final portions that somewhat subsequently posted where in his Enquirer story. It struck me as an attempt to put Griffey in a bad light. I'll acknowledge though that I'm not impressed with John Fay these days and lean towards seeing him as I stated in my first post in this thread. Clearly Fay can add the comment in his blog but not in his reporting story (although he's doing regular "analysis", clear marked, but that fits with my theory that Fay's try to big the big dog in the writers pool).

Here's the text from the Enquirer story:


Ken Griffey Jr. got into a bit of a confrontation with a writer in the visitors' clubhouse at Wrigley.

While Griffey was talking to a Nike representative, Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights," came up and asked for a few minutes of his time.

Griffey said he was having a conversation, and Bissinger said he had only 20 minutes. Griffey basically said, too bad. Bissinger said "You're not worth it," or words to that effect, and walked away.

Griffey followed him and said some not-so-nice things. "You disrespected me," was all that was heard clearly.

The whole thing was over in a minute or two.

Edit: Looking at the story after posting my reply here, there's little question that Bissinger is put in the worse light. I'll acknowledge that my dislike of John Fay got the better of me. I still think I'm correct about his present intentions, but not so much with this story, after further reflection.

[Nugget]

Still Fay's piece doesn't have the whole story - even his opinion is based on not the whole story. Sure he sides with Junior but still doesn't put the record straight by indicating that Junior's parting words were not petulance but responding to some further utterances.