Michelangelo Rucci: hurting or helping the club?

[TheFVK]

With Michelangelo's constant criticism of all things Port the past few months there has been the predictable backlash from supporters, and although it has been somewhat less unblinkered and vitriolic as that of Crows' fans (probably so as to not appear hypocritical) nonetheless his home truths have hit hard.

Looking into the crystal ball say three years from now will this criticism be looked at as a blessing in disguise, is he merely using the most powerful media tool in SA in the Advertiser to put the wheels in motion for some positive change around the club?


After all, much of what he has written;

Choco's reluctance to play Adam Thomson
The need for an external review of football operations
The gameplan
Entry into the forward line
The lack of another strong voice in the coaching panel
hasn't been far off the mark, and it could be argued that perhaps the public pressure which has resulted from his articles has indeed accelerated the rate at which positive moves have been made around the club, i.e. the review of football operations announced just now.

After all, despite being an "independent" journalist he is at heart still a Port Adelaide supporter.

On the other hand he is at times trashy and often seems to be trying to sell papers through headline-grabbing and lazy journalism (prime example being his player review and his liberal yet blind use of the term "choking"). His articles are also not doing much for Port's reputation and are potentially driving young impressionable supporters away.

However as much as some of his articles anger me I don't want to be another supporter who refuses to handle the truth just because their team is being criticised.

So the question I ask is do you think Michelangelo is actually providing a service to the PAFC, voicing an opinion which our apparently subservient coaching panel is too afraid to express? Or is he merely kicking Port while he is down??

[Forzaport]

So the question I ask is do you think Michelangelo is actually providing a service to the PAFC, voicing an opinion which our apparently subservient coaching panel is too afraid to express? Or is he merely kicking Port while he is down??

Rucci is a port man, so it would be hard to believe that he is kicking the club while it's down. He does raise some very good, valid points but as always he manages to overstep the mark for the sake of controversy. I would also like to point out that some of his articles are based on threads that appear right here on bigfooty, so at least he is echoing some of the supporter's sentiments.

Is he hurting of helping the club? Well, in the short term no favours are being done, but hopefully these criticims will be for the better in the long term.

[Malibu#27]

So the question I ask is do you think Michelangelo is actually providing a service to the PAFC, voicing an opinion which our apparently subservient coaching panel is too afraid to express? Or is he merely kicking Port while he is down??

The items you listed most people dont have a problem from and largely agree.
If there is an issue it defiitely with the other stuff he uses to pad out his articles. (Kind of Scotty-Counter like). For example his attempt to twist what the club was saying about expectations over the past 2 years, and his constant baiting about choking.

IMO - hes just a frustrated Port supporter who probably doesn't have the intimate footy knowledge he thinks he does, so is compensating by baiting the club (sort of "Choco for Bhagdad" style). This baiting takes away from the valid points that he does have (or lifted from websites).

What would have been good was an article 12 months ago about how the club was too Chocco oriented, that we were getting lucky, the need to play Thommo, or that we needed an external review. That would have shown him as a forward thinker, rather than someone skilled at manipulating our memories the past.

[Macca19]

There is a feeling of 'Dont ____ with me' with a few of his articles.

Most of the artciles have been what most of us have been saying on here...but his latest article was nothing but trashy sensaltionalist garbage.

[Papa G]

Helping - Almost all of the articles he has written are on the money to varying degrees. Sure some of it is sensationalist and repetitive, but hey this is a one paper/ 2 team town.

Blind Freddy can see that the club, players, coach have been terrible this year - we deserve the criticism and in fact I think it is healthy. When you good you deserve the praise, when you are shite you deserve to get bagged.

The softly softly/ don't criticise/ moddycoddle stuff that most media direct to the Clowns and their supporters seem to lap up is just plain wrong. Home Truths are needed, and it seems that Rucci is about the only person in this town that is prepared to do it. He can be a self righteous tool at times, but at least he is prepared to say what most of the sychophantic media in this town wouldn't dare.

[PowerKop]

I agree with nearly all his points and think his criticism can only help. Someones got to do in it and we are lucky we have a Port person in the media who can ask these questions which are basically a cross section of the criticism of the club and Choco that you read here.

So Rucci keep up the good work mate:thumbsu:

[Natman]

I hope no one actually thinks that what Rucci has written will influence what the club may have already done, are doing, or will do in the short, medium and long term, to address the current individual, team and coaching problems.

[*PAF]

Go Mickelo. :thumbsu:

[Crow-mo]

I hope no one actually thinks that what Rucci has written will influence what the club may have already done, are doing, or will do in the short, medium and long term, to address the current individual, team and coaching problems.

why not?

the media is a principle portal between the club and the opinion of many supporters.

[Asgardian]

No, it is not

The media provides an opportunity for the various hacks & has beens to push their own agendas, plus giving mischievous foreign supporters an opportunity for mis-direction & point scoring.

Talk back radio & the like is supervised back scratching, all done for the purpose of increasing ratings, & therefore profitability.

Contact between a club & its supporters is best done via a direct basis, letter writing, personal contact at public meetings & other such events

[*PAF]

I agree with all. I have finally been converted, I have seeeen the light and honestly believe that it is cleansing time.
When does the säuberung start and which place are we burning first?
Just tell me when and where and I'll be there Siegfried. :thumbsu: :)

[Crow-mo]

No, it is not

The media provides an opportunity for the various hacks & has beens to push their own agendas, plus giving mischievous foreign supporters an opportunity for mis-direction & point scoring.

Talk back radio & the like is supervised back scratching, all done for the purpose of increasing ratings, & therefore profitability.

Contact between a club & its supporters is best done via a direct basis, letter writing, personal contact at public meetings & other such events

doesn't matter what you think.
the media IS where many of the rank n file get their opinions from.

that's obvious.

[Toots Hibbert]

I hope no one actually thinks that what Rucci has written will influence what the club may have already done, are doing, or will do in the short, medium and long term, to address the current individual, team and coaching problems.

why not?

the media is a principle portal between the club and the opinion of many supporters.
You've completely missed Natman's point which is a claim that Port's administration are not looking to Rucci for guidance. :cool:

[wharfie_1870]

I hope no one actually thinks that what Rucci has written will influence what the club may have already done, are doing, or will do in the short, medium and long term, to address the current individual, team and coaching problems.Only one person believes that :rolleyes:

[bucksfan1987]

The lack of another strong voice in the coaching panel
[/LIST]hasn't been far off the mark, and it could be argued that perhaps the public pressure which has resulted from his articles has indeed accelerated the rate at which positive moves have been made around the club, i.e. the review of football operations announced just now.


Simply not true. The review you speak of is something that happens three times each year. There is nothing extraordinary about it, nor should there be. The man took us to a Grand Final last year, and a Premiership in 2004. It's simply Rucci running his own agenda about what he'd like to happen.

The article he wrote about this big review of football operations was off the mark...in fact, he basically made it up. He continually twists and manipulates the truth to suit his yarn, but good on him, he gets a reaction.

As for whether his articles are good for the club...I don't really see how they could be. S**t sticks whether you like it or not. I certainly don't take what he says as gospel but there are a lot of punters out there who would!

[PJ Power]

Rucci's journalism is sensationalistic, vendetta-dripping, vindictive crap.

End of story.

His little piece on Wednesday was full of two-word quotes taken way out of context. Funny he didn't mention that Cornes had prefaced one of his questions to Choco on Monday night, by remarking about the vendetta Michelangelo appears to have for Williams.

I used to think Rucci criticising the team / club was for its best.

Now I think he is an arrogant individual, who always takes the "I'm right" stance and makes a career out of forcing individuals into a corner with his tireless jibes only to finally get them to bite, so that he can prove his point.

He provided a character assassination of Williams on Wednesday. And as much as I disagree with alot of what Williams does as coach, the players he selects and the gameplan he implements, it was Rucci who looked the fool in that article, not Williams.

One of the worst, most blatantly inaccurate and biased newspaper columns ever. Everything Rucci accuses Choco of, he is himself and some more.

And another thing:

He is wrong when he rates Ebert's year above Motlop's (last week's player reviews).
He is wrong in calling Mitch Farmer a midfielder.
He is wrong in saying that Nathan Lonie is hard running.

When did he ever admit he was wrong?
Last I remember, Williams has admitted he was wrong recently : he conceded to being too negative in his address to the players at 3/4 time against Brisbane.

After listening to the interview on Monday night and reading Rucci's tirade on Wednesday, I have found myself "backed" into Choco's corner.

[gg]

PAFC needs to be pried open and re-evaluated.
So, helping.

[Toots Hibbert]

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6281/tankersvg7axa2xd3.jpg

:D

[Northalives]

Rucci is hurting as much as any real Port person is and he has every right to be scathing at the inept coaching and selections that has been served up to us this year.
What is bemusing, is that those he is criticising, seem to be selecting the team the way that Rucci wants it to be selected. Westoff is a classic example.
Rucci can dish out as much criticism as he likes - he has the vehicle to be heard but as far as his opinion on selection goes, it is only his opinion and not gospel. He is not a Guru and frankly, anyone that thinks that Lonie is an AFL footballer and should be given a try is a very, very poor judge.

[Ford Fairlane]

I had to laugh at Rucci's review of the clash between Worsfold and Hardie in their 6PR spot following the Geelong massacre. He appears rather sympathetic to the pressure Worsfold is under to find success, stating:

It becomes a telling interview, not only of Worsfold but the pressure on AFL coaches - in particular premiership coaches - to keep delivering results in a competition designed to knock down tall poppies.

Hmmm ...

[bucksfan1987]

Rucci is hurting as much as any real Port person is and he has every right to be scathing at the inept coaching and selections that has been served up to us this year.

That's fine, I have no doubt he's hurting, but that does not give you the right to manipulate the truth, nor does it give you the right to lie.

As I've said, I'm fine with him giving his scathing opinions...he gets a reaction and that's great. But when he blatantly lies, that is where I draw the line and say enough is enough.

[Northalives]

That's fine, I have no doubt he's hurting, but that does not give you the right to manipulate the truth, nor does it give you the right to lie.

As I've said, I'm fine with him giving his scathing opinions...he gets a reaction and that's great. But when he blatantly lies, that is where I draw the line and say enough is enough.
You are absolutely correct. Let him have an opinion, sure, but lying is treachery.

[Natman]

You are absolutely correct. Let him have an opinion, sure, but lying is treachery.

I remember one part of one article last week that stated, inter alia, "...Mark William's words were one thing, but his facial expression said otherwise..."

Give me a break - what sort of objective journalism is that.

[birdmanptr]

I remember one part of one article last week that stated, inter alia, "...Mark William's words were one thing, but his facial expression said otherwise..."

Give me a break - what sort of objective journalism is that.


Yep this sums it up hes giving his view on what Williams is thinking no correct point of view there

Like i have been telling people for years dont read it the best point of view at what is happening at your club is what you see

[Power Pete]

It's has nothing to do with helping or hurting the club. Michelangelo Rucci is in the media and writes for the Advertiser and is a die hard Port Adelaide man. Rucci tell it as he see it and it's also his business to sell newspapers too.

If it helps the club...well and good. If it's hurting the club...sh!t happens.

[Convict]

Rucci's journalism is sensationalistic, vendetta-dripping, vindictive crap.


The only thing sensationalistic is the original post. TheFVK you are a joke :thumbsd:

[TheFVK]

The only thing sensationalistic is the original post. TheFVK you are a joke :thumbsd:

When's tea gangsta :D