Mick Delaney thinking it was 4th & 8 update

[BWahlberg]

Got word from two other reporters that Mick did not say in the press conference that he thought it was 4th and 8 when there were just over 5 minutes to go in the game. At that point he opted to kick a fieldgoal, which was missed.

Here's the quote from the Spokesman Review's reporter John Blanchette

Delaney opted for that field goal with 5:20 left – later explaining that “we needed to get some points and it was fourth-and-eight, which was a little too much yardage.”

Except it was fourth-and-one, and all the momentum – and that noise – belonged to Montana.

This quote was then given to Blanchette 1-on-1 after the press conference presumably. One has to wonder if Delaney was misinterpreted.

One thing I wonder about, but am unsure of since I've not heard from John Blanchette, was that very first possession of the game, where the Griz kicked a fieldgoal on a 4th and 7. Was the question a little vague and did Mick believe that it was about the 1st quarter fieldgoal attempt?

One can only make assumptions, however it does shed a little more light on it and why other reporters did not also put that in their articles. Based on some comments from EWU posters about how they feel about Blanchette as a fairly poor reporter it makes me wonder about the whole thing.

 

[zengriz]

...why would any one believe...
...something they read...
...spookaloo review...

... ...

 

[mcg]

Thank you for taking time to run this down. S**tstorm averted.

 

[rabid_griz]

This does not avert a s***storm as far as I'm concerned. Because if Mick thought it was fourth-and-one, then this takes us back to the original question of WHY he would break up the momentum the team had going at that point and opt for the field goal. Why would you think, down eleven points, that the chances of getting a two-point conversion on a touchdown later would be better than the chances of gaining a yard on a fourth-and-one play? It was a blown opportunity after the defense worked so hard to get the ball back with the interception. I'm pretty sure the players wanted to go for it on fourth-and-one. Some of you want to talk about players executing badly? How about we talk about player morale, instead?

 

[mcg]

Yes, but this is much different and less ugly s**storm. It would be interesting to compare the success rate for fourth and one with the success rate for 39 yard (that what is was, right?) field goals. WWNSD?

 

[rabid_griz]

Also, just for the record, I disagree with all of you who are criticizing Blanchette. He's been covering Big Sky Football for a lot of years, and over the years he has a lot of respect for Montana's program. Just because the coach made the comment about the down and distance somewhere other than in a press conference doesn't mean he didn't say it, or that he was quoted out of context, or incorrectly. Just because you don't like what he said doesn't mean he is a bad reporter or that he does sloppy reporting. Grow up, and don't blame the media. I was at that train wreck of a football game. The play calling was atrocious, and a lot of the fans were booing (not me, I don't boo at the games, other than at bad officiating). Blanchette just called a spade a spade.

 

[rabid_griz]

Yes, but this is much different and less ugly s**storm. It would be interesting to compare the success rate for fourth and one with the success rate for 39 yard (that what is was, right?) field goals. WWNSD?

You missed the point--I didn't even bring up the probability of making the field goal. Even if they had made the field goal, they would have still been down eight points and would have needed a touchdown AND a two-point conversion to tie the game. Most of us where I was sitting at the game felt we would have been much better off going for it on fourth-and-one and trying to get into the end zone at that point.

 

[BWahlberg]

Also, just for the record, I disagree with all of you who are criticizing Blanchette. He's been covering Big Sky Football for a lot of years, and over the years he has a lot of respect for Montana's program. Just because the coach made the comment about the down and distance somewhere other than in a press conference doesn't mean he didn't say it, or that he was quoted out of context, or incorrectly. Just because you don't like what he said doesn't mean he is a bad reporter or that he does sloppy reporting. Grow up, and don't blame the media. I was at that train wreck of a football game. The play calling was atrocious, and a lot of the fans were booing (not me, I don't boo at the games, other than at bad officiating). Blanchette just called a spade a spade.

Yeah I don't really read any of his stuff, not by choice but just b/c I'm not an EWU fan. When some EWU fans came on here calling him out I just figured he may have a mixed reputation out there.

 

[FireGriz]

I'm a Griz fan in Spokane, and on occasion I stumble across some of John's work.


I usually use the newspaper to scrape it off my shoe and carry on with my day. Blanchette probably just mixed his notes up, I'm not confident that he's smart enough to intentionally screw this up.