The show must go on.....

Again, the circus is in town! (Raiders and Warriors)

The Raiders are a dump truck organization. It breaks my heart, but they act like everything is important but what happens on the field.

Hi Lowell,
This looks like another unfortunate incident courtesy of the Raiders.
At times, you may have the luckiest job around...but, then again you are also faced with some unenviable tasks, i.e. covering the Raiders.
Today's incident with Seymour sounded pretty strange. I heard the radio call by Papa and Flores. They were both surprised and i think somewhat besides themselves.
It's too bad that Seymour would not cooperate with you and at the same time, we all know that NFL games can be very violent and we may never know what happened in the "heat of the battle".
Maybe the blackout was the best thing that could have happened for us Raider fans - this sounded like a terrible game to watch !!

Hi Lowell

Seemed like a fair question.

Question: You teach journalism and have many years of experience in this field. When coaching your students is here a 'rule of thunb' reporters should follow when a question is not being answered (like how many times could a reporter ask a question before it becomes unprofessional)?

I'm not saying you did anything wrong but what do they teach rookie journalists in school?

Also, this is the Raiders where rude is the norm. By game 13 or 14, when the number of wins can be counted on one hand, rude behavior may be welcome in THAT locker room.

It seems that you asked a fair question, but reading you for many years 20 plus, you will go out of your way to bash the raiders, and make them look bad in what ever story you write. I know there has not been any good for years to write about, but I doubt you would if given the chance.

There's always a Raider apologist in the posts Raiderjim@
if they were 3-0 with a QB who could get a pass to open
WR's and No.4 picks in the draft not fumbling he would
write a positive story.
Let's see Jim the No. 1 pick in the draft literally can't
complete passes, the No. 7 pick can't catch passes and the
no. 4 pick can't hold onto the ball. They are all highly
paid professionals and you want Lowell to write positive
articles.

@John Sousa, your comment is so on-the-money, I'm speechless. Sums it all up.

Maybe Seymour pulled the other guy's hair but wanted to pull his own.

I did not say anything about Mr Cohn having to write something positive about the raiders, rather just making a point, that he never writes anything postive. I fully agree our QB sucks, and I could go on about how I have called JR a bum for 2 plus years. I would really like to see Mr Cohn do a write up on JR. He attempted last year but did not fully do it. I would bet that what ever he wrote about JR would be raider bashing, and you know what I am all for that article.

The Raiders are the Clippers of the NFL...They are pathetic...the entire organization is a joke...If J.R. is an NFL quarterback....then I'm the &**&^% tooth fairy...he is awful...but, the Raider organization ( A.D. ) will never admit that......at best they should try to convert him to an offensive guard...he obviously will NEVER be a bona fide NFL QB....As I noted in a previous blog, I don't know how you can stand being "dissed" by multi-millionaires who , in a fair world, would be working at a car wash....I could not stomach that abuse...

No doubt seymour was frustated after losing today. The defense was horrible. What we don't see every play is what happens in the trenches..........maybe clady hit seymour low, etc.......
Then you have a writer asking a player what happened, why did you do it right after a horrific loss.
seymour was wrong but he's human.

You couldn't let it go. Thats the problem with you guys, you think you're entitled to a complete answer. Sometimes the best thing a guy can do is keep his mouth shut instead of saying something stupid. You were trying to get him to say something that would make headlines. Instead you ended up looking like an idiot and you tried to make the story about you. Don't they teach you in journalism school that the story isn't about the reporter?

Get over yourself.

Dear Mr Cohn,

If you were having a conversation with another person immediately after a troubling event in your life, and the person repeatedly and continually made you feel uncomfortable, what would you do? The proper, adult, and professional response would be to change the subject (which Mr Seymour initially asked you to do). it is your responsibility as a journalist to report facts, (or in your case fiction), on events you are assigned to cover. In order to obtain these facts, you have to be polite and make the other person feel comfortable speaking to/with you. On Sunday you did neither. If you can not show respect for the Raider organization, then take your journalistic manners somewhere else. I am sure the bright spots in your carrer/life do not measure up to the greatness the rRaiders have exhibited in their 50 years of existence.

Dr John Vallera
Professor Emeritus of Aesthetic Dentistry
Case Western Reserve University
Lifetime Oakland Raider Follower (since their inception in 1960)

Jimmy,
What you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this page is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

@DrJohnVallera- gettin a penalty for pulling a guy's hair is a 'troubling event in life'?

Mr. Cohn's JOB is to get the story on what happened, Seymour danced around the question because he KNOWS it was a bush-league move and didn't have the guts to admit what he did was wrong.

Or wait, maybe Cohn is completely making up the fact that Seymour got the penalty, it's just all fiction he's telling to make Seymour look bad. Yeah that must be it Doc

I want to be feel bad for Richard but it's hard to when you had a good thing going in New England and simply allowed greed to take over. Plus whatever Mr. Parker (your agent) told you must been the best sweet nothings ever because now you're at stuck in the black hole of football.

Seymour is consistent: dumb penalty, dumb response to
a reasonaable question.
The actions of the Raider's employee Taylor, though,
are even worse. I would assume his role is do buffer
the needs/desires of the press to question/write
about the Raiders. Very unperfessional tact to
follow and harass Lowell.
"Pride and Poise", ho, ho, ho.

gary

Nice article. However, I will take it a step further. This collapse has Al Davis written all over it. In 1978, Al forced Madden to bench Fred Biletnikoff in favor of Morris Bradshaw. Only problem was Morris could not catch. DHB can't catch and certainly does not know what he is doing to be starting. Al is trying to force DHB into becoming a football player because he knows his pick was bad. Al's ego comes before the team. Al would not allow the coaches on the field to bench John Matuszak in the 1977 AFC Championship game although John was wasted from partying all night. This is Al and his ego...again. Al comes first.

Why would you ever print this exchange? It serves no good to us! Are you looking for someone to pat you on the back and defend you berating an accomplished defensive player? Maybe you would take a minute and understand that he has won superbowls and worked for a class organization his whole career. In ten years of living in the Boston area I have never seen a reporter obtain information in a manner quite like the way you do it.

Im sure your apology really went far with your fellow reporters.....

Al Davis treats the media and the fans with utter disdain. Why should Lowell Cohen, or anybody for that matter, give the Raiders the benefit of the doubt ?

The Raiders looked much improved after their first two games, then Davis inexplicably attacks Rich Gannon. Unbelievable. Last year he threw the entire season in the trash can to engage in a childish fight with Lane Kiffin.

Marcus Allen, The City of Oakland, Alameda County, local writers, National writers; the list goes on, and the team keeps losing.

And the most chicken bleep thing is Al sending Mike Taylor and John Herrera out to do his dirty work. What a pathetic coward.

You're just one of many sports reporters in the locker room. You caused a problem for one of the players IN the locker room (his turf, not yours). Therefore, you were removed. Learn your lesson and stop with the incendiary line of questioning "you were pissed?" yeah, they just lost, you're being a pain, of course he's pissed and you're making it worse.

The tone of this article, that you couldn't possibly be to blame and that you were the vicitm, frankly, sucks.

Why is Cohn reporting on this exchange? Because he has no story if the questions are going unanswered. The nonresponse was more telling than a straightforward answer to the questions.

The players have the right not to speak to anyone. However, the press is there to ask the questions that the public would answer if they were given the opportunity. If the press is restricted, guess what? Your product does not get any attention, whether its a football team or the newest car model.

Not speaking for the Raiders, but other teams have guidelines for dealing with the media for the players. Because, afterall, the image of the team is formed by the players, and no amount of PR spin can do anything about it.

The locker room is not the players' turf. Post-game that turf belongs to a lot of people, including the media. NFL players make millions of dollars and part of the reason they do is because they generate untold amounts of money through, guess what, the media. TV, satellite, radio, etc. The NFL and its teams pay millions of dollars training the coaches and players how to handle themselves in front of the media. Answering tough questions after games that are lost at their lockers is PART OF THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION!!

It is Lowell's job to ask questions and the players' part to answer them.

If Richard Seymour is dumb enough to hurt his team with a foolish penalty the least he can do is answer for it. Frankly, the team would be better if if were another player or the head coach demanding an answer for that, and not Lowell. but then they wouldn't be the Raiders.

IMO, the only one making any sense of this is Andrew S. Writers don't have to worry about facing their scrutinizers, don't have to explain their actions. Really, a writer sacrifices nothing, they don't have to be accountable. The line of questioning was absolutely incendiary. Having said that, Seymour did commit a stupid penalty, but hardly the storyline of this loss. Hopefully, if Lowell had a do-over he'd ask some better football questions.

Lowell --
LET'S REVIEW YOUR TRANSCRIPT - LOWELL on LOWELL
Cohn : " I've never in my life been aware of anything like that. Can I trouble you to tell me what happened?

Cohn: "I was there. Was it a mistake?"

Cohn: Why do I get out of here? You don't like to talk about that.

Seymour: Get out of here.

Cohn: I'm not getting out of here.

We can count 4 I's in your questions. Since when is the journalist the story? Does not make sense !

The penalty was stupid. The exchange between Cohn and Seymour was as blant as yesterday's white bread.

I'm waiting on hold right now to talk to Lowell on KNBR Sports Radio -- please honestly tell readers and listeners , why you're a better man today than yesterday. Readers, throw a yellow flag here.
We just need a breakdown of why the Raiders are so bad.
Petaluma Reviewer

Once again---an example of the media thinking they are the story...who cares what Seymour said to this idiot! Does he really think any sports fan cares what he thinks? His job is to report what the Athlete says, not get his panties in a bunch...

What idiot reporter continues on with a dumb arse question in the first place ?

Oh yeah, its the CohnZone.

Have a heart Lowell. If you had traded down to the Raiders from the Patriots you would be a depressed and aggressive shadow of your former self too.

I'm sure you could have ended your question and walked away and not incited this conflict.
I get tired of hearing reporters cry when they get told to go away after they ask a stupid question. Who cares why he got the penalty? There are plenty of heated stupid penalties made in every NFL game. He has the freedom to not answer you as you do to ask a stupid question.

Lowell,

I have read your columns for years, heard you speak in person, and also heard you inteviewed on the radio many times. I consider you to be one of the most articulate and professional sportswriters in the business. The Raiders treatment of you is bizarre, unprofessional, and uncalled for. It is symptomatic of why this once great organization has slipped into a morass of mediocrrity.

1)Seymour has stated publicly he was blindsided by this trade.
2)He's had to deal with reorganizing life for his family, as well as himself.
3)He had been with the team less than 48 hours and went out and played a heck of a game.
4)The team just loss to a division rival in a pathetic fashion.
5)The first question you ask has to do with pulling hair, which I believe was an accident (Ryan Clady does have dreadlocks. Just as easy to grab by mistake as a facemask or jersey)

In the future, start with something like "You guys were having trouble pressuring Kyle Orton today. What factors can you attribute that to?"

I guarantee your interaction will go better.

You're a smart guy Lowell. You had to know that question would piss him off.

DICK SEYMOUR: DIRTY BITCH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nVOjYZRIC4

Sorry dude. You asked a question and got an answer. You wanted more. He didn't feel compeled to elaborate. You kept asking. He got annoyed and told you to go away. You got indignant about his attitude. You poked an angry bear and should have walked away. No sympathy for you. Seymour has every right to tell you to go away. He answered your first question and did not desire to sepak further. He has no responsibility ask further.

How many players have had their hair pulled without any penalties? Seymour plays for the Raiders and now it's a flag? What about Mr. P in Pittsburg where he had his hair pulled down from the back? No flags there........What gives? Goes to show how predjudiced the ref's are and what teams they like.

Just wait. Soon there will be a league mandate about hair length. These dudes with hair halfway down their back flopping all over is kind of rediculous anyway. Just like every dude out there sporting diamond earrings under their helmet. I thought this was football not a fashion show.

You like to provoke people, Cohn. Sometimes you write a really superb column, but most of the time you aggravate me. You got your 15 minutes of fame for today. I trust you are really preening your feathers.
You seem to have a problem with the Raiders.

You would of been better off asking Clady why the NFL allows dumb hair cuts.

Next time Seymour, make sure you take a lock back with you and give him a little zip lock baggie of it when you travel back to Denver.

Looks like this twit Mike Taylor is just as dumb as John Herrera. Leave it to the Raiders to hire unintelligent classless losers like Mike Taylor and John Herrera to do Al's dirty business. Al is a transparent shell of his former self and he hires clowns like this to deflect the poor job he has done since banishing Marcus Allen.

Sounds like you came off a bit uppity and the man did answer your question. He said it wasn't a mistake.

Has anyone considered the possibility that Seymour was sheltered from media questions (to some extent-- he was no monk) by the Belichik apparatus in New England? Now that the protective blanket has been removed he can't cope with tough questions, never having had to deal with them before.

After all, the Patriots were/are a control freak organization, and combine that with an obsequious Boston media, conditioned by winning records not to rock the boat, and Seymour was probably stunned by Lowell's question-- "Criticism? I've never heard _that_ in the locker room before? Mr. Cohn, please get out of here."

You guys didn't know that Seymour likes it rough?

That was just a warmup ofr their arranged date later.

As a Pats fan, I am a fan of Seymour. But, I do admit that he is injury prone and overrated. I was ELATED when the Raidahs gave up such a great pick for Seymour. It will likely be a top 5 pick. Thanks again, Raidahs!

In re: to this: my guess is that Seymour retaliated for some reason. Couple that with his anger for losing and he responded as he did. There is no excuse, but there may be a reason.

A lil advice, Cohn...don't tease an angry dog. he will bite you.

If you really want to cover your team, start a crusade against Al Davis and your absurd organization. But, wait til after next year.

I really don't see a problem here. You asked Seymour a question and he answered it. You asked him again and he gave you the same response. On my end it seems like you are trying to bait him into an "yeah it was a mistake" answer so you could then make a big deal out of it.

Seymour outsmarted you and now your bitter. You write this column about how rude he is. Sounds bitter to me. If he talked to the press about how annoying any media person is he would be crucified.

Again I'm just not sure what you wanted from him? He answered your question twice.

Seymour was surly but you were antagonistic. What did you think was going to happen after antagonizing the guy after a crushing loss?

I think the players should start scutinizing the reports and all the stupid questions they ask (and there are many!). How would you feel about that? You're asking him to be accountable...how about yourself!

This is how we treat know-it-all dweebs in NE.

I agree with the others who noted that Seymour answered your question. You were looking for a juicy comment to support whatever agenda you were pursuing.

Obviously Seymour was frustrated with the long-haired player. Such frustrations are common in this league, especially between offensive and defensive linemen.

But just b/c Seymour was frustrated doesn't mean he has to voice that frustration through the media. You kept digging and wouldn't let it go. You need to remember....These players don't exist to provide you with material to write about. You exist to write about the players and team. What we have here is yet another sports writer who thinks "he's the story". Well you are most definitely not so get over yourself.

Oh yeah, you sir are a jerk and your mother wears combat boots.

Mike, aka Mike Taylor.

Someone check the IP address of those two comments...

I'd be pissed too if I'd been traded to this dump truck of an organization. Cut the guy some slack, he's the only decent player on your team and is basically being forced to play there praying for a contract next year. If he doesn't want to answer the question, he doesn't have to. Stop forcing it down his throat trying to get a story. It's dishonest, and makes you look like a jackass, not a victim. There are plenty of other things to complain about concerning this team. Complain or rant about how god-awful this team plays every Sunday, because the fact of the matter is that no one cares about something as stupid and irrelevant as this.

Quoting the article: "I believe he was answerable for what he did on the field."

He was answerable for his action by being penalized on the field. He doesn't owe you a personal explanation for it. I realize you take your job very seriously, but maybe you've lost a little perspective regarding what you report on: a game.

Pyper said it well: "yet another sports writer who thinks "he's the story". Well you are most definitely not so get over yourself."

In football pulling hair happens all the time. Its not two hand touch. Richard Seymour is an excellent football player and all around good guy. And this so called reporter should be ashamed of himself for trying to bait him like that. He should trying to make him feel more welcomed so the raiders can resign at the end of the year.

Mr. Cohn,

I was in the locker room when Mr. Taylor was asking you to leave. He never raised his voice. He never approached you in what I would perceive as a threatening manner.

You on the other hand shouted in a loud voice "Mike you are an uninformed a--hole."

I couldn't help but notice that your outburst and ill-advised name calling was left out of your report and Mr. Florio's report.

I have to question your journalistic integrity considering you have twisted the story to make yourself look like a victim, when, in fact, you were doing your level best to incite some type of negative response.

Perhaps you should stick to writing about sports rather than attempt to sensationalize half truths.

Or have you lost your journalistic integrity?

This is the stupidest "blog" ever. This guy is trying to make it sound like Seymour is the reason why the Raiders lost. But here's a much better way of putting this whole "confrontation" between a guy who came from the best discipline, most well coached team in the NFL, to the armpit of the NFL and a guy who no one would recognize in a lineup: http://boston.barstoolsports.com/random-thoughts/richard-seymour-is-in-the-9th-circle-of-hell/

Unfortunately you do not have the courage to identify yourself and because of that your comment is worthless and lacking in guts and integrity. I never used the word a--hole. Lowell Cohn.

Lowell you always try to get under peoples skin for attention, you remind me alot of a clown from san jose who landed on espn......Skip Baylis! Lowell Clown you are a joke and if i ever see you i would kick you out of where ever we were also!

Over the years I've seen very good players put on the Raider helmets and turn into an idiot. There are a few exceptions but its like the thing sucks down a players IQ or something... sucks it down to the very low, low level of their fans. I know Raider fans gloriously lounge in the shallow end of the pool but damn, people. You all have just about drained the shallow end dry.

I hope Seymour dates your daughter.

Mr. Cohn,

I find it revealing, to say the least, that the only comment you have personally responded to is from "Some one that was there". And how did you respond? By engaging in an ad hominun attack.

Nice.

Do you really expect the individual to indentify themself? I have no doubt were they to do so, you'd go on the same vindictive rampage against them as you do against the Raiders. Calling the commenter in question gutless and a coward is disingenuous at best, and proves that they struck a nerve.

Make no mistake here, I think the Raiders' PR dept. is a disaster of both epic and tragic proportions. But regardless, your actions throughout the entire Seymour "incident" were clearly designed to bait the player into giving you a negative story. Since he wouldn't go for it, you provoked a confrontation. And THAT became the story.

Finally, let's clear something up - you are NOT a reporter. You're a columnist/blogger, the sportspage equivalent to an editorial writer. Now don't get me wrong - that's fine as far as it goes. And you actually do a great job of it. You're a real wordsmith, who's writings were required study in my undergraduate rhetoric course at Cal 20+ years ago. But again, you're a columnist. You have more no "right" to be in that locker room and go on agenda-driven harangues in the guise of interviewing players postgame than Rush Limbaugh has a right to ask questions at an Obama presser.

And given that, the Raiders have every right to ban you. Heck, I think they're FOOLS for NOT doing it.

What are you going to do, bash them in your blog?

Oh, that's right - you already do that.

Mr. Cohn,

Your attempt to insult me failed.

Being you are a member of the press, you may just consider me one of your infamous anonymous sources that you refuse to identify.

when FACTS get in the way, resort to personal attacks.

amazing, isn't it?

not really.

it's Lowel's stock in trade. 0-:

i just wish there was some way i could drum up enough support to get Mr. Cohn banned from the locker room/pressers/press box.

but alas, my drumming days are over. :^)

I met up with A Person Who Was There at the media exit of the Coliseum, after the PC and locker room interviews.

The Person Who Was There told me about your extraordinary outburst in the locker room. This was well before your column was written, much less published.

I believe the Person Who Was There, who is a friend I have known for years, and whose integrity I am well aware of.

That you respond to the Person with name calling offends me.

At another time period in history, I would be offering you "grass at dawn", if I thought you were a man.

Wow. If the Raiders could just channel the misplaced energy of their neurotic fans onto the field, they might actually win a couple more games this season. As is, the Raiders fans seem tougher in blogs than the Raiders do against other teams (unless pulling hair is the signature move of the new "rough and ready" Raiders).

No amount of criticism accurately reflects just how messed up that organization remains. Once upon a time the chaos was part of the charm, now though it's just a dysfunctional, and consistently losing, mess.

As someone who was in the elevator on the why down to the locker room I over heard your conversation with a Raiders fan. You asked him what he thought of Russell. His reply was in defense of Russell. Upon exiting the elevator you remarked something about your next column regarding “an a$$hole Raiders fan says”. So much for the claim you made in your reply to Someone about the fact that you never used that word.

I have also had dealings with Mike Taylor. Mike my not be the most diplomatic guy on the block, but he is straight forward, fair, and is a no nonsense type of guy. So when I heard what you said to him in the locker room, my first thought was: “How stupid is this guy?”

Well I guess your column and the reply to Someone has answered my question.

My guess is that your next column will be all about how you’ve been denied access to the locker room.

You can claim that Someone is a liar, and I’m sure you’ll claim that I’m lying about what you said in the elevator, but there were a lot of people who heard what you said. The truth will prevail.

What an idiotic, p*ssy journalist. You dont believe athletes should talk to you a certain way? dont talk to them. they are paid to go out on the field and do a job. does anyone come up to you after an emotional what? 3 hours and ask you why you type a blog in short choppy idiotically written sentences?

Where you at cohn?

alright so lets see Ryan Clady deserved to be pushed from behind and have his hair pulled,really? Those kind of comments are as classless as the raider organisation but eh what can you expect from "mainstream " raider fans! Sure ide be mad if a second year player ate my lunch like Clady did Richard Seymour's but wow hair pulling what are we in the N.F.L. or back in the second grade? a child resorts to hair pulling but a professional athlete for what ever reason (its as stupid as keeping J.R. as A starting Q.B.) and there would be a time out involved somewhere and maybe a suspension for a child so I hope the league comes down on him HARD!!! perhaps you should make the final swan song on the teams credibility and trade for Vick he wold be the perfect starter with the class of team you all have in Oakland! And Cohan good job to make that child accountable he needs to answer for his actions to the press,the league and his team No free pass even if you are a reluctant raider ! and to the members of the raider nation who were appalled by these actions I tip my hat to you one fan to another !

I was at the game yesterday but I didn't see the play from where I was at. I just found it on YouTube and coming off the ball everything was excellent, in fact Seymour just freight trained Clady to his back, which makes the above posters comment about a second year player eating him for lunch seem stupid. After Clady was down, Seymour grabbed him by the hair from behind and slammed him to the ground. So I have to take back what I posted earlier about it possibly being an accident, it was definitely not a mistake brother. But Clady had to do or say something to incite Seymour because no one just goes off that way for no reason. The league may take action on that one. I still don't understand why Cohn wouldn't back off when Seymour obviously didn't want to discuss it. Did Seymour offend you Lowell by trying to control the interview?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-N-COI6hhc

Lowell, you sound like a real jackass.

Hey Loneraider,
Thanks for the link...This was very cool to watch and at the same time, I saw a lot of other players starting to mix it up.
This was not just a Clady vs. Seymour thing. + These types of plays happen in nearly every game.
I am not trying to disguise the hair pulling incident and it should have never happened.

I love how this article basically boils down to him answering your question and you not liking the answer. Are you so emotionally fragile that him telling you to "get out of here" was too much for you to handle? Way too provoke a response.

Look, I'd be the first person to tell you that the Raiders "Organization," don't like that word as it suggests the Raiders are in some way organized, is beyond disfunctional. Bottomline, though, how do you expect him to react after a game that horrid when all he's known in his NFL career is the Patriots? Of course he's pissed off about it and you making a big deal over a non-issue isn't exactly unbiased, is it.

What a disgrace to journalism - the Raiders' PR department is a trainwreck and even then, Mike Taylor was twice the professional you are disillusioned into thinking you are. Your interviewing ability appears severely undercooked, your writing barely cracks a 9th grade level, and, from all indications, your personality stinks. That you must resort to baiting and harrassment speaks volumes of your journalistic skills. Your line of questioning was disrespectful to Seymour and to the craft of newswriting.

"Seymour: It wasn't no mistake, brother. Next question.

Cohn: Is there something wrong with the question? Why did you do it?"

Are you serious?

Get your stankin Niners miniture minds out of here...The PD writers are the worst in MEDIA....DUH!