Matt Burgan articles - how do you take them?

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Don't get me wrong, i think Matt Burgan does a fantastic job in the 'editor & chief football writer' media man for the MFC. The videos/interviews etc. are always enjoyable and "generally" informative in regards to finding out about our past, the players personal lives and what goes on in some parts of the inner sanctum. But what i'm curios to know from you guys is how you "take" the articles he writes?

Obviously he is biased as he is employed by our club, but i find all the articles typically have a positive spin on them no matter how insipid we are (and we are below insipid.)

Take the most recent article: 'Analysis:the kids are all right' for example, where he analyses our list and virtually tells us that "we 'aint too bad, just be patient" (para-phraising and inferring here).

(http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-06-27/analysis-the-list-is-all-right)

I appreciate what he is trying to do, and i appreciate his judgement on our list but i just can't take it seriously as its coming from him, someone who is employed by OUR club and who generally has no football credentials i know of what so ever. I feel this way about every article of his lately.

As soon as i see his name on top as the author, i generally don't bother reading sometimes.

How do you guys feel about Matt and his reports?

Do they lack credibility, as it's like Colonel Sanders trying to tell you that "KFC 'ain't too unhealthy for ya'll?"

[stuie 7,374]

I'm hoping he's good at social media or something else, because his articles are not only fluff but they're actually terribly written.

Not only that, but when I asked him about Magner on team chat tonight he said he had 10 weeks to get another shot, before I pointed out about the LTI and he said Grimes would be back round 15. Doesn't seem to have that much of a clue.

[McQueen 17,867]

I reckon he does a bloody good job.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

I reckon he does a bloody good job.

yes i said that, but i'm wondering how you take the articles, as in when he speaks so positively about us- do you find it credible?

[Wells 11 5,422]

yes i said that, but i'm wondering how you take the articles, as in when he speaks so positively about us- do you find it credible?

Not really.......... but its a relief isnt it? After all the acid in my eyes re Caro etc dont we deserve just a bit of love?. Who knows...he might be right.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Not really.......... but its a relief isnt it? After all the acid in my eyes re Caro etc dont we deserve just a bit of love?. Who knows...he might be right.

the club needs honesty, not fluff. Fluff got us in the position we are in.

[Longsufferingnomore 1,647]

Matt does a great job. He is there to maintain the faith amongst the supporter base. We get enough of the other "stuff" from other media outlets.

[McQueen 17,867]

yes i said that, but i'm wondering how you take the articles, as in when he speaks so positively about us- do you find it credible?

Honestly, what do you expect? Harsh criticism?

I think he balances his articles well.

[rjay 25,093]

He does ok does Matt but when it comes to talking footy he is just another fan like the rest of us, it's just he has a bigger platform to air his views. Good luck to him.

[pitmaster 3,580]

Taken with a grain of salt.

Well meaning and obviously limited in what he can say on the official site.

[Adam The God 30,421]

Without wanting to sound cynical, you've gotta remember that the MFC website is a major function of the MFC propaganda machine. It's successfully been sprouting positive messages about the club for a few years now. Good old Whiteboard Wednesday. That had me fooled.

Burgan's a good writer, but personally I'd prefer more video content. Visual media is usually a more engaging tool and the club have rightly created new video segments since the arrival of the current FD. More, I say.

I like that there's a biased MFC media outlet, but if I want the whole truth and nothing but, I won't go to MFC.com.au. I'd have to hope Emma Quayle is publishing her weekly piece or that Demonlanders have some thoughtful insights.

[Longsufferingnomore 1,647]

Without wanting to sound cynical, you've gotta remember that the MFC website is a major function of the MFC propaganda machine. It's successfully been sprouting positive messages about the club for a few years now. Good old Whiteboard Wednesday. That had me fooled.

Burgan's a good writer, but personally I'd prefer more video content. Visual media is usually a more engaging tool and the club have rightly created new video segments since the arrival of the current FD. More, I say.

I like that there's a biased MFC media outlet, but if I want the whole truth and nothing but, I won't go to MFC.com.au. I'd have to hope Emma Quayle is publishing her weekly piece or that Demonlanders have some thoughtful insights.

Unlikely

[Don24 103]

I reckon Burgs is great.

We get a thousand negative articles a week written about us, its nice to hear stories that are not only positive, but football based!

We need more of it..

[Adam The God 30,421]

Unlikely

There are a few around the traps, LS.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

meh, i think many do better on the ol' D'land. gifs n' all.
but thats just me.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,088]

I take them with a grain of salt. And some Lime and tequila occasionally.

[Yossarian 1,820]

I don't read them because I find his writing style painful to read and over-emotional in content. Much prefer to get my fluff pieces from Ron Burgundy or pm24.

[Machsy 2,858]

I think the OP shows a critical misunderstanding of what the purpose of Burgan's role is.

It's about generating content for the website, app and social media.

Not providing accurate critical analysis in an effort to win a Pulitzer.

Don't think MFC is alone in this either.

Every AFL club has "digital media generators" that churn out articles in exactly the same manner.

Often they only regurgitate quotes from players they get from radio transcripts and print media articles.

Burgan's work is one of the better examples I have seen.

[angrydee 842]

He's an ordinary writer, but at least when he quotes people he's very accurate - he actually listens to the recordings and writes them verbatim.

For a propagandist - and I, for one, am glad we've got one - he's quite good.

A necessary evil.

[Carrot Top 947]

If he started putting out anti club articles I'd worry, but otherwise it's fluff and feel good that is only hurts when the wheels have fallen off like it is now. If we won 5 in a row we'd all be on the MFC site reading all he could offer each Monday.

See it for what it is. Enjoy the cheerleading in the good times, get some (maybe false hope) in the bad times, and (like I'm doing now) don't read it in the horror times if the nature of it doesn't rub with your take on reality.

Basically there are many departments in the club that need our anger and scorn. To use it on this dept would be misplaced.

[3183 Dee 2,907]

I think he does a great job. His work is the official club line, so don't expect it to be a Patrick Smith article every time. This season would've been especially difficult - imagine having to constantly write/pick out something positive after each ten goal flogging and getting the coach's feedback, when their job is on the line. I think that the amount of content generated each day is surprisingly good.

[Forest Demon 4,681]

Hate to be harsh, but as soon a he opens his mouth on DeeTV, I am fighting off sleep. He has such a bland and monotonous voice. Who knows, maybe if we start winnig games and he, and his interviewees, have something to be happy about, he might spark to life.

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

Hate to be harsh, but as soon a he opens his mouth on DeeTV, I am fighting off sleep. He has such a bland and monotonous voice. Who knows, maybe if we start winnig games and he, and his interviewees, have something to be happy about, he might spark to life.

I'm hoping he's good at social media or something else, because his articles are not only fluff but they're actually terribly written.

Not only that, but when I asked him about Magner on team chat tonight he said he had 10 weeks to get another shot, before I pointed out about the LTI and he said Grimes would be back round 15. Doesn't seem to have that much of a clue.

Matt Burgan has been a Dees supporter for most of his life, so he has been hurting as much as the rest of us, but he has to turn up everyday no matter how he feels and prepare content for the MFC website with all the constraints that entails, to have a couple of posts like the above is typical of some of the so called Dees supporters that post on this board.

He answered your question re Magner, there is no LTI so Magner is a rookie again, we elevanted Clisby as the mid season rookie, so perhaps you misunderstood

Same as on here if you don't like what he writes/or says then don't read or listen to it

[Forest Demon 4,681]

Matt Burgan has been a Dees supporter for most of his life, so he has been hurting as much as the rest of us, but he has to turn up everyday no matter how he feels and prepare content for the MFC website with all the constraints that entails, to have a couple of posts like the above is typical of some of the so called Dees supporters that post on this board.

He answered your question re Magner, there is no LTI so Magner is a rookie again, we elevanted Clisby as the mid season rookie, so perhaps you misunderstood

Same as on here if you don't like what he writes/or says then don't read or listen to it

FFS, for the love of god, give it a rest. I am allowed to answer a question aren't I. Just said I found him not charismatic enough for camera and even alluded to the fact he looks to be down by the position we are in. Edited June 27, 2013 by Forest Demon

[MadAsHell 4,215]

Don't get me wrong, i think Matt Burgan does a fantastic job in the 'editor & chief football writer' media man for the MFC. The videos/interviews etc. are always enjoyable and "generally" informative in regards to finding out about our past, the players personal lives and what goes on in some parts of the inner sanctum. But what i'm curios to know from you guys is how you "take" the articles he writes?

Obviously he is biased as he is employed by our club, but i find all the articles typically have a positive spin on them no matter how insipid we are (and we are below insipid.)

Take the most recent article: 'Analysis:the kids are all right' for example, where he analyses our list and virtually tells us that "we 'aint too bad, just be patient" (para-phraising and inferring here).

(http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-06-27/analysis-the-list-is-all-right)

I appreciate what he is trying to do, and i appreciate his judgement on our list but i just can't take it seriously as its coming from him, someone who is employed by OUR club and who generally has no football credentials i know of what so ever. I feel this way about every article of his lately.

As soon as i see his name on top as the author, i generally don't bother reading sometimes.

How do you guys feel about Matt and his reports?

Do they lack credibility, as it's like Colonel Sanders trying to tell you that "KFC 'ain't too unhealthy for ya'll?"

I reckon Burgs does a great job.

And as for the article you mentioned. It isn't relly any different from Emma Quayle's article the other week. So it's obviously a shared view from others outside the club with no bias so I don't think we can acusse Burgs of spin here, just giving supporters some hope in the middle of what's been a difficult season.