Regarding the reading of presserrs, I have to admit that I only skim read them, never look at the videos or pictures and use what is in them mostly as ammunittion against that team if I meet them in the playoffs.
I just feel that after producing several very in depth draft boards and discussing these players as much as we have over the years that I have a dang good idea of which players I like, what they can do, how they would imteract with others and dont need to listen to the in depth stuff some GMs write up.
I select, target, avoid and don't select players based on this knowlwdge and no in depth opinionated presser is going to change my view of those players.
I think many of the vet GMs probably feel the same way. But I will say this, doing an in depth presser will get you to learn more about the players on your team, get you to like your players and team more and ultimately make you a more informed and better GM for the next time you play.
So in that way thy serve as a great tool and should not be shunned.
I wrote what I think was the longest and most in-depth presser. 2500 words, and to my knowledge the only person who read it completely was KWhit.
I'm not angry or bitter about it, its just the way this stuff happens. People who want to really read the pressers will, people who don't, wont. But, for those who don't, you've gotta make the information easily accessible they want to get (rotation minutes, statistics, projected stats, height, weight, round picked...that stuff.)
One of my personal pet peeves with press releases is something virtually everyone does; its the following format
(picture of a player)
-stuff about that player
(picture of a player)
-stuff about that player
repeat, then give me 200 words about how you rock.
Some people like that format, I think it lacks in substance and is a little clumsy to read personally.
But as far as people complaining about a lack of participation in some of the press releases...if you want people to talk about your team, you've got to talk about your team. You've got to challenge other GM's on their teams, juxtapose yourself as a peer or better. You've got to make people care enough to want to dispel your team, and be strong and well-versed enough to defend it.
If you want results, that's the way to do it. Its no secret, its no complicated. There were enough people
I will say that one of my pet peaves is projected stats. Why? Because every year teams have injuries, every year players on a team underperform and every year there is some drama that causes a statistical fluctuation somewhere on a team and yet when GMs project stats they take none of this into consideration.
Every player scores and shoots above their averages. Every player gets assists and blocks and steals at about their averages. Every player is healthy. No one ever has a bad year in any way. Sophomore slumps never happen and all rookies perform like vets.
Its better to show the players past stats and discuss team strategies IMHO than to try to weave a tale of what players will have what stats without putting some semblance of reality into them.
Kinda like:
Okay the Kings will all shoot over 50%, LeBron will have a career year averaging a triple double, no one will get hurt and the team will mesh perfectly.
But it won't. Miller is likely to be hurt at some point, Singleton is probably going to struggle if forced into the back up SF role, Jennings might be a headcase if he has to watch Chauncey Billups play PG late in games, Neal might have a bad sophomore slump, Chandler could turtle because he has a new contract and a shiny new ring, Diaw could come into camp the size of a cow and be a non-factor, Millsap could struggle against bigger PFs. And of course, LeBron could choke....
Here tell me something about my team I don't know....
So I find it strange to try to project stats. I say, here, this is what history tells you happened, you tell me what you think will happen....with your vote.