Geoff Hobson

[GapControl]

Finally, after quite a long time of reading his articles, I find it essential that now I comment on his horrible writing. To put it straight, I cannot understand this guy half the time. I wonder if he is an accomplished journalist. I mean to say, his sentence structure is bizarre and at the very least confusing. Just look at his current article where in which he fumbles through a reporting on Tony Stewart`s contract and a rather self-explanatory description of this year`s free agency.

I am only looking for some feedback here. Honestly, who else finds it difficult to decipher his writing?

[agreen_112]

Who cares?

[kayaker0678]

You should because he is a bengal. He might just report on them but that means he represents us because he doesnt report on anybody else.

[Kirkendall]

Finally, after quite a long time of reading his articles, I find it essential that now I comment on his horrible writing. To put it straight, I cannot understand this guy half the time. I wonder if he is an accomplished journalist. I mean to say, his sentence structure is bizarre and at the very least confusing. Just look at his current article where in which he fumbles through a reporting on Tony Stewart`s contract and a rather self-explanatory description of this year`s free agency.

I am only looking for some feedback here. Honestly, who else finds it difficult to decipher his writing?

Personally, I don't; 99% of the time, I understand what he's saying -- or trying to say. That's all I need.

[Stripes]

Yeah I don't think I've ever had any issues with Hobson's writing style. I never noticed anything abnormal about it.

[BengalChamps]

I have no beef with Hobson.

[BTG]

Who cares?

I care. STFU.

And yea, his writing is painful sometimes. He writes like he just jots things down and doesn't go back through to proofread and polish. The thing is, he has some good info, even if he does come off as a front office puppet every now and then.

[jonahdsage]

I think he does fine most of the time and then will drop some sentence like "They stayed out for the practice of wednesdays next game of the weekend until 7pm, so we should see some big things out of these two." it's good for a chuckle between my roommate and I, but it is really shocking that these kinds of errors find their way into his writing regularly and that there doesn't appear to be any kind of editor involved.

[BengalszoneBilly]

I could give a s**t whether he dangles a few participles in his writing style. What I don't like is his severe case of "Homer-istis." He needs to call a spade a spade once in a while. He needs to quit sucking up so much.

[Coy Bacon & Egg]

I could give a s**t whether he dangles a few participles in his writing style. What I don't like is his severe case of "Homer-istis." He needs to call a spade a spade once in a while. He needs to quit sucking up so much.

I've been a professional writer and communicator for 25 years. You're not dreaming. Hobson is a terrible writer. He lives in a world of his own, writes for his own gratification. Top that off with his stunning and embarrassing verbal "skills" and you have the bizarre situation of a guy holding a truly elite communications position in this country while being one of the worst communicators ever. The next thing you'll try to tell me is that someone with a severe speech impediment, such as Shannon Sharpe, will have one of the few jobs in NFL network broadcasting. What's that?...... He does??????

[GapControl]

I think he does fine most of the time and then will drop some sentence like "They stayed out for the practice of wednesdays next game of the weekend until 7pm, so we should see some big things out of these two." it's good for a chuckle between my roommate and I, but it is really shocking that these kinds of errors find their way into his writing regularly and that there doesn't appear to be any kind of editor involved.

It is good for a chuckle! Sometimes, I wonder, how can no one be editing? I think Hobson is the editor!

[GapControl]

I could give a s**t whether he dangles a few participles in his writing style. What I don't like is his severe case of "Homer-istis." He needs to call a spade a spade once in a while. He needs to quit sucking up so much.

I've been a professional writer and communicator for 25 years. You're not dreaming. Hobson is a terrible writer. He lives in a world of his own, writes for his own gratification. Top that off with his stunning and embarrassing verbal "skills" and you have the bizarre situation of a guy holding a truly elite communications position in this country while being one of the worst communicators ever. The next thing you'll try to tell me is that someone with a severe speech impediment, such as Shannon Sharpe, will have one of the few jobs in NFL network broadcasting. What's that?...... He does??????

How did he become the lead spokesman for the team? Is he being paid for his website writing or is he being paid for some other role?

[Kirkendall]

The bigger question you guys should examine, is whether or not you're getting the information you're looking for. Let's see, Chris Perry, out six weeks, check. Then again, that could be the standard copy and paste function.

Anyway, Hobson is not a novelist or a poet. He gets gobs of information and puts it out there, quickly, for you. The suddenly English professor Bengals fan.

If you want objective opinion, with a hint of over-reaction, and maybe some good story telling, you can visit the family of fantastic Bengals blogs (hint, hint) and sites. If you want great writing, go read Robert Frost or Shakespeare.

[Walrus]

I think he does fine most of the time and then will drop some sentence like "They stayed out for the practice of wednesdays next game of the weekend until 7pm, so we should see some big things out of these two." it's good for a chuckle between my roommate and I, but it is really shocking that these kinds of errors find their way into his writing regularly and that there doesn't appear to be any kind of editor involved.

It is good for a chuckle! Sometimes, I wonder, how can no one be editing? I think Hobson is the editor!

Given the choice between spending money on an editor for Hobbs or *fill in the blank* that would go to help the team, I'll take whatever helps the team (hint -- scouts, maybe a gm, trainers, fleet of designated drivers, etc.)...

I appreciate the job Hobson does. He seems to work very hard to dig up info -- especially during the off-season. Yeah, he's biased but this isn't the NYTimes (or even the Enquirer). His function is first to be a mouthpiece for the organization. He has too much conflict of interest to be credibly objective. But that's not the point of this thread. Yeah, he has a way of spitting out nonsense from time to time, but if he has no editor, I can hardly blame him.

[redsbengalsbucks]

I think he does fine most of the time and then will drop some sentence like "They stayed out for the practice of wednesdays next game of the weekend until 7pm, so we should see some big things out of these two." it's good for a chuckle between my roommate and I, but it is really shocking that these kinds of errors find their way into his writing regularly and that there doesn't appear to be any kind of editor involved.

It is good for a chuckle! Sometimes, I wonder, how can no one be editing? I think Hobson is the editor!

Given the choice between spending money on an editor for Hobbs or *fill in the blank* that would go to help the team, I'll take whatever helps the team (hint -- scouts, maybe a gm, trainers, fleet of designated drivers, etc.)...

I appreciate the job Hobson does. He seems to work very hard to dig up info -- especially during the off-season. Yeah, he's biased but this isn't the NYTimes (or even the Enquirer). His function is first to be a mouthpiece for the organization. He has too much conflict of interest to be credibly objective. But that's not the point of this thread. Yeah, he has a way of spitting out nonsense from time to time, but if he has no editor, I can hardly blame him.

This makes sense other than the comparision between the NYTimes and Hobson, IMO both are examples of extremely biased journalism.

[Kirkendall]

This makes sense other than the comparision between the NYTimes and Hobson, IMO both are examples of extremely biased journalism.

Coming from different perspectives. The Times has an ideology to promote whereas Hobson has a job to keep.

[bengalsfansince68]

Finally, after quite a long time of reading his articles, I find it essential that now I comment on his horrible writing. To put it straight, I cannot understand this guy half the time. I wonder if he is an accomplished journalist. I mean to say, his sentence structure is bizarre and at the very least confusing. Just look at his current article where in which he fumbles through a reporting on Tony Stewart`s contract and a rather self-explanatory description of this year`s free agency.

I am only looking for some feedback here. Honestly, who else finds it difficult to decipher his writing?

Am I the only one who finds it odd that GapControl calls out Hobson for poor sentence structure when his own sentence is poorly structured?

"Just look at his current article where in which he fumbles through a reporting on Tony Stewart`s contract and a rather self-explanatory description of this year`s free agency."

where in which?

Laughable!

[GapControl]

Finally, after quite a long time of reading his articles, I find it essential that now I comment on his horrible writing. To put it straight, I cannot understand this guy half the time. I wonder if he is an accomplished journalist. I mean to say, his sentence structure is bizarre and at the very least confusing. Just look at his current article where in which he fumbles through a reporting on Tony Stewart`s contract and a rather self-explanatory description of this year`s free agency.

I am only looking for some feedback here. Honestly, who else finds it difficult to decipher his writing?

Am I the only one who finds it odd that GapControl calls out Hobson for poor sentence structure when his own sentence is poorly structured?

"Just look at his current article where in which he fumbles through a reporting on Tony Stewart`s contract and a rather self-explanatory description of this year`s free agency."

where in which?

Laughable!

Near where I live there's a wood where you can find woodpeckers.

Near where I live there's a wood in which you can find woodpeckers.

Near where I live there`s a wood where in which you can find woodpeckers.

The above example illustrates the different ways one could construct three sentences all having the same meaning. I admit the third example is a bit wordy. "Where" is used to refer to "a wood" and so is "in which". The same is true for the sentence I constructed. "Where" is used to refer to the current article and so is "in which".

"Where in which" seems redundant. However, I can argue it does add clarification through reminding the reader the purpose of the relative clause. If it is a bit too wordy, forgive me. I bet you can find many examples from well-known writers where they have used "where in which". As far as Hobson is concerned, look at this example:

We`ll know in the next few days,・said Jimmy Sexton on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Kelly is going to re-sign after four seasons he has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room.

I would prefer him being a bit redundant to completely butchering tense and possibly meaning of this sentence.

An honest person would admit there is no way to know what Hobson actually means here. Does he think Kelly is a rock? Or does his agent think Kelly is a rock? I would like to know what the spokesperson for my Bengals thinks. Not this nonsense.

[Kirkendall]

An honest person would admit there is no way to know what Hobson actually means here. Does he think Kelly is a rock? Or does his agent think Kelly is a rock? I would like to know what the spokesperson for my Bengals thinks. Not this nonsense.

I done received that Kelly is more than stable in the running game. Ata boy Geoff. Add some poetry. I'm game. However, Hobson ain't not the team's spokesman. That would done be falling to Marvin, Brennen, Combs and Moore -- PR department.

[bengalsfansince68]

Mr. Gap,

I did not try to defend Hobson's writing skills. The sentence you quote is obviously very poorly structured and I am sure there are many more. I believe that I, for the most part, speak and write relatively proper english. I am sure, however, that I make some mistakes in grammar and puncuation from time to time.

I would try to make sure my own sentence structure was correct if I was to criticize others.

Of the three woodpecker sentences you offered, the first two seem to be proper, but the third in which the "where in which" phrase is contained, is definately not proper. The "where", is in no way needed as the woods in which they can be found is proper. Where in which sounds almost as wrong, though not quite as wrong, as the very poorly structured sentence that you quote from Hobson.

I read Hobson all the time and while you are right about his poor writing skills, I, like a previous poster, am more concerned that he does not seem to be either willing or allowed to speak the truth of what he really thinks. Since I don't know for sure what he really thinks, I cannot be sure that he does not speak the truth of what he thinks. It sure seems that he writes what Mike Brown wants him to, something he likely has to do to keep his job.

I for one appreciate all the information I can find on my beloved franchise. I can give him a pass on his sentence structure if he keeps me informed, something he does relatively well, but I am sure could do better.

[HoosierCat]

We`ll know in the next few days,・said Jimmy Sexton on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Kelly is going to re-sign after four seasons he has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room.

An honest person would admit there is no way to know what Hobson actually means here.

Actually, an honest person would probably conclude only that Hobson needs a proofreader. What he means is clear. I think it's most likely an em-dash or semicolon got dropped. As in:

"We'll know in the next few days," said Jimmy Sexton on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Kelly is going to re-sign -- after four seasons he has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room.

or

"We'll know in the next few days," said Jimmy Sexton on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Kelly is going to re-sign; after four seasons he has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room.

Had I been editing this (and I've been writing and editing for a living for 20 years), I would have simply split it into two sentences, like so:

"We'll know in the next few days," said Jimmy Sexton on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Kelly is going to re-sign. After four seasons, he has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room.

If I felt particularly energetic, I might even reverse the sentences, in which case the thought flows much better:

After four seasons, Kelly has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room. "We'll know in the next few days," said Jimmy Sexton on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Kelly is going to re-sign.

And, had I been truly inspired, I might even have flipped the clauses in the second sentence around:

After four seasons, Kelly has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room. Asked on Wednesday if Kelly is going to re-sign, Jimmy Sexton said, "we'll know in the next few days."

However, the construction that features the quote at the start of the sentence is acceptable; in fact it's classic newspaper style, and Hobson comes from that background.

[GapControl]

Mr. Gap,

I did not try to defend Hobson's writing skills. The sentence you quote is obviously very poorly structured and I am sure there are many more. I believe that I, for the most part, speak and write relatively proper english. I am sure, however, that I make some mistakes in grammar and puncuation from time to time.

I would try to make sure my own sentence structure was correct if I was to criticize others.

Of the three woodpecker sentences you offered, the first two seem to be proper, but the third in which the "where in which" phrase is contained, is definately not proper. The "where", is in no way needed as the woods in which they can be found is proper. Where in which sounds almost as wrong, though not quite as wrong, as the very poorly structured sentence that you quote from Hobson.

I read Hobson all the time and while you are right about his poor writing skills, I, like a previous poster, am more concerned that he does not seem to be either willing or allowed to speak the truth of what he really thinks. Since I don't know for sure what he really thinks, I cannot be sure that he does not speak the truth of what he thinks. It sure seems that he writes what Mike Brown wants him to, something he likely has to do to keep his job.

I for one appreciate all the information I can find on my beloved franchise. I can give him a pass on his sentence structure if he keeps me informed, something he does relatively well, but I am sure could do better.

I think you are a better writer than Hobson. Let us call a truce.

And, had I been truly inspired, I might even have flipped the clauses in the second sentence around:

After four seasons, Kelly has proven to be a rock in the running game and locker room. Asked on Wednesday if Kelly is going to re-sign, Jimmy Sexton said, "we'll know in the next few days."

Very well done. I think you are a better writer than Hobson, too. Maybe Bengalszone should encourage Mike Brown to replace Hobson with one of our members.

[Kirkendall]

So we all agree that while personal preferences aren't satisfactory, you still get all the information you need? BTW, just a footnote here. There's other places you can go to get all your latest Bengals needs. I have one in mind

[HoosierCat]

So we all agree that while personal preferences aren't satisfactory, you still get all the information you need?

It's the offseason. You expected something else?

BTW, just a footnote here. There's other places you can go to get all your latest Bengals needs. I have one in mind

Yep, cincyjungle.com! Extra special benefit for media critics is you can bust on every one of kirk's foibles right here! And I'm quite sure I can guess what he'll tell ya to do with 'em!

[GapControl]

So we all agree that while personal preferences aren't satisfactory, you still get all the information you need?

It's the offseason. You expected something else?

BTW, just a footnote here. There's other places you can go to get all your latest Bengals needs. I have one in mind

Yep, cincyjungle.com! Extra special benefit for media critics is you can bust on every one of kirk's foibles right here! And I'm quite sure I can guess what he'll tell ya to do with 'em!

Haha! I have to check it out.