Mac Engel emailed me back about the 'ring finger' comment
Ok here we go. I have been discussing this entire 'ring finger incident' with some great people, even though opinions differ greatly, and I figured I would try and get more info directly from the source.
A few people have stated that Wade was goaded into the comment because he was trying to appease a heckler/fan/coach at the clinic who was yelling out 'get the ring finger ready'. Not sure if Wade made the comments directly to the guy or he just said it to hopefully get the guy to hush up so he could finish his speech.
Anyway. I emailed Mac Engel about this whole thing...
Hey Mac,
People want to know more about the 'Get the ring finger ready' comment.
Some say you are a poor journalist because you used it out of context. They say someone else was yelling over and over again to Wade that same comment and that Wade made the comment back to the crowd to appease the guy and hush him up.
What says you about the situation?
Here's his response back to me...
DCFanatic -
I've received one or two e-mails about this. I was at the back of the stadium club, leaning against the window that overlooks the field. The only thing I could hear was hoots and hollers, and Wade behind a mic at a podium.
I wouldn't be surprised if Wade was goaded into saying it, but I would have been unable to hear anybody else unless they were close to me, or they had a microphone in front of their mouth.
I had zero intention of blowing something out of proportion. I thought it was a funny, throwaway line. But since absolutely nothing else is going on these days in the world of sport something like this is going to get a lot of attention.
It reminded me of the student council kid running for office who screams, "And no homework for everybody!"
But it doesn't change the fact that Wade said it, even if he was playfully goaded into it. If he didn't want to say, he didn't have to. Besides, his entire team believes it, too.
That's what happened. And, yes, tell whomever I'm a poor journalist but for different reasons.
All the best.
Mac Engel
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Pretty interesting look into the way a story gets reported. On one hand you have the view from the few people saying it was just Wade playing along to hush up a guy and then we see how those simple comments made by Wade into a mic and heard by Mac Engel become a headline for the Star Telegram.
Some say Engel is lying by saying he didn't hear the heckler. BS on that. He has no reason to lie about it because he stills sticks to his guns that Wade should know better than to say it no matter if he was goaded into it or not.
I have said all along it's not really a huge deal one way or the other, but it does show you that Wade Phillips lives in a world where everything he does in under a microscope. And that this microscope is seen from an angle of 360 degrees.
A few people have stated that Wade was goaded into the comment because he was trying to appease a heckler/fan/coach at the clinic who was yelling out 'get the ring finger ready'. Not sure if Wade made the comments directly to the guy or he just said it to hopefully get the guy to hush up so he could finish his speech.
Anyway. I emailed Mac Engel about this whole thing...
Hey Mac,
People want to know more about the 'Get the ring finger ready' comment.
Some say you are a poor journalist because you used it out of context. They say someone else was yelling over and over again to Wade that same comment and that Wade made the comment back to the crowd to appease the guy and hush him up.
What says you about the situation?
Here's his response back to me...
DCFanatic -
I've received one or two e-mails about this. I was at the back of the stadium club, leaning against the window that overlooks the field. The only thing I could hear was hoots and hollers, and Wade behind a mic at a podium.
I wouldn't be surprised if Wade was goaded into saying it, but I would have been unable to hear anybody else unless they were close to me, or they had a microphone in front of their mouth.
I had zero intention of blowing something out of proportion. I thought it was a funny, throwaway line. But since absolutely nothing else is going on these days in the world of sport something like this is going to get a lot of attention.
It reminded me of the student council kid running for office who screams, "And no homework for everybody!"
But it doesn't change the fact that Wade said it, even if he was playfully goaded into it. If he didn't want to say, he didn't have to. Besides, his entire team believes it, too.
That's what happened. And, yes, tell whomever I'm a poor journalist but for different reasons.
All the best.
Mac Engel
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Pretty interesting look into the way a story gets reported. On one hand you have the view from the few people saying it was just Wade playing along to hush up a guy and then we see how those simple comments made by Wade into a mic and heard by Mac Engel become a headline for the Star Telegram.
Some say Engel is lying by saying he didn't hear the heckler. BS on that. He has no reason to lie about it because he stills sticks to his guns that Wade should know better than to say it no matter if he was goaded into it or not.
I have said all along it's not really a huge deal one way or the other, but it does show you that Wade Phillips lives in a world where everything he does in under a microscope. And that this microscope is seen from an angle of 360 degrees.
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