Andrew Z “talks” with Troy Neff
No disrespect directed at Fox but if I would have been Troy Neff, I wouldn’t have done this interview with Andrew Z. Not just because in his other job he works for a Clear Channel station, but it’s just going to keep the Neff bashing going. It wasn’t really done in a way where Neff did more than respond to questions like:
“Nobody gets out of their car – what are you doing?”
That’s actually not true, road rage has been on the increase to the point where it’s been the topic of testimony in front of Congress. The internet is full of similar citations such as:
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released data in 1996 showing that the average number of violent incidents reported between drivers in the US. has increased annually over the past eight years, 51% since 1990. In 1996 alone about 2,000 violent incidents were formally reported by police nationwide. But this is considered the small tip of a very large iceberg, according to safety officials who believe that for every aggressive driving incident serious enough to result in a police report or newspaper article, there are hundreds or thousands more which never got reported to the authorities.
It’s also full of news stories like this one from December 27th of of 2008 Man receives 42 stitches after road rage incident turns violent on Fox Island and also from December of 2008 Woman beats girl in Manatee road rage incident.
This doesn’t mean I excuse road rage as a behavior, but it happens all too often and pretending that it doesn’t, doesn’t really address the real issue. Neff is not the only person who has ever gotten out of his car in anger, so do we use this scenario as a way to inform or to berate? Neff’s not the only person who’s gone through a rough time period and let that impact him as far as drinking either. When Fox Toledo had one of their own end up with a series of charges including intoxication and public indecency they didn’t put him on the air and ask him what he was thinking. He disappeared…He didn’t talk to the media and someone else became the focus of the next 15 minutes of notice. Morrison ended up having all of the charges dismissed and his record expunged…
Andrew Z does say something I do agree with, “you take the good media with the bad” but in my opinion? If you know you’ve already experienced negative media, doing an interview like this one isn’t going to help. Troy Neff didn’t need any help in creating moments for people to bash him, there are already more than enough people out there more than willing to do it.
Clear Channel took quite a bit of flack particularly for not covering this story from it’s ugly beginnning. And the fact that road rage has seen an increase only supports that fact that the story wasn’t worthy of news coverage in the first place. The fact that Neff bought time on radio for a show of his own certainly didn’t make the story any more compelling except to those who had contact with him.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:01 pmI remember reading on here then that it was news because all the other media covered it. Well all the other media covered the OVI days ago and it wasn’t until today that it showed up here and then in the context of advice to Neff not to have done the interview with Andrew Z. Obviously he hasn’t learned his lesson, or isn’t listening to advice from counsel to avoid speaking out on his case.
If Neff is bashed it is from his own stupid behavior which dates back before the road rage incident. As his record shows, he has no regard for the rules of the road and there is no way to know how many times he got away with OVI before being caught.
Celebrity or not, and that point is debatable, his behavior shows an enormous lack of professionalism from someone charged with handling other people’s money.
I hope he gets help with his anger issues and drinking problems as he says he would in the interview.
Me thinks his agenda is to come out and be visible and not give the impression like he’s “hiding from his problems”.
He has a business to run, and I’m thinking he’s taking quite a hit with his antics.
But to be caught red-handed and not accept responsibility, it says a lot about character, whether the lawyer wants him to plead “not guilty” or not.
But I guess we’re all entitled in a court of law to find an avenue to not make the end result more severe than just accepting guilt.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:04 pmWouldn’t it be great if Lisa could get Troy Neff on here to do a “blog” interview on her terms? I think it’s time for Lisa to invite folks to do a text-by-text Q&A interview with her like other blogs and I’m sure she will do a great job.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:34 pmBrian,
My attorney could not be there Tuesday. With Monday being a holiday he could not request a change in date. I followed his instructions.
I don’t feel like I can hide from this. I am trying to accept responsibility for my role and actions. Some don’t believe me. I can’t control that.
As I mentioned to Andrew, I am adressing changes that I need to make in my life. I don’t need to wait for a court to tell me. There was a time in my life when I was sober. I stopped going to meetings thinking I didn’t need them anymore. Obviously that is not the case.
I have not lost any clients, yet. Anyone would have reason to be concerned. I am good at what I do. I have been contacting them and adressing their concerns.
Rockets,
I don’t think Lisa thinks I should be doing interviews. Maybe this is a mistake too. At some point in the future I would be happy to grant her an interview. I have made some poor choices. The best I can do now is offer myself as an example of what not to do.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:53 pmTroy, you are right, I think you are just helping those who have it out for you and while I completely understand the desire to get your side of the story out there, I don’t think the way this interview was done helped. All you have to do is look to see who jumped on it to comment…
The people that respect you will still do so, even if you really screw up. Those who don’t? Won’t no matter what you do.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:03 pmAll I can say is drinking and driving is reckless and careless. Think of what happened to that family New Year’s Eve, 2007. I would not want to be the one that caused an accident like that to happen due to my drinking and driving. You put everyone else on the road in danger due to your own selfish behavior. Too many people have multiple DUI’s. One is too many.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 pmLisa your comment about those who “jumped on it to comment” is rather humorous. When the original story on Neff broke you were apoplectic about the lack of coverage from WSPD. Now when someone comments on an open blog about the story you suggest they “have it out” for Neff. I realize you try to straddle the fence everyday but all you get is splinters for that.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:14 pmNeff should be thankful he wasn’t and isn’t now a newsstory on the stations and that the only place people can comment is on the blogs where the numbers and coverage isn’t nearly as large as the reach of the CC stations.
As for respect. That’s earned and not by people who plagiarize, and drive drunk. Let’s all hope he gets the help he seeks, and soon.
Fred, there is a huge difference between reporting news/events and playing judge/jury/executioner.
I can’t control the behavior of others, as long as they follow the rules on my site, that doesn’t mean I don’t realize the motivations behind some of it.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:18 pmWow Lisa, talk about the pot calling the kettle black. What you did to The Stain and his desciples wasn’t playing judge/jury/executioner?
I’ll bet you’re out there looking to see if Fred has any DUI’s on his record right now. It’s what you do best….
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:46 pmThanks! That’s an excellent example of where I pointed out information without making judgments and others tried to imply more than what was shared.
Your comment perfectly demonstrates how people love to attack the messenger rather than to read the actual information shared.
You might also want to pick one name and stick with it Cactus, it’s a rule violation otherwise.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:50 pmBeing able to know the motivations of your posters is an amazing ability Lisa. Are you able to do that for everyone or just the posters you disagree with? Since you’ve never spoken to me personally about the Neff story you must be referring to others’ motivations, unless you are able to determine mine using only the printed word. Can you also tell me my lucky number and what my horoscope foretells?
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:52 pmPeople are pretty transparent Fred and the written word shared in a variety of formats and places tells the observant much. If that’s all you share? That’s enough to base a belief of motivation on.
You keep mentioning how you didn’t cover this, but you have spent a great deal of time on a story you said wasn’t newsworthy. One nice thing about here? You can disagree with me, and not be told that your thoughts don’t matter. I don’t pretend to be the owner of truth, just someone looking for it…
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:02 pmWow for someone who doesn’t deem this newsworthy, someone sure has a lot to say. Must be practicing his blogging, in case the struggling Clear Channel goes completely under.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:02 pmLisa,
With all due respect, I think Cactus and Fred have a point…there really do seem to be consistant inconsistancies…but I suppose that’s a topic best left undiscussed. As you have mentioned on multiple occassions, your page isn’t a democracy.
mj
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:03 pmI cover facts and selectivity. It’s clear there are some who would prefer only certain people to be written about. There is a huge difference in bashing someone and blogging facts.
I don’t think I’m the one being inconsistent, if anything it’s the opposite, blogging about things that are happening even knowing what will happen when I post it. I also find it ironic when the focus turns on me, it’s a great way of trying to deflect when questions are asked.
Feeling as if this interview should not been done is different from me saying I don’t think it should be blogged about. I’m not saying Troy’s record should not have been public, if anything this shows exactly my point, look how much has been covered on him versus the records of others…It’s selective…
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:09 pmTroy,
I sincerely appreciate you commenting on what I posted and what transpired.
I also understand that what you pay an lawyer, you’d do best taking his advice.
It’s been a tough few months for you, and I have to admit, a person of your stature in the community, no matter what a few of us feel about you personally, hindsight is 20/20.
To be honest, the few times I’ve appeared before a judge, my plea was always “no contest” and left myself at the mercy of the court. I’ve never ever plead “not guilty, ever. When I screw up and get caught, no matter if I was right or wrong, I know that if I was arrested, it was because I was involved in something I shouldn’t have been doing.
When I was arrested in 1992, it was because, believe it or not, I wasn’t “damaged”. I sent two people to the hospital and the “police” didn’t want to pay the hospital bill. So because I participated in the fight, I was just as culpable as the two that jumped me. The officer told me I just should have ran. And he was right. And I got 90 days and served 44. And I have not put myself in that position since.
Face it, people screw up. People get caught and people need to pay the price. I hope, with you, it’s a measley stint in county to help collect your thoughts, as I did with my time.
As far as pleading “not guilty”, I’m saving that for when I am not guilty of the crime I’ve been charged with.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:25 pmAndrew is obviously not a very good interviewer. On the other hand Troy seems to be a sanctimonious jerk with a chip on his shoulder (although he seemed to be trying very hard to appear to be a decent person). I couldn’t tell from the video, but I would guess he is less than 5′9″ in stature. That could explain his humungous ego.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:26 pmPam,
I agree with you and said so during my interview with Andrew.
With respect to The Toledo Free Press, Michael was very careful to refer to it as a misrepresentation because it best described what happened. It was not intentional and I immediately took responsibilty. I made a mistake. Anyone remember Doris Kearns Goodwin? She’s a Pulitzer Prize winning biographer and historian who took major portions of other people’s work and used it in a book. It’s not an excuse but I do not have her education in journalism. I made a mistake.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:35 pmLisa,
I have to wonder about those that encourage an “interview” would allow themselves to be interviewed and be scrutinized as they would want Troy and his ilk to be.
Personally, in this environment, it’s facinating with the information you provide via sources that include you to share, that those that have turned their backs on you as far as the insight and opinions of others that you cannot control, that you are personally blamed for their/our/my behaviour.
That there shows me the mentality of the persons which have excluded you from providing information which the community could benefit from, whether it involves those that comment or not.
And Fred? Just so you know, as you should know with your radio show and your Arbitron, you have more listeners than callers, and it also goes for this site. Shame you overlook that.
Kudos for your unbiasedness, Lisa. I’m realistic enough to see that, just so you know.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:45 pmTroy –
Right now don’t waste your emotional energy dealing with the media — whether it is the television/radio media or blogs. Use your energy on returning to a sober life, going to meetings, and helping your family heal.
I’m not making excuses for the choices you’ve made, but I do think that there is a way to move forward.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:37 amTroy Neff, I am so glad to hear that you’re going to address the issues you need to and move forward with your life.
As you can see from above there are all sorts of small and smarmy people living in glass houses throwing rocks like mad with both fists.
But the truth of the matter is that we all wind up with our lives in a mess from time to time. That isn’t remarkable or very noteworthy in the long term.
What is worthwhile and noteworthy is how we choose to respond to the messes that we make and how we are willing to be accountable for our own behavior. This is what makes one a person of integrity. And I’m happy to hear you’re proving to be one of those people.
Tell the nasty commentators to bugger off. They’re small, small people to be so happy to kick someone when they see an opportunity
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 pmTroy good luck. Fred I got three letters WJR
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:27 pm