Jones interview on Fox45

[byrdz]

Jones is clearly showing his respect for Showalter by saying these comments. That may seem hard to believe, but it's true. Showalter himself says the same things Jones does, and Adam is just reiterating them. Buck wants the focus on the players, and Adam is vocally agreeing with this concept. If anything, I think it shows he is listening to Showalter very, very closely, and taking everything he says to heart.

Agreed and the Buck attention is getting old.

[Dipper9]

Roast Beef and Horseradish. Or we can have a poll again.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107618

:beerchug1:

[SilentJames]

I will tell all of you this..... 3 years ago we went to Spring Training to see the O's. Adam Jones, albeit as a rookie, was one of the most accessible O's. He actually interacted with fans so long during a rain delay that everyone was walking right by. He spent a good 15 minutes talking baseball with my son, which was 7 at the time. Shoot even my facebook pic is my son, me, and Jones. Now with all that said, reading the articles here and there about his attitude concerned me due to this personal encounter and how enagaging and humble he was. I went to a ST game today, and he would not even acknowledge the fans.... not a look, word, or interaction NOTHING! Once again, I wrote it off as he is working and I can kind of understand his posistion. However, when the game is over and you practically run people over getting out of the player lot when you have a small contigency waiting for his time, and by small I mean 10 people. He never completely stopped and rolled right by kids and fans. Needless to say, there is no longer a defense that any indiviulal will be able to make that will ever turn me back into a Jones fan. Fan interaction is exteremly important and these guys get to basically avoid it all year in the pro parks, take 10 minutes a day to interact with your fans when you have the chance, it isnt that hard.

FYI... had a great conversation and felt a really good vibe from Britton! And Brob, he is the definition of a true fan favorite who will still take time for the people who support and helped build him as a fan favorite.

I am tremendously big O's fan and enjoying speaking and interacting with the players, I was very frustrated with Jones participation and for that matter Markakis and Guerrero were the the later being worse and felt it should be shared!!!!!!

Listen you can't be upset everytime some guy decides he just wants to go home.

Eddie Murray was ever very chummy with the fans either. Some days guys just want to go home, just like you. Some days you want to hang out after work, some days you want to go home and sleep.

Jones has already proven to you that he can be an accessible guy, and I feel he is a fairly accessible guy.

The thing that makes Jones cool is that when he speaks he actually gives you an answer and not the Bull-Durham stock cliches - for better and worse.

[Dipper9]

Listen you can't be upset everytime some guy decides he just wants to go home.

Eddie Murray was ever very chummy with the fans either. Some days guys just want to go home, just like you. Some days you want to hang out after work, some days you want to go home and sleep.

Jones has already proven to you that he can be an accessible guy, and I feel he is a fairly accessible guy.

The thing that makes Jones cool is that when he speaks he actually gives you an answer and not the Bull-Durham stock cliches - for better and worse.

When Jones plays like Eddie, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

When you're in spring training, you only play 3 or 4 innings of a game, and you can't take 5 minutes to sign autographs for 10 people who are taking vacation and spending big bucks to come down to Florida to see you, that's call being a premadona and its inexcusable! And so we're clear, this is for all of the players, not just Jones.

[Lateralus]

When Jones plays like Eddie, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

When you're in spring training, you only play 3 or 4 innings of a game, and you can't take 5 minutes to sign autographs for 10 people who are taking vacation and spending big bucks to come down to Florida to see you, that's call being a premadona and its inexcusable! And so we're clear, this is for all of the players, not just Jones.

So if I wait outside your work and gawk at you endlessly and at the end of the day, day after day, ask you for an autograph, you won't mind and it won't seem tiring and like Groundhogs Day? Sweet.

[StottyByNature]

When Jones plays like Eddie, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

When you're in spring training, you only play 3 or 4 innings of a game, and you can't take 5 minutes to sign autographs for 10 people who are taking vacation and spending big bucks to come down to Florida to see you, that's call being a premadona and its inexcusable! And so we're clear, this is for all of the players, not just Jones.

Doesn't your first statement contradict your second? So it would be OK if Eddie Murray did this because he was good?

Look, if I had 10 people waiting outside of my job every day, would I stop for them? Probably when I was young. Now? I want to go home. I know it's disappointing, but respect a man's right to make his own choices and understand that sometimes things like this can get old if you are constantly bombarded by it. Again, this is all anecdotal stuff, give him a break.

[SilentJames]

When Jones plays like Eddie, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

When you're in spring training, you only play 3 or 4 innings of a game, and you can't take 5 minutes to sign autographs for 10 people who are taking vacation and spending big bucks to come down to Florida to see you, that's call being a premadona and its inexcusable! And so we're clear, this is for all of the players, not just Jones.

Please dude. According to the story there were only TWO Orioles that stopped and did it. You say it is for all players, but somehow I doubt that you would be this worked up over it if it was Markakis.

Also what a double standard. If he is a superstar he can be a jerk?

They aren't all Cal, and even Cal blew me off when I was a kid once at the Orioles luncheon. Sometimes guys just want to go home.

[SilentJames]

This right here is the problem of putting yourself out there. The moment you do it, if you don't do it EVERY TIME you are called a prima donna.

Take Markakis. Markakis is a quiet reserved guy. He answers questions with stock cliche responses and keeps himself very close to the vest. He does great work, but very pre-coordinated and planned events. I don't think I have ever seen Nick Markakis standing around before or after a game signing autographs and talking to fans in any sort of gregarious way.

But that is who Nick is and we accept it because he is always like that.

But Jones has put himself out there. He is out on the town, he is on twitter and uses it as his personal (Adam Jones-human) account he is not Adam Jones-Baseball Player. So he lets you into his personal life a bit there. He just shows up at film festivals, not as a "Featuring appearance by.." but he just shows up. He goes to artscape, he talks to fans, he does dozens of interviews and he gives genuine answers, whether you like them or not.

But the problem with that is, if you don't do it ONE TIME, someone will call you a prima donna.

Jones puts himself out there more than enough times.

[Dipper9]

So if I wait outside your work and gawk at you endlessly and at the end of the day, day after day, ask you for an autograph, you won't mind and it won't seem tiring and like Groundhogs Day? Sweet.

I'd probably moon you!

[Dipper9]

Doesn't your first statement contradict your second? So it would be OK if Eddie Murray did this because he was good?

Look, if I had 10 people waiting outside of my job every day, would I stop for them? Probably when I was young. Now? I want to go home. I know it's disappointing, but respect a man's right to make his own choices and understand that sometimes things like this can get old if you are constantly bombarded by it. Again, this is all anecdotal stuff, give him a break.

Please dude. According to the story there were only TWO Orioles that stopped and did it. You say it is for all players, but somehow I doubt that you would be this worked up over it if it was Markakis.

Also what a double standard. If he is a superstar he can be a jerk?

They aren't all Cal, and even Cal blew me off when I was a kid once at the Orioles luncheon. Sometimes guys just want to go home.

Here is the issue. And spare me the bs James...I feel this way about ballplayers of any sport in general, its not just Jones.

The issue is they aren't office workers or carpenters or garbagemen. They are sports players, which, in turn, makes them entertainers. I will agree that their main job is to play good ball on the field. But they also have a responsibility to be the face of the organization, to do PR for the team and for the sport, and to make fans WANT to see them play. I understand completely that they do this 162 games a year. They have idiots out there that want to sell their autographs to make themselves money. They get bombarded with questions and criticized for everything they do. I GET IT. But maybe what they don't get it that this is SPRING TRAINING. This isn't me hopping in my car and driving 20 minutes to the stadium. This is someone taking vacation time, taking their kid out of school, making a trip down to Florida and spending money on transportation and hotel and food and game tickets. This is some young fan just wanting to see their hero (right or wrong, that's another story for another day) and all they need is a head nod or a smile or God friggin forbid an autograph! If that is too hard for Jones or Markakis or Eddie Murray to comprehend, then shame on them. Shame on ANY ballplayer who doesn't realize they are in an entertainment industry and their every move DOES have an impact.

I'll leave you with a paraphrase of Buck...."I told these guys that while its just some random at bat for you on the West Coast against Oakland, some fan back in Baltimore is up past midnight and is living and dying by that at bat!" If these superstars ( ) can't comprehend this, then shame on them.

[Hank Scorpio]

I have no doubt that Jones is just echoing what Buck has probably said numerous times.... but it comes off in a moderately negative way to the average fan IMO. If someone is going to downplay Buck's role, it should be Buck and Buck only.

I like Jones. I've met the dude, bs'd with him for awhile and he wasn't in "media mode" at the time. He's not a bad guy at all. In the midst of his "rise" he's become more and more visible and I don't think he minds that at all. That's perfectly fine, but when you're becoming a spokesman of sorts for the team and you announce that you're tired of answering questions about Buck b/c all he does is fill out a lineup card, you're exposing yourself to criticism.

Of course the media is going to latch onto Buck as the catalyst for the finish they had last year. There was a very obvious increase in the intensity level, the focus, and the overall level of play. They were historically bad prior to that. HISTORICALLY bad.

Yes they got healthier, and that helped. But you can't sit there and tell me with a straight face that they would have gone 32-23 under Samuel or Trembley to finish the year. No friggin' way.

[EddieEddie]

I will tell all of you this..... 3 years ago we went to Spring Training to see the O's. Adam Jones, albeit as a rookie, was one of the most accessible O's. He actually interacted with fans so long during a rain delay that everyone was walking right by. He spent a good 15 minutes talking baseball with my son, which was 7 at the time. Shoot even my facebook pic is my son, me, and Jones. Now with all that said, reading the articles here and there about his attitude concerned me due to this personal encounter and how enagaging and humble he was. I went to a ST game today, and he would not even acknowledge the fans.... not a look, word, or interaction NOTHING! Once again, I wrote it off as he is working and I can kind of understand his posistion. However, when the game is over and you practically run people over getting out of the player lot when you have a small contigency waiting for his time, and by small I mean 10 people. He never completely stopped and rolled right by kids and fans. Needless to say, there is no longer a defense that any indiviulal will be able to make that will ever turn me back into a Jones fan. Fan interaction is exteremly important and these guys get to basically avoid it all year in the pro parks, take 10 minutes a day to interact with your fans when you have the chance, it isnt that hard.

FYI... had a great conversation and felt a really good vibe from Britton! And Brob, he is the definition of a true fan favorite who will still take time for the people who support and helped build him as a fan favorite.

I am tremendously big O's fan and enjoying speaking and interacting with the players, I was very frustrated with Jones participation and for that matter Markakis and Guerrero were the the later being worse and felt it should be shared!!!!!!

So you liked him before you didn't. I wouldn't judge a guy based on one experience, whether it be positive or negative. You've had both, but since the negative is most recent you are firmly planted as anti-Jones and there is nothing he could do to make you a fan again?

Jees, give the guy a break.

[SilentJames]

Here is the issue. And spare me the bs James...I feel this way about ballplayers of any sport in general, its not just Jones.

The issue is they aren't office workers or carpenters or garbagemen. They are sports players, which, in turn, makes them entertainers. I will agree that their main job is to play good ball on the field. But they also have a responsibility to be the face of the organization, to do PR for the team and for the sport, and to make fans WANT to see them play. I understand completely that they do this 162 games a year. They have idiots out there that want to sell their autographs to make themselves money. They get bombarded with questions and criticized for everything they do. I GET IT. But maybe what they don't get it that this is SPRING TRAINING. This isn't me hopping in my car and driving 20 minutes to the stadium. This is someone taking vacation time, taking their kid out of school, making a trip down to Florida and spending money on transportation and hotel and food and game tickets. This is some young fan just wanting to see their hero (right or wrong, that's another story for another day) and all they need is a head nod or a smile or God friggin forbid an autograph! If that is too hard for Jones or Markakis or Eddie Murray to comprehend, then shame on them. Shame on ANY ballplayer who doesn't realize they are in an entertainment industry and their every move DOES have an impact.

I'll leave you with a paraphrase of Buck...."I told these guys that while its just some random at bat for you on the West Coast against Oakland, some fan back in Baltimore is up past midnight and is living and dying by that at bat!" If these superstars ( ) can't comprehend this, then shame on them.

Yes this is all true but they are still human beings. The problem is we idolize these guys way too much. We can not forget that they get tired, they have moods, they have feelings, and sometimes - SOMETIMES - they want to just go home and go to bed.

I personally don't think these guys owe me anything other than what they do on the field. They don't HAVE to give me an autograph after a game. They don't have to spend every second outside of the ballpark thinking about the fans.

But then again that is just me.

[StottyByNature]

Here is the issue. And spare me the bs James...I feel this way about ballplayers of any sport in general, its not just Jones.

The issue is they aren't office workers or carpenters or garbagemen. They are sports players, which, in turn, makes them entertainers. I will agree that their main job is to play good ball on the field. But they also have a responsibility to be the face of the organization, to do PR for the team and for the sport, and to make fans WANT to see them play. I understand completely that they do this 162 games a year. They have idiots out there that want to sell their autographs to make themselves money. They get bombarded with questions and criticized for everything they do. I GET IT. But maybe what they don't get it that this is SPRING TRAINING. This isn't me hopping in my car and driving 20 minutes to the stadium. This is someone taking vacation time, taking their kid out of school, making a trip down to Florida and spending money on transportation and hotel and food and game tickets. This is some young fan just wanting to see their hero (right or wrong, that's another story for another day) and all they need is a head nod or a smile or God friggin forbid an autograph! If that is too hard for Jones or Markakis or Eddie Murray to comprehend, then shame on them. Shame on ANY ballplayer who doesn't realize they are in an entertainment industry and their every move DOES have an impact.

I'll leave you with a paraphrase of Buck...."I told these guys that while its just some random at bat for you on the West Coast against Oakland, some fan back in Baltimore is up past midnight and is living and dying by that at bat!" If these superstars ( ) can't comprehend this, then shame on them.

They entertain us by playing good ball. The post above about Markakis is absolutely spot on. We are also basing this off of one incident! Didn't we also have just as poignant a story from the same person talking about how engaging Jones was the first time? I would hate to think that someone made a judgement on my character after meeting me twice.

If signing autographs were a true part of the job, then it would be written in their contracts. It's not. Is it a nice thing for players to do? Sure it is, but I think it is unreasonable to slander someone for not doing something that is above and beyond the call of duty. Never mind the fact that adult autograph seekers are creepy.

[waroriole]

This is someone taking vacation time, taking their kid out of school, making a trip down to Florida and spending money on transportation and hotel and food and game tickets. This is some young fan just wanting to see their hero (right or wrong, that's another story for another day) and all they need is a head nod or a smile or God friggin forbid an autograph! If that is too hard for Jones or Markakis or Eddie Murray to comprehend, then shame on them. Shame on ANY ballplayer who doesn't realize they are in an entertainment industry and their every move DOES have an impact.

So, where is the line. Are they supposed to do 15 minutes of autograph time since you took your kids out of school? What about the people who would have got an autograph if he stayed 17 minutes. Are they saying "if he wasn't such a jerk and stayed just 2 more minutes."

Shame on nobody who doesn't want to sign autographs just because you want them to. If they don't want to, then who are you to tell them they have to do it. You payed for a ticket to watch a game, that doesn't give you the right to their signature or their time outside that game.