Ryan Holmgren is no Mike Vorel

[McPeachy]

I realize he is still cutting his teeth, but WOW - what a difference between Vorel's style of reporting, writing, interaction, priority of what he put out, how he reacted with the fanbase, versus what we are seeing with Holmgren.

Vorel was all vested, 100% Wyoming Sports. Holmgren (as of right now) seems more interested in things outside Wyoming Sports. Like a kid during his first trip to Disneyland - he is all over the place. Very strange transition.

[djm19]

I feel I have no clue where the current state of the football team sits and it is a few weeks from camp.

[cali2wyo]

I'm hoping things will be different in the fall/winter. He's a Creighton guy so I'll take a wild guess that he prefers basketball reporting. But we haven't had a single football piece all summer. Why can't we get a simple glimpse at summer workouts, or maybe dig deeper into guys leaving the program. And there's only been a few features on some of the new basketball players, but it's like he forgot to publish the rest of them...

Not to mention his Twitter is about 1000 times more annoying than vorel, not sure why any fan would follow him. All the articles are also shared by the pokes authority twitter page...

I appreciate what the guy does, but I do miss Vorel's enthusiasm and dedication.

[LanderPoke]

I'm hoping things will be different in the fall/winter. He's a Creighton guy so I'll take a wild guess that he prefers basketball reporting. But we haven't had a single football piece all summer. Why can't we get a simple glimpse at summer workouts, or maybe dig deeper into guys leaving the program. And there's only been a few features on some of the new basketball players, but it's like he forgot to publish the rest of them...

Not to mention his Twitter is about 1000 times more annoying than vorel, not sure why any fan would follow him. All the articles are also shared by the pokes authority twitter page...

I appreciate what the guy does, but I do miss Vorel's enthusiasm and dedication.

He seems a little douchy after looking over his twitter. Really? Laramie is nothing like Vegas?? And what's up with that dumb picture of him interviewing a jr. high girl old school style with a pencil and pad?

[TSpoke]

Wow guys being a bit harsh. I have enjoyed him. It will take a lot to live up to Vorel and he isn't there but he is still light years better than the several guys before mike. Benfred and Schmoltz. He has put out articles about all the newcomers on the basketball tema this summer that were great.

Both Mike and Ryan seem like young guys who are having fun doing their job for a living. Mike is a little more geeky about sports writing(in a good way). I think Ryan will be a good one.

[seattlecowboy]

Yeah I would have to say Holmgren is a lot better than all of the guys before Vorel.

Vorel is as good as you can get just about. I think Holmgren is doing fine. He will get better the longer he is around the University and everything.

[djm19]

I am not meaning to slam Ryan. Just saying that we had it pretty darn good with Vorel. That dude will make it big someday. He is very very good at what he does. No matter who got the job after Vorel, they had their work cut out.

I asked him when he sleeps and all he said was "July."

[McPeachy]

Wow guys being a bit harsh.

Not harsh, well maybe harsh, but mostly just telling like I see it...as far as comparing Vorel to Holmgren. Either way, if my opinion pisses somebody off - it won't be the first time, and certainly not the last time.

I can't remember the predecessors (to Vorel) being worth a damn either - maybe we just got spoiled with Vorel running the show.

Holmgren has a long ways to go, to even get to where Vorel was when he first started out.

[NowherePoke]

Wow guys being a bit harsh.

Not harsh, well maybe harsh, but mostly just telling like I see it...as far as comparing Vorel to Holmgren. Either way, if my opinion pisses somebody off - it won't be the first time, and certainly not the last time.

I can't remember the predecessors (to Vorel) being worth a damn either - maybe we just got spoiled with Vorel running the show.

Holmgren has a long ways to go, to even get to where Vorel was when he first started out.

See the bolded part. Vorel was the best beat writer in the conference and could likely be on a national platform someday. It's tough to compare.

I think Holmgren is doing fine. I like the series on the Basketball newcomers in particular.

[NowherePoke]

And there's only been a few features on some of the new basketball players, but it's like he forgot to publish the rest of them...

That's by design. They are supposedly being released over a period of time. Probably his editor's (Jacobson) decision I would guess. We have seen 5 of the 8 (Marshall, Naughton, Kelley, James, Conway) and should see the other three (Averbuck, Moemeka, Dalton) soon I would guess. Probably to fill in some anticipated gaps between MWC media days and the start of fall camp.

[joshvanklomp]

The summer is always a quiet time for football. Guys are resting so they can be ready for the start of training camp. Basketball, meanwhile, was right in the middle of summer workouts. Players are on campus and available to be interviewed. He's had interviews and stories with all of the football recruits that verballed to UW this summer.

Stories can't just appear out of thin air and quotes cannot be fabricated. If there's nothing to report, why are we expecting him to report something?

[McPeachy]

Stories can't just appear out of thin air and quotes cannot be fabricated. If there's nothing to report, why are we expecting him to report something?

Do you really think that, or just want to argue / banter? Ask yourself this...how did Mike Vorel pull out top-notch stories continually and constantly during the off season? Maybe you weren't here then? It is probably what is separating him from Holmgren the most...when Mike Vorel hit the ground writing for UW athletics, he was all over it, and made an immediate splash.

Back to my point. Holmgren is no Vorel. Whether we like it or not. Sure hope he gets there, but damn are we a long ways from where Vorel set the bar.

I just had another thought...maybe it is a Wyoming thing. We have something great, we enjoy it, we get it. But we are satisfied by half of that because "we were lucky to have something that good" - "now we are back where we belong". Kind of like 6 wins and a bowl game "satisfied"?

[Yabadabadoo]

I realize he is still cutting his teeth, but WOW - what a difference between Vorel's style of reporting, writing, interaction, priority of what he put out, how he reacted with the fanbase, versus what we are seeing with Holmgren.

Vorel was all vested, 100% Wyoming Sports. Holmgren (as of right now) seems more interested in things outside Wyoming Sports. Like a kid during his first trip to Disneyland - he is all over the place. Very strange transition.

Just saw this and I could not agree more with you. Ryan is a nice guy and he was gracious with his time on my radio show, but the drop-off is very discernable.

I think that in Vorel we all became very spoiled, he was a non-stop information machine and wrote something about the Pokes virtually every day.

I enjoyed his passion and his commitment to his readership - Holmgren needs to step it up big time.

Also, it should be noted that Vorel didn't need any ramp-up time to get into the flow. From day 1 on the beat Vorel was putting out interesting non-stop content.

[SDPokeFan]

It could very well be that Lee Enterprises (the company that owns the Star-Tribune) has told him to cut back on volume as compared to Vorel, because they don't want to pay for all that work. Lee is a crap company always looking to cut corners. Before you hang the new guy out to dry you may want to consider the scope of the situation. Not to mention he is probably getting paid $29,000 a year and you guys apparently want him to work 90 hour weeks.

[McPeachy]

It could very well be that Lee Enterprises (the company that owns the Star-Tribune) has told him to cut back on volume as compared to Vorel, because they don't want to pay for all that work. Lee is a crap company always looking to cut corners. Before you hang the new guy out to dry you may want to consider the scope of the situation. Not to mention he is probably getting paid $29,000 a year and you guys apparently want him to work 90 hour weeks.

I am sure they are going to tell him that. Makes all the sense in the world. "Hey, we are going to pay you $29,000 a year, as a salaried and benefitted employee, but please work less, so we don't have to give you a raise or any accolades (and we certainly don't want to get any value or productivity out of your salary or job performance)." LMAO.

And I am sure Lee Enterprises, whoever the f-word that is, made him pay his way to the (just ended) MWC football media days / press conference in Las Vegas, and also made him panhandle in a Darth Vader costume for food and drinks.

Lastly...not hanging the dude out to dry, far from it. But damn, when did it not become ok to express an opinion about something on a message board? My opinion of Holmgren, is that he is no Vorel. And it isn't even close at this point.

[djm19]

The past few days there have been some good stories from Ryan. I think he will do just fine. Interesting to see him all in with football coming up.

Vorel was a unique cat. I haven't seen a WY beat writer like him in a long time.

Unfortunately for Ryan, he can be a rock star, and we still may not appreciate it. I honestly think Vorel was that good.

What made Vorel good is that he was a social media savant. I didn't know how he did it. He would be doing live play by play on Twitter, and yet, after the game he would post a vide recap AND an in depth story. When and how he did that much in a 3 hour block of a game I didn't understand.

He knew how to utilize every aspect of social media.

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

I have got no beef with Ryan. When theres a story to tell, he is on it. I think he will do just fine.

This is Van Halen situation. Just because David Lee Roth was SO badass doesn't mean Sammy Hagar sucked. Its hard to fill the shoes of someone like that.

[djm19]

I have got no beef with Ryan. When theres a story to tell, he is on it. I think he will do just fine.

This is Van Halen situation. Just because David Lee Roth was SO badass doesn't mean Sammy Hagar sucked. Its hard to fill the shoes of someone like that.

Ha

[GoPokes86]

I have got no beef with Ryan. When theres a story to tell, he is on it. I think he will do just fine.

This is Van Halen situation. Just because David Lee Roth was SO badass doesn't mean Sammy Hagar sucked. Its hard to fill the shoes of someone like that.

IT'S VAN HALEN NOT VAN HAGAR!

I agree, Vorel was the main man, honestly one of the best beat writers we've had in a while. I think Holmgren will eventually be alright, much better than Schmoldt or Fredericksen, Fredericksen being the worse of those two. Remember when he tweeted about the "entire student section" chanting "alcoholic" towards Eustachy, and brought down the ire of the national sports media on the UW Student Section? What a douche.

[Wyokie]

This is Van Halen situation. Just because David Lee Roth was SO badass doesn't mean Sammy Hagar sucked. Its hard to fill the shoes of someone like that.

IT'S VAN HALEN NOT VAN HAGAR!!

Sammy was better for VH than David Lee Roth. Although I'll admit their last album with Hager wasn't that good!!!