Tomase Explanation Release(05/15/2008) 
11:36

Okay, welcome to the live blog portion of the evening. Nothing yet over at bostonherald.com, although Jessica Heslam does

 

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:36 
11:37
have news of long-time MetroWest editorial cartoonist Dave Granlund being let go. . . Sort of a Paul Szeo for MetroWest, it seems.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:37 
11:37
Paul Szep, that is, sorry - first night with new fingers.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:37 
11:37
Polls are starting up to your left, comments invited to your right.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:37 
11:38
Should John Tomase have been fired?
Yes
 ( 43% )
No
 ( 50% )
I reserve judgment until after the explanation is
 ( 7% )

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:38 
11:39
Third question on poll: Until I read his explanation
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:39 
11:40
Is this the biggest sports media scandal in Boston History?
Yes
 ( 57% )
No
 ( 0% )
Borges
 ( 21% )
Globe and Sox and Theo
 ( 14% )
Other (Add ideas in Comments)
 ( 7% )

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:40 
11:42

Someone's voting on those polls - let's get some dialogue going here, folks? What are we expecting from Tomase?

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:42 
11:42
Did Tomase have multiple sources?
Yes
 ( 25% )
No
 ( 75% )

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:42 
11:43
Anyone care to guess what the increase in daily sales for tomorrow's paper will be as compared to the same date, last year?
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:43 
11:43
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Somehow i think he's going to try and play the victim.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:43 JC
11:45
JC - How so? because if he throws his editors under the bus, his copy will look like dog poo for the rest of his career. If he blames Walsh, then he's admitting he had one source and a shaky one at that considering no one else was touching the story (20/20 vision on that, I know) . . . Still, he'd be a tough victim to sympathize with, I'll say that.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:45 
11:46

Wanna know how sick I am? I have two computers, side by side. I'm blogging on the PC and researching on the Mac. . . I'm my own damn Mac commercial. . . All I need is the cute shrink to come and assess me. . .

Yes, this is what they call the warm-up act in Comedy Club land, folks.

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:46 
11:47
Thought The Office finale was pretty strong tonight. The happy fat guy who Holly thinks is the "special" staffer was outstanding.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:47 
11:48
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
I don't know how he's going to do it but all these reporters think they are above the law so to speak. They bitch and moan about the players they cover but the first second someone comes after them they freak out. Media people love to dish out all the harsh words towards the athletes they cover but don't like any heat when they deserve it.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:48 JC
11:48
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
I think this is all being a little overblown. Taped or monitored the walkthrough, what's the difference? The heart of John's story was true, let's not lose sight of that. This whole episode is almost exactly like that scene in "All the President's Men" when Woodstein screwed up that one story and they took a lot of heat for it. Deepthroat said, "You guys managed to get them sympathy." Or something like that. Remember, the Patriots were the bad guys in all of this. They were guilty of everything. That's the bottom line that Pats fans conveniently leave out. Thomase just a way for them to throw the spotlight off their beloved team and jerk for a coach.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:48 FellowNFLscribe
11:49

JC - You're dead on about that. I've had this column for better than five years now and it never ceases to amzae me at how thin-skinned these so-called hard-hitters really are.

Not all, but a lot.

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:49 
11:50

FellowNFLScribe - I hear ya, brother. But this is my beat - sports media in Boston. If I weren't all over it, I'd be doing the same disservice to my readers that the Globe is doing to its by only lightly covering the episode (and sports media for that matter).

There's no doubting the Pats are at the core of all this, but the Tomase development has been incredible to watch.

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:50 
11:50
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Is this really going to be posted at midnight? I can't believe i'm staying up to read something that will probably piss me off even more.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:50 JC
11:52
I spoke with a Herald spokeswoman late this afternoon and she confirmed that it would be posted around the same time all Herald stories are. That is close to midnight with some hitting the section pages before the front page. I'm keeping tabs on both the Sports tab and the Home tab. . .
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:52 
11:52
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
The worst part is how every single one of them always stick up for each other. Its a disgrace that Gerry Callahan has been on defending his paper and Tomase to every caller who tells him they are done with the herald.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:52 JC
11:53

I sort of laugh about all these people who are saying they're cancelling their subscriptions. if the Herald had as many subs. as the callers and commenters say they do, they wouldn't be in such dire straights concerning staffing and resources. I'm not even sure Pat Purcell subscribes to the Herald. He just takes the recycled copy in the coffee shop like everyone else.

Best pass-along readership of any paper in the city, that's for sure.

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:53 
11:53
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
I was upset about the whole situation but he's doing exactly what we wanted the guys in the Mitchell Report to due. OWN UP TO IT.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:53 Cinco Ocho
11:54
We shall see how much he owns up to. Remember that a lot of what we read will have been vetted by attorneys AND editors AND who knows who else? This thing is going to have to be fairly bland or the Herald and Tomase are going to risk being sued down the road.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:54 
11:55
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Fellow scribe, its really simple. People on both sides of the issue are wrong. The guys who are acting like this is the worst thing ever. And the defenders act like nothing happened. I think it is somewhere in the middle, obviously the taping helped somewhat or they wouldn't have done it. But I don't think it helped them as much as some of the guys on ESPN. I don't get how Schlereth can compare Pacman Jones who was involved in criminal activity to what the patriots did.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:55 JC
11:56

I saw Schelereth tonight and he looked like he was gonna burst form all the anti-Schelereth venom that has been spewed his way this week. Yet, give him credit, he still hammers away and called for Belichick's suspension tonight.

 

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:56 
11:56
This has a New Year's Eve feel to it. tells you lame my New Year's Eves are, I suppose.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:56 
11:56
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Although if he knew he was wrong, it shouldn't have taken this long to get his response.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:56 Cinco Ocho
11:56
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Well I used to pick up a copy everyday on the way into work when they were only charging $.25 then they stopped and went back to $.50. The only time i ever read the herald anymore is when I swing by the old man's house on sundays.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:56 JC
11:57
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Schlereth is not a smart man. I mean think about it. Spector agreed with his comments and we all know how smart Schelerth is.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:57 Cinco Ocho
11:57
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
David, I think the story -- especially his explanation -- is important and worthy of being covered. However, at the end of the day, the Patriots were still guilty of everything, including what John wrote. I agreed with Felger when he said if John used "monitored" instead of "taped" the story is essentially the same and as damning. Unbelievable that Kraft feels so vindicated. His team still had personnel at the Rams' walkthrough and they used information from that walkthrough in the game, nevermind that Belichick was lying through his teeth with his whole "explanation" on the episode. And JC, don't get me started on ESPN. That entity is quickly becoming what is terribly wrong with sports media. Didn't used to be that way.
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:57 FellowNFLscribe
11:57

The Sunday Herald is down to like 100,000 circ. And that's stretching it.

Bring back WINGO! (Not Trey)

Thursday May 15, 2008 11:57 
11:59
Seriously, Commenters, some great stuff - I'm about to cry that we can actually have an intelligent, thoughtful conversation on this. Wonder if Jason Wolfe is tuning in to the live blog?
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:59 
11:59
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Heck, for you - the live-blogger extraordinaire - this is probably better than New Year's Eve!
Thursday May 15, 2008 11:59 Phil
12:00

Phil - We were thinking the same thing - Actually, I wrestled with doing it. It's probably a bit overboard, HOWEVER - I was going ot be up anyway writing the Friday column and this way, i won't have to summarize it all by myself - I'll have you guys to help.

Feel free to tell me a poll question we should be running. . .

Friday May 16, 2008 12:00 
12:00
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
I saw it too and don't get it. Wasn't his Broncos team busted for taping an opponents practice? Also they were know for being the dirtiest team in the NFL.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:00 JC
12:00
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
I had meant to say Spector there. Even Teddy Kennedy was on his case today.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:00 Cinco Ocho
12:01
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Y'all could live here in the Construction State where we don't get a decent paper at all. The Courant is probably the best paper we got and that's a stretch.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:01 Cinco Ocho
12:01
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
scribe, here you go defending one of your boys. That is a cop out that he said the wrong word taped instead of monitored. What Tomase did was wrong and he should pay for it. Enough of letting this guy off the hook. If you writers lived and worked in the real world you would realize when you make mistakes you get punished. if someone did something that wrong in my line of business they would probably be out the door looking for a new job tomorrow.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:01 JC
12:01
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
Meterparel is probably monitoring it for Wolfe.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:01 Nate
12:01
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Shocking isn't it DS. Where's Buzz when you need him?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:01 Cinco Ocho
12:01
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
I'm not getting a connection at the Boston Herald. Did it already crash?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:01 Cinco Ocho
12:01
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
Ok, I'm here, too. Obviously, they're keeping him on staff, but what are the odds Thomase still has the Pats beat next season? That can't happen, right?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:01 Sox Monster
12:02
Ladies and gentlemen, direct from a gig at The Big Lead today, Mr. Red Sox Monster, Dan LaMonthe. . . Welcome Dan - I just wrote for tomorrow's Shots that I think Tomase will be moved back to the Sox beat and Jeff Horrigan wil get full-time Pats duty beginning with training camp.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:02 
12:02
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Oh come on, you wrestling with having a live blog?! That's like me wrestling with covering a college basketball game!
Friday May 16, 2008 12:02 Phil
12:03
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
Buzz is sitting at his typewriter, furiously pecking away.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:03 Sox Monster
12:03
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
I can almost tell you what happened -- from experience, not talking to John, who is a friend. John probably told an editor what he had off the record, but wanted to wait until he had confirmation from another source. The editor probably jumped the gun because it was Super Bowl week and other assorted pressures. At a former paper, I wouldn't even tell my editors what I had cooking for fear of just that. Once you write it, it's out of your hands. I'm glad I didn't tell my bosses when I had a big story a couple years ago. I waited a day, got more confirmation, and then told my boss what I had. He wasn't happy that I didn't let him on, but in the end i was right. And so was the story. It was airtight.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:03 FellowNFLscribe
12:03
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Shocking 12:02 and still nothing
Friday May 16, 2008 12:03 Cinco Ocho
12:03
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
That seems to make the most sense, DS
Friday May 16, 2008 12:03 Ken Powersless
12:03
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
I'd call copying another man's work a bigger scandal any day of the week.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:03 Sox Monster
12:04
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
How can someone like Rod Woodson say the tapes are no big deal and had no effect on the games. And then you have Schlereth saying Belichick should be suspended?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:04 JC
12:04
yeah, Plagiarism seems to take the cake. I have to agree.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:04 
12:04
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Are we placing bets on the actual time?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:04 Cinco Ocho
12:05

Good call, 58 - Like a death pool, only less fatal:

 

I'll go with 12:12

Friday May 16, 2008 12:05 
12:05
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
How can anyone who won rings for teams that cheated the salary cap not see their irony?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:05 Ken Powersless
12:05
It's up at the sports link
Friday May 16, 2008 12:05 
12:05
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
The people who didn't think the taping mattered before now still don't, and vice versa. Nothing is going to change that to any appreciable degree.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:05 Nate
12:05
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
JC, was the crux of the story right or wrong -- that the Patriots got information from the Rams' walkthrough? No it wasn't. Everything else is just smoked-filled coffee house crap. And conveniently overlooked by Patriots fans desperate to clear their team's name.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:05 FellowNFLscribe
12:05
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
its up, click on the sports link
Friday May 16, 2008 12:05 JC
12:06
Black background box and headline on website: Tomase: How it Went Wrong in white letters
Friday May 16, 2008 12:06 
12:06
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
Or even those who played for teams who were filled with PED's like the Raiders and Steelers of the '70's
Friday May 16, 2008 12:06 Ken Powersless
12:06
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Schlereth is probably doing what others who think the Pats got off easy have done - forgetting that whereas Pac-Man's teams haven't been fined or docked draft picked, the Patriots have
Friday May 16, 2008 12:06 Phil
12:07

FULL TEXT - I AM GOING TO READ NOW   - PLEASE DO SAME AND RECONVENE HERE


 

Tomase’s explanation
The story behind Herald walkthrough article
By John Tomase    |    Friday, May 16, 2008    |    http://www.bostonherald.com    |    N.E. Patriots
Photo

Late in the 2006 season, I was having a casual conversation about the Patriots [team stats] when someone I trust threw out the following tidbit.

“I heard the Patriots filmed the Rams’ final walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI,” he said.

It was just a rumor, and certainly not actionable intelligence, as they say. He had heard it from a friend of a friend. I filed it away, and then forgot about it. Reporters hear stuff like that all the time.

Little did I know that comment would resurface from a much stronger source in the days after the Patriots had been caught filming the Jets’ defensive signals in September 2007.

I still needed more, and I tried to get it. Two days before the Super Bowl, I finally believed I had it nailed that the Pats had indeed taped that walkthrough. I didn’t know what happened to the tape or if it ever found its way to the coaching staff, but I felt I had the basic story, and even though I didn’t feel great about going the anonymous source route, this one was ready for print.

Turns out I could not have been more wrong. I regret it, and that’s something I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life.

There was no tape made of the walkthrough. Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh confirmed this in his meetings this week with the league and Sen. Arlen Specter. An internal investigation by the Patriots reached the same conclusion.

Because I expect accountability of the people I cover, I must demand the same of myself. I owe that to both the readers of my stories and the subjects of my stories.

While I have no regrets over going to print the day before the Super Bowl, this is a story I simply could not afford to get wrong. And I did.

So what happened?

First and foremost, this is about a writer breaking one of the cardinal rules of journalism. I failed to keep challenging what I had been told.

I had repeatedly heard that this walkthrough had been taped, and from people I trusted. Eventually I accepted it as fact and stopped questioning the assertion.

The confirmed presence of a member of the team’s video staff at the walkthrough reinforced my belief that it was filmed. Secondhand sourcing took on added weight. When I got word that other reporters had picked up the scent, it only steeled my resolve not to get beat.

All of that said, I never expected to be running this story during Super Bowl week, but I opened the New York Times [NYT] on Friday, Feb. 1, and saw that not only was Specter complaining about the NFL’s investigation into the Patriots, but that the Times had tracked down Walsh, a former Patriots video assistant living in Hawaii who was suggesting he had more information on the team.

Walsh’s name set off alarms. He worked for the Pats during the 2001 season and his name had been floated amongst the rumors. Many believed he had filmed the walkthrough.

My determination to get the story had been re-stoked. I began reaching back out to sources.

One that I trust said he had been told the walkthrough was taped. A second said he had been told the same thing, but neither had seen a tape.

I already had been able to verify that a member of the team’s video staff had been setting up a camera at the walkthrough, but on the final, crucial point of whether the camera was actually rolling, I made a devastating leap of logic and assumed that’s what I was being told rather than confirming it explicitly. I considered the fact that it was taped unassailable.

And this is the exact point at which the story broke down.

I attended Roger Goodell’s state of the league address and asked him afterward if he had ever investigated allegations that the Patriots had filmed the Rams’ walkthrough. He said it was the first he’d heard of it, though a day later he’d release a statement saying the league investigated the rumor months ago and believed it to be unfounded.

We worked on the story throughout the day on Feb. 1, and by just before 9 p.m. felt we had a version on which we could call the Patriots for comment. The timing was another misstep. The call should have been made much sooner. I felt we had to know exactly what we were intending to print before trying to get a reaction. Patriots PR director Stacey James scrambled to find the right people, and eventually told us the coaches had no knowledge of it. The team was steamed, and I was told, “You’d better be sure.”

Caught up in the moment, I was excited to break a big story, but I had been so wrapped up in the process that I hadn’t stepped back to consider the ramifications.

“You’re really putting your neck out there,” one reporter friend said.

“This isn’t just any story,” another counseled. “There’s no coming back from this.”

For the first time, a pit settled in my stomach. That pit would become my constant companion for the next three months. I had no doubt the story was accurate when it ran, but now the enormity of what I had done was setting in. Journalism isn’t a popularity contest, but good Lord, this story was not going to be well received.

And it wasn’t. Patriots fans howled. The team released the denial that it has stood by to this day. But even as the story mushroomed on Super Bowl Sunday, I still had no doubts.

That feeling of certainty slowly eroded over the next few months as details of the walkthrough emerged. The league’s investigation determined there was no power to the cameras. A March 10 Boston Globe story made a compelling case that the walkthrough could only have been recorded in the unlikely event that Walsh used his own hidden camera.

We reported many of these details along the way, but I never uncovered enough to convince us we had erred. Fearing you’re wrong and knowing it are two different things.

By the time Walsh met with the league and revealed that he had no knowledge of the walkthrough being filmed, it was clear what we had to do. The paper issued a front-page apology Wednesday.

At this point, I have to pause. There has been a clamoring for me to identify the sources used in my story. This I cannot do. When a reporter promises anonymity, he can’t break that promise simply because he comes under fire. I gave my word, and the day I break that word is the day sources stop talking to me.

Another word on sources: The story mentioned only a single, unnamed source because in the end, while I had multiple sources relating similar allegations, I relied on one more than the others.

I’ve had a lot of time to think about this story, and here are some conclusions I’ve drawn:

I should not have written the story without seeing the tape or getting multiple, firsthand confirmations from members of the organization.

No one forced me to write that story, and it’s important to note I do not believe I was ever lied to. I believe my sources intended to provide accurate information, and it was incumbent on me to vet it more fully.

The Patriots deserved more time to investigate and respond.

What happens from here? I intend to continue covering the Patriots to the best of my abilities, and that means pursuing every storyline, good or bad. I have relationships to mend within the organization and with my readers. The process of regaining your trust will not be an easy one.

At the end of the day, I’m human, and humans make mistakes. Mine happened to be very significant and very public, and it’s something that will always be with me.

I’m confident it will make me a better reporter. Last year, Patriots safety Rodney Harrison [stats] pulled me aside to discuss a story he believed had unfairly attacked him. He felt it had gotten personal and wanted me to put myself in his shoes.

I thought I knew where he was coming from, but in reality I didn’t. Now I do. This perspective will only help moving forward.

I take immense pride in what I do and the paper I work for. I truly believe it’s a privilege to serve as a link between the fans and their team.

On Feb. 2, I let you all down. Today I hope to begin the long road back.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1094427

Related Articles:
No walkthrough talk
/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1094431

Kraft pleased with Boston Herald’s apology
/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1094006

Patriots issue statement
/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1093901


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Friday May 16, 2008 12:07 
12:08
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
That background gives it quite a feel already
Friday May 16, 2008 12:08 Phil
12:08
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
For what's it's worth NFLScribe, there are plenty of Pats fans who've had a hard time coming to grips to what has been admitted. I'm one of them.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:08 Sox Monster
12:08
I'm reading it now - please do same and reconvene here for further commenting
Friday May 16, 2008 12:08 
12:09
First strong statement:

"Turns out I could not have been more wrong. I regret it, and that’s something I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life."

Friday May 16, 2008 12:09 
12:10
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
tried to read it on the live blog here but anytime someone posts it scrols to the bottom to see the comment.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:10 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:10

Yeah - too big - head over to Herald and come back

Thanks

Friday May 16, 2008 12:10 
12:10
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
Sox Monster, it's good to hear somebody say that. The bottom line is, do I think -- and others in the league that I have talked to -- think any of this really helped them? No. But Belichick, with his asinine explanation, made it much, much worse.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:10 FellowNFLscribe
12:10
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Same here, Sox Monster. It's made me, a die-hard sports fan (and in the interest of full disclosure, a fellow member of the sports media) wonder if it's even worth following pro sports anymore
Friday May 16, 2008 12:10 Phil
12:12

Biggest understatement so far:

"I made a devastating leap of logic and assumed that’s what I was being told rather than confirming it explicitly. I considered the fact that it was taped unassailable."

Friday May 16, 2008 12:12 
12:13
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
Phil, I can understand that. I'm in media, too, but the day job is covering the military.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:13 Sox Monster
12:14
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
He thinks he is still going to cover the pats. Good luck with that
Friday May 16, 2008 12:14 JC
12:16
Okay - well - first off, it looks like comments are on for the Tomase story. Wonder how long that will lasT?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:16 
12:16
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
As for Thomase, he still intends to cover the Patriots -- and he admits that the story was based nearly entirely on one source (with a few others adding rumors to the fire). ... I'm not one to demand a man's head or job, but he CAN'T be on the same beat anymore after blowing something like this. That's just common sense journalism, whether you're covering city hall, sports or the White House. There will be no faith in anything he writes.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:16 Sox Monster
12:16
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
The statement while explaining it idk just doesnt seem strong enough to me
Friday May 16, 2008 12:16 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:17
Did the Tomase explanation satisfy your questions about Tomasegate?
Yes
 ( 27% )
No
 ( 40% )
Slightly more than I thought they would
 ( 13% )
Slightly less that I though they would
 ( 20% )

Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 
12:17
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
It seems like a real sincere apology but he made a really bad judgement.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 JC
12:17
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
If the Herald leaves him on that beat and he's compromised, then their coverage is compromised and the readers lose out.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 Nate
12:17
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
SoxMonster I concur
Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:17
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
what could that one solid source have said that made Tomase willing and able to stick his neck out that far without seeing a clip?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 Ken Powersless
12:17
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Already have one comment
Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 Phil
12:17
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
first comment posted "You've got to be kidding. A friend of a friend told you that walk-through had been taped? And you published. You really are beyond repair and should be removed immediately."
Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 JC
12:17
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
Well done and thorough, from a first read. His big mistake, obviously, was going with a story that was still too flimsy. Nobody ever said to him, "I know they taped it. I saw the tape." How he could go to print without that is baffling to me. But I think he can recover from this, although Boston is a tough sports media town with a very, very long memory.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:17 FellowNFLscribe
12:18
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
here's the first comment on the post at the herald
Friday May 16, 2008 12:18 Cinco Ocho
12:19
First comment was from Pats_Fan_2007: You've got to be kidding. A friend of a friend told you that walk-through had been taped? And you published. You really are beyond repair and should be removed immediately.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:19 
12:19
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
A tough sports media town and he has one of the two big beats - he's not exactly covering the Islanders in New York
Friday May 16, 2008 12:19 Phil
12:20

I don't buy the "I used one source in the story" because my other two sources weren't strong enough thing.

If that was the case, he should have had red flags waving in front of his keyboard for that very reason.

Flimsy

Friday May 16, 2008 12:20 
12:20
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
WEEI should be really fun in the morning
Friday May 16, 2008 12:20 Cinco Ocho
12:20
Listen to WUMB 91.9 - seriously.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:20 
12:20
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
He's a tremendous liability to the Herald on that beat. If there is any brainpower left in Wingo Sq... they would move him.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:20 Ken Powersless
12:20
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
it is amazing that he basically used a rumor and made it fact and the paper let him publish the article.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:20 JC
12:20
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
Seriously. Again, I think he can hang on, but he's not going to get a chance if he's still got the Pats.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:20 Sox Monster
12:21
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Callahan will tell you this was bravest thing a man could have done.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:21 JC
12:22
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Good call DS - it's one thing to have one source and then no others hearing anything, pro or con, and another to have one source and others saying something that conflicts with it.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:22 Phil
12:22
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Stick him on the Revs beat for a while and let him work his way back up
Friday May 16, 2008 12:22 Cinco Ocho
12:22
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
comment #2 "too little too late...plus we as fans are idiots according to Tony M."
Friday May 16, 2008 12:22 JC
12:22
The Revs beat or the Bruins - which is worse?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:22 
12:23
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
He did what he wanted him to. But I don't think it's strong enough to make everyone forgive or forget.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:23 Cinco Ocho
12:23
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
Can't do the Revs... :cough:ownership:cough:
Friday May 16, 2008 12:23 Ken Powersless
12:23
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
well with the Bruins, you might run into Kathryn Tappen. so it can't be that bad.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:23 Cinco Ocho
12:23
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
BRUINS hands down although you get to look at Tappen :)
Friday May 16, 2008 12:23 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:24

Okay some big things he didn't address which leave more questions lingering:

1. Does the Herald really accept one-source stories? What is the protocol?

Friday May 16, 2008 12:24 
12:24
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
With the players, coaches and, yes, even some higher ups, he can recover, believe me. People have short memories and most have long relationships with John. Where he's going to have trouble is with the Boston public. He'll forever be known as the guy who screwed up the Rams walkthrough. And everything he writes -- rightly or wrongly (mostly wrongly) -- will be viewed through those red, white and blue glasses. He'll be fine in the locker room.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:24 FellowNFLscribe
12:24
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
Here's a second problem I have. Tomase, while clearly wrong 1000 percent, has been made a sole scapegoat of sorts. How did his editors not raise more questions? It's not he's got 30 years at the paper or anything.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:24 Sox Monster
12:25
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
comments are starting to get really harsh
Friday May 16, 2008 12:25 JC
12:25
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
true Ken, i forgot the Krafts own the Revs as well. Stick with him with the Bruins then
Friday May 16, 2008 12:25 Cinco Ocho
12:25
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
damn you Ian on the Tappen comment lol
Friday May 16, 2008 12:25 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:26
2. What happened to the Missing Post from Tuesday? Why was Tomase still on the story when he really should have been called home?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:26 
12:26
3. Has this affected the Herald's coverage?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:26 
12:26
And I hate to say this, but where is Hank Herald in all of this? Can't he have a little say in what happened on HIS desk?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:26 
12:26
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
And, remember, you don't get diddly from the coaches or front office with the Pats, on most days. He just has to be worried about the Pats spoonfeeding the Globe, which they have already done. But that won't last long either. Belichick doesn't give out anything of substance, unless it serves his own purpose.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:26 FellowNFLscribe
12:26
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
That whole "How It Went Wrong" graphic belongs on the intro to Inside Edition or Access Hollywood, no?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:26 Nate
12:26
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
I think we all know the answer to #3, David.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:26 Ken Powersless
12:27
Are you all feeling me on the lawyer thing? That baby got inspected, dejected and rejected by the Herald Legal team.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:27 
12:27
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
He's looking for vowels for his surname
Friday May 16, 2008 12:27 Ken Powersless
12:27
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
In regards to #3, it's definitely helping their website traffic since we are all sitting here clicking on their site
Friday May 16, 2008 12:27 Cinco Ocho
12:27
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
The missing post from Tuesday most definitely should have been addressed as well
Friday May 16, 2008 12:27 Cinco Ocho
12:27
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
Why would it change FNFLScribe? Has Reiss done someting to change minds/
Friday May 16, 2008 12:27 Ken Powersless
12:27
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Just be a good reporter like Mike Reis and you will get the job done. All Tomase wanted to do was make a name for himself and it bit him in the ass.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:27 JC
12:28
I also found it pretty funny that Tomase reverted to using anonymous sources (his reporter friends) in describing a story that is also based on the use of anonymous stories.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:28 
12:29
[Comment From O-FISH-LO-FISH-L: ] 
Biggest sports media scandal in Boston: Bob Ryan saying someone needed to smack Joumana Kidd, who was already a victim of domestic violence. The Tomase scandal pales in comparison.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:29 O-FISH-L
12:30
O-Fish-L: I didn't include that because I didn't think it had a purely media hook, but maybe it does. That one surely ranks up there. And he did get suspended from the paper if I recall correctly.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:30 
12:30
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Don't you know that most of the writers in Boston think they are part of the story.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:30 JC
12:30
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
The "resolve not to get beat" was stronger than the need to get it right, enough said.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:30 Nate
12:30
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
Can you say, "Ron Borges".... I knew ya could.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:30 Ken Powersless
12:30
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
That's unfair, JC, and something I hear a lot. Believe me, 98 percent of us don't go looking for the spotlight. We just want to do our jobs. Ken, it will change when Reiss has served his purpose for Belichick.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:30 FellowNFLscribe
12:30
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
"Today I hope to begin the long road back" Well that road is at least as long as 95 from maine to florida adding I-10 from Florida to Cali in there as well
Friday May 16, 2008 12:30 Cinco Ocho
12:31
The paper's covers never got posted until later, but it will be interesting to see how much the Herald plays up the Explanation on its front page and on the back page.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:31 
12:31
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
Couldn't disagree more, FISH. Bob Ryan saying something dumb off the cuff in no way is equal to swiping another man's work. "Pulling a Borges," as it were.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:31 Sox Monster
12:32

10 comments within the first 25 minutes of posting   - and yes, they're getting ugly.

Should we take bets now on when they shut off Commenting?

12:34 is my guess.

Friday May 16, 2008 12:32 
12:32
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
I guess you don't listen to WEEI or watch any of the countless number of sports shows in Boston. All these guys want is face time so they can get there Job at ESPN.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:32 JC
12:32
[Comment From O-FISH-LO-FISH-L: ] 
How exactly did the Globe apologize after posting American pornography pics and claiming they were US troops "raping Iraqi women"...photos supplied by Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner and chronic talkshow caller Sadiki Kambon?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:32 O-FISH-L
12:33
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
I think he's lucky that the Pats don't actually play in the city limits of Boston. He'd have a hard time walking down the street even with this apology
Friday May 16, 2008 12:33 Cinco Ocho
12:33
[Comment From O-FISH-LO-FISH-L: ] 
Sox Monster, just wanted to get the Ryan / "smack" Joumana Kidd issue out there.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:33 O-FISH-L
12:33
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
I thought they wanted to hang with Woody Paige on ATH
Friday May 16, 2008 12:33 Cinco Ocho
12:33
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
Yeah, I'm not in Boston anymore. I'm talking about most of the people in my profession.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:33 FellowNFLscribe
12:34
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
I think the electronic media around here is a bit different from the print media. Unfortunately, it seems electronic media that's more about show than effect is what sells around here.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:34 Phil
12:34
Leader at the 12:30 mark for comment of the day: "Asshat" - coconut head
Friday May 16, 2008 12:34 
12:34
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
I agree with this comment 100% "That is just pathetic. Seriously, resign. You have no business holding a position of public importance. A mistake of this magnitude would get you fired, correctly, in almost any business."
Friday May 16, 2008 12:34 JC
12:34
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
A classic response: Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah....didn't even bother reading it, Tomase. It's probably chock-full of BS anyway.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:34 Cinco Ocho
12:34
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
All I know is that Boston has the worst sports talk radio in the nation. Hands down. I don't know how you guys listen to that stuff.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:34 FellowNFLscribe
12:35
What's your talk radio like down South, NFLScribe?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:35 
12:35
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
we don't. That is why i have Sirius
Friday May 16, 2008 12:35 JC
12:35
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
That makes two of us - I don't even listen to WEEI now that Ted Nation is no more.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:35 Phil
12:35
Ladies and gentlemen, a Member of Ted Nation - Mr. Phil - Bravo, sir.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:35 
12:36
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
I know it's dramatically better in Washington, that's for sure.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:36 Sox Monster
12:36
In DC proper or Baltimore? Do they actually have discussion and od thoughtful interviews? That'd be something.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:36 
12:36
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
I'm left underwhelmed with the entire explanation. I want to know why an editor or editors let this stuff go with no actual confirmation of a tape?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:36 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:37
[Comment From Ken PowerslessKen Powersless: ] 
Turn off those radios, gang
Friday May 16, 2008 12:37 Ken Powersless
12:39

Did we already know that a league investigation discovered no power to the camera?

Trying to see if there was any new news in the apology, which by the way, never used the word Sorry - a big word in herald land this week.

Friday May 16, 2008 12:39 
12:40
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Shocking no personal attack: No personal attack here, but I doubt you will find much solace in my comments. You rushed to print so you wouldn't be beat by the New York Times? So, your ego and quest for fame trumped journalistic integrity. You wanted a "scoop" so you ran with hearsay. Congratulations, you received the spotlight you so desperately wanted. Ironic, isn't it? This isn't a story about a team. It's about an immature reporter, desperate to make a name for himself at any cost. The cost wasn't a football game; the Patriots lost that game, not you. The cost was your integrity. You placed your ego/personal need for validation above the story. Long road back? You have no idea.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:40 Cinco Ocho
12:40
[Comment From FellowNFLscribeFellowNFLscribe: ] 
I'm not in the south. Where I've been, it's been pretty good. You know, about the actual teams and the news going on with them. Really good discussions, not just a bunch of yelling and second guessing.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:40 FellowNFLscribe
12:40
Sorry - thought you were South of Boston - which you probably are!
Friday May 16, 2008 12:40 
12:40
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
what's a radio as the kids would say these days
Friday May 16, 2008 12:40 Cinco Ocho
12:40
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Washington saw one station I really like make a bad change - 105.9 changed its format a few months back, much to my chagrin as someone who travels there frequently.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:40 Phil
12:40
[Comment From O-FISH-LO-FISH-L: ] 
VOTE OTHER on major Boston sports media scandal. Boston sports media failed to detect imposter Rosie Ruiz as a fraud in the 1980, marathon. It was only after RACE OFFICIALS intervened 9 days later that she was stripped of her title.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:40 O-FISH-L
12:41
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
WEEI is, at times, perverse entertainment. Other than that it's pointless yelling and Michael Holley's song snippets.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:41 Nate
12:41
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
can't say much about baltimore, since i'm out of range these days in northern virginia
Friday May 16, 2008 12:41 Sox Monster
12:41
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
so who is worse a blogger who posts stuff based on what he hears or a paid professional for a major paper and does the same thing? Why should i believe anything i read in the herald over any of the hundreds of sports blogs on the web?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:41 JC
12:43

Well, you have to build a trust over time. I think - and this will sound self-serving - but I think I've developed my readership over 5-plus years by being consistent and by getting news before others and by observing trends.

I've screwed up along the way, but I've gotten better and I'm now pretty tied into the scene, as it were. So I would think that you would build a trust with me and that you would believe what I write.

That's how - it depends on the user and the user's ability to separate the BS from the Truth.

Friday May 16, 2008 12:43 
12:43
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
but yes, afternoon talk radio has a lot of "agree to disagree" and plenty of guests poking fun at hosts, which is unimaginable on WEEI.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:43 Sox Monster
12:43
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
JC, that really cuts to the heart of who one reads in the media, doesn't it? (Not just this particular context.)
Friday May 16, 2008 12:43 Phil
12:43
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
As I said in a blog post yesterday Tomase did exactly what Bissinger is all bent out of shape over the blogs for doing. kinda ironic.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:43 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:44
yeah, I like that Buzz analogy - thing is, there's clearly a bigger pool of MSM fuk-ups than New Media ones - even as a percentage of how long each have been around. New Media, at its start, was too scared to be wrong to just throw stuff out there, so a lot of them went the extra mile to be accurate.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:44 
12:44
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
And here's the part you're forgetting, JC: When most bloggers do it, they're either completely irrelevant to start or they're making it clear when something is just speculation.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:44 Sox Monster
12:44
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
The Herald reported all of this as fact. That's a different ball of wax, and a much, much bigger problem.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:44 Sox Monster
12:44
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
last comment was at 12:39 from someone who peed themselves
Friday May 16, 2008 12:44 Cinco Ocho
12:46

speaking of pee - I'll be right back

all that free Dunkies coffee today has me peeing like Big Brown.

Friday May 16, 2008 12:46 
12:46
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
I trust the stuff I read on the blogs more than anything i read from traditional journalists.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:46 JC
12:46
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Very true DS - that's because we also have less slack on this, because we're already perceived, generally speaking, as not being quite as "legitimate" as old media types.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:46 Phil
12:48
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
yeah Dave I had like five of them Im all wired now
Friday May 16, 2008 12:48 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:48
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
David - do you think the whole idea of trust gets taken for granted by some writers?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:48 Nate
12:49
Definitely, Nate. I think a lot of writers forget who they are writing for on a regular basis. Things like this have a chilling effect for a few months and then the next media scandal breaks and it's on to something else.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:49 
12:49
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
Mike Reiss has posted a note about Tomase's apology and a link to the article in his blog.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:49 JC
12:50
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Mike reiss counted the words-1,449
Friday May 16, 2008 12:50 Cinco Ocho
12:51
Yeah - felt like about 1500 words. . . 500 words each jump page on the net. . . I immiediately went to pirntable version to have it all on one pag. I'm old school like that.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:51 
12:51
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
Mike Reiss must be bored
Friday May 16, 2008 12:51 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:51
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
tat1283 Tomase is right, it is time to start rebuilding trust among his readers... in another city!
Friday May 16, 2008 12:51 Cinco Ocho
12:52

Just so it's clear, cinco Ocho is taking comments from the Herald site and putting them here for our enjoyment.

Thanks, 5-8

Friday May 16, 2008 12:52 
12:52
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
can we have him exiled to say Buffalo?
Friday May 16, 2008 12:52 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:52
[Comment From JCJC: ] 
goodnight everyone. Tomorrow should be an interesting day
Friday May 16, 2008 12:52 JC
12:53
[Comment From MoMo: ] 
I assume he pasted it into a Word document and ran the word count rather than actually counting. If not, he needs a hobby.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:53 Mo
12:53
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
Or he's Rain Man...
Friday May 16, 2008 12:53 Nate
12:54

Thanks JC -

We'll go about another 10 minutes so let's try and wrap things up with a final thoughts. . .

Did Tomase save face?

Does the Herald now leave this alone, or is the inevitable full page of letters that still needs to be printed on Sunday?

Friday May 16, 2008 12:54 
12:54
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
Did anyone catch SheepHearder today on WEEI trying to disagree with Mazz's piece but defend Mazz at the same time? It wasnt pretty.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:54 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:54
Oh jeez - I can only imagine. . . The Meat Man is a miraculous thing
Friday May 16, 2008 12:54 
12:55
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
I don't think he saved face. I think it's a start for him. But he's got a long way to go. No matter what he writes for a while, no one's going to believe it.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:55 Cinco Ocho
12:56

before I forget, I need to thank you all for joining in. I can't imagine there's a nother city in the WORLD where a bunch of folks just spent a good hour live-blogging about the posting of a story at a newspaper's website.

How can the Herald and the Globe continue to think there is no market for sports media discussion on a regular basis? It boggle my mind.

Friday May 16, 2008 12:56 
12:56
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Based on the initial reaction, I don't think he saved face.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:56 Phil
12:57
Yeah, but what do we know? Angry people are twice as likely to vent as satisified ones - and let's face it, it's lata at night and the bars have been closing down for the last hour, so a good portion of the readership and commenters are probably feeling fine on Pabst.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:57 
12:57
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
The Herald might want to leave it alone but I don't think it's readership (what's left of it) will let it go
Friday May 16, 2008 12:57 Cinco Ocho
12:57
[Comment From NateNate: ] 
Save face? He tried but I think it's too soon to say for sure. To judge it decisively now is to do him a disservice.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:57 Nate
12:58
[Comment From O-FISH-LO-FISH-L: ] 
The Herald should run a full page or two of letters in the Sports section -- like they used to do on a regular basis not that long ago. Let it play out in May so they don't have to play with it again in September. There have been and will be bigger Boston sports media scandals. Someone said it better than me on another blog, "Are we to hang Tomase for slightly overstating how the Patriots cheated?"
Friday May 16, 2008 12:58 O-FISH-L
12:58
Great stuff - O-FISH-L - love that last line - sort of what Felger was saying yesterday too. . .
Friday May 16, 2008 12:58 
12:58
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
No I dont think John saved face. he offered an explanation but no real apology in my book. He kinda takes responsibility but really doesn't. It's wishy washy at best. Ive said it on our blog that the editors are responsible for letting him write this and having it published. we havent really heard from any of them and we have the unanswered q's DS talked about earlier. This still has a ways to go in my opinion.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:58 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
12:59
[Comment From gman5166gman5166: ] 
his credibikty is shot, it might be fun to partriots website follow him for year and chroncile how gets shit on and no one talks to him, that would be pure fun.
Friday May 16, 2008 12:59 gman5166
12:59
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
You know he says he hard Matt Walsh's name in conjunction with the alleged videotaping but he never really says if he tried to contact Matt Walsh
Friday May 16, 2008 12:59 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
1:00
I'd love to know the number of media outlets that declined to go with it. New York Times for one. Chicago Trib for another (Dan Pompei had written on that, I believe). ESPN? Probably. The Globe? Maybe.
Friday May 16, 2008 1:00 
1:00
[Comment From O-FISH-LO-FISH-L: ] 
Thanks "Scott's Shots" for providing the Live Blog. Awesome.
Friday May 16, 2008 1:00 O-FISH-L
1:01

We all need serious help, but I do thank you. . .

Read it over in the morning to see how similar/different our take is from the sleeping people. Also chekc the bottom of this Shots entry for some Simmons commentary and a tiny bit of Heidi Watney shtuff.

Friday May 16, 2008 1:01 
1:01
[Comment From MoMo: ] 
Steve, That's the kind of stuff that might have been lawyered out.
Friday May 16, 2008 1:01 Mo
1:01
[Comment From Sox MonsterSox Monster: ] 
agreed... goodnight all
Friday May 16, 2008 1:01 Sox Monster
1:01
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
yea Dave this was GGGRRREEAAATTTT
Friday May 16, 2008 1:01 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
1:01
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Shoot, ESPN has the best insider in all of sports, for my money (Mort). If they didn't have this, that says something.
Friday May 16, 2008 1:01 Phil
1:01
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
The 12:51 AM comment on the apology asks if he (tomase) wrote it or did the lawyers.
Friday May 16, 2008 1:01 Cinco Ocho
1:02
I did not sumbit that comment, for the record.
Friday May 16, 2008 1:02 
1:02
[Comment From Cinco OchoCinco Ocho: ] 
Thanks DS for the live blog action. Where else but with Boston sports can get you get a live blog at midnight
Friday May 16, 2008 1:02 Cinco Ocho
1:02

No doubt. We made history tonight.

I'm all ferklempt again.

Friday May 16, 2008 1:02 
1:03
[Comment From Steve from Sox&DawgsSteve from Sox&Dawgs: ] 
Night gang its been Tomase-refic!
Friday May 16, 2008 1:03 Steve from Sox&Dawgs
1:03

Till Tomorrow with more Tomase. . .

You say Tomase, I say Tomace - let's call the whole thing off.

Friday May 16, 2008 1:03 
1:03
[Comment From PhilPhil: ] 
Yeah, New York may be the city that never sleeps, but Boston is the city where you get the unexpected at midnight - traffic tie-ups, live-blogs, you name it.
Friday May 16, 2008 1:03 Phil
1:04
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