Article from BMSW, picking apart the Globe and their TJ story.. - New England Patriots Forums

***DarrylS*** · 02-05-2007, 05:34 AM

Came across this article, this AM, interesting synopsis of how the Globe sensationalized this article and some of the fallacies contained therein. May help divert us from the Indy lovefest..

http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/gameday/

As noted above, if Belichick forced Johnson to the field against the advice of his medical staff, it was wrong and a serious error in judgement by the coach. The sort of judgement that - if it persisted for any length of time - would be grounds for recrimination. But it's hard to make the judgment - based on what we see publicly - that Belichick willfully disregards the health of his players. If anything, fans wonder what takes certain Pats so long to get back in the lineup. One BSMW message board poster wondered on Friday if the Pats reticence in this area was in part inspired by the Johnson incident. Perhaps it was. But the idea that Bill Belichick and Bill Belichick alone is responsible for the misery that is Ted Johnson's life today is simply ridiculous, and should be viewed as such.

Clearly, that's not going to happen at the Boston Globe, or in other corners of the football intelligencia. MacMullen reported Johnson's comments as he made them, and I don't doubt that she reported them accurately. But is that as far as it goes for the media? As another board poster asked on Friday, what about running through the strainer that source material which simply confirms your own biases? Isn't that what reliable journalists are to do? Did MacMullen wonder about the 87 NFL games (and high school and college career) that preceeded the incident? Did she wonder why Johnson returned willingly to Belichick's supervision when the linebacker apparently mistrusted him so? Did she wonder about Johnson's expressed desire to return AGAIN to the Pats a little more than a month ago

Speaking of blowing wind, later on Friday, Globe columnist Ron Borges told a BSMW friend of mine (through a radio call-in to Michael Felger's program) with all certainty that all 30 concussions occurred under Belichick's watch. Now, I know that Ron usually plays it right down the middle when it comes to the Patriots head coach, but that seems a little biased to me.

Enough is enough. The media is persecuting a public lynching of the Patriots coach, from their gleeful acceptance of every utterance of a spurned New Jersey husband, from their disclosure of home addresses, from their wild exaggeration of his every football move, real and imagined, and now, Bill Belichick gave Ted Johnson Alzhiemers. For the first time since he came to New England, Bill Belichick has gone two consecutive seasons without winning the Super Bowl, and in their mind, the armor that comes with being the best in the world at your profession is gone. In their mind, Bill Belichick is adequately vulnerable for the first time, and it's payback time. Payback for not kissing their ring. Payback for putting them in their place. The opportunity for settling the score is there, and the most entitled, self-important members of the media know exactly what to do with that opportunity when they see it.

Willie55 · 02-05-2007, 07:32 AM

The fact that Johnson was placed on the inactive list for the first game, and then left because he was p1ssed, tells you everything right there.

Short sighted reporting as usual by the Globe trying to discredit Belichick.

DefenseRules · 02-05-2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

It's the only thing they know how to do anymore. Which is tragic, especially for people like Ted Johnson. He can always use an advocate that will bring his story openly and honestly into the public eye in a compelling way that brings about change. Instead he got an advocate that used him to advance its own bottom feeding, product moving agenda, and when Ted Johnson no longer serves that purpose, the Globe will discard him. They have no claim to the high horse in anything. Even a serious editorial in the news pages can be used as a conveyance of juvenile pettiness and spite. If that doesn't make you sick, I don't know what will.

AMEN BSMW!! **** the Globe. I will never purchase another paper from them again. I can find better ways to spend my money. Mike Reiss I love you brotha, and I will continue to read your blog on-line. But you really need to seperate yourself from the devils at the Globe.

Willie55 · 02-05-2007, 08:18 AM

Get out while you can Reiss.

***maverick4*** · 02-05-2007, 08:21 AM

someone needs to use www.petitiononline.com and let the Globe know just how many readers have boycotted their sports section.

***PatsDeb*** · 02-05-2007, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willie55

The fact that Johnson was placed on the inactive list for the first game, and then left because he was p1ssed, tells you everything right there.

Short sighted reporting as usual by the Globe trying to discredit Belichick.

Herein lies the problem with Ted Johnson's whole story. He complains that they put him out there too soon, and when they agree, hold him out of practice for two weeks and make him inactive for the first game, he goes ballistic and leaves the team. What he really seems to be upset about is that he was not allowed to rest for a month then just come in and play. Belichick has an obligation to put the best team out there, but also admitted he made a mistake by practicing Johnson too soon. They both agreed to move on, Ted plays three more years taking countless other hits which he doesn't tell anyone are giving him concussions, and then blames Belichik for the entire sorry state of affairs. Someone should do a rebuttal piece, but of course it won't happen.

NYCPatsFan · 02-05-2007, 08:52 AM

Thanks for the heads-up. I had stopped reading most of BG's online articles on the Pats (except that of Reiss').

Inasmuch as I feel sorry for Ted, I still think that the responsibility falls in his doorstep and not that of the coach's. Why would he want to publicly state during last season that he can come back if contacted and offered good terms? Was that mentioned and analyzed in the article?

Shame that the leading paper - actually most of the papers - in the region allowed its reporteres free reign to bring down the Pats. Reading all this from not-to-far NYC makes me now agree with all the players and coaches who avoid the media or act curt with them.

Willie55 · 02-05-2007, 09:28 AM

In the McMullan piece, it said Johnson had 6 concussions but he only told the Pats about 1 of them. Who's at fault there?

Patsfanin Philly · 02-05-2007, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willie55

In the McMullan piece, it said Johnson had 6 concussions but he only told the Pats about 1 of them. Who's at fault there?

There was an article last year about a dentist-made mouthguard that repostiioned the lower jaw to reduce the chances of a concussion and how the Patriots players rarely suffered concussions.......

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2314899

>>>>Even as the NFL changes rules and helmet makers improve their designs, the league says concussion rates have stayed level at about 0.4 incidents per game in recent seasons -- about 100 per year. But teams report only half of these. In the four seasons between 2000 and 2003, clubs listed a total of 203 concussions on weekly injury reports, according to data compiled by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Not all teams suffer equally. Some clubs reported multiple head injuries in each of the years. The Colts listed 20 concussions.
The Patriots listed zero.
And a small-town New England dentist, who literally has been inside Patriots players' heads for 25 years, says he knows why. ...........<<<<<

PatsMyBoyz! · 02-05-2007, 10:33 AM

Kudos to Bensen and BSM for writing sucha compassionate yet realistic piece,and not being at all afraid to call out The Globe and Jackie Mac for sensationalism. Reiss-please go elsewhere,you are far above the Globe's agenda.