Peter King comments on Cimini situation

[Patriots Nation NY]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/09/02/tucker/6.html

I think I get in enough trouble on my own, but when I saw Jets beat writer Rich Cimini's story in the Saturday New York Daily News involving my ranking of the top 500 players, I choked on my Cheerios. It said Belichick was quoted in my story as saying of Jets safety Kerry Rhodes (ranked 29th) and Buffalo tackle Jason Peters (39th), "Neither of those guys could make my team.'' Cimini informed Rhodes of the quote and wrote: "To tweak Rhodes ... is really just a shot at the entire team ... Another subplot for an already juicy rivalry.''

One problem: Belichick never said it. And I never reported he said it. What I wrote in the story about how I arrived at my rankings: "I decided I wouldn't make a significant change unless two people whose judgment I trust could make persuasive arguments. Most told me I was loony to have Rhodes ranked in the 20s and Peters in the 30s. I believe Rhodes comes closest to Ed Reed (12), the best impact safety in the game, and I believe Peters, a converted tight end, will be an All-Pro within two years. So I wouldn't move them down even if Belichick called and said, 'Neither of those guys could make my team.'"

Geez. And you wonder sometimes why guys like Belichick treat us like vermin.

The Daily News did use a retraction Sunday, which is only right, but that doesn't fix everything. In Sunday's Florida Times Union, for instance, the NFL column used a Belichick quote, as though it was a quote he actually said.

6. I think I'm not surprised I haven't heard back from the Jets yet on the story. I called the Jets on Saturday and said I'd like to speak with Rhodes to tell him Belichick never said what was reported. As of this morning, I haven't gotten a call back. I don't expect one either. Why would they allow Rhodes to call me back? Why lessen his motivation, stoked even higher by what he thinks is Belichick's colossal dis, by letting him hear the truth? Coaches -- Belichick, Eric Mangini, even high school coaches -- love to motivate their players any way possible, even when they know that something they're using either isn't true or probably isn't true.

 

[Vern]

This isn't the first time King has used that hypothetical device. He has an overly familiar writing style where if you're not too careful, you think he's talking fact when it's just conjecture.

I remember him saying something once that "the first test of the new commissioner will be if he takes draft picks away from Bob Kraft for tampering" or something like that. Caused everone to say "huh? what have the Pats done to deserve losing a pick?" But again, it was just King trying to make the case that IF the need ever arose, challenging the top owners in the game WOULD be the big test.

King needs to learn to add some kind of "this never happened but..." type disclaimer to these things.

 

[Fixit]

This isn't the first time King has used that hypothetical device. He has an overly familiar writing style where if you're not too careful, you think he's talking fact when it's just conjecture.

I remember him saying something once that "the first test of the new commissioner will be if he takes draft picks away from Bob Kraft for tampering" or something like that. Caused everone to say "huh? what have the Pats done to deserve losing a pick?" But again, it was just King trying to make the case that IF the need ever arose, challenging the top owners in the game WOULD be the big test.

King needs to learn to add some kind of "this never happened but..." type disclaimer to these things.

No, he doesn't. Readers need to comprehend better.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

No, he doesn't. Readers need to comprehend better.

Especially journalists.........................

 

[shmessy]

No, he doesn't. Readers need to comprehend better.

Most literate people did. The New York Daily News, however, employs illiterate journalists.

 

[Gwedd]

Most literate people did. The New York Daily News, however, employs illiterate journalists.

Do you mean to say that New York Daily News has hired Borges and Shaunessy?

That would, however, explain a lot.

Respects,

 

[PatsFanSince74]

1) As a subscriber to the Daily News, I already knew that Cimini is an idiot. Now I know that he is careless and incompetent as well.

2) When you read stuff like this, it's a wonder that people like Belichick ever talk to the press, let alone in a monosyllabic, condescending tone.

 

[Seven Nation Army]

This isn't the first time King has used that hypothetical device. He has an overly familiar writing style where if you're not too careful, you think he's talking fact when it's just conjecture.

That's very true. In general, I think King's writing style is like him -- flabby, not tight or muscular at all.

 

[ClevTrev]

This isn't the first time King has used that hypothetical device. He has an overly familiar writing style where if you're not too careful, you think he's talking fact when it's just conjecture.

No excuses needed here. After reading the King article, it was plain what he was doing. This is careless and completely irresponsible on Cimini's part; yet, I bet he gets away with this without so much of an acknowledgment from his paper.

 

[Ratoath]

great piece by ross tucker in peter king's article.

 

[shmessy]

http://boards.buffalobills.com/showthread.php?t=7713

 

[Mike the Brit]

great piece by ross tucker in peter king's article.

Thanks for pointing that out.

Yes, it's one of the best pieces on football that I have read in a long time. I liked the joke about thinking that he is the only 28-year-old Princeton graduate who has already been fired five times. Smart guy -- and funny! The Patriots could do worse than hire him for their PR department.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Thanks for pointing that out.

Yes, it's one of the best pieces on football that I have read in a long time. I liked the joke about thinking that he is the only 28-year-old Princeton graduate who has already been fired five times. Smart guy -- and funny! The Patriots could do worse than hire him for their PR department.

I believe Ross is building a budding fuel company empire in New Jersey.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I believe Ross is building a budding fuel company empire in New Jersey.

He wrote:

"I have a couple of business interests, such as www.gobigrecruiting.com, that will occupy my time, and I am more than excited about the possibility of writing or talking about football for a living. I figure if I can't play anymore, that would be the next best thing."

Sounds to me that he might consider working for a football team even so.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He wrote:

"I have a couple of business interests, such as www.gobigrecruiting.com, that will occupy my time, and I am more than excited about the possibility of writing or talking about football for a living. I figure if I can't play anymore, that would be the next best thing."

Sounds to me that he might consider working for a football team even so.

I'd rather see what he can do as a reporter or color man based on the piece he wrote, why hide him on a PR staff?

 

[Mike the Brit]

I'd rather see what he can do as a reporter or color man based on the piece he wrote, why hide him on a PR staff?

Only my selfish desire to have the Pats benefit from talented people.

 

[DaBruinz]

No excuses needed here. After reading the King article, it was plain what he was doing. This is careless and completely irresponsible on Cimini's part; yet, I bet he gets away with this without so much of an acknowledgment from his paper.

The paper and he issued a retraction. Cimini actually said he should be waived for the mess up.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Only my selfish desire to have the Pats benefit from talented people.

Selfish indeed. :snob:

 

[RayClay]

This isn't the first time King has used that hypothetical device. He has an overly familiar writing style where if you're not too careful, you think he's talking fact when it's just conjecture.

I remember him saying something once that "the first test of the new commissioner will be if he takes draft picks away from Bob Kraft for tampering" or something like that. Caused everone to say "huh? what have the Pats done to deserve losing a pick?" But again, it was just King trying to make the case that IF the need ever arose, challenging the top owners in the game WOULD be the big test.

King needs to learn to add some kind of "this never happened but..." type disclaimer to these things.

I totally agree and have said so. The quote fooled me the first time I read it.

 

[patchick]

The Ross Tucker piece was absolutely terrific, one of the most candid (and funny) glimpses of real life in the NFL that I've ever read. Say, doesn't the Metrowest Daily News need a new beat reporter?