Tom Curran's and Felger's defense of Tomase is weak at best

[Rob0729]

Both argue that Tomase's only real mistake was to say Walsh "videotaped" the walkthrough instead of "monitored" the walkthrough. I say that is a BS excuse to help out their friend.

The whole tone of Tomase's original article was that Walsh made a deliberate effort to spy on the Rams whether he acted alone or was ordered. What Walsh admitted to that he just happened to be present at the Rams walkthrough because he was still setting up and no one asked him to leave and he just relayed what he saw to DaBoll.

Personally, I see a huge difference between what Tomase said Walsh did and what Walsh admitted to doing. Making Walsh's piece accurate would have taken far more than changing a few words in the article.

 

[BelichickFan]

Agreed. Of course, Felgie is Felgie and I've always felt Curran is a little overated around here; a solid local guy but over his head nationally.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

All of The Print and Internet Guys are speaking from Talking Points in order to protect their own sorry butts as well as trying to save Doughnut Boy's Backside.It's truly disgusting.

 

[makoute]

I don't know what it's going to take for people to take Tomase at his word, that he decided what the story was going to be. The guy himself stated that he made it up, after putting two and two together.

 

[bradmahn]

I had the same thought earlier and was going to post this in the Tomase apology thread but my internet connection was lost. Here it is:

I just read the live blog on Scott's Shots from Boston Sports Media Watch and saw something that I absolutely have to vent regarding this situation.

Here's the link if you want to read it for yourself.

I've seen some apologists (as have you, if you've heard Felger make this point) that say Tomase merely overstated what the Patriots did:

[W]as 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.

Felger said if you replaced the verb 'taped' with 'monitored' it makes Tomase's story okay. Beyond the fact that both of those words imply that there was intent on the part of the Patriots, it changes the very fabric of what actually occurred. Matt Walsh, on the sidelines, setting up video equipment and happening to see something is not against the rules - there is nothing dishonest or unfair about that situation when the Rams could have and should have requested his dismissal from the site (and the NFL has stated as much). There is a huge difference between what Tomase reported and what the actual circumstances were when one situation (taping) would have warranted more punishment from the NFL and the actual reality of the situation means nothing. Tomase's article was about gathering information from the walkthrough illegally (the "crux," if you will), anything else means his article was wrong. Please don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

[NEPatriot]

Instead of criticizing Tomase for not doing his job right and failing their journlism code miserably, they suggest him to change his 'word' next time. These arsholes realize that they encourage the idiot to screw up whenever an opportunity arrives.???

So much for journalism.! Sure, there are ways to get around everything, aren't there.?

 

[Rob0729]

Agreed. Of course, Felgie is Felgie and I've always felt Curran is a little overated around here; a solid local guy but over his head nationally.

I do agree that Felger is being Felger and loyal Herald employee.

I really like Curran although I don't think he is much of national reporter. He always have been a straight shooter, but his defense of Tomase seems really disingenious.

 

[BelichickFan]

I really like Curran although I don't think he is much of national report. He always have been a straight shooter, but his defense of Tomase seems really disingenious.

I do like Curran. I think he's funny, a straight shooter and a legit nice guy. I just don't think he rises to national reporter level - or what I think it should be, anyway; based on other national guys I may have my standards way too high

 

[BSR]

I had the same thought earlier and was going to post this in the Tomase apology thread but my internet connection was lost. Here it is:

I just read the live blog on Scott's Shots from Boston Sports Media Watch and saw something that I absolutely have to vent regarding this situation.

Here's the link if you want to read it for yourself.

I've seen some apologists (as have you, if you've heard Felger make this point) that say Tomase merely overstated what the Patriots did:

Felger said if you replaced the verb 'taped' with 'monitored' it makes Tomase's story okay. Beyond the fact that both of those words imply that there was intent on the part of the Patriots, it changes the very fabric of what actually occurred. Matt Walsh, on the sidelines, setting up video equipment and happening to see something is not against the rules - there is nothing dishonest or unfair about that situation when the Rams could have and should have requested his dismissal from the site (and the NFL has stated as much). There is a huge difference between what Tomase reported and what the actual circumstances were when one situation (taping) would have warranted more punishment from the NFL and the actual reality of the situation means nothing. Tomase's article was about gathering information from the walkthrough illegally (the "crux," if you will), anything else means his article was wrong. Please don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Agreed. They make it seem like it is only one little word but that one little word has a boat load of meaning. Its akin to saying "Recording signals via binoculars is legal" but if we change "binoculars" to "video tape" the sentence is still true. But it is not.

"A camerman videotaping the Rams walkthrough is illegal" True.

"A camerman monitoring the Rams walkthrough is illegal" NOT True.

It is NOT about changing one word.

 

[bradmahn]

Agreed. They make it seem like it is only one little word but that one little word has a boat load of meaning. Its akin to saying "Recording signals via binoculars is legal" but if we change "binoculars" to "video tape" the sentence is still true. But it is not.

"A camerman videotaping the Rams walkthrough is illegal" True.

"A camerman monitoring the Rams walkthrough is illegal" NOT True.

It is NOT about changing one word.

Not to mention it doesn't change the fact that Tomase ran with a rumor as legitimate news and fact.

 

[BSR]

Not to mention it doesn't change the fact that Tomase ran with a rumor as legitimate news and fact.

Absolutely. The process was WRONG. It didn't matter what the result was.

 

[nelly57]

I was starting to lose respect for the d bag, now I lost all respect for him. I was neutral on Curran. If both of them start harping on the lame play on words, they will need to go back to journalism school or go make a strong run at a gossip column show.

 

[cubicle_6]

Let me get this straight.

Reporters are running to the aid of one of their own by saying
it doesn't matter if the practice was videotaped or simply "monitored"-
that the crux of the story is the same.
OMG, and these are the same people crucifying the Patriots for, you know...videotaping!!
So wait, is the word "videotaping" important or not?

 

[Evil Tom]

Both argue that Tomase's only real mistake was to say Walsh "videotaped" the walkthrough instead of "monitored" the walkthrough. I say that is a BS excuse to help out their friend.

That's been heard from enough people that it 's probably a talking point from the Herald's legal or PR department. Pathetic spin.

 

[smyoung]

All of The Print and Internet Guys are speaking from Talking Points in order to protect their own sorry butts as well as trying to save Doughnut Boy's Backside.It's truly disgusting.

Maybe as one of the few girl reporters I don't fall under this statement, but I just wanted to jump in here to object to the use of the word "all."

Just as many of you shudder when "all" fans are lumped together, I abhor being lumped with "all" journalists in any situation. Not all of us are good, not all of us are bad, not all of us are idiots, or spiteful or jealous of the players we cover. Some of us -- Mike Reiss, Chris Gasper, Chris Price, Dan Pires -- try every day to be fair and get out the news on the team we cover. I'd hope I fall in that category as well.

It's like I tell the players all the time: if I found out (definitively) that one of them was cheating on their wife and then wrote that they were all cheating on their wives, that would be wrong. Not all journalists are jerks, just like not all people in the tech industry are pocket-protector wearing geeks.

This is no way a reflection of my personal opinions on John or Mike or Tom E., just responding to something that got me riled up a bit.

Sorry, but I have to get on my soapbox every once in a while...

smy

 

[shmessy]

Maybe as one of the few girl reporters I don't fall under this statement, but I just wanted to jump in here to object to the use of the word "all."

Just as many of you shudder when "all" fans are lumped together, I abhor being lumped with "all" journalists in any situation. Not all of us are good, not all of us are bad, not all of us are idiots, or spiteful or jealous of the players we cover. Some of us -- Mike Reiss, Chris Gasper, Chris Price, Dan Pires -- try every day to be fair and get out the news on the team we cover. I'd hope I fall in that category as well.

It's like I tell the players all the time: if I found out (definitively) that one of them was cheating on their wife and then wrote that they were all cheating on their wives, that would be wrong. Not all journalists are jerks, just like not all people in the tech industry are pocket-protector wearing geeks.

This is no way a reflection of my personal opinions on John or Mike or Tom E., just responding to something that got me riled up a bit.

Sorry, but I have to get on my soapbox every once in a while...

smy

Amen, Shalize.

You, Gasper, Reiss, Price, Pires are what journalism should be.

I'd throw Holley and Guregian into that group too, along with the lamentably gone Albert Breer.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

Maybe as one of the few girl reporters I don't fall under this statement, but I just wanted to jump in here to object to the use of the word "all."

Just as many of you shudder when "all" fans are lumped together, I abhor being lumped with "all" journalists in any situation. Not all of us are good, not all of us are bad, not all of us are idiots, or spiteful or jealous of the players we cover. Some of us -- Mike Reiss, Chris Gasper, Chris Price, Dan Pires -- try every day to be fair and get out the news on the team we cover. I'd hope I fall in that category as well.

It's like I tell the players all the time: if I found out (definitively) that one of them was cheating on their wife and then wrote that they were all cheating on their wives, that would be wrong. Not all journalists are jerks, just like not all people in the tech industry are pocket-protector wearing geeks.

This is no way a reflection of my personal opinions on John or Mike or Tom E., just responding to something that got me riled up a bit.

Sorry, but I have to get on my soapbox every once in a while...

smy

Link Me to the article that You or anyone else has written that states what John Tomase did was wrong and wreckless and where in was unfathomable that He let the lie stay in place for over 100 days and I'll be happy to withdraw my statement.Until I see it You're all singing from the same song sheet.I know it 's not comfortable to be linked with bottom feeders but until I see a Profile in Courage,You're all the same.

 

[shmessy]

Link Me to the article that You or anyone else has written that states what John Tomase did was wrong and wreckless and where in was unfathomable that He let the lie stay in place for over 100 days and I'll be happy to withdraw my statement.Until I see it You're all singing from the same song sheet.I know it 's not comfortable to be linked with bottom feeders but until I see a Profile in Courage,You're all the same.

That's ridiculous.

SMY is not a columnist. She's a beat reporter, like Reiss, Gasper, Breer, etc. Would you even understand the difference?

The ones that are defending Tomase are COLUMNISTS.

Get a clue.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

That's ridiculous.

SMY is not a columnist. She's a beat reporter.

Get a clue.

Just because She is a reporter doesn't mean that She can't tell the truth.It'll take courage ,I know and She won't be viewed as one of the Boys but all I asked her to do is show Me one piece of Print Media Criticsm of John Tomase and I'll withdraw My statement.

 

[fgssand]

Maybe as one of the few girl reporters I don't fall under this statement, but I just wanted to jump in here to object to the use of the word "all."

Just as many of you shudder when "all" fans are lumped together, I abhor being lumped with "all" journalists in any situation. Not all of us are good, not all of us are bad, not all of us are idiots, or spiteful or jealous of the players we cover. Some of us -- Mike Reiss, Chris Gasper, Chris Price, Dan Pires -- try every day to be fair and get out the news on the team we cover. I'd hope I fall in that category as well.

It's like I tell the players all the time: if I found out (definitively) that one of them was cheating on their wife and then wrote that they were all cheating on their wives, that would be wrong. Not all journalists are jerks, just like not all people in the tech industry are pocket-protector wearing geeks.

This is no way a reflection of my personal opinions on John or Mike or Tom E., just responding to something that got me riled up a bit.

Sorry, but I have to get on my soapbox every once in a while...

smy

Shalize....you earned my respect a long time ago...you rock!!