Love him or hate him...

[TOzgood]

For what it's worth, at least Mazz had the you know what to write back to my e-mail, I gained more respect for him...(His response is first, followed by the email I wrote him last week)

Tim -

Thanks for the e-mail. As you can imagine, I've received many on this
particular topic and, given the nature and subject of the column, I am
trying to respond to as many e-mails as possible.

Please understand that this was in no way meant to be an indictment of all
fans. Rather, it was an indictment of those who blindly accept anything and
everything in the names of protecting the teams whom they support. The fans
have never bothered me; the FANATACISM has. I believe in questioning things
fully when there is a need, partly because it is my job, partly because it
is my nature. (Imagine how my wife feels.) Had we all taken that approach
with major league baseball years ago, maybe the steroids problem would not
have ballooned into the enormous issue it became.

That said, the Herald made an enormous mistake with regard to the
videotaping story. You and every other New England sports fan (and I'm
including all of them here) have a right to be angry about it. Spygate was
an emotional story, and those kinds of stories can bring out the emotions in
all of us. I think we'll all be happy when it's over, assuming that it is
not over already.

Personally, I enjoy what I do. One of the great things about working in
Boston is the passion of the fans here - good and bad. As such, I've always
felt that fans had the right to yell back when they felt the desire. We all
need to be reined in sometimes.

Thanks.

- Tony Massarotti

On Wed, 14 May 2008 06:39:53 -0700 (PDT), Tim Osgood wrote
> Mr. Massarotti,
> I suggest you read the opening remarks over at bostonsportsmedia.com
> and re-read your remarks about Belichick at the beginning of this
> whole "spygate" thing...which was blown out of proportion by your
> slanderous newspaper. Who knew that YOU Mr. Massaroti were the head
> cheerleader in a witch-hunt for Belichick's head...holding them
> accountable for cheating...then YOU'RE place of employment admits
> how dead wrong they were. You led this man on a parade around town
> shouting "Look at my columns, look at me, we are RIGHT and this man
> is WRONG, he should be humiliated!"....If anyone should be
> humilitated it is YOU...but of course, you will admit no wrong-doing
> nor take any accoutability for your cold and arrogant remarks
> towards Belichick. What ever happened to fine journalism? Of course
> you will turn blue in the face standing by your comments...Arrogance
> at its finest...You've lost a loyal reader because of the venom
> you've spit all over this situation....Anything to get YOUR name in
> the headline, huh?

 

[BradyManny]

His more moderate response is probably a result of getting completely exposed by his fellow co-hosts and a number of callers on WEEI the other day. He was backtracking by the end of the day.

 

[Pats726]

I was bothered by his story...and his contempt for fans...(seems like Patriot fans NOT Sox fans..) but also his sort of elitist view of things...and the TIMING of his piece..in between the apology story and Tomasse's pitiful apology...TO ME it was one where he did it to take away from people wishing to dig into the Herald and HOW the story got out at all... Funny that I found a Mazz piece before the Superbowl where he talked about whiners and others attacking the Pats...I wonder why how he changed his tune?? Ryan though is another story...Mazz I give him credit...for answering

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

I do give him some credit for replying to your email and doing so in a professional manner.

For me, though, the damage is already done... by him... by Tomase... by the Herald.

I wash my hands of them. The half hearted apology combined with thier PR effort for maximum capitalization of the drama (including Tony's inane rant) was not what I was hoping for as a fan.

Tomase can't possibly continue to cover the patriots as if nothing happened. Tony's attempt to play 'bad cop' to divert negative attention away from Tomase will not work. The Herald's reputation is FOREVER tainted.

 

[signbabybrady]

I do give him some credit for replying to your email and doing so in a professional manner.

Got to appreciate a proffesional response to an email, especially after seeing the way Schlereth responds.

 

[Tunescribe]

Got to appreciate a proffesional response to an email ...

My guess is that he copied and pasted that same response to many others.

 

[signbabybrady]

My guess is that he copied and pasted that same response to many others.

Which is perfectly fine...can't expect a personal response to everyone.


Schlereth was sending some insulting email that were stock responses that he was copying to alot of patsfans (see the thread I started on Schlereth).

 

[hambone1818]

Yeah, I can confirm that it's a stock response...which is fine with me. What ISN'T fine with me, however, is his initial article. It was degrading, and he came off as a whiney little brat. In no way did he apologize for what was a terrible, hurtful article that couldn't have been written any way BUT to be hurtful. Yeah, he said it was aimed at FANATIC fans...but guess what, I AM a fanatic fan, I just happen to be logical and investigate things thoroughly before creating an opinion (unlike him, as he still doesn't seem to understand what happened over the past 9+ months).

 

[NEPatriot]

after seeing what we did to his buddy , tomase, he wants to be nice to us. Receiving his response will not change my mind about him because he was ungrateful when criticizing BB.

 

[nelly57]

Please understand that this was in no way meant to be an indictment of all
fans. Rather, it was an indictment of those who blindly accept anything and
everything in the names of protecting the teams whom they support. The fans
have never bothered me; the FANATACISM has. I believe in questioning things
fully when there is a need, partly because it is my job, partly because it
is my nature.

IMO, the statements from Mazz's reply is being hypocrtical, I bolded the sections that makes me think this is so. As somebody who writes in the print media, he did not question his peers and accepted their words. Yet he criticizes the fans doing this? Very elitist if you asked me.

 

[signbabybrady]

Dont get me wrong he is an ass and definitely comes off as elitist.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

Mazz pretty much admitted on WEEI what we already knew about journalists and that is they all have an agenda and the main reason Belichick gets slammed is the lack of access and short answers he gives them and the differences between his personality to that of Terry Francona's which is more warm and friendly. Look at all the media members slamming BB and think when was the last time they were able to get a direct quote out of him or a one on one interview with him??

 

[spacecrime]

Got to appreciate a proffesional response to an email, especially after seeing the way Schlereth responds.

Seems kind of odd to see "professional" and "Schlereth" in the same sentence....

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Yup, Ordway nailed him pretty good on his attitude about the Belichicklets and why they don't broach assaults on the man or the team - Glenn pointed out to him that BB's job here has been to win, and he has beyond most reasonable dreams - which begs the question what is your agenda? Why would you be hyper critical of a coach whose organization does their job? Only because you had a pre existing agenda and saw a way to drive it. And because you had to defend your peers from criticism that hit too close to home. What is wrong with the Boston media is how many of them wanted Bill to be guilty and punished, and the more the better, before they ever even heard of video taping defensive signals. This was never about getting at the truth, it was purely get Bill.

 

[signbabybrady]

Yup, Ordway nailed him pretty good on his attitude about the Belichicklets and why they don't broach assaults on the man or the team - Glenn pointed out to him that BB's job here has been to win, and he has beyond most reasonable dreams - which begs the question what is your agenda? Why would you be hyper critical of a coach whose organization does their job? Only because you had a pre existing agenda and saw a way to drive it. And because you had to defend your peers from criticism that hit too close to home. What is wrong with the Boston media is how many of them wanted Bill to be guilty and punished, and the more the better, before they ever even heard of video taping defensive signals. This was never about getting at the truth, it was purely get Bill.

Thats the truth right there.

 

[nelly57]

Mazz pretty much admitted on WEEI what we already knew about journalists and that is they all have an agenda and the main reason Belichick gets slammed is the lack of access and short answers he gives them and the differences between his personality to that of Terry Francona's which is more warm and friendly. Look at all the media members slamming BB and think when was the last time they were able to get a direct quote out of him or a one on one interview with him??

Had he have written the agendas of other journalist in his opinion piece title "nobody wins this one", it would have placed it into context. He would not come off as an elitist by placing the double standard on the fans. IMO, the point these guys are missing is that most are outrage by the witch hunt going on and the shoddy journalism that has occurred.

Calling us homers is really an insult to our intelligence or showing how the media has missed the boat on this. Either one doesn't look good for him and his buds.

 

[nelly57]

Yup, Ordway nailed him pretty good on his attitude about the Belichicklets and why they don't broach assaults on the man or the team - Glenn pointed out to him that BB's job here has been to win, and he has beyond most reasonable dreams - which begs the question what is your agenda? Why would you be hyper critical of a coach whose organization does their job? Only because you had a pre existing agenda and saw a way to drive it. And because you had to defend your peers from criticism that hit too close to home. What is wrong with the Boston media is how many of them wanted Bill to be guilty and punished, and the more the better, before they ever even heard of video taping defensive signals. This was never about getting at the truth, it was purely get Bill.

Yup, I didn't hear the big show but I think Glean nailed it. You can really see how hypocritical Mazz was on this one. IMO, some of these guys are losing touch with reality.

 

[Pats726]

Funny though for Mazz...He was so much making fun of those that HATED the Pats a few days before the Superbowl....What happened to him?? Because his buddy totally screwed up so much his rag had to offer an apology? And because of this he slammed the fans and the Pats with his venom? He's insignificant in my book..just another snotty journalist..Ryan?? VERY surprised at hime..has anyone HEARD from him??

 

[DarrylS]

Before everyone gets all warm, fuzzy and forgiving he sent me the same exact e-mail, probably written by an intern..

 

[Jackson 2]

For what it's worth, at least Mazz had the you know what to write back to my e-mail, I gained more respect for him...(His response is first, followed by the email I wrote him last week)

Tim -

Thanks for the e-mail. As you can imagine, I've received many on this
particular topic and, given the nature and subject of the column, I am
trying to respond to as many e-mails as possible.

Please understand that this was in no way meant to be an indictment of all
fans. Rather, it was an indictment of those who blindly accept anything and
everything in the names of protecting the teams whom they support. The fans
have never bothered me; the FANATACISM has. I believe in questioning things
fully when there is a need, partly because it is my job, partly because it
is my nature. (Imagine how my wife feels.) Had we all taken that approach
with major league baseball years ago, maybe the steroids problem would not
have ballooned into the enormous issue it became.

That said, the Herald made an enormous mistake with regard to the
videotaping story. You and every other New England sports fan (and I'm
including all of them here) have a right to be angry about it. Spygate was
an emotional story, and those kinds of stories can bring out the emotions in
all of us. I think we'll all be happy when it's over, assuming that it is
not over already.

Personally, I enjoy what I do. One of the great things about working in
Boston is the passion of the fans here - good and bad. As such, I've always
felt that fans had the right to yell back when they felt the desire. We all
need to be reined in sometimes.

Thanks.

- Tony Massarotti

On Wed, 14 May 2008 06:39:53 -0700 (PDT), Tim Osgood wrote
> Mr. Massarotti,
> I suggest you read the opening remarks over at bostonsportsmedia.com
> and re-read your remarks about Belichick at the beginning of this
> whole "spygate" thing...which was blown out of proportion by your
> slanderous newspaper. Who knew that YOU Mr. Massaroti were the head
> cheerleader in a witch-hunt for Belichick's head...holding them
> accountable for cheating...then YOU'RE place of employment admits
> how dead wrong they were. You led this man on a parade around town
> shouting "Look at my columns, look at me, we are RIGHT and this man
> is WRONG, he should be humiliated!"....If anyone should be
> humilitated it is YOU...but of course, you will admit no wrong-doing
> nor take any accoutability for your cold and arrogant remarks
> towards Belichick. What ever happened to fine journalism? Of course
> you will turn blue in the face standing by your comments...Arrogance
> at its finest...You've lost a loyal reader because of the venom
> you've spit all over this situation....Anything to get YOUR name in
> the headline, huh?

He admitted on the Big Show this week that he wrote the piece when he was angry. Now, there's nothing wrong with writing something when you're angry, as long as the next day, when you've calmed down, you throw the original diatribe in the trash and re-write the piece in a thoughtful and rational manner. Obviously, he didn't do that, and obviously, his editor(s) allowed the diatribe to go to print. Hmm, anyone see a pattern here? The very type of process Tomase and the Herald pubicly admitted was a huge mistake was repeated with Tony M. piece. So much for lessons learned...