2/18/2015: Schefter Blows Up ESPN's Earlier Story

Rob0729 · Feb 18, 2015

Bella*chick said:
He had a history of doing this and Kensil decides he needs to work in the AFCCG? Good going, there.

Yep! From Schefter's report:

A source told Schefter that the man in charge of collecting balls for charity has been fired by the league for selling the footballs meant for charity for a profit over a period of time.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...-room-attendant-kicking-game-ball-source-says

KamikazeKnight · Feb 18, 2015

Can they just fire Goodell already or what? This guy has screwed up everything. Get someone in there who knows wtf he's doing.

Fencer · Feb 18, 2015

Bobsyouruncle said:
I think your definition of honest error is different than most people. This is like if you bought some groceries and it was reported

"Investigators have found Fencer ducking away from the store with goods and he is being investigated for theft. It's not known Fencer is also the Son of Sam killer. Oh and by the way here's Fencer's name and hometown so feel free to harass him."

It all true because you did leave the store, I don't know if your the son of sam killer and I did hear a rumor so I'm reporting what I heard. No, they probably won't get in trouble but outside of some small and bizarre ethical bubble few will understand how what ESPN did isn't unethical, lazy, irresponsible journalism. They deserve the criticism they got, along with Naqi.

I think your criticism of the media in that is misdirected. It's whoever is guilty of the only-partial leak who's the villain.

Edit: given the recklessly biased writing, maybe there's some joint villainy ...

Fencer · Feb 18, 2015

ausbacker said:
There is a considerable difference between an honest error and repetitive slander.

It's not libel/slander in substance unless they were very irresponsible in their reporting, based on available info.
It's not libel/slander technically even then, probably.
At least in the written part, it could only be libel, not slander.

Fixit · Feb 18, 2015

Fencer said:
I think your criticism of the media in that is misdirected. It's whoever is guilty of the only-partial leak who's the villain.

Reporting it without corroboration is just as bad. Probably worse, due to the reach of sports journalists and the "can't unring a bell" phenomenon.

The Scrizz · Feb 18, 2015

I think some people are maybe getting the wording of 'league official' confused. I don't think Schefter is talking about a ref getting fired, I think he means an 'official' as in somebody who works for the league in an official capacity.

Just my take on the wording, doesn't make it any less noteworthy.

Fencer · Feb 18, 2015

shmessy said:
Yeah, like Kraft hasn't been dragged through the mud on this??????

The bonus check shouldn't be coming from one of the victims, Fencer.

It should be coming from the perps.

If somebody tries to mug Kraft, and his bodyguard fights off the mugger, Kraft probably gives the bodyguard a bonus. And -- which is a closer analogy -- if his chauffeur gets roughed up as collateral damage, Kraft probably gives the chauffeur a bonus too.

Seacoast Fan · Feb 18, 2015

Rusty Coupe said:
A half time show at the 2015 home opener with a public apology from Goodell to Mr Kraft, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots and their fans, leading up to the finale of the public firing of Kensil at mid field, all carried on live ESPN with Brunell and Bettis hosting and being mocked by 70,000 rabid Patriots fans would be in order.

Well that would be a good start......

The Scrizz · Feb 18, 2015

patchick said:
You may well be right, it just wasn't that clear to me. If they really caught an official who was appointed to one of the "all-star" playoff crews illegally profiting off games and tried to hush it up...wow.

I'm thinking the same as you Patchick. This wasn't a ref, just the official charity ball collector or whatever.

Rob0729 · Feb 18, 2015

Fencer said:
It's not libel/slander in substance unless they were very irresponsible in their reporting, based on available info.

It's not libel/slander technically even then, probably.

At least in the written part, it could only be libel, not slander.

I am no legal expert, but there are a number of areas where Kelly Naqi could run into trouble with a lawsuit with McNally:

She went on WEEI and said that McNally knowingly put an unapproved ball on the field. She has no way of knowing whether he knew it was an unapproved ball and her sources couldn't have told her that. And it turns out, he clearly had no idea. She portrayed her opinions as fact to make McNally look far more guilty than he actually was which was not at all.
Her information was disproven in less than 24 hour from someone from her own network. She claimed to have spent 3 weeks researching this story and her colleague disproved her story by getting far more facts in less than a day (it was less than 18 hours between reports). It shows a pretty compelling case that she was trying to prove McNally guilty rather than trying to find out the truth since the evidence to exonerate McNally should have been known by her original source.

Kdo5 · Feb 18, 2015

The Scrizz said:
I think some people are maybe getting the wording of 'league official' confused. I don't think Schefter is talking about a ref getting fired, I think he means an 'official' as in somebody who works for the league in an official capacity.

Just my take on the wording, doesn't make it any less noteworthy.

Was wondering about that as well. League official doesn't necessarily mean a ref. But I'm on vacation and had a significant amount of Knob Creek so it ain't quite easy to make sense of this mess.

hwc · Feb 18, 2015

The NFL doesn't have a Charity Ball Collector that travels from game to game. These are NFL sideline officials. The same group that works the sticks, keeps the balls dry, etc.

ForThoseAboutToRock · Feb 18, 2015

shmessy said:
Disappointed in Mike Reiss right now to tell you the truth. But I guess he has to feed his family, and I can understand that.

Disagree. I think Reiss has taken the high road and avoided even discussing the latest OTL report.

Kdo5 · Feb 18, 2015

ForThoseAboutToRock said:
Disagree. I think Reiss has taken the high road and avoided even discussing the latest OTL report.

To be fair shmessy gave him credit once he reported the Schefter stuff.

Fencer · Feb 18, 2015

Rob0729 said:
She went on WEEI and said that McNally knowingly put an unapproved ball on the field.

Fair enough. I didn't know about that. In that case, she was way ahead of her evidence, and there's a problem.

wolverinejoe80 · Feb 18, 2015

ESPN deleted all the comments
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...-room-attendant-kicking-game-ball-source-says

about an hour ago it was over 700 comments. just alot of ESPN is a joke comment. but now it's all gone.
funny stuff.

ausbacker · Feb 18, 2015

Fencer said:
It's not libel/slander in substance unless they were very irresponsible in their reporting, based on available info.

It's not libel/slander technically even then, probably.

At least in the written part, it could only be libel, not slander.

The media and members of the media have been making false and damaging statements about the Patriots from the first moment Tampergate came into existence. Libellous, slanderous, I really don't care what you want to call it, it is what it is.

Kdo5 · Feb 18, 2015

wolverinejoe80 said:
ESPN deleted all the comments
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...-room-attendant-kicking-game-ball-source-says

about an hour ago it was over 700 comments. just alot of ESPN is a joke comment. but now it's all gone.
funny stuff.

Why why why do Pats fans keep concerning themselves with ESPN. The network has made it blatantly clear that they will try to milk this story for whatever it is worth regardless of the contradictory reports. Unless you want to feel irritated, don't give that place any clicks.

TheBeers · Feb 18, 2015

..And the comments just come right back! haha

Rob0729 · Feb 18, 2015

Fencer said:
Fair enough. I didn't know about that. In that case, she was way ahead of her evidence, and there's a problem.

Again, I am no legal expert, but with that information, my second point comes into play. Because it shows that she seemed to have made a judgement that he was guilty before she found the facts and conducted the investigation to prove he was guilty rather than find the truth. So a good lawyer could make the case that she was just trying to frame his client to make a name for herself rather than finding the truth.

The funny thing is Schefter's story may be more of a bombshell alone than hers was last night.

2/18/2015: Schefter Blows Up ESPN's Earlier Story

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