Mike Reiss appreciation

Earlier this year, I was critical of Mike Reiss for what I perceived as throwing a couple shots Greg Bedard's way, as I felt Reiss wasn't in a position to criticize an analyst like Bedard. While I'm sure he never read that nor will he ever read this, in honor of Mike Reiss and his habit of holding himself accountable, I will do likewise for myself. I thought - now wrongly, I see - that the job of an analyst is inherently more difficult and risky.

However, the DeflateGate scandal has been eye-opening. There is no accountability for people offering up their opinions; there is no risk. Nothing comes cheaper than an opinion these days, and even if offering it up damages another's reputation or calls into question their integrity, there is no recourse for offering an unjustified, and damaging opinion. So therefore, instead, what I realize now is far more difficult - and far more valuable - is to show restraint.

During this DeflateGate saga, no one has shown more restraint than Reiss. He's holding himself to a standard that more journalists should, but very few do. This isn't to throw everybody else local under the bus, I think Curran has been gold throughout this whole mess, but again, he's in a very different role. I'm sure Reiss has a lot of opinions on the matter, but his ability to withhold those opinions until he knows they are based in fact and not rumor, is quite impressive.

I know this has become basically an annual thread, but I thought it was worth it, especially now. Kudos to Reiss for how he's handled himself not just in the last month, but all year - he "ignores the noise" better than anybody else.

Initially he got caught, "beneath the wheel", but soon realized how dumb he was for doing so, and has recovered nicely..

I think he has a short shelf life in his tenure for ESPN...

DarrylS said:

Initially he got caught, "beneath the wheel", but soon realized how dumb he was for doing so, and has recovered nicely..

I think he has a short shelf life in his tenure for ESPN...

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I agree - he is not a fit for ESPN, he's way too thoughtful to work there.

I would think he & Curran would make a great team personally, a perfect balance in many ways, for whichever local outfit wants to team them up.

The Patriots beat guys, ie the guys who depend on scoops from team sources, including players, generally aren't going to be very critical of the team for obvious reasons.

Gronkandez said:

The Patriots beat guys, ie the guys who depend on scoops from team sources, including players, generally aren't going to be very critical of the team for obvious reasons.

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Understandable, but isn't holding back unless one gets enough facts the basic tenet of journalism?

NY Post might revel in yellow journalism, but we are talking about reputed reporters who know the game well and can provide great guidance and insights to the readers on this wonderful game.

We are appreciating those few who resisted the urge to pile on and throw mud at the Pats without any facts or evidence.

(I know Reiss was a bit shaky in the beginning, but think he made sincere amends to explain in his blog later on.)

DarrylS said:

Initially he got caught, "beneath the wheel", but soon realized how dumb he was for doing so, and has recovered nicely..

I think he has a short shelf life in his tenure for ESPN...

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I will only think more of him if this turns out to be the case.

There are better pure writers; there are better football analysts; there are better-connected reporters. But I don't think there's a more conscientious sportswriter out there than Mike Reiss. Nobody's right all the time, but Mike takes care to distinguish reportage from opinions and is the first to call himself out when he's wrong.

patchick said:

There are better pure writers; there are better football analysts; there are better-connected reporters. But I don't think there's a more conscientious sportswriter out there than Mike Reiss. Nobody's right all the time, but Mike takes care to distinguish reportage from opinions and is the first to call himself out when he's wrong.

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Very well said.

DarrylS said:

I think he has a short shelf life in his tenure for ESPN...

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I tend to agree. I think it's pretty clear that his employer's lack of ethics grates on him. In his mailbags, weekly chats, and even in his own pieces on ESPNBoston he's thrown some not-particularly-veiled shots at his employer since this insanity broke loose.

And speaking of veiled shots (from today's chat):

Mike Reiss said:

On Sunday night, ESPN's "Outside the Lines" reported a story about the Patriots as it related to a locker-room attendant attempting to introduce a football into the AFC title game. Then came new information Monday afternoon, from ESPN's Adam Schefter, that the locker-room attendant was actually handed the football by an NFL staffer who has since been let go by the league for trying to profit on footballs that were meant for charity. The original ESPN story was updated hours after that new information from Schefter was reported. If I'm a reader/Patriots follower, and passionate about the team, the natural follow-up is to search for answers. What happened? What was the process that led to the story being published, then altered, and the time lag in which it happened? I wish I was in position to provide those answers, but that's not my job and quite honestly, I don't know those answers. But it is my job to communicate with you and be honest and accountable. I've said in the past that I feel like an ombudsman would be beneficial for all involved when it comes to coverage of the Patriots/under-inflated footballs...

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Gronkandez said:

The Patriots beat guys, ie the guys who depend on scoops from team sources, including players, generally aren't going to be very critical of the team for obvious reasons.

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cough, Tomase, cough

rlcarr said:

And speaking of veiled shots (from today's chat):

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Ombudsman....very well said. However that kind of function needs the autonomy and independence from league, owners and players to determine if there is just cause and evidence to support an investigation as opposed to an owner phoning a reporter and league office lackeys running amok.

patchick said:

There are better pure writers; there are better football analysts; there are better-connected reporters. But I don't think there's a more conscientious sportswriter out there than Mike Reiss. Nobody's right all the time, but Mike takes care to distinguish reportage from opinions and is the first to call himself out when he's wrong.

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Wow, you really nailed it. Per usual.

Mike is cool (as a cat).

Sorry, mods, is there any way to edit my title to Mike Reiss & Tom Curran appreciation and then profusely praise the latter as well. That man has been a boss for three weeks now.

mike is a bauss

I actually twittered him to than him for his service, recently, and I suggest other reissophiles do the same

Mike Reiss should apply for Brian Williams' job.

Curran was piling on early speculating Kraft may part ways with Bellichick if the stories are true. The whole issue didn't even merit the attention it got so feeding the fire when we had a Super Bowl to play was not appreciated.

Reiss "guesses" right a lot. I think he passes his inside information off as his own hunches. If you sort of get used to deciphering him there is some good info. When he says, "my felling is this will happen." It's probably going to happen.

Back in Feb 08 I emailed Mike Reiss about something and he was incredibly friendly. He replied to me, got all of the info, and asked some questions of why as a fan this had bothered me (it was something about E!SPN crapping on the Pats, but I forget what). Even all these years later, Mike still seems like one of the good guys.