Volin's Sunday Football Column

Ian · Jun 28, 2015

I read all of the Sunday columns and I usually enjoy his as well because there tends to be a few little bits of information that are interesting.

I've gone back and forth with him a few times over email and he's been a great guy. But I was kind of surprised to see this bit this morning:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/...quarterback/ihhIAb6oJJdUrFS8V8w7uJ/story.html

The point here is not to dump on the AEI scientists. It’s to point out that Patriots fans need a reality check when it comes to Deflategate.

The Wells Report was attacked viciously and thoroughly in New England, home to some of the most brilliant scientific and legal minds in the world, as well as the most rabid and passionate fans in the country.

It’s millions of Patriots fans vs. one Ted Wells, and Wells has gotten clobbered.

But when anything pro-Patriots is released — such as the AEI report or the Patriots’ Context Report — every word is taken as gospel. There’s been very little critical analysis of their work, and anything that doesn’t fit the “Patriots are innocent” story line is ignored.

Last week, DeSarno forwarded me an e-mail he had sent AEI wondering why it didn’t use his analysis model, and I published the e-mail on Twitter. The response in New England? Crickets from radio hosts, bloggers, other reporters, and the Patriots. Same from AEI, which never responded to DeSarno.

No one seemed to care that a reputable statistician was able to debunk the AEI report and lend a little credence to the Wells Report.

I think the opinions have more to do with the fact the home fans don't believe Brady did enough (or anything) to deserve the suspension, and that the science isn't definitive enough to prove one way or the other that there was any wrongdoing. So I don't think today's attempt to give fans "a reality check" is going to accomplish anything.

Patstopia · Jun 28, 2015

It might have to do with an unconfirmed email sent to a dimwit, who identified the person as a professor before correcting himself again.

It could also be due to the fact that saying something without specific information doesn't make it true, regardless of the amount of times you point to it and say "look what I found"

And I suppose lastly, Ben is an idiot!

Ivan · Jun 28, 2015

Volin is an a-hole, he wants to be Borges and Felger and seems to think that antagonizing Patriot fans is surest and shortest way to achieve that goal. Hopefully he moved on to a new market as soon as possible.

eom · Jun 28, 2015

I moved away from new england years ago, and the only reason I know who this guy is would be because ppl on this board are constantly talking about him, but he sounds dumb as a ****ing brick.

I don't really give a flip how polite his emails are.

Deus Irae · Jun 28, 2015

I don't recall a statistician debunking the AEI report. I recall a statistician claiming to have done so. Mr. Volin should, perhaps, learn the difference, since he's basically attacking fans for not knowing such a thing.

Koma · Jun 28, 2015

What kind of reaction did Volin expect from his tweet? How are people supposed to analyze everything based on a picture of an email he tweeted out on June 22nd?

Plus, has Volin looked to see if this guy has any ties to the NFL or any rival teams? Or did he grow up in a state/city that is home to a rival team? You know, the stuff he did for AEI.

Rob0729 · Jun 28, 2015

What Volin gets wrong is:

He overstated the DeSarno's resume saying he was a professor when he is a statistician.
DeSarno does not refute AEI's results. He just said he could replicate Exponent's study. DeSarno stated that he did not go any further to test their conclusions.
From the second AEI gave their results, Volin has been trying to discredit them and the results to comical ends. He has done a better job discrediting himself in the process.

Dr Pain · Jun 28, 2015

No one replys to him because he has no credibility. He makes crazy mistakes (like AEI and Kraft) and has basically shown himself to be completely unwilling to even look at anything which does not fit his narrative. Compare him and Florio and Florio's willingness to consider things. If Florio did this he would not have heard crickets but reasoned responses. Volin is now the man who got the false narrative between Kraft and AEI and how did he handle correcting his mistake. If you want to talk integrity, see how a man handles mistakes. Everyone makes them, men of integrity acknowledge them and try and correct the damage their mistakes cause. Also recall Exponent themselves in the report conclude they can't conclude that this was not nature and the entire premise is based on believing Anderson for everything except his remembrance of which gauge he used for the Pats balls.

Ivan · Jun 28, 2015

So Volin goes a trollin and now he's upset because no one took the bait? Lmao, what a little punk.

Jackson 2 · Jun 28, 2015

Ian said:
I read all of the Sunday columns and I usually enjoy his as well because there tends to be a few little bits of information that are interesting.

I've gone back and forth with him a few times over email and he's been a great guy. But I was kind of surprised to see this bit this morning:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/...quarterback/ihhIAb6oJJdUrFS8V8w7uJ/story.html

I think the opinions have more to do with the fact the home fans don't believe Brady did enough (or anything) to deserve the suspension, and that the science isn't definitive enough to prove one way or the other that there was any wrongdoing. So I don't think today's attempt to give fans "a reality check" is going to accomplish anything.

Ian, I realize that every media member who criticizes the Patriots isn't necessarily the enemy. Sometimes (not often!) that criticism is warranted. But, in my opinion, Vollin has evolved from someone who liked to be edgy in pushing our buttons to an outright troll. I believe he, like Felger, Shaughnessy, Borges, Benz, et al is genuinely contemptuous of Patriots fans. I read today's column and its intent was crystal clear.

Ivan · Jun 28, 2015

Jackson 2 said:
Ian, I realize that every media member who criticizes the Patriots isn't necessarily the enemy. Sometimes (not often!) that criticism is warranted. But, in my opinion, Vollin has evolved from someone who liked to be edgy in pushing our buttons to an outright troll. I believe he, like Felger, Shaughnessy, Borges, Benz, et al is genuinely contemptuous of Patriots fans. I read today's column and its intent was crystal clear.

Let's not forget who pays the ginger and Volin.

eom · Jun 28, 2015

Dr Pain said:
No one replys to him because he has no credibility. He makes crazy mistakes (like AEI and Kraft) and has basically shown himself to be completely unwilling to even look at anything which does not fit his narrative. Compare him and Florio and Florio's willingness to consider things. If Florio did this he would not have heard crickets but reasoned responses. Volin is now the man who got the false narrative between Kraft and AEI and how did he handle correcting his mistake. If you want to talk integrity, see how a man handles mistakes. Everyone makes them, men of integrity acknowledge them and try and correct the damage their mistakes cause. Also recall Exponent themselves in the report conclude they can't conclude that this was not nature and the entire premise is based on believing Anderson for everything except his remembrance of which gauge he used for the Pats balls.

About that last part, I see that thrown around so much about the gauges and it seems ppl don't really understand that if one gauge shows us nothing happened and the other gauge maybe does then what we're accusing this guy of is just the discrepancy of the gauges --- about a third of a pound.

He snuck into a bathroom to let exactly one third of a pound of air out of 12 balls in 80 seconds because brady must need them a third of a pound lighter, prior to a game where the temp drops them more than a full pound.
That is ****ing lunacy.

Do you know what else drops the psi about a third of a pound?
Probably any 4 or 5 degrees of temp change.

JMC00 · Jun 28, 2015

Ivan said:
Let's not forget who pays the ginger and Volin.

How bout them red sox? You wouldn't know if you strictly read the globe

turkeyneck · Jun 28, 2015

Volin is a victim of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

Fencer · Jun 28, 2015

Ivan said:
So Volin goes a trollin and now he's upset because no one took the bait? Lmao, what a little punk.

Rather, he's cried Wolf several times where there wasn't anything. Now he's crying Wolf again, there really is a poodle,* and he's upset that nobody cares about the dog.

*Standard poodle, not miniature. It's actually not a stupid point if correct.

Rob0729 · Jun 28, 2015

Volin is the boy who cried wolf (didn't see Fencer's post before I posted mine). Why would anyone take anything posts or writes seriously unless a credible news source cooberated.

He wrote an article blasting Brady for never saying publicly that he didn't cheat which was debunked while he was on Toucher and Rich. And then there is the whole Kraft Foundation/AEI thing.

eom · Jun 28, 2015

Why is there never a mike Reiss thread around here?

eom · Jun 28, 2015

BTW does anybody know how to turn autocorrect off on your phone?

RobertWeathers · Jun 28, 2015

Dr Pain said:
No one replys to him because he has no credibility. He makes crazy mistakes (like AEI and Kraft) and has basically shown himself to be completely unwilling to even look at anything which does not fit his narrative. Compare him and Florio and Florio's willingness to consider things. If Florio did this he would not have heard crickets but reasoned responses. Volin is now the man who got the false narrative between Kraft and AEI and how did he handle correcting his mistake. If you want to talk integrity, see how a man handles mistakes. Everyone makes them, men of integrity acknowledge them and try and correct the damage their mistakes cause. Also recall Exponent themselves in the report conclude they can't conclude that this was not nature and the entire premise is based on believing Anderson for everything except his remembrance of which gauge he used for the Pats balls.

Bingo.

Trollin' Volin is using Twitter as a way of distributing a story. Its a way if there is a desired impact but sometimes not the most appropriate one. If you want to get bits of info out fast, ok. If you want to paint a complete story that you and your editors feel needs a platform complete with facts, depth, and hard conclusions, then you write a column.

In my non-expert view of journalism, Trollin' Volin doesn't know the difference, is lazy and lacks the credibility he needs for his information to carry any weight.

Hes not Adam Schefter. Schefter has credibility.

Hes not Bob Hoehler or Sally Jenkins- who are outstanding journalists.

Trollin' Volin is a complete hack who instead of working for the Boston Globe, should be blogging for Grantland or SBNation.

ctpatsfan77 · Jun 28, 2015

eom said:
Why is there never a mike Reiss thread around here?

In part, because Reiss doesn't generally write crap like Volin's.

But I do post stuff from Reiss when he has interesting/useful things to say (e.g., how Morris was calling defenses).

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