Now Bob Ryan is piling on BB...

[sieglo]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

Comparing this to Watergate is just completely idiotic. What Belichick did he did in plain sight. If he was seriously trying to be sneaky, do you think he would have been openly taping in front of 60,000 people in Giants Stadium?

 

[PatriotsReign]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

Disagree GJA. Personal agendas posing as "journalism" always need to be responded to. The emails sent to Ryan that have been posted here have been far more well reasoned, articulate and fact based than anything the mediots have written on the subject.
From day 1 Spygate has ALWAYS been about the sinner and not the sin with the mediots..
They always need to be responded to by the public when they're on their personal mission to destroy someone simply because he refuses to repent for his football sins in front of the drunks, pedophiles, bigots and wife beaters/cheater who make up the congregation at the church of St. Media.

PS - Read with great amusement this morning how Pompous Peter: King of the Mediots has been reduced to Trent Dilfer as his source for commentary. Trent Dilfer?? Trent Dilfer??
Pompous Peter: King of the Mediots still isn't getting his Foxborough calls returned I see.

I love the line about this being about the sinner & not the sin! That perfectly describes what the media has made this.

If anyone gets a reply from St Robert, please post here.

 

[Pats726]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

Comparing this to Watergate is just completely idiotic. What Belichick did he did in plain sight. If he was seriously trying to be sneaky, do you think he would have been openly taping in front of 60,000 people in Giants Stadium?

Don't let the facts get in the way of a terrible analogy...Ryan is in fantasyland on this one..

 

[PatsFan37]

Garbanza, you make some pretty good points. This is where the average fan is deluded -- not in thinking their sports team consists of heroes, but in thinking the sports journalists' first love is sports.

Journalism is their true sport and the locker room is their playing field. A scoop is a TD. If they cheat to score and they're caught, their fellow writers show loyalty first to the guild, trashing the team as necessary.

Not all are like that, of course. Reiss and Holley and Dale Arnold seem to have their heads together (or they're careful to know who butters their bread).

In the end, the fans are the arbiters of both teams and journalists. We pay for their services. As to who you should trust, think about this -- which of teams or journalists show the most respect for the fans?

Do you hear Kraft or Belichick disparaging the fans? To the contrary. The worst I've heard is Seymour complaining (and rightfully so) that the fans aren't loud enough. He and Bruschi and Brady and Harrison play for those middle-aged jersey-wearing yahoos and suckups. They have patience for us and it shows. When Kraft holds a trophy above his head, who does he thank first? That's right.

While he thanks the fans, the journalists can barely hide their disdain.

 

[oldskool138]

When Kraft holds a trophy above his head, who does he thank first? That's right.

While he thanks the fans, the journalists can barely hide their disdain.

Allow me to play devil's advocate:

Name me an owner who's thanked the media before the players, fans, and season ticket holders after winning a championship...Hell, name me an owner who's thanked the media at all.

 

[PatsFan37]

Allow me to play devil's advocate:

Name me an owner who's thanked the media before the players, fans, and season ticket holders after winning a championship...Hell, name me an owner who's thanked the media at all.

I think you missed the point. This isn't about whether Kraft respects the media. I don't care if he does. As a fan, I'd like to know who respects me. Clearly, the team at least pays lip service. The media doesn't even do that.

 

[oldskool138]

I think you missed the point. This isn't about whether Kraft respects the media. I don't care if he does. As a fan, I'd like to know who respects me. Clearly, the team at least pays lip service. The media doesn't even do that.

Well, all teams pay lip-service to the fans. Hell, most sports news outlets in other markets pay lip-service to the fans.

It's a culture of hatred born out of years of the Sox, Pats, Bruins and to a lesser extent Celtics sucking it up big-time. The sports culture has changed but the media hasn't.

But back to the original point...no owner is going to thank the media when they win a championship...except for Wyc Grossbeck since EEI gave his team all kinds of free coverage even when they were beyond horrible.

 

[godef]

Never read much of him, but thought he was considered the dean of sportswriters in the Boston Area.. without regard, just another lemming piling on BB.. it seems as though the Globe has gotten favorable publicity with the Reiss stuff, but now wants to be cast in the negative limelight.. maybe he is jealous of Maserotti..

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...ith_belichick_the_cover_up_is_most_revealing/

Here is what Bill Belichick has done: He has placed Patriots fans on the defensive for the rest of their lives.

more stories like this
Patriots' Belichick says Walsh isn't credible
Patriots' Belichick fires back at Walsh
Walsh talks about Belichick in HBO interview
Sen. Specter wants independent investigation into Spygate
Walsh talks about Spygate, Belichick in HBO interview
He has been exposed as being monumentally disingenuous at best and utterly duplicitous at worst. There can no longer be any doubt that he engaged in a practice he knew was against the rules.

The big question we cannot answer is how important it all was, really. Did his illegal practice of taping opponents' defensive signals aid his team's chances of victory in certain games by 20 percent? Ten percent? Three percent? One-10th of 1 percent? Not at all? No one will ever know....

There is no way out. As long as Bill Belichick is the coach of the New England Patriots, America will despise this team. But a resignation or a dismissal would only lend legitimacy to the entire concept of wrongdoing.

Actually, beyond one statement from the column ("He alone of the 32 coaches was confused."... I would replace "confused" with "caught"), I don't see that any of the rest of the column is out of line. Obviously we don't share his opinion, but I can respect Ryan for not going off into any Belichick-should-be-suspended-for-life rants. This column is nothing if not compelling reading.

 

[upstater1]

Actually, beyond one statement from the column ("He alone of the 32 coaches was confused."... I would replace "confused" with "caught"), I don't see that any of the rest of the column is out of line. Obviously we don't share his opinion, but I can respect Ryan for not going off into any Belichick-should-be-suspended-for-life rants. This column is nothing if not compelling reading.

I thought the column was crazy because he compared the cover-up to Watergate.

What cover-up?

The Patriots gave all tapes over, they addressed the uses of those tapes, and the Matt Walsh story was completely in line with how they used the tapes. The Patriots didn't try to cover-up anything. They completely complied with the commissioner from day 1. How could Ryan compare it to Watergate? Silly.

What MORE could the Patriots have done?

 

[Kontradiction]

Oh please. Bob Ryan is on Around the Horn sometimes and, if you can't tell by his columns that he's nothing more than a loudmouth blubbering idiot, you can tell by watching the show. Just based on what he does on that show, I would not waste my time reading his columns. This guy used to openly bash BB and the Pats even before Spygate. One things for sure: the guy is so old that we won't have to worry about reading his columns much longer.

 

[PatriotsReign]

I was watching FBN and they've been running a special about one of the Oakland Raiders teams. Howie long was saying in an interview that there is
a sign in the lockerroom that states...Rule 1-Cheating is encouraged Rule 2- See rule one.
So what's all this about the integrity of the game?
The Pats biggest sin is that they're too good.
The league wants to set them back a notch to keep with
their desire for parity.
The whole "walk through tape" was a desperate set up job to
try and distract the Pats from that game. Timing was no coincidence.
Too many people did not want the Pats to have that unblemished record and they got their way.

Bob Ryan is in the National Media and plainly does NOT have the pulse of this fan base.

Does anyone here believe that the release of the Walsh (lie) story was anything but part of an effort to prevent the Pats from going 19-0?

Now that we know he knew nothing, you gotta believe the media knew that long ago. Yet on the eve of the super bowl, the entire country sees;

"PATRIOTS MAY HAVE TAPED RAMS WALK-THROUGH PRIOR TO 2001 SUPER BOWL"

You just don't print that kind of article on the eve of the super bowl by accident when it is most likely a lie. And now Walsh tells us he never told anyone he had a tape.

And so many think this stuff is ok because Belichik filmed signals. I'd be willing to bet most of them feel "too bad, they cheated and they deserve it!" And if anyone DOES feel that way, then they're just admitting that they believe 2 wrongs make a right.

No matter what the entire country believes, the media has no right to make any effort to attempt to have Belichik further punished for something he has already paid the price for.
__________________

 

[NEPatriot]

Re: Now Bob Ryan is piling on BB..

I find Bob's article is really unacceptable because how can you criticize BB when he has done a lot of good things for pats in 8 years.? You did that because of spygate in 07.? BB hasn't been praised enough when he did a lot of good things but he will be crucified if he screwed up. It's really unfair because he is not the ONLY one who did it.

Bob should not be in a position to criticize BB. Come on, it's not like BB screw up on his first day at work.

 

[oldskool138]

Re: Now Bob Ryan is piling on BB..

Bob should not be in a position to criticize BB. Come on, it's not like BB screw up on his first day at work.

Bob shouldn't be in a position to criticize because he's been around sports for so long that he should know that stealing signals is part of pretty much every sport.

 

[NEPatriot]

Re: Now Bob Ryan is piling on BB..

Bob shouldn't be in a position to criticize because he's been around sports for so long that he should know that stealing signals is part of pretty much every sport.

One thing that I will never understand people like Bob Ryan is he doesn't have the gut to criticize Tomase publicly when his buddy gives the press a bad name but he will not hesitate to crucify BB after BB has done a lot of good things.

If BB is the ONLY one in the league who does it, Bob has a case. Unfortunately, he has no case and should keep his opinion to himself about BB if he doesn't apply the same 'principle' or 'moral value' to Tomase.

Bob should NEVER criticize BB because other SPORT writers do so. Everybody made a mistake in their life but we are not going to crucify that person right away after he has accomplished a lot of things for us.

If I have to choose between reading Bob's disappoinment article about Pats every season and having BB in Pats, I choose BB.

Remember that Bob because it's a right thing to do and the SMARTEST decision EVER.!

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

You miss my point, and I did not articulate it well, I agree that many of the responses on this board are more intelligent and better written than the articles written by the mediots. Look at our recent history, Borges used to be our resident contrarian and he made a good living off of it.. when I confronted him on some of his writings he dismissed me first as a little girl and as a fan who did not understand. Fast forward to Felger on the Radio, he thrives on the conflict he generates. Recently Maserotti wrote a damning column on the state of the Patriot Nation.. and now Ryan. All of these columns point to the view that if you post an oppositional article then your column will be read.. thus if you respond you validate the reason for the column being written, if you ignore it their positions are not validated. Ryan et al are huge ego people and feed off of how they are viewed by the people who read their papers, they are not concerned about whether they are popular or not.. but more concerned that they are read by the masses.

GJA, you sell yourself far too short. When you get a sportswriter like Ron Borges reacting to what you've written and to have him react with infantile namecalling then YOU'VE WON!!!!! You tweaked Borges and he reacted very very badly. That's a great thing GJA!!! Why don't you see that?? Borges heard you and he did NOT like it!! Awesome!!
That's game, set and match for GJA.
Concerning Felger, his radio ratings are in the toilet so he like the rest of his mediot brethren are quite irrelevant.
They're ALL so easily replaced either at their papers or on the radio and none would be missed a bit.
So never think we fans should just be quiet and let them blather. NOPE!!
Confront them!! THEY HEAR US ~ THEY HATE IT ~ I LOVE IT!!
And you should, too.
Hold them accountable!!

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

Good email, but I don't know why you guys waste your time with this. They are not going to read it. They'll reply but with some default response they use. All you're doing is letting them know that you actually pay attention.

 

[Stan Musial Jr.]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

Sent to Mr. Ryan this morning ...


What Belichick did was wrong. He has taken responsibility and apologized.

Oh come on man -- do you REALLY believe this?

I'm as sick of Spygate as the next guy, but it's been dragged on BECAUSE Belichick never really admitted what he was doing -- mumbling about not interpreting the rule correctly or whatever is far from telling the whole story.

He's largely to blame for keeping this can of worms from being topped. Had he taken responsibility like a man, this is over.

Maybe you should e-mail him if you're sick of it all.

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

Oh come on man -- do you REALLY believe this?

I'm as sick of Spygate as the next guy, but it's been dragged on BECAUSE Belichick never really admitted what he was doing -- mumbling about not interpreting the rule correctly or whatever is far from telling the whole story.

He's largely to blame for keeping this can of worms from being topped. Had he taken responsibility like a man, this is over.

Maybe you should e-mail him if you're sick of it all.

Oh come on man -- the media still hates Belichick and would have piled it on whether he admitted what he did was wrong and apologized or not. I'm with you but a simple "I'm sorry" back in September couldn't have stopped the media hate for BB and also could not have stopped an asst. golf pro from lying through his teeth.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Re: E-mail to Bob Ryan

Oh come on man -- the media still hates Belichick and would have piled it on whether he admitted what he did was wrong and apologized or not. I'm with you but a simple "I'm sorry" back in September couldn't have stopped the media hate for BB and also could not have stopped an asst. golf pro from lying through his teeth.

You're absolutely right K. He did apologize last September to the anyone associated with the Patriots organization and to the fans.
What Belichick didn't do is go to St. Media's church and beg forgiveness from the drunks, pedophiles, bigots and wife beaters/cheaters who sit in the congregation. Hence this national dog and pony mediot show lo these many months.
Always remember: From Day 1 Spygate has been ALL about the sinner and not the sin for the mediots.

 

[DW Toys]

Re: Now Bob Ryan is piling on BB..

In it's own way this is just Bob defending THE most duplicitous (clever choice of words by Bob - he must have borrowed it from Mannix) aspect of this whole incident - the embarassing conduct of the sports media. Their conduct throughout moreso than Bill's is what has placed Patriot fans on the defensive. The conduct of his hometown media, moreso than his HC, is what Bob Kraft should be livid about. Bob and his brethren want to spin this all back to September. Sorry, September was history, a done deal, this is about February and the hundred days ordeal THE MEDIA put us and the Kraft's through, not what Bill was caught and punished for - a punishment he accepted with more dignity than any of them can apparently accept their's with. Somehow to them it is disingenuous to contend that Bill misinterpreted a rule, but perfectly reasonable to contend that Tomase's merely made a poor choice in verbiage. I'm right, you're wrong, we're principled, he's not, we're to smart to fall for any explanation he offers, you're too invested to admit the real villian is the victim and not the journalists who spewed rumor based venom about him for months only to have the core rumor prove baseless.

Bob can't admit that Bill was victimized because...well...the media doesn't like him. Because to do that would be an indictment of what the sports media itself has evolved into over the last decade - a collection of truly duplicitous pond scum, many of whom have been disciplined for their own misconduct and allowed to simply move on. And all to few of whom in the aftemath have been forced to conclude it was best for all concerned they also move out. This is as much about a region that finds itself with a lone HOF voter who became unemployable in the market he still represents over a personal vendetta with a friggin' football coach. Wrong says thanks for the solid today, Bob. Really loved that you snuck in the little dig at his personal life - page outta my book bro - and the Nixon Watergate analogy really tickled me, Tomase has sufficient girth girth to cover Woodward and Bernstein...dinner's on me next week buddy!

Times are changin in the media. Just not fast enough. The old boy network is shrinking. Maybe in the next belt tightening go round Bob or Shank will get their golden parachute. Naturally this too will be blamed on Belichick.

If Tony Dungy did the same would this have been an issue today? No. Knowing Pollian, he did too.
DW Toys.
Lets pile on the guy who thinks the media is arrogant, who calls him arrogant. Go figure.
This cures it for me. If there was no one else in the league doing what Bill did, why was there a league wide memo not just a letter to Bill B. and Bob Kraft? Splaine that you mediots.