Reporters using Patsfans.com Messageboard as a resource

[JoeSixPat]

As a sportswriter for a large metro paper covering primarily high school sports, I can say that checking on internet message boards is common. Most often it's used to get a kind of pulse of the fans reading but in some instances story ideas can be found on boards but only as a starting point. You have to build from there using your contacts/sources.

That said, anyone who ever cited Miguel's pages and didn't credit him is worthless in my book. There has been some hardcore work done on that page by Miguel and he deserves credit and if I were doing something that referenced his work I would make every effort to contact him and get first, last name etc.

Even though Miguel is an anonymous source his information is exceptionally detailed and they can fact check anything he places on his board - so I agree with you.

For the rest of us, seeing credit going to the Patsfans message board is the best we can expect, as a faceless, anonymous reference is not something most people can credibly cite.


On F.B.N. and PatJew's point - which one of you is Ron Borges?

I know I have some suspicions about a few posters here!

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Nick Cafardo's brother was my 7th grade Social Sudies teacher!!!!!

Not only funny, but true!

 

[marty]

I've always had a suspicion that Ron Borges was one of those periodic trolls who liked to stir things up on the board!!

.

I'd say he was NEM, except I've seen NEM's photo and he's much younger and better looking than Borges!!!

 

[Miguel]

I know for a fact that Curran reads my cap pages. He once wrote a story about me and my cap pages. Does Curran lurk on this board?? I do not know. I know that at least one Patriots beat writer does and I suspect that a good number do because some of the stuff posted here by me and others are echoed later in their coverage. I know that Nick Cafardo, Patriots.Com, Time.Com, Curran, Reiss, and now Tomase have referred to my cap pages. I have no doubt that the Boston sports media use my cap pages for reference material. I don't mind it so much when they use my work and then do not give any credit for it, even though I do think that they should give me credit when appropriate. They give each other credit. It would be even better if they threw some dollars at the Bread of Life (hint, hint). I do hate it when they do give me the credit and the acknowledgement of credit is not included in the report. While my email address is not on the my cap page, it is not that hard for the media to contact me if they wanted to use my full name (Ian has my phone numbers) or one could just refer to me as Miguel, a poster on the PatsFans.Com message boards.

Addendum - I know for a fact that members of players' families also lurk on this messageboard.

 

[dryheat44]

This is a big bone of contention w/ me (akin to the "different than" and "different from" argument, but clearer). "Flesh out" is waht most people mean, which is to "put flesh on" a skeletal supposition.

However, most people I've encountered in such situations say "flush out," which means, I guess, in their minds, a sense of "cut through the fog (or male bovine feces)."

In the end, the desired result is the same, so I don't fight it, because so is the connotation.

Flush out is also a valid metaphor....as a hunting dog does when he/she chases a rabbit from the thicket.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Who? Let's flesh them out! (Or is it "flush" them out?)

Just for fun.

This is a big bone of contention w/ me (akin to the "different than" and "different from" argument, but clearer). "Flesh out" is waht most people mean, which is to "put flesh on" a skeletal supposition.

However, most people I've encountered in such situations say "flush out," which means, I guess, in their minds, a sense of "cut through the fog (or male bovine feces)."

In the end, the desired result is the same, so I don't fight it, because so is the connotation.

"Flush out" is the correct expression here. To flush out is an expression from hunting -- it means to send dogs or beaters through an area to scare the game so that it runs or flies towards the hunters' guns, in the same way that you'd flush liquid through your plumbing.

Putting flesh on something means to expand an understanding or explanation, as you say, which is obviously different.

Now, on the topic. Tom Currran certainly has kept an eye on this board, because someone referenced a story of his (in his blog, I think) and I pointed out a (fairly simple) mathematical error that he'd made in it. He immediately acknowledged his mistake (I forget whether he name checked Patsfans.com) which I thought showed real class. We all make mistakes: being prepared to acknowledge them is less common.

 

[gomezcat]

Let's start a rumour. Any ideas? How about "Bob Kraft is planning to sell the Pats on Ebay"?

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but the Boston Herald and Projo reports about Dillon's contract extension had as their informational foundation, Miguel's NFLPA sleuthing that he reported on in this forum.

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/?p=2

Although in this case it was a Herald blogger who did in fact give credit to the website (but not Miguel) and not an actual reporter, it seems to me that many articles often reflect some of the sentiments and topic threads discussed on Patsfans.com

I know there have been a few other examples - recent reports of how thin skinned some of the more fairweather fans can be in light of free agent losses referenced one member's post from Patsfans.

Are there any more examples that people can think of?

Which reporters do you think check in here regularly? I think Curren does.

I think its great that they do - I just hope they'll give general and individual credit when credit is due to some of our great members who do significant research and offer insights that are often better than respected sports reporters.

although miguel is great, i believe john tomase was first with this story.

 

[Miguel]

although miguel is great, i believe john tomase was first with this story.

Wrong.

I first wrote about the Dillon restructure on the 23rd.
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=33212
Tomase wrote about it on the 24th.
http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/?p=2
Tomase himself noted that PatsFans.Com (meaning me) was the 1st person to pick up the story.

 

[ilduce06410]

reporters wake up

Even though Miguel is an anonymous source his information is exceptionally detailed and they can fact check anything he places on his board - so I agree with you.

For the rest of us, seeing credit going to the Patsfans message board is the best we can expect, as a faceless, anonymous reference is not something most people can credibly cite.


On F.B.N. and PatJew's point - which one of you is Ron Borges?

I know I have some suspicions about a few posters here!

miguel should be a paid consultant to several boston-area news organizations. some individual "journalists" who use his info should be donating significant dollars to his sister's charity.
yeah, it's his hobby. he probably doesn't mind that he's a highly reliable resource. but if those who do this for a living are using his info, at least be decent about it and show some appreciation for the fact that his work is available to them..

 

[JoeSixPat]

although miguel is great, i believe john tomase was first with this story.

Besides Miguel I know that John Tomase would argue that point with you - as he's clearly giving credit to his source - Patsfan.com i.e. Miguel.

To his credit, Tomase wasn't trying to claim credit for the information as his original find. But I think we all agree that Miguel deserves individual credit for all his work.

 

[Willie55]

A few weeks back I wrote "If you want excitment in March, become a Redskins fan. If you want excitment late into the season, up to, and including the Super Bowl stick with the Pats".

A few days later Curran wrote the same thing. Although it wasn't verbatim.

 

[lobster]

Suppose you were a reporter who wanted to know what fans were interested in to get some ideas for a future article. Wouldn't you check out some of the boards and see which topics have a lot of posts, and are thus likely attracting interest?

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

I wonder if anyone's going to jump on my: Brady is a robot Blockbuster...

Probably Borges.

 

[patpatriot]

Of course they do!

Look the people who post here are for the most part no dummies. If I had to come up with 2-300 words about the Pats every day as my job, I'd be haunting this joint too. Good stuff here!

 

[maverick4]

re

A few weeks back I wrote "If you want excitment in March, become a Redskins fan. If you want excitment late into the season, up to, and including the Super Bowl stick with the Pats".

A few days later Curran wrote the same thing. Although it wasn't verbatim.

I remember a few people, including myself, wrote about how it's not paying for past performance, but for future expected performance, and that sentence ended up being the main phrase on EEI's Big Show last week.

I agree credit should be given to Miguel and others who give professional quality work on this site, but for the rest of us, I am glad that our views and rationales are being used by the media. It's a nice form of influence and power.

 

[Patjew]

A few weeks back I wrote "If you want excitment in March, become a Redskins fan. If you want excitment late into the season, up to, and including the Super Bowl stick with the Pats".

A few days later Curran wrote the same thing. Although it wasn't verbatim.

I noticed that "coincidence"!

C'mon Curran, who are you??? I think you're the best Gentile Pats beat writer out there, if it makes your confession easier.

 

[Bill's Girl]

I noticed that "coincidence"!

C'mon Curran, who are you??? I think you're the best Gentile Pats beat writer out there, if it makes your confession easier.

OMG, that is hilarious! Just out of curiosity, who is the best non-Gentile Pats beat writer?

 

[Patjew]

OMG, that is hilarious! Just out of curiosity, who is the best non-Gentile Pats beat writer?

Ari Schwarz, Jerusalem Post, of course.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Ari Schwarz, Jerusalem Post, of course.

Mmm ... tough commute!