How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action?

The League Panelists: Personal nature of New York Jets, New England Patriots rivalrly makes NFL playoffs matchup must-see TV - Leonard Shapiro

"Belichick is a certified cheater, having been fined a huge chunk of change three years ago when the NFL determined his team improperly filmed walk-throughs of opposing team practices and used that tape to their advantage. Belichick should have been suspended for that transgression, maybe even for a full season, but sadly, it never happened."


He did this same thing before, just last month. Aren't there laws in this country to protect parties from being libeled with PROVEN falsehood?

He's a colunmist... Its his opinion.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

R_T26 said:

He's a colunmist... Its his opinion.

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The writer states the following as fact:

"...the NFL determined his team improperly filmed walk-throughs of opposing team practices..."

The NFL never found any such thing.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

R_T26 said:

He's a colunmist... Its his opinion.

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Wow. You can't tell the difference between a statement of a fact and an opinion.

Please, R T26, tell me what part of "....having been fined a huge chunk of change three years ago when the NFL determined his team improperly filmed walk-throughs of opposing team practices and used that tape to their advantage." is an "opinion" in your mind?

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

My guess is that last month's article generated so many web hits Shapiro and the Post figured they'd go back to the well one more time. Hopefully this is the last we hear from this bozo; on December 31 he wrote what was supposedly his farewell retirement column.

Best thing we as fans of the Patriots can collectively do is to NOT click on the link above.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

As JMT57 - ignore him, he'll go away.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

Kraft did come out with a statement against the Herald when they first published the taping of the Rams walkthrough story. So maybe...just maybe there's a chance that something could be done since this writer is essentially repeating the same BS information.

Honestly though, I doubt they care what this peon thinks. :bricks:

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

Willie55 said:

As JMT57 - ignore him, he'll go away.

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He won't go away - - he's an NFL Hall of Fame voter and has "announced his retirement" several times over the years.

How he gets away with continually and consciously stating this clear untruth against Robert Kraft's business without sanction is beyond understanding.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

shmessy said:

He did this same thing before, just last month. Aren't there laws in this country to protect parties from being libeled with PROVEN falsehood?

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Yep, but you have to prove damages. Not sure how they would do that. The Pats could still sue and ruin this guys career, making an example out of him...but all that would do put the story back in the news with the Pats playing the part of the bully.

I'm sure that if the Pats PR department knew of this guy's existence, they would have a friendly chat with the Post asking for a correction/retraction. I doubt this guy has appeared on their radar.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

I just sent 6 emails to random Post higher-ups. What a PoS human being.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

"Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statute has never been created in honor of a critic." ~ Jean Sibelius

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Obviously Shapiro strenghts aren't research and facts -- at least not at this point in his career.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

shmessy said:

The League Panelists: Personal nature of New York Jets, New England Patriots rivalrly makes NFL playoffs matchup must-see TV - Leonard Shapiro

"Belichick is a certified cheater, having been fined a huge chunk of change three years ago when the NFL determined his team improperly filmed walk-throughs of opposing team practices and used that tape to their advantage. Belichick should have been suspended for that transgression, maybe even for a full season, but sadly, it never happened."


He did this same thing before, just last month. Aren't there laws in this country to protect parties from being libeled with PROVEN falsehood?

Click to expand...

The Washington Post smugly prides itself on its journalistic standards and has an Ombudsman on its editorial staff whose job description is: "He brings concerns about accuracy, fairness and ethics to the attention of Post reporters and editors. And he reports back to readers and critiques how certain decisions were made and certain policies came about."

The current Ombudsman is Andrew Alexander. He can be reached at the email address that the Post openly publishes for him ([email protected]) or by phone at the phone number that the Post openly provides for him, 1-202-334-7582.

Contact with Shapiro himself is no doubt a waste of time, but if enough of us send (polite!) emails to Alexander, the Post might print a retraction or at least force Shapiro to stop writing lies.

(Note to mods: both the email address and phone number are openly published by the Post to encourage contact with Mr. Alexander.)

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

This columnist seems like a complete cipher. I will not feed this particular troll by clicking on that link.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

Emailed the ombudsman, his reply:

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

PatsFanSince74 said:

The Washington Post smugly prides itself on its journalistic standards and has an Ombudsman on its editorial staff whose job description is: "He brings concerns about accuracy, fairness and ethics to the attention of Post reporters and editors. And he reports back to readers and critiques how certain decisions were made and certain policies came about."

The current Ombudsman is Andrew Alexander. He can be reached at the email address that the Post openly publishes for him ([email protected]) or by phone at the phone number that the Post openly provides for him, 1-202-334-7582.

Contact with Shapiro himself is no doubt a waste of time, but if enough of us send (polite!) emails to Alexander, the Post might print a retraction or at least force Shapiro to stop writing lies.

(Note to mods: both the email address and phone number are openly published by the Post to encourage contact with Mr. Alexander.)

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Excellent suggestion. I intend to follow up despite the penchant for the 'mainstream media' to print stuff that is "fake but accurate" in their biased opinion.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

shmessy said:

The League Panelists: Personal nature of New York Jets, New England Patriots rivalrly makes NFL playoffs matchup must-see TV - Leonard Shapiro

"Belichick is a certified cheater, having been fined a huge chunk of change three years ago when the NFL determined his team improperly filmed walk-throughs of opposing team practices and used that tape to their advantage. Belichick should have been suspended for that transgression, maybe even for a full season, but sadly, it never happened."


He did this same thing before, just last month. Aren't there laws in this country to protect parties from being libeled with PROVEN falsehood?

Click to expand...

I wish our own sports writers would counter this BS. Seems to me that might be a useful tactic at least to provide some balance in the public. But the Globe doesn't have the same clout as the Washington Post.

I also wish Kraft could sue them, but from what I've read, newspapers seem to be able to get away this stuff as libel is so hard to prove.

The best scenario possible would be another SB. That way, the Patriots can just tell these idiots to go F*** themselves.

Also, I'd love to see Shaunessy or even Callahan do an article that directly attacks Shapiro in a personal way.

How about something like,

"What motivates a writer to slant facts, hold a deep personal grudge years after this incident has been put to rest? Could it be some deep emotional issues that Shapiro has been dealing with in his personal life? Perhaps something that happened to him as a child?"

If someone could get him angry enough, he may come right out and admit what's driving his delusions.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

neuronet said:

Emailed the ombudsman, his reply:

Thanks for writing. As ombudsman, I operate independently from The Post. But I am forwarding your e-mail to Mr. Shapiro.

Best wishes,
Andy Alexander
Washington Post Ombudsman​

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If you don't mind, can you post what you emailed the ombudsman so that some of us can email a similar message but modify or add details as needed? Just trying to ensure that we are sending the same message in a polite manner and don't want to deviate a lot from the message.

Thanks,

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

Law suits, although public record are handed to reporters. Unless that guy or the Patriots scream it from a podium, a reporter has to do actual work for us to find out.

I bet the case is already scheduled but we do not know about it because reporters are lazy.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

PatsFanSince74 said:

The Washington Post smugly prides itself on its journalistic standards and has an Ombudsman on its editorial staff whose job description is: "He brings concerns about accuracy, fairness and ethics to the attention of Post reporters and editors. And he reports back to readers and critiques how certain decisions were made and certain policies came about."

The current Ombudsman is Andrew Alexander. He can be reached at the email address that the Post openly publishes for him ([email protected]) or by phone at the phone number that the Post openly provides for him, 1-202-334-7582.

Contact with Shapiro himself is no doubt a waste of time, but if enough of us send (polite!) emails to Alexander, the Post might print a retraction or at least force Shapiro to stop writing lies.

(Note to mods: both the email address and phone number are openly published by the Post to encourage contact with Mr. Alexander.)

Click to expand...

neuronet said:

Emailed the ombudsman, his reply:

Thanks for writing. As ombudsman, I operate independently from The Post. But I am forwarding your e-mail to Mr. Shapiro.

Best wishes,
Andy Alexander
Washington Post Ombudsman​

Click to expand...

If all the ombudsman is going to do is forward the email to Shapiro then they may be a complete waste of time.

However, if people do feel so inclined to send emails to him, here are a few suggestions:

- Be extremely polite and civil; if not you will be dismissed by both parties as being uninformed and unintelligent, and not worthy of their time.

- Stick to pointing out the factual errors in Shapiro's columns. Back it up with references to reliable sites that show he is incorrect with his statements (i.e., his stating as fact that the Patriots taped opponents practices.) Perhaps note that he was corrected in the previous column, yet he has ignored that evidence and again written factually incorrect information.

- Completely avoid or at least limit speculation of what Shapiro's intent and bias is. While he does have a history of negativity towards Belichick, he is entitled to an opinion. Again, main point of emphasis has to be factual inaccuracies and perhaps a pattern of repeating factual inaccuracies in his columns in an attempt to portray Belichick in a negative manner.

- Ask for a retraction, admission of the inaccuracy, and an apology.

Re: How Does This Wash Post Columnist CONTINUE to Libel the Pats Without Legal Action

This is the response I got

"Thanks for writing. As ombudsman, I operate independently from The Post. But I will forward your e-mail to Mr. Shapiro. Separately, you may wish to submit a letter to the editor: [email protected].

Best wishes,
Andy Alexander
Washington Post Ombudsman "

Needless to say, I forwarded a copy to the editor. Also, just so everyone knows, he is reading the emails, he responded to me by name !