Patriots Rumor ESPN hitpiece on Patriots (Rift with Brady/Belichick/Kraft) - Merged

[BradyFTW!]

This guy is doing more defending of his story than Johnmy Cochran for OJ.

So, was anyone able to keep a straight face through "we're always cautious with what we print"? Because I sure as hell couldn't.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I didn't say it was false. I said that whether Wickersham's piece is 100% lies, 100% true, or anything in between, NE would have issued exactly that same statement.

You clearly believe it’s false.

 

[AtomicDawg]

Does Seth work for ESPN or Disney?

I would guess if anything ESPN first and then Disney. Just like ABC station employees work for ABC first and then Disney as the parent company.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This guy is doing more defending of his story than Johnmy Cochran for OJ.

"I stand by my reporting. ... We're always cautious with what we print. That's the main thing. You want to verify things as much as possible and not just throw things out there, and this is another example of that."

Did Mort write that and he quoted it?

 

[AtomicDawg]

Thank you Jeff.

 

[BradyFTW!]

He doesn't have to be first but how about after the fact do some journalism and actually refute or confirm the story. I get the feeling he just ignores these big stories not to hurt his standing on the beat.

He mostly stood on the sideline in deflategate and his early tweet makes me think he's going to sit this one out too.

He's going to stand on the sideline because he thinks this is a made-up nonstory. Not sure what else he could reasonably be expected to do here. His options are to either publicly call out his employer for publishing a lie-driven smear job or to disavow the whole thing and say it's a non-story that he has no interest in perpetuating.

He's walking the only line that allows him to maintain his integrity without getting fired, and as much as I wish he'd just say **** ESPN and leave I also understand that leaving the only major player left in an uncertain market is a dicey proposition to say the least. I wish he didn't work for ESPN too, but the fact that he does limits the extent to which he can really push back here. You've noted the politics of maintaining his standing on the beat, but we've also gotta acknowledge that ESPN cuts his checks. The politics of it cuts two ways.

 

[goheels22002]

There is nothing like a bunch of douchebags helping the Patriots circle the wagons just in time for a playoff run. ESPN must really want the Patriots to win a couple more Super Bowls.

The last time they wet their pants over a Patriots controversy, the Patriots proceeded to beat Seattle in SB 49, go to the AFCC in 2015, and then beat Atlanta in SB 51.

 

[FCB02062]

Nice to see a little

And look how right you were! Kraft led us to a complete disaster and should have been forced to sell the team. You boys in the bleachers knew better than the Boardroom what was what! Oh, what could have been!

were u a paying season ticket holder when Krafty Bob ran bill parcells outta town?

 

[Guts]

So guys who would you rather face in the divisional round....??

 

[PF_SU]

Thank you Jeff.

My sources allege that Brady complained that there was no Patriot of the Week award for him to win.

 

[FCB02062]

And look how right you were! Kraft led us to a complete disaster and should have been forced to sell the team. You boys in the bleachers knew better than the Boardroom what was what! Oh, what could have been!

were u a Boston sports fan who knew nothing but disappointment since 1986, only to have a midget scat back from Columbia force a hall of fame coaches out the door when the team was on the doorstep Of a prolonged period of dominance?
If u were, you would've been pissed at Krafty Bob too... Unless for some reason u were a HUGE Pete Carroll / Bobby Grier fan...

 

[Tony2046]

Mike sux he never has anything to add to these stories to confirm or deny them.

I've only seen Mike report something in error once and he took responsibility for the incorrect statement and responded to every single Tweet with an apology. He definitely doesn't suck.

 

[Jackson 2]

This guy is doing more defending of his story than Johnmy Cochran for OJ.

Jesus, Fred Touch-hole was like a wild man loving everything in this piece this morning and yelling at anyone who questioned it. Wickersham will be on with Dale and Holley w/Keefe at 3:00 today.

 

[RobertWeathers]

My sources allege that Brady complained that there was no Patriot of the Week award for him to win.

Thats horrible reporting by Sham. Awful.

 

[signbabybrady]

He's going to stand on the sideline because he thinks this is a made-up nonstory. Not sure what else he could reasonably be expected to do here.

Investigate and either prove the relationship is fine or not. Why is this such hard thing to do?

Instead he'll ignore it and distance from it. But I'm supposed call him the best in the biz.

 

[maineman209]

Total honeymoon period thus far. Any potential warts have been entirely ignored because he's played well, they've won, and he's won over the locker room.

In the process, he's earned himself 10's of millions of dollars. Well done by JG and the 49ers.

2018 will be the real test. Are they a 11-5 team or a 7-9 team? I.e., was all the end of 2017 season hype valid? Remains entirely to be seen.

The Niners, at 1-10 and out of the playoffs when JG took over, were a hopeless team, but not a talentless team. JG's "command presence" (which Lynch remarked on), self-confidence, encouragement and his evident ability at QB appear to have awakened some hope and confidence among the players.

And the players won those 5 games, not just JG.

There was nothing riding on those games for them but pride.

What remains to be seen next season is if JG's QB skills match his leadership and work ethic when the games begin to mean something again next September. I'm not expecting a Rams-like turnaround, but the Niners do seem to have enough talent to be challenging for a playoff spot in 2018. But, again, that won't be all on JG; it'll be up to the players and the coaches, too.

Success in 2018 will almost certainly kickoff the "legend" narrative among the BSPN hacks, but that still won't make JG anything more than the best QB the Niners have had in quite awhile. If, 10 years from now, JG is wearing a couple three rings, then we can start talking in superlatives.

 

[Ross12]

This guy is doing more defending of his story than Johnmy Cochran for OJ.

"Seth, almost everything you've written has been refuted by the team, other reporters locally, and even the NFL itself. What do you have to say?"
"I stand by my reporting, we verified everything as much as possible."

What?

 

[PF_SU]

Thats horrible reporting by Sham. Awful.

But that can't be! He... he verified his sources! He doesn't just throw things out there!

 

[Arialgg]

ESPN follows its usual MO- if you repeat something enough, people will believe it. Whether it contains any truth or not is irrelevant to them...just like defamegate.
They seem to get desperate as soon as we begin the playoffs..... oooh, controversy!!

 

[PatsDeb]

ESPN: 11 of 12 footballs ...

That's all you need to know.