Seth Wickersham's history of unsourced NFL stories of discontent

[Chris Stevenson]

Why are we all in this thread. It’s about an article sbitting on our team but someone we really don’t trust. I haven’t read him since he started working for ESPN. I met him a couple of times. He’s a nice guy. I just responded to you to let you know he’s not as bad as you think, he’s just doing his job really. He has no hidden agenda to take down the pats. He had a sick child to take care of and what he does or is forced to do, revolves around that fact. Thanks for the discussion.

Why hasn't he tried to go to NFLN? He could be like the NE version of Aditi Kukomala or whatever her name is in Pittsburgh. He could also write his stuff at NFL.com instead of ESPN Boston.

You act like he has no options.

I lost respect for Schefter when he joined ESPN, by the way. Ever notice how he's been caught forcing out stuff at ESPN that isn't all that accurate, SINCE HE ARRIVED? That's because his bosses force him to do that, even if he questions it.

Hint: The most money isn't everything.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Exactly. Reiss and Brushi aren't dumb, they just get paid very well and don't want to go out and get a new job.

So why don't you enlighten us as to what Reiss gets paid and all the wonderful job opening there are out there for him that would pay well?

I asked him about this, in person a year or so ago (back when he and Troy Brown were doing book signings for Brown's biography) and as he said, "where else?"

We're not all so fortunate as you to be independently wealthy, healthy, and childless so we can quit our job because our employer did something we didn't like.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Reiss just did it to BB this morning and BB had to remind Mike AGAIN, that he didn't read the fictional gargbage of WickerSHAM.

Can't believe anyone could be so naive as to believe that Belichick didn't read it (or at a minimum was told exactly what was in it).

 

[Former Fan]

He's welcome to sell off his integrity if he wants, but don't try to tell me he's above the fact that he works for BSPN. He's got people telling him what he can and can't say and editing his work. I trust nothing that comes from the 4 letter network.

 

[primetime]

If ESPN wanted to pay me in the six figures to write articles to troll you goons, you bet your ass I'd take it. Already doing it for free here anyways.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

He's got people telling him what he can and can't say and editing his work.

Earth to FormerFan -- that's how it is at every media outlet, and in fact at virtually all workplaces in general.

Start telling your employer's customers or clients or the public in general whatever you feel like, even if it is at odds with what your employer wants them to hear and tell us how long you last before you're fired.

 

[Former Fan]

Earth to FormerFan -- that's how it is at every media outlet, and in fact at virtually all workplaces in general.

Start telling your employer's customers or clients or the public in general whatever you feel like, even if it is at odds with what your employer wants them to hear and tell us how long you last before you're fired.

You missed the point.

In Reiss' case, those people are the BSPN assholes who have no integrity. Trust his work product if you want, but know it's filtered through BSPN.

 

[Biffins]

Where does he say that? We're not talking about game balls here. How come nobody ever heard of it before... and why would Tom Brady give a rat's ass about that? There's always been a practice player of the week, but Patriot of the Week sounds awfully pee-wee football.

Trey Flowers just came on a radio interview and confirmed Patriots Player of the Week award.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Earth to FormerFan -- that's how it is at every media outlet, and in fact at virtually all workplaces in general.

Start telling your employer's customers or clients or the public in general whatever you feel like, even if it is at odds with what your employer wants them to hear and tell us how long you last before you're fired.

I think what he is saying, as am I, is we wouldn't be working for a KNOWN corrupt operation in the first place.


And yes, I am sure BB heard about the sham piece by ESPN to get click$, but I can guarantee you BB didn't waste his time reading the garbage.

 

[Former Fan]

It seems Wickersham forgot the main rule of unattributed hit pieces: Don't include facts that can be definitively proven false. His inclusion of the BB/Goodell meeting that never took place will hopefully sink his career as a rumor monger.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

It seems Wickersham forgot the main rule of unattributed hit pieces: Don't include facts that can be definitively proven false. His inclusion of the BB/Goodell meeting that never took place will hopefully sink his career as a rumor monger.

The Pats going on the offensive to clarify the lies is pretty important and should have been done with Spygate and the Walkthrough tape lies.

Kraft erred badly back then and we're paying for it now. He knew Spygate was a framejob and still capitulated and accepted their proposal. If he had sued the Herald or just gotten the Herald to fire Tomase, I am of the opinion Deflategate and stuff like this would never have happened. No one would have risked being sued and losing everything over this kind of supposed "journalism".

When does this end? Serious question.

At some point in life, you have to take a stand and not play diplomat, wading through the waters.

Goodell has enabled this and I would not be shocked if he made a phone call to the new CEO at ESPN to push this story as a way to try to distract the Pats.

He's got a Jaguars franchise to put in London soon and he sure as hell doesn't want to hand over another Lombardi to Kraft and Company.

Wickersham was as sloppy with his piece as Goodell/Pash/Wells were with the Deflategate framejob. 56 lies can proven in the Wells Report, which means even one lie on a report like that proves that it was a framejob.

If you have evidence or primary sources that are good, you don't need to frame anyone.

 

[Joker]

You're new here. Understand this....Goodell is a pathological liar. Proven. Since long before he ever became commissioner. He's lied about where he was schooled. He's lied about his college grades. He's lied about his NFL team interest as a fan when he was in high school. He's lied on ESPN when described as a lawyer, he nods in assent and agrees. He lied about the "evidence" in Spygate4. He lied to the point of spending over 20 million dollars in the Dehategate fiasco to get to the point where the federal court agreed, he can lie anytime he wants. Article 46. He lied about being an NFL intern. He's hidden his direct tie to NYG owner John Mara.

Scum such as Wickedsham write whatever the cyclopean Goodell wants them too. Can I prove this? Well, I sure as hell can write a better hit piece than this idiot, Seth.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

You're new here. Understand this....Goodell is a pathological liar. Proven. Since long before he ever became commissioner. He's lied about where he was schooled. He's lied about his college grades. He's lied about his NFL team interest as a fan when he was in high school. He's lied on ESPN when described as a lawyer, he nods in assent and agrees. He lied about the "evidence" in Spygate4. He lied to the point of spending over 20 million dollars in the Dehategate fiasco to get to the point where the federal court agreed, he can lie anytime he wants. Article 46. He lied about being an NFL intern. He's hidden his direct tie to NYG owner John Mara.

Scum such as Wickedsham write whatever the cyclopean Goodell wants them too. Can I prove this? Well, I sure as hell can write a better hit piece than this idiot, Seth.

Not sure if this was directed at me or not as being "new", but I can tell you I wasn't born last night and know as much about those facts you've listed (and more), than I'd care to admit.

Everything you just wrote is why Bruschi and Reiss working for them is so disturbing. They know that they are lies and literally sit there and say nothing. The only time I've seen anything is when Bruschi blew up at Damien Woody on live tv, basically calling him a moron for believing Goodell, and then Bruschi was sent away for a few months on a sabbatical. lol

Did you notice how the normally objective and fair Tom Curran, also somewhat pushed this fake story? Not a coincidence, IMO. He's been sneaky in recent years, too, almost like he is being told to do it, not by his own choosing.

I know why. NBC's SNF deal is probably close in dollars to the ESPN MNF deal, which is for 13 billion dollars. Comcast, 98.5, the Globe, etc, they are all connected and they all are in dire need of trying to make money, so they are all "helping" themselves and their job security (in their minds).

So, whatever Goodell tells these outlets to do, they do.

Note how NFL.com doesn't run it, but the broadcast companies, save for CBS and Karft's relationship with Les Moonves, is not running it. CBS has more generic articles about it, while ESPn, NBC have their people running with it and infusing life into the lies.

Michael Hurley, a lead proponent in defending NE during Deflategate, also writes for CBS sports, so Goodell, the one who is really behind all of this enabling it, doesn't even bother to care that CBS won't go as far as ESPN or NBC or Fox. Because once it's out, it's out.

Fox, ESPN and NBACand their affiliates are the ones running it, and we know why.

Basically, in a nutshell, if you let yourself be bullied in life, there will be bullies who find you.

I could go on and on, but that's it.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

From what I can see he takes a local story (e.g., Guerrero) and rewords some local op/ed on that story.

The speculation about the JG trade was just too much of a temptation to pass up, regardless of the outcome of whatever information was uncovered.

It's the equivalent of coming to a conclusion first and working backwards rather than the reverse.

So he then amplifies the speculation and rumors tenfold with the backing of a national organization that thrives on gossip and controversy, desperate for ratings due to an internal financial crisis, all under the pretense of sport reporting with "insider" contacts.

Who are his sources?
Borges?
Tomase?
Felger?

Was there an internal financial crisis when he wrote a crap article about CameraLocationGate a few years back?

Good analysis though. Don't forget Matt Walsh.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

There is no such thing as Patriot of the Week

EDIT: I'm wrong.

Well, there ought to at least be a Patriot Cheerleader of the week...

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Everything you just wrote is why Bruschi and Reiss working for them is so disturbing. They know that they are lies and literally sit there and say nothing. The only time I've seen anything is when Bruschi blew up at Damien Woody on live tv, basically calling him a moron for believing Goodell, and then Bruschi was sent away for a few months on a sabbatical. lol

Did you notice how the normally objective and fair Tom Curran, also somewhat pushed this fake story? Not a coincidence, IMO. He's been sneaky in recent years, too, almost like he is being told to do it, not by his own choosing.

It's a sick, sad trend that extends far beyond a major sports league in America.

Guys (and to a greater extent, girls) are put between a rock and a hard place when their livelihoods and/or careers are on the line, they like what they do and don't want to lose it...most of the time, when somebody stands up and shouts that Goodell has no clothes on, that person is rubbed out and discredited and boycotted and it just doesn't work out well personally. I'd give frigging money to help Tedy and Mike and even Tom to just get out, free up their tongues and live free...but drastically fewer people will be listening to them and they'll make drastically less money...

Anyway, this is going on in this country where if you're interested in objective, accurate news, you're never going to get it from any domestic TV or radio...maybe occasionally NPR...

 

[Chris Stevenson]

It's a sick, sad trend that extends far beyond a major sports league in America.

Guys (and to a greater extent, girls) are put between a rock and a hard place when their livelihoods and/or careers are on the line, they like what they do and don't want to lose it...most of the time, when somebody stands up and shouts that Goodell has no clothes on, that person is rubbed out and discredited and boycotted and it just doesn't work out well personally. I'd give frigging money to help Tedy and Mike and even Tom to just get out, free up their tongues and live free...but drastically fewer people will be listening to them and they'll make drastically less money...

Anyway, this is going on in this country where if you're interested in objective, accurate news, you're never going to get it from any domestic TV or radio...maybe occasionally NPR...

100% agree.

But, it's just sad since we know this, others either are too dumb not to, or choose not to see it very their own, matching agenda$, which as we know is always about money.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Well, there ought to at least be a Patriot Cheerleader of the week...

Yummy.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Was there an internal financial crisis when he wrote a crap article about CameraLocationGate a few years back?

Good analysis though. Don't forget Matt Walsh.

Walsh was looking for his 15 minutes of fame or a payoff from the NFL, because if he had gone AWOL and broadcast all of those tapes, the media, the country, would have seen what Goodell didn't want them to see. Which, of course, was other teams coming into Foxbrough and filming the Pats from the sideline vantage point, which of course would have exposed the framejob Kraft agreed to.

I have never seen Goodell so nervous.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Basically, in a nutshell, if you let yourself be bullied in life, there will be bullies who find you.

Kraft really refuses to consider that he might have ever made a mistake in his life.

(flying elvis, Parcells, Goodell, Bledsoe is the GOAT, etc.)

Exactly what does he mean in the hand-written note at the end of this?

..."I prefer girls, but I'm married to a guy"?...

at least the championship part worked out; thanks for hiring BB