Seth Wickersham's history of unsourced NFL stories of discontent

[Ring 6]

11 AFCCG, actually.
2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.

They didn’t have a bye in 2006.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

What I find painful is Bruschi just sitting there next to him with such generic responses, where doesn't call Wickersham out.

We're supposed to believed "Patriots staffers" openly talked to someone at ESPN? LOL

His "sources" are people like Ben Volin, Borges, etc, who make things up because they're told to by their bosses for clicks on webpages. Wickersham has ZERO primary sources on anything involving Pats employees.

Mike Reiss is also a sell out. I realize they have to pay the bills, but do it somewhere else, or be seen as a phony.

It's pretty clear they are going along with it because they've been told to. ESPN has had 2 layoffs in the last 3 years and just got a new CEO.

Sort of easy to tell what is going on there.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

11 AFCCG, actually.
2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.

If they beat Tenn, it's 7 straight title games, bettering the 70s Raiders who had 6 in the 1970s.

That's incredible in the Cap Era.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Lombardi did confirm that there is a Patriot of the week. It is awfully weird that no Pats beat writer has heard of it. Perhaps, Lombardi is mixed up and that gives Portnoy some credibility in claiming that Lombardi was the leak.

No way Lombardi is the leak. He knows stuff, but there is no way he would be Wickersham's source.

I am also surprised BB did a 30:30 with ESPN this offseason. I don't fully understand why they keep enabling ESPN and these other outlets to keep trying to use them to make money off of them.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

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?

Yes, yes and yes. The industry in general is struggling, so they're all trying to throw themselves a bone to help one another out for click$.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

He makes stuff up (Patriot of the Week?)

BTW, Trey Flowers confirmed today there is a "Patriot of the Week" award. Though he also says he thinks Brady has won it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

BTW, Trey Flowers confirmed today there is a "Patriot of the Week" award. Though he also says he thinks Brady has won it.

I am shocked and was so hopeful Wickerdick was wrong.

 

[RobertWeathers]

What I find painful is Bruschi just sitting there next to him with such generic responses, where doesn't call Wickersham out.

Bru has dialed it down. He may have more credibility because of it.

We're supposed to believed "Patriots staffers" openly talked to someone at ESPN? LOL His "sources" are people like Ben Volin, Borges, etc, who make things up because they're told to by their bosses for clicks on webpages. Wickersham has ZERO primary sources on anything involving Pats employees.

Agree

Mike Reiss is also a sell out. I realize they have to pay the bills, but do it somewhere else, or be seen as a phony.

You are out of line on this.

It's pretty clear they are going along with it because they've been told to. ESPN has had 2 layoffs in the last 3 years and just got a new CEO.

Sort of easy to tell what is going on there.

Agree

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

The part I found to be BS was that Wickersham ,

" talked to league sources with knowledge of the team's inner workings "..​

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight, like the clowns at 345 Park Ave. are privy to what goes on down at Patriot Place...
And he allegedly spoke to several players.....
Knowing how buttoned down the players are when dealing with the press, I find it hard to believe that any current players would dare leak to the press. Maybe one brave (crazy) soul would risk the wrath of Belichick, but multiple?? Count me among the ones who believe this is mostly a figment of his imagination.....

 

[TinhWoodhead]

If Lombardi is confused and there is no such award, wouldn't that indicate that he is the leak?

everybody has to leak

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Bru has dialed it down. He may have more credibility because of it.



Agree



You are out of line on this.



Agree

I am not really out of line.

Reiss talks out of his both sides of his mouth. I've seen him be honest on Pats All Access, and then he goes quiet on ESPN Boston, and I've also seen him post the trollish articles, where before it was always an "ESPN" general group post that wasn't his.

I think NOW, he's being told more than ever to toe the company line or else. Same with Bruschi.

Bruschi all but went nuclear during Deflategate, and then he disappeared for a long "vacation" for a while. Remember?

Again, ESPN is hemmhoraging money right now due to a bad NBA deal, and throw in their 13billion dollar MNF deal with the NFL and those ratings....? Yikes.

Not good.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I am not really out of line.

Reiss talks out of his both sides of his mouth. I've seen him be honest on Pats All Access, and then he goes quiet on ESPN Boston, and I've also seen him post the trollish articles, where before it was always an "ESPN" general group post that wasn't his.

I think NOW, he's being told more than ever to toe the company line or else. Same with Bruschi.

Bruschi all but went nuclear during Deflategate, and then he disappeared for a long "vacation" for a while. Remember?

Again, ESPN is hemmhoraging money right now due to a bad NBA deal, and throw in their 13billion dollar MNF deal with the NFL and those ratings....? Yikes.

Not good.

You are.

Speaking your mind on a local show and being matter of fact in a national view is not talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Please find a Reiss troll article and post it here.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't listen to the morning shows on the sports stations, because they both suck, but I'm hearing that Wickersham walked back his "half a day meeting" claim on the WEEI morning show today. Can anyone confirm that?

 

[Deus Irae]

You are.

Speaking your mind on a local show and being matter of fact in a national view is not talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Please find a Reiss troll article and post it here.

I'm pretty sure that he's a troll who's been here before under another screen name. I just can't remember that earlier name.

 

[Former Fan]

I've lost pretty much all respect for both Reiss and Bruschi for their choice of employers. Maybe they didn't know what they were getting into, but they've both known what's up over there for at least 3 years now and they're both still there. Hard to respect anyone that works at that chickenshit outfit. Any claim to integrity, fairness, or balance is simply laughable.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'm pretty sure that he's a troll who's been here before under another screen name. I just can't remember that earlier name.

He might be. I don't recognize him.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I've lost pretty much all respect for both Reiss and Bruschi for their choice of employers. Maybe they didn't know what they were getting into, but they've both known what's up over there for at least 3 years now and they're both still there. Hard to respect anyone that works at that chickenshit outfit. Any claim to integrity, fairness, or balance is simply laughable.

Gimme a break. Just because their employer is an unethical bag of **** doesn't mean they are.

When you start seeing Reiss and Bru sounding like Volin and Polian or Brunell then its time to ostracize them.

 

[Former Fan]

Gimme a break. Just because their employer is an unethical bag of **** doesn't mean they are.

When you start seeing Reiss and Bru sounding like Volin and Polian or Brunell then its time to ostracize them.

I can only judge by their actions. 3 years later, they are fully on board with their employer. Period.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I can only judge by their actions. 3 years later, they are fully on board with their employer. Period.

You must have them confused with someone else.

 

[Former Fan]

You must have them confused with someone else.

They work at BSPN right? The same BSPN that revels in dragging the Patriots through the mud, right? They've been present for the whole thing and know the procedure.

They are still there.