Tomase provides his explanation

[cartmen]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

the truly disturbing part is the main reason he printed this story was a passing casual conversation he had with a friend about a friend of a friend. That is absolutely unexcuseable

 

[RayClay]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

John Tomase handled that with grace and honesty. Those of you who don't see this are truly limited in perspective and maturity. The fact that no one here is absolutely F-ing KILLING this guy's editor - far, FAR more culpable, but some of you are apparently much too simple-minded and uneducated to realize that - is a JOKE.

Grow up, people. The guy just gave a way more exhaustive explanation of what happened than you overreachers ever had any right to expect. He sacked up and took, and will take, whatever's coming to him. This kind of crap thread is exactly what's wrong not just with the site, but with the freakin' country.

Go listen to Rush and Hannity, and leave the rest of us in peace.

He honestly thinks that making up trash and screwing the local team is OK. I would agree he's honest about that.

 

[Truck]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

Um. That's not an explanation. That's a "I f*cked up, I didn't want someone to beat me to it, I couldn't verify it, I printed crap".

"...and I'm only sorry because i was wrong."

If he really believed printing was a mistake, he would've said so alot sooner "I think I came out with the story too soon. I can't say for sure if there was a tape or not, so I should never have printed it, or I should've said that the story is only a rumor and not fact."

Instead they waited to see the end result before judging their actions -- if there was a tape they would've gloated about how they nailed this one, when in fact they'd have still been wrong to print the story with 3rd hand sources.

 

[oldskool138]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

I just think it's funny that he thinks that he'll just keep covering the team as usual. I can't wait until he tries to ask a Pats player for an interview. The response will probably be something like this: "Why bother? You'll just make it up anyways."

And you think BB treats Felger bad when he's doing a presser. I'm sure he'll just skip over Tomase like he's not even there.

Also, can't the Pats opt not to give him a press pass? That's what I'd do. I mean, the Pats don't HAVE to give him one, right?

 

[Truck]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

He should reveal his source. His career is over. No one is talking to him moving forward either way.

I dont think his sources matter. His sources told him they never viewed the tape, just that they believed it existed. His sources didn't lie to him. And JT figured that meant it must've existed without any doubt and was enough to convict the Pats.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

An Open Letter to John Tomase. John, I guess I'm willing to accept your apology.

While we're apologizing I've got something I should get off my chest too. You know that guy who works in the donut shop you visit every morning before work? Yeah, that's me.

You know that large coffee and Boston Creme Donut you've order just about every morning since early February? We'll, I don't want to get into the details but let's just say I'm feeling a little bit remorseful as of today.

So I'm willing to accept your "my bad" and think we can just call it even.

 

[Tunescribe]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

Also, can't the Pats opt not to give him a press pass? That's what I'd do. I mean, the Pats don't HAVE to give him one, right?

I suspect there's probably a league rule that credentialed media must be given access to official team press events. That would include games, press conferences, open practices and lockerroom. The question is whether Tomase can curry Patriots sources for exclusive interviews or "inside" information. My guess is that he'll have a tough time reporting on more than just the basics, and that he'll be scooped by Reiss early and often. From a practical standpoint, the Herald is just shooting itself in the foot by keeping him on the job, as he'll be unable to fully serve its interests or those of the readers.

 

[Bella*chick]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

Not good enough. Not even close to good enough.

He really should be fired. What an abuse of his position. I was really surprised when I read the "process" that lead to the false story being printed. Absolutely amateurish and unprofessional. I, for one, will never even glance at a Boston Herald again. I'd rather read the National Enquirer.

 

[shmessy]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

When a gambit fails, you lose a pawn. Tomasse is that pawn.

Thank you, Kenneth Lay.

 

[DNR]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

Agreed, thats a " She WAS pretty drunk, but we HAVE been dating for awhile, and I KNOW she would have slept with me eventually, if she didn't pass out that night, so It really wasn't rape" type of high school rational.

Resign doughboy

It was inaccurate, irresponsible, and unprofessional. And the timing could not have been worse.

His intention was that of a hitman...and the consequences for this should have been severe. Why he's still employed is beyond me.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

I am not sure what some of you read, but what I read was a detailed explanation of what happened and apology. What he did wrong and why he did it.

Tomase screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of journalism. He cheated in an effort to get the story.

BB screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of the NFL.

And as I sit here today. I have a three page explanation of Tomase's thinking and mistakes from Tomase.

Months after the Patriots lost a first round draft pick, BB still has not explained his thinking that led him to make the mistake he made. I was okay with him focusing on the Chargers game, and was willing to wait until the end of the season for the kind of detail we got from Tomase. I am still waiting.

It is impossible to judge which mistake was greater -- Tomase's or BB's. Or which one did more damage, both to the NFL and the Patriots.

But at the very least Tomase has explained what he did wrong and why he went wrong. BB has not.

Lets be fair here. Hold BB and Tomase to the same standard.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

GreyHoodie, when Herald rumpswab Gerry Callahan of all people thinks Tomase's effort today was lacking then you know it was pretty lame.

 

[Tunescribe]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

I am not sure what some of you read, but what I read was a detailed explanation of what happened and apology. What he did wrong and why he did it.

Tomase screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of journalism. He cheated in an effort to get the story.

BB screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of the NFL.

And as I sit here today. I have a three page explanation of Tomase's thinking and mistakes from Tomase.

Months after the Patriots lost a first round draft pick, BB still has not explained his thinking that led him to make the mistake he made. I was okay with him focusing on the Chargers game, and was willing to wait until the end of the season for the kind of detail we got from Tomase. I am still waiting.

It is impossible to judge which mistake was greater -- Tomase's or BB's. Or which one did more damage, both to the NFL and the Patriots.

But at the very least Tomase has explained what he did wrong and why he went wrong. BB has not.

Lets be fair here. Hold BB and Tomase to the same standard.

What planet do you live on? BB explained himself more than once. He indicated that he interpreted the bylaw as indicating that taping was OK as long as it wasn't applied to the game being played.

 

[shmessy]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

His explanation is much weaker than I expected. Zero facts, all rumors....pathetic. I was on the fence before, but now, the Herald needs to fire all involved. Absolutely pathetic.

That's exactly my thought this morning.

Tomase should NEVER have written that explanation piece. He would have been personally better off keeping his mouth shut and saying "I believed my source". By actually detailing his malpractice, he exposed his culpability far more than most of us imagined. I know I, for one, previously assumed he had a crappy source who insisted that the tape existed. I NEVER expected that he had someone who said "I HEARD about it....".

It hurt him and the Herald much more than the earlier perception.

No DIRECT SOURCE????? Right there in black and white, he writes that they merely told him that 'they heard' about it.

He just put it out there for millions to see his malpractice and/or malice.

I'm willing to consider his part as malpractice.

However, the 'seasoned hands' of Editors and Lawyers at the herald, who stood by this for THREE AND A HALF MONTHS??????? That's malice.

The Editors who greenlighted Masserotti's column yesterday?????? That's malice.

The Editors/Management who splashed "Not So Fast, Pats" - with a tiny Specter head shot picture as a way out excuse - one day after the "Sorry, Pats" (think about THAT continuum for a newspaper!)??????? That's malice.

I hope the Kraft family sues those bastards to the point that there is nothing left but a greasy spot.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

I am not sure what some of you read, but what I read was a detailed explanation of what happened and apology. What he did wrong and why he did it.

Tomase screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of journalism. He cheated in an effort to get the story.

BB screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of the NFL.

And as I sit here today. I have a three page explanation of Tomase's thinking and mistakes from Tomase.

Months after the Patriots lost a first round draft pick, BB still has not explained his thinking that led him to make the mistake he made. I was okay with him focusing on the Chargers game, and was willing to wait until the end of the season for the kind of detail we got from Tomase. I am still waiting.

It is impossible to judge which mistake was greater -- Tomase's or BB's. Or which one did more damage, both to the NFL and the Patriots.

But at the very least Tomase has explained what he did wrong and why he went wrong. BB has not.

Lets be fair here. Hold BB and Tomase to the same standard.

I think anyone with half a brain in this forum and everywhere else in Pats Nation knows that BB in reality,did KNOW ALL the facts about the rules and did not misinterpret them,He is one of the longest tenured coaches in the NFL and is definately one of the smartest - if anyone misread the rules BB is last to be likely.

Anyone who believes he did not lie and that he actually misinterpreted the rules somehow - well you need to be b!tch-slapped and hard

I don't think this whole matter is anything but BS and should be over, but Belichick lied when he said that - END OF STORY! - move on!!

 

[dhamz]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

I guarantee you the source he trusted most was Felger. I would not doubt there was another source who confirmed some key details like the presence of a Pat's video crew at the walkthrough who reside in the bowels of Gillette. This was all media sourcing generated. He never had more than the guys at the water cooler.

Not a chance Felger or a media guy was the "most trusted source". If he was, his byline goes on the story. A guy with Felger's ambition never would let a career story (which is what everyone at the Herald thought they had) go to someone else. No one interested enough to chase the Walsh story would. Tomase can confirm the video crew being there with any number of folks, including the NFL itself.

Felger is in the story unnamed today but it is either as the casual conversation in 2006 or as one of the reporters telling him to make sure he is right.

The naming of the source would likely mean nothing to us.

The source is some guy Walsh bragged to who Tomase talked to when doing his research on Walsh.It was Matt Walsh's old roommate, former girlfriend, paperboy, some college intern who worked for the Pats, etc. It is about as weak a source as you will ever see on a big story - it doesn't amount to anything more than rumor.

Tomase (as he says) wasn't lied to because the source told him Walsh says he did it and has the tape which I have no doubt Walsh did say to the person. When Walsh comes out and says no I didn't and no tape, Tomase and the source at the same time find out the story is bogus.

 

[PonyExpress]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

I would like to know if Tomase placed a wager on the Sb, and on which team.

I would like him to produce records documenting the nature of that wager, if any existed, to make his assertions believable.

That is information the public deserves from the Herald.

 

[Tunescribe]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

That's exactly my thought this morning.

Tomase should NEVER have written that explanation piece.

It hurt him and the Herald much more than the earlier perception.

No DIRECT SOURCE????? Right there in black and white, he writes that they merely told him that 'they heard' about it.

He just put it out there for millions to see his malpractice and/or malice.

I'm willing to consider his part as malpractice.

However, the 'seasoned hands' of Editors and Lawyers at the herald, who stood by this for THREE AND A HALF MONTHS??????? That's malice.

The Editors who greenlighted Masserotti's column yesterday?????? That's malice.

The Editors/Management who splashed "Not So Fast, Pats" - with a tiny Specter head shot picture as a way out excuse - one day after the "Sorry, Pats" (think about THAT continuum for a newspaper!)??????? That's malice.

I hope the Kraft family sues those bastards to the point that there is nothing left but a greasy spot.

I'm wondering if the front-page "apology" of a few days ago and Tomase's "explanation" today might be a shrewd orchestration by the Herald to forestall legal action by the Patriots. In other words, the Herald is willing to severely embarrass itself publicly to "prove" that its story had no actionable malicious intent.

 

[Clonamery]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

I am not sure what some of you read, but what I read was a detailed explanation of what happened and apology. What he did wrong and why he did it.

Tomase screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of journalism. He cheated in an effort to get the story.

BB screwed up. He made a mistake. He violated a rule of the NFL.

And as I sit here today. I have a three page explanation of Tomase's thinking and mistakes from Tomase.

Months after the Patriots lost a first round draft pick, BB still has not explained his thinking that led him to make the mistake he made. I was okay with him focusing on the Chargers game, and was willing to wait until the end of the season for the kind of detail we got from Tomase. I am still waiting.

It is impossible to judge which mistake was greater -- Tomase's or BB's. Or which one did more damage, both to the NFL and the Patriots.

But at the very least Tomase has explained what he did wrong and why he went wrong. BB has not.

Lets be fair here. Hold BB and Tomase to the same standard.

Waiter!! Reality check here!

Apples and oranges. You live in a fruit salad, not me.

 

[nelly57]

Re: *****Alert: The Tomase Explanation Is Now Up

But at the very least Tomase has explained what he did wrong and why he went wrong. BB has not.

Lets be fair here. Hold BB and Tomase to the same standard.

One of BB's favorite sayings "doing business as business gets done". I get the impression that using a third camera was a well known practice as he came up thru the coaching ranks. And if the league under Tagliabue didn't strongly enforce the rule violation... well that was the way business was done. Now, Goodell catches BB and made him the whipping boy for the rest of the teams to stop this practice (he's on record for stating such).

Tomase cut his teeth while going through the ranks of journalism, he committed the biggest sin among his peers

I do hold each of them to the standards of their respective peers, meaning Tomase blew it big time.