Tomase's reasoning behind his article

[MoLewisrocks]

Interesting interview. Thomase claims to have confirmed the story, suggesting that he had more than just a single source. Did I hear that right?

I took that at the time to mean he got someone else to tell him he had heard the rumor. That someone also had no direct knowledge of the existence of the tape, nor did they know if anyone in Foxboro had ever been shown a tape, nor could they even attest if an actual taping occurred. So in fact that source however "credible" was worthless.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

The sad state of Boston Herald "journalism"

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/10/more-evidence-that-walsh-was-tomases-source/

Btw don't listen to Mustard and Johnson if you want to keep your breakfast down. Larry "loves" Tomase and thinks he's a great reporter.
The mediot ballwashing for the personal hygeine challenged Tomase is sickening.
Your boy messed up big mediots. Your defense of him only further justifies our name for you. Mediots!!

 

[shmessy]

Interesting interview. Thomase claims to have confirmed the story, suggesting that he had more than just a single source. Did I hear that right?

I didn't hear anything specifically about a second source in that, but he definitely intimated that, within that 24 hour period, while in Arizona, he and his Editors were able to close a deal they couldn't for over 150 days previously. That would be one amazing turn of events. Possible? Sure.

However, at no point in that interview did he say that a new revelation/confirmation of that rumor came to light in that 24 hour period. Something to the effect (I'm in a rush now and can't go back to listen) of "we did some more digging and were able to get it into the paper". That's exceptionally vague.

Meanwhile, a) hundreds of other media outlets with far better placed journalists, who knew the rumor and had far more money couldn't bring themselves to pull the trigger and b) Matt Walsh's attorney has already stated unequivocally (and on the record to the largest newspaper in the United States) that Matt Walsh never communicated one iota about a Rams tape to Tomase.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I took that at the time to mean he got someone else to tell him he had heard the rumor. That someone also had no direct knowledge of the existence of the tape, nor did they know if anyone in Foxboro had ever been shown a tape, nor could they even attest if an actual taping occurred. So in fact that source however "credible" was worthless.

Goes to my theory that all this was internal self-amplification by those envious of the Pats and BB in particular. Various mediots had heard the Walsh rumors for months. They talked among themselves and likely contacted BB hating NFL GMs for any coroboration. Hearing reflections of their own cohorts' phonecall stimulated rumors, Tomasse et. al. tap into this buzz and in the days before the SB read the NYT, panic and probably hear the same story even furthur enhanced from additional BB envious NFL personell. Somehow this misguidedly exceeds their threshold for publication, and with the SB impact deadline looming, they go for it.

It is doubly disgusting that apparently Tomasse and the Herald management are attempting the ostrich defense, something for which the press ridicules public figures that they attack.

 

[Pats726]

Interesting that Mustard and Johnson are defending Tomasse...and claiming he DOES have a source..interesting...

 

[TimU]

I took that at the time to mean he got someone else to tell him he had heard the rumor. That someone also had no direct knowledge of the existence of the tape, nor did they know if anyone in Foxboro had ever been shown a tape, nor could they even attest if an actual taping occurred. So in fact that source however "credible" was worthless.

Where are you getting all of that from? Thomase simply said in the interview that he got confirmation of the story, near as I could tell.

I just listened to the interview again, Thomase says of the days before the SB: "the rumor had been around for a while and then we were able to confirm it in a way that we were comfortable with." The confirmation he refers to may simply be the source he refers to in the article. Thus one source.

 

[NEPatriot]

he hasn't mentioned the name of his source. I would like to know if his source was a current or former pats employee.

Until he does it, he is giving excuses for what he did.

 

[shmessy]

Where are you getting all of that from? Thomase simply said in the interview that he got confirmation of the story, near as I could tell.

I just listened to the interview again, Thomase says of the days before the SB: "the rumor had been around for a while and then we were able to confirm it in a way that we were comfortable with." The confirmation he refers to may simply be the source he refers to in the article. Thus one source.

you wrote:

"Thomase simply said in the interview that he got confirmation of the story, near as I could tell."

Wait a second - - You're making it much more definitive than how Tomase described it.

Your quote of Tomase has:

".......we were able to confirm it IN A WAY THAT WE WERE COMFORTABLE WITH."

The last part of his quote has all kinds of bells and whistles whirring around.

 

[shmessy]

BTW, it sure does seem as if Mike Florio has been reading this thread, eh? Either that, or great minds think alike!

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/10/more-evidence-that-walsh-was-tomases-source/

 

[Pats726]

you wrote:

"Thomase simply said in the interview that he got confirmation of the story, near as I could tell."

Wait a second - - You're making it much more definitive than how Tomase described it.

Your quote of Tomase has:

".......we were able to confirm it IN A WAY THAT WE WERE COMFORTABLE WITH."

The last part of his quote has all kinds of bells and whistles whirring around.

So just what was it they were comfortable with...and why then?? I agree and find it hard to believe that after months of NOT nailing it down that all of a sudden with OTHER papers and sources closing in..that all of a sudden it is NOW OK...and comfortable to put the story out.
Just so happened..especially with the timing? I find it less believable now..all of a sudden there's confirmation?? A NEW source? That is possible..but so is getting hit by lightning. Just seems more like..well others are closing in...so it's OK..sort of thing. I think dough boy NEEDS to be in the hot seat now..he and the editors of that rag NEED to explain a LOT!! Apologize and retract...come clean..of things..

 

[Pats726]

Re: The sad state of Boston Herald "journalism"

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/10/more-evidence-that-walsh-was-tomases-source/

Btw don't listen to Mustard and Johnson if you want to keep your breakfast down. Larry "loves" Tomase and thinks he's a great reporter.
The mediot ballwashing for the personal hygeine challenged Tomase is sickening.
Your boy messed up big mediots. Your defense of him only further justifies our name for you. Mediots!!

I usually enjoy them, but their total defense was just one media idiot defending another..peas in a pod.. I think the pod is now rotten...

 

[dhamz]

As i said in another thread, my guess is it all happenned like this:

For years the rumor has been out there according to Felger. The rumors came from Walsh lying to people to make his tiny role with the Pats more important. I believe he also did so on his resume. It really isn't that uncommon for people to exagerate to impress others. He tells some friends/acquaintances some tall tales and the rumor starts.

He starts getting calls from reporters - now he again gets to feel important. He doesn't deny the story but also won't go on the record confirming it becasue he fears lying about the Pats and getting sued.

So Tomase and the Herald are giddy - this is a career story. A Pulitzer winning story and they are thisclose. One other source or one moment of weakness for Walsh were he says it on the record and everyone involved on the Herald is famous.

Then the Times puts Walsh's name in the paper. Then ESPN puts more info about him. The Senator from Comcast is on the case and he is going to want to talk to Walsh. Tomase and his editors are frantic. Others are on to their career story. If they don't act fast, their 5 months of work and their mansions on the beach, their appearance on Larry King, etc. all goes up in smoke. All the Coaches Cameramen won't have Russell Crow playing Tomase. So they run what they have because well, it has to be true. Where there is smoke, there is fire, right and they did not pursue it for 5 months to have their dreams stolen. They need to run it Saturday because they fear one of the big guns (NYT, ESPN) has the story nailed and is holding to Jackie MacMullen it on Super Sunday.

The walkthrough story is nothing more than a bunch of nobodies (Walsh, tomase, Herald editors) wanting to be bigger men than they are. It is lying to a girl at a bar to the 10000 power.

Who is Tomase's source? Indirectly it is Walsh. Tomase's source is a guy who heard it from a guy who knows Matt Walsh and says Walsh not only did it, he has the tape.

 

[Pats726]

As i said in another thread, my guess is it all happenned like this:

For years the rumor has been out there according to Felger. The rumors came from Walsh lying to people to make his tiny role with the Pats more important. I believe he also did so on his resume. It really isn't that uncommon for people to exagerate to impress others. He tells some friends/acquaintances some tall tales and the rumor starts.

He starts getting calls from reporters - now he again gets to feel important. He doesn't deny the story but also won't go on the record confirming it becasue he fears lying about the Pats and getting sued.

So Tomase and the Herald are giddy - this is a career story. A Pulitzer winning story and they are thisclose. One other source or one moment of weakness for Walsh were he says it on the record and everyone involved on the Herald is famous.

Then the Times puts Walsh's name in the paper. Then ESPN puts more info about him. The Senator from Comcast is on the case and he is going to want to talk to Walsh. Tomase and his editors are frantic. Others are on to their career story. If they don't act fast, their 5 months of work and their mansions on the beach, their appearance on Larry King, etc. all goes up in smoke. All the Coaches Cameramen won't have Russell Crow playing Tomase. So they run what they have because well, it has to be true. Where there is smoke, there is fire, right and they did not pursue it for 5 months to have their dreams stolen. They need to run it Saturday because they fear one of the big guns (NYT, ESPN) has the story nailed and is holding to Jackie MacMullen it on Super Sunday.

The walkthrough story is nothing more than a bunch of nobodies (Walsh, tomase, Herald editors) wanting to be bigger men than they are. It is lying to a girl at a bar to the 10000 power.

Who is Tomase's source? Indirectly it is Walsh. Tomase's source is a guy who heard it from a guy who knows Matt Walsh and says Walsh not only did it, he has the tape.

I think that is close to it...nowhere did Tomase indicate something BIG happened..more like we were digging and confirmed it in a way that the editors were OK with running it...as you said MORE LIKE a friend of a friend who KNEW Walsh had it...and the fact that he mentioned Spector, NYTs, ESPN others...well..as you said..when there is smoke there is fire...SO???? Funny how there were SO SO MANY OTHERS working on it and DID NOT print it..because of NOT HAVING another source..and all of a sudden..the Herald goes with it..another source? I really believe the way Tomasse told the story...if THERE HAD been a breakthrough sort of revelation, you would have heard that in his voice..but a friend of a friend..just CONFIRMING what they had been digging...as opposed to NEW information..
NAIL on the head on this one!!

 

[dhamz]

Funny how there were SO SO MANY OTHERS working on it and DID NOT print it..because of NOT HAVING another source..and all of a sudden..the Herald goes with it..another source?

To me, maybe even more telling is that all of those others working on it still do not feel comfortable enough to print their evidence that it happenned - which makes a lot of sense since it seems certain it didn't.

The Mike Fish's of the world did not drop their investigation of this when Tomase's story came out. They kept working it and were never able to confirm it on their own. While ESPN would not have been first, Tomase's piece had holes that could have been filled. You know they would have loved to run a much more in depth article articulating the entire thing along with a special primetime edition of Outside the Lines. 8 months after they began looking into it, the 4 letter sports tabloid still is not willing to say the story is true, only that the Herald reporting it.

The Herald incidentally never ran a follow up later were they had more definitive information which suppoorted the original article. This standard in investigative reporting and you know they continued working it as well. The Globe was the paper that did that article. Could it be that the further investigation the Herald did produced the same info as the Globe and contradicted their original article?

 

[pats1]

BTW, it sure does seem as if Mike Florio has been reading this thread, eh? Either that, or great minds think alike!

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/10/more-evidence-that-walsh-was-tomases-source/

No, I e-mailed Florio my theory. He pretty much did replicated it word-for-word, which is fine with me.

I do have some cred with Florio, though, and he's posted my ideas in the past (even on a Sporting News article), so I'm not surprised he did again.

 

[shmessy]

No, I e-mailed Florio my theory. He pretty much did replicated it word-for-word, which is fine with me.

I do have some cred with Florio, though, and he's posted my ideas in the past (even on a Sporting News article), so I'm not surprised he did again.

Well done, Pats1! It's good to have Florio on our side every now and then.

 

[pats1]

Well done, Pats1! It's good to have Florio on our side every now and then.

Yep, Florio's a pretty fan-friendly guy. When both he in his live blog and others on this forum suggested during last year's Colts game that there was a artificial noise malfunction, he immediately posted my audio file of the play on the site after the game. Afterwards, I sent him a Polian quote bashing PFT that he references every now and then ("Some internet hack").

There a bunch of others too. Generally, I've found that if you provide a very descriptive e-mail title, and give him the necessary links, he will post your story and usually feed off your ideas.

 

[Pats726]

To me, maybe even more telling is that all of those others working on it still do not feel comfortable enough to print their evidence that it happenned - which makes a lot of sense since it seems certain it didn't.

The Mike Fish's of the world did not drop their investigation of this when Tomase's story came out. They kept working it and were never able to confirm it on their own. While ESPN would not have been first, Tomase's piece had holes that could have been filled. You know they would have loved to run a much more in depth article articulating the entire thing along with a special primetime edition of Outside the Lines. 8 months after they began looking into it, the 4 letter sports tabloid still is not willing to say the story is true, only that the Herald reporting it.

The Herald incidentally never ran a follow up later were they had more definitive information which suppoorted the original article. This standard in investigative reporting and you know they continued working it as well. The Globe was the paper that did that article. Could it be that the further investigation the Herald did produced the same info as the Globe and contradicted their original article?

I agree...THAT is telling..for if there WAS a piece to the puzzle that put it ALL together..that all these OTHERS who wanted it so badly, would have found it...lil John was the only one?? Frankly, given the experience and number of other outlets, IF there was anything close to a REAL source, I would have thought they would have found it..a week..a MONTH after. NOT the case at all. Even easterbrook a noted Patriot hater could not find this OTHER source..No..all of those tabloids and media idiots KNEW one thing..that they needed ANOTHER REAL source...the fact that NONE has been found means that most likely that lil John's was not a primary source..but removed from the main one..and I guess that passes the smell test to some at the Herald. To me and to MOST journalists..it really is the SAME source..(If they were thinking "All the President's Men"...they missed anything close to it..) I think it's totally a sham that this rag is saying NOTHING...

 

[Pats726]

No, I e-mailed Florio my theory. He pretty much did replicated it word-for-word, which is fine with me.

I do have some cred with Florio, though, and he's posted my ideas in the past (even on a Sporting News article), so I'm not surprised he did again.

GREAT!!! Even though I think he's off on some things, there are other times when he is right on the money...and having any connection is always helpful!!