BobbyC81 Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 (edited) And we thought the sports writers at the Buffalo News were bad. https://sports.yahoo.com/swirl-questions-surround-lions-matt-patricia-dismissed-sex-assault-case-comes-light-062930363.html Why would this Detroit reporter dig this up and write an article about it after Patricia was already hired as head coach? Does he have an axe to grind with the Lions? Did Patricia not give him an interview? To go back and dig up this story 20 years later, how does this help anyone involved? Edited May 10, 2018 by LittleJoeCartwright
atlbillsfan1975 Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 The writer is trying to stir a pot and become talked about. Unfortunately this is another example of the decay of journalism. This piece is littered with editorial comments attempting to lead a reader. 2
Doc Brown Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 I hope this doesn't negatively impact Belichick disciples stellar head coaching success once they leave New England. 1 8
ghostwriter Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 Could be guilty, could be innocent, there was no trial so I'll assume he is innocent until proven guilty. 5 1
Mickey Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 1 hour ago, LittleJoeCartwright said: And we thought the sports writers at the Buffalo News were bad. https://sports.yahoo.com/swirl-questions-surround-lions-matt-patricia-dismissed-sex-assault-case-comes-light-062930363.html Why would this Detroit reporter dig this up and write an article about it after Patricia was already hired as head coach? Does he have an axe to grind with the Lions? Did Patricia not give him an interview? To go back and dig up this story 20 years later, how does this help anyone involved? It makes sense that they would research this stuff after he was hired, it would make no sense to commit that level and resources to check the background of someone the Lions might hire. Moreover, we have no idea when they first came across whatever information they had that triggered their research. As interested as I am in the finer points of journalistic practices I am quite a bit more concerned that a grand jury in Texas found sufficient evidence that Patricia, now a head coach of an NFL franchise, sexually assaulted a woman. Blaming the paper for writing a story seems to miss the point. The information was out there and was bound to come out sooner or later. Newspapers are not in the business of covering up sexual assault charges against prominent persons. Their only obligation is to try and get the fact right. Has Patricia denied the facts of the story? On a side note, by posting the link to the story here, you have actually engaged in what legally is an act of publication yourself. 6 1
RaoulDuke79 Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 3 hours ago, LittleJoeCartwright said: And we thought the sports writers at the Buffalo News were bad. https://sports.yahoo.com/swirl-questions-surround-lions-matt-patricia-dismissed-sex-assault-case-comes-light-062930363.html Why would this Detroit reporter dig this up and write an article about it after Patricia was already hired as head coach? Does he have an axe to grind with the Lions? Did Patricia not give him an interview? To go back and dig up this story 20 years later, how does this help anyone involved? Because sensationalism and dirt sell papers and get clicks. I wish that reporters and news outlets would somehow have every salucious detail of their lives made public from the time of birth when they dig up old stories liken this. I wonder how many have no skeletons in their closet.
stuvian Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 this is also on Pro Football Talk. He was never charged so it should be disregarded IMO
boyst Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 #metoo is a thing. It is lame. But it gets people famous, including "journalists." Pattricia innocent. 1
Kwai San Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 Wow.....whats interesting is the victim went to ground like she did......that speaks volumes imo.
BigBuff423 Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 45 minutes ago, Mickey said: It makes sense that they would research this stuff after he was hired, it would make no sense to commit that level and resources to check the background of someone the Lions might hire. Moreover, we have no idea when they first came across whatever information they had that triggered their research. As interested as I am in the finer points of journalistic practices I am quite a bit more concerned that a grand jury in Texas found sufficient evidence that Patricia, now a head coach of an NFL franchise, sexually assaulted a woman. Blaming the paper for writing a story seems to miss the point. The information was out there and was bound to come out sooner or later. Newspapers are not in the business of covering up sexual assault charges against prominent persons. Their only obligation is to try and get the fact right. Has Patricia denied the facts of the story? On a side note, by posting the link to the story here, you have actually engaged in what legally is an act of publication yourself. I can tell you from professional experience, that while not at all common, it happens more often than most people realize. A witness is upset, contacts police, and there is some evidence of a potential crime, the person is arrested, and the grand jury hears the facts presented as the prosecutor edits and shows just their side and an indictment is handed down. Often, plea deals occur because the Defendant knows he / she is guilty and when they see the evidence, in their mind it all makes sense on how their guilt is essentially guaranteed. When someone refuses a plea deal, they are typically either truly innocent, have a long criminal history and have nothing to lose to try and create doubt in jurors' minds, or they have a bad lawyer who fails to explain the criminal justice system, i.e. they don't understand how the law works. By the last point I mean, that the Defendant may truly think he / she is innocent, like buying an illegal gun from a newspaper ad and not realizing all of the documentation and bill of sale required to show an attempt at a legal purchase so the police can trace the sale back to the seller (not that that's legal either, but more likely to gain leniency), but fails to see the nuances of how the law works. Another example, in New York State, there is such a thing called "constructive possession", meaning if it's within your immediate vicinity of control - even if it's not yours - and the item is illegal, eg. drugs / gun, then you are as guilty as if it were yours. In this instance many times people say, "It wasn't mine and you can't prove it was", fail to realize what it means to have constructive possession and how that type of possession is proven. I had a case where two men in the same vehicle were convicted of possessing the same firearm because neither took responsibility for the gun. They both got 8 - 10 years, even though obviously it had to belong to one of them. Point being here is that the victim may very well have had sexual relations with Patricia and / or someone else that evening, and it may have progressed further than she wanted, but the details about storming into her hotel room may not have been accurate and she may have been required to testify that she invited them and that there was discussion of sex but she changed her mind and then it would appear she "invited" this incident on herself - even though that's absolute garbage - she may be embarrassed to admit she had more than one man in her room and the original intent was for sex, making her want to avoid open testimony before her close friends and family. One more example of how this isn't so cut and dry on either side was a case where a 17 year old young man had sex with a young woman who was 14 and intoxicated and after she had sex with one young man, a friend of his, he thought he could just slide in (excuse the pun) but not only was it rape due to age, but she was unable to consent due to her intoxicated state so he maintained his innocence until the judge explained the amount of time he was facing. Although in NYS at 17 he would be adjudicated a Youthful Offender and given a shorter sentence and he wouldn't be required to register as a Sex Offender. He ultimately took Probation on a misdemeanor because the victim and her family did not want to testify in open court about her actions on that evening - and believe me, she did everything wrong in terms of decisions but at 14, there's no way you can hold a child accountable for things she fails to foresee. Blurring the lines of fact and perception in situations like these is problematic for everyone. 12 minutes ago, stuvian said: this is also on Pro Football Talk. He was never charged so it should be disregarded IMO I get your point, but that's not necessarily true. If he was indicted, in nearly every single case he would be arrested first. The types of indictments that occur first without an arrest are extremely rare and usually held for reasons of larger good of public safety. The fact they couldn't find a police report just means due to lack of pursuit of the charges, and that it was so long ago, they were probably destroyed. 5
Max Fischer Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 That is a very well done story. Here are the facts: - Patricia was arrested and a grand jury indicted him. Yes, there is often a low bar for indictment but apparently enough evidence to warrant a trial. - The woman declined to go to court. We only know that she didn’t want to go through the process. She did NOT say “they didn’t do it” nor did the prosecutors make a case that they did. Therefore, innocent until proven guilty. - I thought the writer did a very good job explaining the awkwardness of the situation and didn’t appear to take anyone’s side. 20 minutes ago, Kwai San said: Wow.....whats interesting is the victim went to ground like she did......that speaks volumes imo. Exactly! Wait, what do you mean? She made up the entire thing and doesn’t want to talk about it. Or She he was brutally assaulted and now deeply traumatized? Or . . . 2
Sky Diver Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 Patricia gets the presumption of innocence, but Foster is a guilty thug? Interesting. 1 1
Max Fischer Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 32 minutes ago, Boyst62 said: #metoo is a thing. It is lame. But it gets people famous, including "journalists." Wow, Dude. Check your life. 13
napmaster Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 2 minutes ago, Max Fischer said: - I thought the writer did a very good job explaining the awkwardness of the situation and didn’t appear to take anyone’s side. The author took a side by writing the article in the first place. Bringing up an accusation from 20 years ago is solely intended to punish Patricia for the accusation itself. That's the current witch hunt mindset and is the horrifying direction our society is headed. 5
4merper4mer Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 1 hour ago, Mickey said: Newspapers are not in the business of covering up sexual assault charges against prominent persons. I hope Ronan Farrow wasn't reading that while eating breakfast because he might have choked on his Rice Chex. 1 1
Max Fischer Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, napmaster said: The author took a side by writing the article in the first place. Bringing up an accusation from 20 years ago is solely intended to punish Patricia for the accusation itself. That's the current witch hunt mindset and is the horrifying direction our society is headed. You clearly clearly have a strong opinion on women speaking out on alleged sexual assault. It’s not “taking sides” to report something that happened. Even you would have to admit that a woman reported an assault by three men and a grand jury thought there was enough evidence to warrant a trial. Those are facts. The reporter also explained what happened next, which I thought was fair to Patricia and the woman. Yes, he is innocent in the court of law. Yes, he very well may be entirely without fault and the woman made up the whole thing. But we also cannot assume we know anything else and mostly because the writer posed questions we may never know. 4
Teddy KGB Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 Nfl gonna step in and fire him. That writer will need to help find the next coach.
dpberr Posted May 10, 2018 Posted May 10, 2018 Why do journalists/columnists write what they write? Under immense pressure to produce content. Any content. So long...as there is content. If you need five stories a week, a two decades old case about your new head coach looks inviting. That's why you have the half baked product called journalism in the Buffalo News. You can write opinion helluva lot faster than a well-researched, well-resourced article. Those take time. 1
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