Who is Patrick Moran? Supposedly major news.

[Just in Atlanta]

I would be disappointed if Shawne didn't sue that little peckerhead for libel.

 

PTR

Would get more attention that it deserves. So far, it's barely national. Further, for a public figure to sue for libel, he'd have to prove malicious intent. Thankfully, this story will likely be swept under the rug in a couple days.

[NoSaint]

There is no amount of one off traffic that could be sent to his site that would be any more meaningful than a 32 oz Colt 45 and a paper bag.

 

That's why I'm still on the fence for what to think - as far as who has incentive to lie... It's merriman. But Moran definitely has a burden of proof to reach here. We will see.

 

 

Moran would lose his career in exchange for a week of traffic? Seems spotty in theory.

[Erik]

i'm here.

 

jw

 

So JW, are you upset that the source gave the story to Moran and not you?

[NoSaint]

Would get more attention that it deserves. So far, it's barely national. Further, for a public figure to sue for libel, he'd have to prove malicious intent. Thankfully, this story will likely be swept under the rug in a couple days.

 

He'd also have to prove it untrue- ie put the officers on the stand. The knife could cut either way on this one.

[EndZoneCrew]

There is no amount of one off traffic that could be sent to his site that would be any more meaningful than a 32 oz Colt 45 and a paper bag.

 

translation?

[Doc]

That's why I'm still on the fence for what to think - as far as who has incentive to lie... It's merriman. But Moran definitely has a burden of proof to reach here. We will see.

 

 

Moran would lose his career in exchange for a week of traffic? Seems spotty in theory.

Maybe not lying, but in the haste to become an "insider" and break a story, he relied on bad information in an attempt to get it out there first. But having just 1 source (and admitting to it) is bad , sd id the fact that the story has been out there for 3 weeks and no one else cared enough to pick up on it.

[Reed83HOF]

There is no amount of one off traffic that could be sent to his site that would be any more meaningful than a 32 oz Colt 45 and a paper bag.

 

In any event I think the Peter Pan guy got more hits on his site today than Pat Moron

[NoSaint]

So JW, are you upset that the source gave the story to Moran and not you?

 

The actual stop hit blogs weeks ago. It's a matter of no one having an officer on record or written record (IF it is even true). This hasn't been secret, pats just the first "reporter" to put his name on record.

[buffaloaggie]

There is no amount of one off traffic that could be sent to his site that would be any more meaningful than a 32 oz Colt 45 and a paper bag.

Figured you, if anyone, would know that.

[NoSaint]

Maybe not lying, but in the haste to become an "insider" and break a story, he relied on bad information in an attempt to get it out there first. But having just 1 source (and admitting to it) is bad , sd id the fact that the story has been out there for 3 weeks and no one else cared enough to pick up on it.

 

Still would be bad sourcing but what if it's good info? Why do you assume someone gave him junk?

 

Also, without an officer on record (isn't going to happen) or a written report on the stop (may not exist, or be accessible) no major is going to cover it. Not being able to prove it and not being true aren't the same

[Just in Atlanta]

A few things on this story.

 

As a former journalist, I believe Moran that a source said what he said he said. But Moran should have asked the Bills or Merriman for comment. If they refused, or said no comment, that should have been in the story. Poor journalism, even for a blog site.

 

He was sitting on this story for two weeks, and that silly blurb was all he had? There's a reason the mainstream media didn't run with anything. There is nothing there, yet at least.

 

Merriman can't and shouldn't sue for libel, as many people are calling for. From a PR perspective, it would draw more attention than it deserves. From a legal one, it wouldn't last one minute. Merriman is a public figure and the barriers for libel are high--malicious intent for one.

 

This Moran guy simply got overzealous, overestimated the value of the intel he had, and did sloppy reporting. He's obviously a blogger, not a journalist...no disrespect to bloggers, but they have lower standards.

 

Unless there's more to this story than is being reported, I feel sorry for this guy. Don't worry, though, Merriman's reputation will be fine...assuming the story doesn't have legs. Roethlisberger f-d a nearly passed out college girl in a public bathroom, Vick tortured dogs, and those guys are doing fine.

[Erik]

http://www.spotrac.com/blog/?tag=canadian-border

 

Starting to break.

 

 

 

We have a winner.

 

So this guy said in response to NoSaint saying unless the substance was banned by the NFL but legal in the United States. So does US Customs have a list of the substances banned by the NFL to check against on the off chance that an NFL player comes through the border? Of course not. Most plausible scenario without someone flat-out making up/exaggerating a story is that someone on the border that night took note of one of the substances that he had and checked it against the NFL banned list after the fact and saw it on there.

[NoSaint]

A few things on this story.

 

As a former journalist, I believe Moran that a source said what he said he said. But Moran should have asked the Bills or Merriman for comment. If they refused, or said no comment, that should have been in the story. Poor journalism, even for a blog site.

 

He was sitting on this story for two weeks, and that silly blurb was all he had? There's a reason the mainstream media didn't run with anything. There is nothing there, yet at least.

 

Merriman can't and shouldn't sue for libel, as many people are calling for. From a PR perspective, it would draw more attention than it deserves. From a legal one, it wouldn't last one minute. Merriman is a public figure and the barriers for libel are high--malicious intent for one.

 

This Moran guy simply got overzealous, overestimated the value of the intel he had, and did sloppy reporting. He's obviously a blogger, not a journalist...no disrespect to bloggers, but they have lower standards.

 

Unless there's more to this story than is being reported, I feel sorry for this guy. Don't worry, though, Merriman's reputation will be fine...assuming the story doesn't have legs. Roethlisberger f-d a nearly passed out college girl in a public bathroom, Vick tortured dogs, and those guys are doing fine.

 

Agreed it was sloppy and strange execution on his part. With weeks to plan the release that's what he put together? It seemed like something made him suddenly rush it out before he planned on doing.

[Just in Atlanta]

A few things on this story.

 

As a former journalist, I believe Moran that a source said what he said he said. But Moran should have asked the Bills or Merriman for comment. If they refused, or said no comment, that should have been in the story. Poor journalism, even for a blog site.

 

He was sitting on this story for two weeks, and that silly blurb was all he had? There's a reason the mainstream media didn't run with anything. There is nothing there, yet at least.

 

Merriman can't and shouldn't sue for libel, as many people are calling for. From a PR perspective, it would draw more attention than it deserves. From a legal one, it wouldn't last one minute. Merriman is a public figure and the barriers for libel are high--malicious intent for one.

 

This Moran guy simply got overzealous, overestimated the value of the intel he had, and did sloppy reporting. He's obviously a blogger, not a journalist...no disrespect to bloggers, but they have lower standards.

 

Unless there's more to this story than is being reported, I feel sorry for this guy. Don't worry, though, Merriman's reputation will be fine...assuming the story doesn't have legs. Roethlisberger f-d a nearly passed out college girl in a public bathroom, Vick tortured dogs, and those guys are doing fine.

Well, strike the Vick thing...he spent nearly two years in the hoosegow. You get my point, though.

[NoSaint]

So this guy said in response to NoSaint saying unless the substance was banned by the NFL but legal in the United States. So does US Customs have a list of the substances banned by the NFL to check against on the off chance that an NFL player comes through the border? Of course not. Most plausible scenario without someone flat-out making up/exaggerating a story is that someone on the border that night took note of one of the substances that he had and checked it against the NFL banned list after the fact and saw it on there.

 

Clearly they wouldn't check the NFL list for infractions on the spot and that would be done later and recreationally. "hey guess what man - I stopped SM and he had these random vials of ...... Hey do you think that's against the rules?" that or it's something patently obvious.

 

Again, all this is IF true

[Just in Atlanta]

Agreed it was sloppy and strange execution on his part. With weeks to plan the release that's what he put together? It seemed like something made him suddenly rush it out before he planned on doing.

Weird, huh? I'm kinda obsessed with this story. Curious to see what Moran's next move is.

[NoSaint]

Weird, huh? I'm kinda obsessed with this story. Curious to see what Moran's next move is.

 

The fact that the article looked like it was put together in 5 mins, and he was tweeting he had to check with legal to release the name... You'd think he'd have the story written a week ago, well polished, and legal in the process start to finish. It's like he saw the thread and panicked to get it out or something.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Just because we don't know his sourcing doesn't mean he just made it up. Even if it's questionable sourcing, it doesn't make it patently false.

 

Without written records or an officer going on record it's simply left as possible. Now we are in a hazy spot where it's just he said she said.

 

I agree with your takes throughout this thread.

 

I disagree with several things being said by others in this thread.

 

Many here are treating this story as if it's an open and shut case.

 

Trajectory-wise, I would think that this story is just starting.

[Doc]

Still would be bad sourcing but what if it's good info? Why do you assume someone gave him junk?

 

Also, without an officer on record (isn't going to happen) or a written report on the stop (may not exist, or be accessible) no major is going to cover it. Not being able to prove it and not being true aren't the same

If you can't prove it, what good is reporting it? As I've said before, people are in such a hurry to make a name for themselves by breaking news, that they are less concerned with getting it right.

 

And there's a reason most reporters don't admit "a single source told me..." It's because a single source, in the absence of any other sources, can he highly unreliable. If multiple people tell you the same thing, it's more likely to be true.

[SDS]

The fact that the article looked like it was put together in 5 mins, and he was tweeting he had to check with legal to release the name... You'd think he'd have the story written a week ago, well polished, and legal in the process start to finish. It's like he saw the thread and panicked to get it out or something.

 

haha, so BSD has a legal dept now?