As taken from The Boston Herald today:
On Feb. 2, 2008, the Boston Herald reported that a member of the New England Patriots video staff taped the St. Louis Rams’ walkthrough on the day before Super Bowl XXXVI. While the Boston Herald based its Feb. 2, 2008, report on sources that it believed to be credible, we now know that this report was false, and that no tape of the walkthrough ever existed.
Prior to the publication of its Feb. 2, 2008, article, the Boston Herald neither possessed nor viewed a tape of the Rams’ walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI, nor did we speak to anyone who had. We should not have published the allegation in the absence of firmer verification.
The Boston Herald regrets the damage done to the team by publication of the allegation, and sincerely apologizes to its readers and to the New England Patriots owners, players, employees and fans for our error.
Frankly, I'm surprised that the Herald admitted their mistake. Usually the company line is to stand by the reporter and his/her report. But by the paper accepting blame for printing the story without sufficient proof is basically wiping their hands clean of the reporter and his shoddy research.
Granted it's not much of an apology because it doesn't explain much, but I do respect the fact they did say "We wuz wrong."
So where does the paper go from here? How about Herald reporter John Tomase writing a public apology to the Patriots and the fans for his report? He had the judgement to decide whether he had enough proof to confirm the rumor he was chasing. Either you know for sure and you go forward, it's not enough so kill it, or save it for later when you can the facts and can prove your story.
Instead he covered NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's press conference without any mention of his error.
That's not right. After an accusation like that, it's not business as usual. He should own up to his irrisponsibility to the readers and Patriots and do it soon. He already lost most of his credibility with his erroneous story. He'll lose what's left if he doesn't take responsibility and explain how this happend.
Keywords: John Tomase, New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl XXXVI, The Boston Herald
