Mark Sanchez and a 17-year old girl?

Maybe I read the Deadspin story incorrectly, but I got the impression the young lady sent Deadspin pictures she took with her phone from Sanchez's bedroom, allegedly.

If that's the case, it pretty much negates the 'hurtful to a young girl' argument, if she was looking for the publicity, or made the story readily available to anyone who wanted to hear it.

Which underscores my earlier point: When you're an NFL quarterback (or any kind of celebrity), you're a dolt if you're with women who have no interest in being discreet, or at the very least, reasonably classy, regardless of their age.

 

I say this with a nod to the many threads we've had about the difference between seasoned journalists and the countless I-have-a-computer-so-I-can-write bloggers: That's the kind of perspective you're not going to find on some 25-year-old's fanboy page. Good work, 21.

 

Disappointed this took until page 2 to surface.

Even more disappointed if this isn't a NY Post headline for the story.

 

That's really low, not to mention totally uncalled for.

 

He wasn't 24 when this took place. He was younger than I and a majority of people when they graduate.

 

Who has already once been in trouble for sexual misconduct.

 

Hey, if she's old enough to set the table, she's old enough......

I mean, if she's old enough to bleed.........

 

OK, agreed that it at least significantly lessens that argument. I still wouldn't say it negates it. She sent pictures of Sanchez's bedroom -- not of them fooling around -- according to a story in the Daily News. So, yes, she was looking for publicity initially. But maybe then she realized the shit storm that would rain down on here -- it's already started on the DN comments with someone calling her a bimbo, etc. -- and said, hey, can we not do this?

She's 17. Sure, he can run this story. But again, what's the point? This isn't about Sanchez to me. He's not the one I think deserves some protection -- other than the fact the facts aren't that rock solid just yet. Agreed there too that he gets what he gets. Though, still ... he did nothing technically wrong here.

So really the only way this is a proper story angle is if you're saying he was irresponsible with someone too young to handle it and it reflects on his judgment ... which means by running a story like this that doesn't have a seriously newsworthy NEED to run, you're guilty of the very same thing. It's as hypocritical as it is irresponsible. Sanchez isn't the only one taking advantage of this girl if the story runs.

Put it this way, 21. Would you run a story if the girl sent you the pics? I mean, OK, we need to see if there's something else here. But, as is, with pics of his bedroom simply showing she was there and implying they slept together? Maybe you would, but my gut says you would not. I don't believe I would. I would check it out, of course. Make sure he did nothing illegal or anything else. I might even tell her to keep me posted if something else happened. But I think I might also be a human being first, a reporter second. (Well, OK, I still don't see how there's enough here for a story as a reporter, but that's a whole other thing ...)

But I did that once when I was covering high schools back in the day. A star pitcher -- all-area or whatever -- for the softball team in a small town had gotten along well with me. She was emotional one day and started crying and trusted me enough to tell me she had been molested when she was younger. I believe she was 17 too.

Now I could have justified this any one of a million ways -- she was a prominent player in a small town; this could affect her game, etc. That wasn't the choice I made. I don't think it's the type of choice most journalists make. Did I see a potential story? Of course I did. I asked her after she had calmed down at a point that made sense -- and extremely delicately -- if she would be interested in sharing her story. Told her if she ever wanted to, that I was there. She declined.

Is this situation completely comparable? No. But the girls were the same age. They both shared something with a media member they later maybe wished they hadn't. But, to me it was kind of like that scene at the end of American Beauty, after Kevin Spacey has been lusting after the high school girl so long ... he finally saw past himself and just saw a confused kid.

What the hell does Daulerio see in these kind of situations?

 

Clicks. Money.

 

Not saying he's right, or anything, but it sounds like she initiated the story, right?

"She reached out to us first and agreed to cooperate. Then she didn't. Then she did again. Now, of course, her lawyer has contacted us."

 

I don't know how Deadspin ownership is set up, but Daulerio has definitely not been able to cash in the way people who run similar sites have.

 

Very true. But when he leaves, he'll get a huge offer from someone to run a site, or sites. How many other bloggers get a feature in GQ? He could write a helluva book on sports media too.