Boston Herald pulls Ron Borges column on Tom Brady

[Steak Snabler]

Apparently, a WEEI listener texted Borges, posing as Brady's agent, saying Brady would hold out of off-season work if Brady didn't get a Garoppolo-like deal:

Boston Herald looking into hoax, pulls Ron Borges column

 

[Rhody31]

With plagiarism already on his resume, he should be fired. Knowing the Herald's history with its Patriots' writers going ahead with fake stories, he'll probably get a title change and a raise.
I think some in the old guard are going to say "it's not his fault, how's he supposed to know it wasn't Yee's number." The answer is pretty simple - you make 100 percent sure it's him, especially if it's out of the blue. Call his agency and confirm. Find someone who might have his number and confirm it. Or just assume a guy texting you from a 401 area code when Yee is based out of LA isn't actually him. Being "catfished" or "pranked" isn't a good reason to get this wrong.
Worst part is Borges' story says "sources" and I think it's safe to say someone told him he needed another one and he lied and said he had one.

 

[JimmyHoward33]

You definitely want to have a short phone conversation with your source on something like this. "New number who dis" is not enough.

I thought they story was still plausible and the radio thing could've been BS but if the Herald yanked it then I guess not

 

[CD Boogie]

With plagiarism already on his resume, he should be fired. Knowing the Herald's history with its Patriots' writers going ahead with fake stories, he'll probably get a title change and a raise.
I think some in the old guard are going to say "it's not his fault, how's he supposed to know it wasn't Yee's number." The answer is pretty simple - you make 100 percent sure it's him, especially if it's out of the blue. Call his agency and confirm. Find someone who might have his number and confirm it. Or just assume a guy texting you from a 401 area code when Yee is based out of LA isn't actually him. Being "catfished" or "pranked" isn't a good reason to get this wrong.
Worst part is Borges' story says "sources" and I think it's safe to say someone told him he needed another one and he lied and said he had one.

That is some seriously shoddy journalism. Yeah, if he's citing "sources" and it's only a single text from an unknown contact...he comes off as gullible and deceitful, a toxic mix for a journalist. Wouldn't be surprised if he gets ****canned for this.

 

[Rhody31]

You definitely want to have a short phone conversation with your source on something like this. "New number who dis" is not enough.

I thought they story was still plausible and the radio thing could've been BS but if the Herald yanked it then I guess not

Allegedly he did. The texted talked to the hosts this morning and said Borges called. Told him "I only have like three seconds, make it quick." And asked if what he texted was true. He said yes and hung up.
So Kirk and Callahan played audio of Don Yee's voice. Dude who pranked Borges is from Rhode Island, so to say there was a slight difference in how their voices sounded would be an understatement.

 

[Double Down]

"Ron, it's me, Don Yee, texting from my burner account. This story is too big! The Krafts may be onto me. Can't text from my regular number!"

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Borges didn't have Yee's real phone number? Didn't think to check with beat writers who would have for sure? Hardly best practices.

 

[Rhody31]

Borges didn't have Yee's real phone number? Didn't think to check with beat writers who would have for sure? Hardly best practices.

Borges loves to talk about Belichick's ego getting in the way. This is a perfect example of his ego getting in the way. He couldn't contact someone to have the number because that would mean he wasn't important enough to have it.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Borges loves to talk about Belichick's ego getting in the way. This is a perfect example of his ego getting in the way. He couldn't contact someone to have the number because that would mean he wasn't important enough to have it.

Here's a case where my bad memory and sloth would have served me well as a columnist. I was always calling the beat guys about stuff I probably should have known.

 

[Rhody31]

Here comes Ed Werder blaming someone other than the person who made the mistake. What a joke.

 

[JimmyHoward33]

Borges screwed up but its also extremely low to do that to someone. No mutual exclusivity on scum here

 

[CD Boogie]

Borges screwed up but its also extremely low to do that to someone. No mutual exclusivity on scum here

co-signed Mante Teo

 

[LanceyHoward]

Borges screwed up but its also extremely low to do that to someone. No mutual exclusivity on scum here

I also think that the talk show hosts, Kirk and Callahan, are scum to give this prankster time on the show. Giving people like that attention only encourages more such behavior. Which is not an attempt to defend Borges.

 

[JC]

Ed Werder is hitting twitter hard defending Borges.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Younger me would have probably been outraged at Borges' work.
Older me - the guy with family and financial obligations - is not happy a douchbag like "Nick in Boston" gets to torpedo this guy's career. I'm with Ed Werder.
Yeah Borges could have and should have done more, but damn ...

If I am Borges, and I lose my job over this... I'll swim the River Styx uphill to find "Nick in Boston" and make his life a living hell for decades.

 

[JC]

Younger me would have probably been outraged at Borges' work.
Older me - the guy with family and financial obligations - is not happy a douchbag like "Nick in Boston" gets to torpedo this guy's career. I'm with Ed Werder.
Yeah Borges could have and should have done more, but damn ...

If I am Borges, and I lose my job over this... I'll swim the River Styx uphill to find "Nick in Boston" and make his life a living hell for decades.

Don’t do ****ty work and you won’t be fired.

As journalists, shouldn’t you guys be pissed off that this one time plagiarist does not vet his sources?

Makes you wonder how his other stories from sources hold up.

Isn’t this the supposed difference between bloggers and the “real” media?

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

I don't want to pile on Borges. He's in big trouble.

Agents' numbers are easy to check

You can be critical of his work, and still think the guy who did it is a terrible person. Not mutually exclusive.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

Rawn Bawges is nawt a fan of the Patriots but this is about prawpa ethics in jahnalism!

 

[Rhody31]

Younger me would have probably been outraged at Borges' work.
Older me - the guy with family and financial obligations - is not happy a douchbag like "Nick in Boston" gets to torpedo this guy's career. I'm with Ed Werder.
Yeah Borges could have and should have done more, but damn ...

If I am Borges, and I lose my job over this... I'll swim the River Styx uphill to find "Nick in Boston" and make his life a living hell for decades.

Douchebag Nick - and I'd agree with the assessment because I don't know what kind of person gets jollies doing this - doesn't deserve an ounce of blame. He didn't make Borges write the piece.
Think about it this way - you get an email from [email protected] saying hi. You've never emailed him before, so what's your next step? Casual conversation? See if you can get any info? All of a sudden you get an email from the same address and it says "I'm quitting this weekend, you can go with it."
At any point do you stop to think that this is probably a hoax? Because any journalist with half a clue would.
Borges' mistakes
-Believing Don Yee, who's never texted him previously, sent him a text out of the blue
-Believing Don Yee's cell number with has a 401 area code when he's based on Los Angeles
-Doesn't check with one of his beat writers or any of his other connections to see if the number is real
-Calls, talks to "Don Yee" and doesn't find it strange that the soft-spoken agent has a decidedly Northeastern accent.
-Writes the column, claims "sources," which we know he made up because the tip came from a person who wasn't who he said he was.
-Sends it to his bosses not knowing for sure if he actually talked to Don Yee, knowing that's the only source, but it's a juicy topic

 

[JimmyHoward33]

I also think that the talk show hosts, Kirk and Callahan, are scum to give this prankster time on the show. Giving people like that attention only encourages more such behavior. Which is not an attempt to defend Borges.

Same show Brady was mad at 2 weeks ago. Is he miffed their prankster chose his name to sully with a false story or is this all off his radar I wonder