Elliotte Friedman apologizes for his coverage of the story. Says it wasn't about losing access or Sportsnet being the rights holder, but regrettable choices on prioritizing his workload.
Dave Hodge rightfully nuked the media yesterday. The disparity in coverage between organizations over the last year especially was very evident and pointed out throughout by many fans.
__________________ "I think the eye test is still good, but analytics can sure give you confirmation: what you see...is that what you really believe?" Scotty Bowman, 0 NHL games played
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Elliotte Friedman apologizes for his coverage of the story. Says it wasn't about losing access or Sportsnet being the rights holder, but regrettable choices on prioritizing his workload.
Dave Hodge rightfully nuked the media yesterday. The disparity in coverage between organizations over the last year especially was very evident and pointed out throughout by many fans.
Elliotte Friedman apologizes for his coverage of the story. Says it wasn't about losing access or Sportsnet being the rights holder, but regrettable choices on prioritizing his workload.
Seems like a pretty weak reason. Sportsnet had months to cover this story. Even if Friedman was swamped with free agency and the draft, there was significant time between the lawsuit being filed and this report coming out.
It is not like this appeared out of nowhere in the last week.
Last edited by sureLoss; 10-29-2021 at 11:34 AM.
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I thought that was a pretty honest apology from Friedman, who essentially admits he gave up chasing Westhead and others. It’s disappointing that he made the wrong choices throughout this story.
But it’s not all on him. Sportsnet needs to give him some editorial direction or put the resources into getting the story. Maybe some of the talent they let go in recent years could have helped?
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I'm not about to burn Friedman and Lebrun and everyone fully. First things first, they're not journalists. They're corporate butt kissers looking to get inside scoops on the hockey world. They know of many of the trysts going on in the sporting world but don't want to lose their standing with the insiders in the sport. It'll never change because they don't want to lose their job. Westhead seems to be a special contractor in these situations so has little to lose relationship wise. I do have a respect for Friedman again as his ego has been in check, but Lebrun, Dreger, and Marek are so full of crap all the time.
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But it’s not all on him. Sportsnet needs to give him some editorial direction or put the resources into getting the story. Maybe some of the talent they let go in recent years could have helped?
IMO the problem is that Sportsnet invested heavily on media personalities and not on investigative journalists.
Media personalities can consistently fill radio and TV air time with content but can't necessarily uncover anything more than what is given to them or what is already out there.
Investigative journalists may not always provide content but dig into important stories. The top of investigative journalists covering the NHL right now appear to be Westhead (TSN) and Strang (The Athletic).
There's a lot of blame to go around but I'm not sure how any significant portion needs to land on Friedman personally.
SportsNet as a company generally not covering the story should take a long look in the mirror... but on Friedman personally, I don't think that's completely fair to him. And if Friedman is taking blame what about every other reporter at SN or CBC or or or....
I dunno... tough to say. Seemed like TSN had the hop on it and was leading the charge with real investigative journalism.
There's a lot of blame to go around but I'm not sure how any significant portion needs to land on Friedman personally.
SportsNet as a company generally not covering the story should take a long look in the mirror... but on Friedman personally, I don't think that's completely fair to him. And if Friedman is taking blame what about every other reporter at SN or CBC or or or....
I dunno... tough to say. Seemed like TSN had the hop on it and was leading the charge with real investigative journalism.
Friedman could have done more asking but I'm betting not with any success.
During the 2011 Women’s Under-18 World Championship in Stockholm, player agent Ross Gurney says he phoned NHL Players’ Association executive director Don Fehr with a stark warning. He shared that his client, Kyle Beach, had allegedly been sexually abused by former Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich, who was working with Team USA at the tournament.
Gurney said in an interview with TSN on Wednesday that Fehr promised to forward the warning on to USA Hockey.
“My purpose in calling the PA was to get a warning to USA Hockey,” Gurney said. “That is what I was directed to do by Kyle.”
Beach was subsequently referred to Dr. Brian Shaw, a psychologist and program administrator with the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
“Dr. Shaw told me [during a phone call] he would handle it and make sure that Team USA was aware that Brad Aldrich is a sexual predator,” Beach told TSN on Wednesday. "After that one conversation, the NHLPA cut me loose. I never heard from them again.”
When contacted on Thursday, Dr. Shaw declined to discuss the subject of Beach requesting that the therapist go to USA Hockey and said, “I want to be clear about memory bias and I have feelings of wanting to be fair and supportive of Kyle. I’m not going to say anything else.”
Dr. Shaw told Jenner & Block reporter investigators that he did not have any records related to John Doe (Kyle Beach) or any recollection of meeting with him.
Neither Fehr nor Dr. Shaw contacted USA Hockey about Aldrich, said a person familiar with the matter.
USA Hockey did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Beach said that if Don Fehr and Dr. Shaw had done “what they are supposed to do, then that teenaged boy in Michigan probably does not get sexually assaulted."
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From a sport media perspective, this situation has the makings of the Weinstein lite type work.
People would know, people would discuss, somewhere along the lines something in the news would spark the conversation and somebody would say "well, did you know this and that?" It's the way it works.
All the "Insiders" in the business of sports and entertainment know specific things but they don't question if it isn't of benefit overall. End of ******* story.
The simple fact is this is a very very similar story to the Graham James story but more in the open and at higher levels.
I have no problem with people admitting a massive screw up but this passing the buck, selling this and that garbage isn't needed. The NHL fans, the general public and more don't need to be pacified to shut up.
IMO the problem is that Sportsnet invested heavily on media personalities and not on investigative journalists.
True, and TSN is fortunate to have that in Westhead. I think the closest Sportsnet had was Chris Johnston. But even having a Kypreos could have helped reduce the insider workload from Friedman so he could dig deeper into the story.
