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New Jersey – Some of the reporting on a potential trade of Darrelle Revis are tantamount to declaring winners in elections before all the votes have been counted.
I just don’t know about the veracity of the CBSSports.com report on Darrelle Revis.
I’m not talking about the Jason La Canfora report on Showtime that the Jets are willing to trade him.
I’m talking about a column from their website.
I’m not questioning the fact that a trade is a possibility, but the amount of detail in that story seemed to be way premature.
“Several team sources are claiming the Jets want a first- and second-round pick for Revis,” wrote a columnist on CBSSports.com
First of all, I HATE when reporters say or write, “several” sources.
I don’t like it and neither should you.
What kind of reporting is that?
Put a number on it? Was it three, four, five sources? I just don’t understand why editors allow their reporters to do this?
Freedictionary.com defines “several” as, “Being of a number more than two or three but not many.”
So you are going to tell me that this reporter got four or more team sources to tell him that the Jets want a first and second round pick for him?
I’m sorry, I have a hard time buying that.
As reporters we have a hard enough time coming up with one or two sources. He got four or more to tell him something like that?
And then the columnist listed teams that are interested.
“Sources say one of the teams highly interested is the New England Patriots, but not even the Jets, who have made some screwy decisions over the years, would trade Revis to the division-rival Patriots and, in the process, hand them a Super Bowl.
“Other teams highly interested, I’m told, are Denver, San Francisco, Buffalo (not happening — division rival), and even Seattle, which already has some of the best defensive backs in the game. One team also constantly mentioned by league sources is Green Bay, though the Packers, possessors of one of the best front offices in all of sports, usually don’t give up high-round picks.”
I’m sorry, I’m not buying the veracity of this list, either.
New England doesn’t tip their hand to people? If anybody leaks anything out of that building, they are going to be working somewhere else. Leaks out of there are almost unheard of.
And plus, do you really think they want it known they are interested in a player on the roster of their hated-rival the Jets. Considering all the disputes these two teams have had to have settled by the commissioner, do you think they want to deal with a tampering charge?
I just don’t see how anybody would know what the Patriots are “highly interested” in.
To list all these teams – Denver, San Francisco, Buffalo, Seattle, Green Bay, and to say, “I’m told” they are interested – c’mon.
Everyone is running around quoting this story. I’m sorry – this story leaves me uneasy.
It seems way premature.
Look, I’m not Edward R. Murrow, but I’ve been around long enough to know when a story just doesn’t pass the smell test.
Hey, I do think the Jets would consider trading Revis if they are blown away with an offer.
And I do think Woody Johnson is tired of Neil Schwartz’s act, and getting dragged through the mud via media leaks, over and over.
But as Rex Ryan said the other day, “John (Idzik) just got in the building.”
And as Johnson said to Manish Mehta when pressed on a certain issue on Thursday, “How many hours has John been in the building?”
John Idzik has final say on all personnel decisions. He started his new job two days ago.
So I think the reporting in his story is putting the cart before the horse.
And I’m just not comfortable with the level of detail provided in this story at this early stage.
Caveat emptor on this story as far as I’m concerned.
That is Latin for “let the buyer beware.”
January 26, 2013
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