The Boston Herald has apologized for its article saying the New England Patriots videotaped the St. Louis Rams' final walk-through practice before the 2002 Super Bowl. The apology reads in full: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.
Previously on FanHouse:
Boston Herald Owes Its Readers an Explanation on Patriots Spygate Story
Will Patriots Owner Bob Kraft Sue the Boston Herald Over Spygate Story?
Chris Mortensen: ESPN Had Rams' Walk-Through Story, It Didn't Meet Our Standards
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Typical Use total BS at the moment to sell a ton of papers and then use the apology to sell some more.
Posted at 6:28AM on May 14th 2008 by depotrat
2. Where has the integrity gone..and through whom and what will it return. The Herald's statement is so much crapola. This puts them right up there with ESPN, Myles Brand and the NCAA, to say nothing of our presidential candidates.
Posted at 6:57AM on May 14th 2008 by bob cary
3. The Pats played as though they were sleepwalking in the SB. I thought, even before the game, that those allegations, along with Specter's grandstanding, just a cpl of days before the big game, broke their backs. Even a team as focussed as that one could not stand the constant pressure and hand-wringing.
THe Herald's apology is just as baseless as the original story. ONE person did not write that story; it had to be cleared by editors, and probably the lawyers, too. And it's entirely possible that they cost the team the SB. As a fan, I don't accept their apology.
Another season. Let's focus on the games, and not the sideshow, this time.
Posted at 8:13AM on May 14th 2008 by joe wallace
4. Didn't the PATS have to pay a fine for this, something that never took place to begin with??
Posted at 8:51AM on May 14th 2008 by QuitcherBitchen
5. WHO CARES?!?!?!?!?!?!? THE WHOLE THING IS DONE. WHO CARES WHOSE SORRY. I DON'T
Posted at 11:23AM on May 14th 2008 by Bill
6. This is a perfect example of totally irresponsible journalism running amock ! IT DID completely bring down MY Patriots as they were on the verge of an Histroic moment ! The boys figured , why ? AFTER ALL WE HAVE DONE , WHY ? What do we have to do to prove we deserve respect ! Even if we win this , They will take it away ! They will say we cheated !
They all said " _ _ _ _ IT ! Lets go get this over with " , and went out and played lifeless ! Thanks Herald ! You will always be the a loser to the best paper on Earth - The Boston Globe !
JTweedie , B.H. Maine
Posted at 11:48AM on May 14th 2008 by james tweedie
7. I think Tony Dungy needs to visit the Boston Herald.
Posted at 7:59PM on May 14th 2008 by Tyhesha
8. Yeah, way to go Boston Herald - cover up the immoral Bellichek ans regain popularity with your biased fan base. Godell's name is trash around the nation and your team has zero credible super bosl titles. Face the facts, you had to cheat to win and covering up the truth for the big money NFL and an immoral character is disgraceful.
Suspend the "hood" players but let the white collar criminal off easy. Hope your 8th pick in the draft busts - or at least blows a knee. It's a joke that you got one and the coach didn't get suspended.
Posted at 2:23AM on May 15th 2008 by NFL Maverick