Robin Miller
09-03-2008, 04:03 PM
Insta-Answer: Zero doubts about MT's story on the Ellis injury/Warriors
investigation
Posted by Tim Kawakami on September 1st, 2008 at 7:37 am
I don't want to get into a journalistic see-saw here, but this is a long,
hot weekend, full of intriguing headlines and lots of Monta Ellis
back-and-forth. Lots of dead time. Lots of chatter.
So.
A few days ago, the CCT's Marcus Thompson II wrote that Warriors sources
told him that there is skepticism within the franchise about the cause of
Ellis' serious ankle injury and that the Warriors are investigating.
MT-2 added that the team has sent athletic trainer Tom Abdenour to
Mississippi check out Ellis' story.
(MT-2 is a friend of mine. No question.)
Yesterday, Vic Tafur of the Chronicle wrote that Abdenour is in South Africa
and has been for days, so he couldn't be in Mississippi-which some have
taken as an absolute knock out of the Ellis-investigation story. (Vic's a
friend of mine, too.)
Easy conclusion for me: I believed MT-2 the moment I read the story, I
believed him when I read Tafur's story (and I believe Tafur's point) and I
believe MT-2 now.
Anyway, that's a grand lead up to this installment of the Insta-Machine. I
got a few comments like this one.
-Golden Buddha wrote: I think I know what you can do in case Marcus dropped
the ball on your head. Get up around 2AM this morning, and put about 8-10
new talking points on the blog. Just babble about anything, no one will
notice the difference because you often do that..Anyway, that should at
least push the Monta investigation story a ways off the front page of the
web page and your blog.
--My response to GB's response: Here's how I'll respond to any suggestion
that I hide my reference to and support of MT-2's story-LET'S PUT UP ANOTHER
REFERENCE TO IT. (It's 7:30 a.m., not 2 a.m., but oh well, same idea.)
He doesn't need it, but I've got Marcus' back on this or any other good
story he breaks-because Marcus talks to people, he knows this team, he knows
what's a big deal and what isn't, and he doesn't make things up just to get
a headline.
Team skepticism about Ellis' injury is a very big deal. MT-2 wouldn't write
about it unless he knew-and he probably knows a lot more than he has so far
written.
I linked to the story at first, I wrote about my thoughts and I've got his
back now. PERIOD.
Let's quickly go through the main issues:
-Marcus wrote: The Warriors are dubious about Ellis' explanation that he
hurt his ankle playing basketball in Mississippi.
This is UNDISPUTED, so far, by official sources and was not addressed in the
Chron story.
-Marcus wrote: Abdenour has been dispatched to check out Ellis' story.
Tafur wrote that Abdenour has been and is in Africa. Which I totally
believe. Note: That in no way proves that there is/was no investigation.
That doesn't even mean that Abdenour himself is either headed to Mississippi
or was there before going to Africa.
In fact, when you start hearing details that seem like they're disproving a
big story, but DON'T REALLY DISPROVE ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT. that's a pretty
good sign that the original story is very true and some other sources, for
their own purposes, are trying like the dickens to throw mud on it.
There are doubts about Ellis' explanation, I'm sure. This is a live issue.
Emotions are frayed.
True stories get reactions like that. Because they're true.
investigation
Posted by Tim Kawakami on September 1st, 2008 at 7:37 am
I don't want to get into a journalistic see-saw here, but this is a long,
hot weekend, full of intriguing headlines and lots of Monta Ellis
back-and-forth. Lots of dead time. Lots of chatter.
So.
A few days ago, the CCT's Marcus Thompson II wrote that Warriors sources
told him that there is skepticism within the franchise about the cause of
Ellis' serious ankle injury and that the Warriors are investigating.
MT-2 added that the team has sent athletic trainer Tom Abdenour to
Mississippi check out Ellis' story.
(MT-2 is a friend of mine. No question.)
Yesterday, Vic Tafur of the Chronicle wrote that Abdenour is in South Africa
and has been for days, so he couldn't be in Mississippi-which some have
taken as an absolute knock out of the Ellis-investigation story. (Vic's a
friend of mine, too.)
Easy conclusion for me: I believed MT-2 the moment I read the story, I
believed him when I read Tafur's story (and I believe Tafur's point) and I
believe MT-2 now.
Anyway, that's a grand lead up to this installment of the Insta-Machine. I
got a few comments like this one.
-Golden Buddha wrote: I think I know what you can do in case Marcus dropped
the ball on your head. Get up around 2AM this morning, and put about 8-10
new talking points on the blog. Just babble about anything, no one will
notice the difference because you often do that..Anyway, that should at
least push the Monta investigation story a ways off the front page of the
web page and your blog.
--My response to GB's response: Here's how I'll respond to any suggestion
that I hide my reference to and support of MT-2's story-LET'S PUT UP ANOTHER
REFERENCE TO IT. (It's 7:30 a.m., not 2 a.m., but oh well, same idea.)
He doesn't need it, but I've got Marcus' back on this or any other good
story he breaks-because Marcus talks to people, he knows this team, he knows
what's a big deal and what isn't, and he doesn't make things up just to get
a headline.
Team skepticism about Ellis' injury is a very big deal. MT-2 wouldn't write
about it unless he knew-and he probably knows a lot more than he has so far
written.
I linked to the story at first, I wrote about my thoughts and I've got his
back now. PERIOD.
Let's quickly go through the main issues:
-Marcus wrote: The Warriors are dubious about Ellis' explanation that he
hurt his ankle playing basketball in Mississippi.
This is UNDISPUTED, so far, by official sources and was not addressed in the
Chron story.
-Marcus wrote: Abdenour has been dispatched to check out Ellis' story.
Tafur wrote that Abdenour has been and is in Africa. Which I totally
believe. Note: That in no way proves that there is/was no investigation.
That doesn't even mean that Abdenour himself is either headed to Mississippi
or was there before going to Africa.
In fact, when you start hearing details that seem like they're disproving a
big story, but DON'T REALLY DISPROVE ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT. that's a pretty
good sign that the original story is very true and some other sources, for
their own purposes, are trying like the dickens to throw mud on it.
There are doubts about Ellis' explanation, I'm sure. This is a live issue.
Emotions are frayed.
True stories get reactions like that. Because they're true.