nfreeman

Interesting. So the implication is that the Sabres have had discussions on a 7- or 8-year extension with OP. Since Sanderson got a bit over $8MM per year, it seems pretty likely that OP would expect at least $8MM per year as well.

Seth Appert said yesterday on WGR that Komarov is injured (lower body, not a major injury) and will miss the tournament. Bummer.

OK. I was simply making the point that the smear wasn't solely the law firm's doing. More broadly, I've said multiple times in this thread in the last day or 2, including to you directly, that we don't know the facts here, that TP should sue IF he didn't say it and IF further factual inquiry indicates that Trotter was acting recklessly, etc. If you want to ignore those clearly stated predicates in reaching a conclusion about my views, you're of course free to do so.

What does this mean?

What? While I agree that TP also has a beef against the unnamed person who allegedly told the story at the zoom meeting -- which itself is far from a "fact" -- Trotter is the one who, in the effort to squeeze the NFL, has published the smear, which includes numerous statements referring to "what Mr. Pegula had said given that it was so highly offensive and racist", "Mr. Pegula's discriminatory remarks", etc. My point all along -- which I think you understand -- has been that IF TP didn't say it, he's plenty justified in suing Trotter. I have no idea why you think TP is "certainly not suing Trotter."

I completely agree about this law firm. I also think though that ultimately the decision to smear TP like this is Trotter’s, and he’s accountable for doing so.

That's the primary issue of the lawsuit, sure -- but the pursuit of that objective doesn't make it OK for Trotter to recklessly smear TP or anyone else with a major character assassination YMMV, of course.

I was using your phrasing. Either way, my suspicion wouldn’t ripen into, say, belief (which appears to be what you’re driving at) without more facts — e.g. I’d like to know whether Trotter did any work to confirm the story he allegedly heard before making the accusation.

Well, I didn’t post it to say “this matter has now been conclusively determined” — I posted it because I thought it was relevant info. At this point, on one hand, we have an accusation of a racist comment 5ish years ago, made by someone who didn’t hear it, but who claims to have been told about it 3 years ago by an unidentified person at a meeting with about 40 others in attendance — none of whom have said anything publicly about it. And on the other hand, we have a forceful, on-the-record denial by the person who allegedly made the comment, plus a report that the NFL interviewed everyone who was there the night of the alleged comment and they all denied hearing it. Is that enough to say we absolutely know what happened? Of course not. But I would not believe this type of accusation about anyone without quite a bit more to support it than what we have here As one of the frothers, my suspicion is that the accusation was made recklessly, not maliciously — and IMHO if you smear someone with a serious accusation like this recklessly, you deserve to get sued.

Well, the statement was allegedly made sometime in 2018 and the complaint with the NFL was filed, and the investigation made, after the September 2020 zoom call. Also, it looks like Trotter is the one who complained to the NFL about this -- not the unnamed person who allegedly heard TP say this. So when the unnamed person told the story on the zoom call, anywhere from 1.75 to 2.75 years had elapsed since the dinner. A lot can happen to memories, and stories, and agendas, in that length of time. And certainly an exaggerated or misremembered story can be repeated and further spun or distorted by someone who hears it and is PO'd by it. Speaking only for myself, I'd like to know whether TP said this.

From The Buffalo News today:

First bolded — I don’t agree that it’s not advisable for someone who believes himself falsely accused of terrible conduct to react with outrage. Frankly in this context I think the statement is fairly measured. 2nd bolded — how so? I assume you saw the words “if he didn’t say it” in my post?

I'm sure Trotter's group can do so, since they know who it is. The fact that they chose not to do so could mean plenty of different things -- e.g. that they were trying to protect someone credible and respected from a poopstorm, or alternatively that upon questioning, that person's lack of credibility would be immediately apparent, or a bunch of other possibilities. Perhaps you missed my response to you in which I commended your clarification on "NFL Media" and pointed out that plenty of sports media people -- like Trotter -- have gone back and forth between independent media sources and "in-house" -- and noted that in the 3 years since the alleged zoom meeting occurred, plenty of the 40 NFL Media people who allegedly attended the zoom meeting may have gone independent. As for what may have been made up -- it's quite possible that something was repeated, exaggerated, mis-attributed, etc. -- and then spun into a baseless accusation of terrible conduct in a lawsuit. It wouldn't be the first time. I agree with your breakdown of "The statement attributed to me in Mr. Trotter's complaint is absolutely false" -- but I would be shocked if the intended meaning was anything other than "I didn't say it." I don't agree with your criticism of the rest of the statement. People are allowed to be outraged, shocked, horrified, disgusted etc. at being falsely accused of terrible conduct. This is why, if he didn't say it, I think TP should sue Trotter for every dime he has -- even if it doesn't survive a motion to dismiss, he should make Trotter bleed legal fees for smearing him like this.

I'm not saying it's proof of falsehood, but it's an indicator IMHO. It just seems highly likely that something that explosive would've gotten out during the past 3 full years. As for people being afraid of crossing the NFL -- I'm sure that's true for some, but there are plenty of NFL critics in sports media. Bill Simmons called Roger Goodell a liar on his podcast and has had maybe the best and most successful career of all time in sports media (although to be fair, he did get suspended by ESPN for doing so). And there have been about a million articles/videos by sports media people criticizing the NFL for concussions, Colin Kaepernick, etc.

Now this is a fair clarification. However, it’s also fair to point out that, like Trotter, plenty of these guys go back and forth between independent media gigs and working “in house.” It’s highly likely that quite a few of the 40 NFL media members who were allegedly present on the zoom call in September 2020 have since gone independent. Some of those people would presumably have spilled the beans about TP’s alleged statement. Of course, we don’t know who was at the meeting, and those people can’t be asked about it, since they weren’t identified in the complaint.

Jeez. I think as stated it is a fact, but if you don’t, I’ll re-submit it thusly: the complaint doesn’t mention a recording of either conversation, and I am not aware of any reporting stating that a recording exists.

The complaint doesn’t mention a recording of the Jerry Jones stuff, so I assume there isn’t one. On the other hand, at least Trotter was the person that Jones allegedly spoke with, so there isn’t an unidentified third party in the middle, as there is with TP.

In case anyone is interested, the complaint is here: https://www.wigdorlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Trotter-Complaint.pdf The TP stuff is on pp. 31-32. Some facts: - Trotter was working for NFL Network and his contract wasn't renewed. - He hired a major employment law firm to bring this case. - Trotter alleges that he attended a zoom meeting with about 40 media members in September 2020. At that meeting, an unnamed media member allegedly told the group that TP, in an interview with him, made the "go back to Africa" statement. - So Trotter didn't hear TP say this -- he allegedly heard someone else, who isn't identified in the complaint, say it -- but none of the 40 media members who allegedly heard this story reported it. - There does not appear to be a recording of the zoom meeting or of the alleged interview with TP.

Happy belated birthday sir!

I'm predicting a heaping plate of Donnie Meatballs magic. Strong 200-foot play with Krebsie and VO, plus some garbage goals in front and good PK work. He'll be valuable.

I'm a Joki believer. Option 3.

Interesting. I did not know that. Thanks. Does the privilege continue even if the pleadings are made public?

If it’s false TP should sue for defamation.

IMHO, this game came down to JA playing terribly. Good NFL teams are built around their QBs. They aren’t built to win when their QB stinks that badly. I don’t think this is the new normal for JA though.

All they had to do was be reasonably professional and execute their way to a road divisional W, and JA completely crapped the bed.