Gordon Hayward, Players Tribune and a scoop

[MeanGreenATO]

So, this has been incredibly interesting today and I was wondering if anyone had thoughts on this situation.

Earlier today, ESPN's Chris Hayes scooped everyone by saying Gordon Hayward was leaving Utah for Boston. Zach Lowe confirmed it. Then it got wild.



Hayward's agent told Woj and some other folks nothing was decided while Twitter speculated Hayward was salty he didn't get to put the news out first.



Sure enough, Hayward announced his decision on The Players Tribune.



FWIW, Haynes never backtracked his story and ended up looking great at the end of the day.

 

[Alma]

Gotta love Woj pumping the brakes on his new colleague's scoop to keep one of his sources - aka an agent - happy.

Of anyone here I'm possibly the least impressed with Woj, and this is an example. Of all people, he'd know this, right? Of course he would. And I'm guessing he did. But Hayward's agent knew Hayward wanted to pump out his self-serving 2,000 tome.

 

[typefitter]

I actually thought Woj was pretty clever about it. Just quoted the agent. Doesn't say it's not happening or anything like that. Includes no judgment or editorial. Just a quote. I think that's fine.

 

[Alma]

I actually thought Woj was pretty clever about it. Just quoted the agent. Doesn't say it's not happening or anything like that. Includes no judgment or editorial. Just a quote. I think that's fine.

Oh, he can go tell that agent to take a hike. I know ESPN is a vast network but it's the only story of the day. Since Woj knows everything else that happens - because agents tell him - he almost surely knew this, too.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Why the heck does anyone in the business quote or RT The Players Tribune? Like sitting in the hen house and gushing about the fox.

 

[MeanGreenATO]

I'm with Alma on this one. Woj had to have known the agent was spinning until the time was right. But you can't bite the hand that feeds you, and I get that. Bill Oram had a great thread on this and it's worth checking out:

 

[wicked]

It wasn't just ESPN that reported it. The Globe also had it before the agent said no. Sounds like Danny Ainge was leak happy, but the Celtics don't and shouldn't care about Hayward's grand reveal with the Players' Tribune.

 

[Big Circus]

Is ESPN holding Woj back? I mean that more in general than in this specific case, when it was clearly done to pacify a source. But Shams Charania has been running circles around him all week.

Also, that Hulkster tweet from Haynes is absolute gold.

 

[Hermes]

Is ESPN holding Woj back?

If real life were an episode of House of Cards, I can imagine a ludicrous scenario in which Woj has been playing the long game for a decade to get ESPN to buy his vertical, get all his enemies fired and then become the reporting version of Phil Jackson once under contract and the only game in town.

In reality, from all accounts the guy is way too driven to ever do that.

 

[typefitter]

What I don't get: What do the players get out of the Tribune release? I can see how it's good for the site. I don't get why players would care.

 

[YankeeFan]

What I don't get: What do the players get out of the Tribune release? I can see how it's good for the site. I don't get why players would care.

You're joking, right?

ESPN and SI won't give this treatment to every athlete/story. The Player's Tribune will.

Janay Rice, in her own words

Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now

 

[MisterCreosote]

What I don't get: What do the players get out of the Tribune release? I can see how it's good for the site. I don't get why players would care.

Yeah, I don't get why players would ever want to paint themselves in the best possible light regardless of what the facts are.