Monday’s item in the New York Times regarding the Eagles’ negotiations with the White House regarding the traditional visit by the Super Bowl champions buried the story’s most interesting fact: Someone secretly taped Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie during last October’s ownership meeting regarding the anthem issue and provided the recording to the Times.
“Many of us have no interest in supporting President Trump,” Lurie said. “Yes, there are some. There are some players who do, too. But this is not where you brandish a group of people because they own assets in a sport we love, supporting what many of us perceive as, you know, one f--king disastrous presidency. Don’t quote me.”
Lurie wasn’t quoted. He was taped, saying inflammatory things about the president. Obviously without Lurie’s knowledge. And that wasn’t the headline.
It should have been, and Lurie should be upset. Who taped it? Was it another owner? Was it someone from the league office? Was it one of the players who attended the meeting at the invitation of ownership?
While it’s not a legal issue (New York is a one-party state), the notion that someone secretly recorded Lurie and gave it to the Times raises significant trust issues between Lurie and whoever it was that recorded his words and handed it to the media.
