Mike Loyko (BSJ writer) and his racist tweets

Smiling Joe Hesketh

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Between this and being stuck on the Adam Jones show, it's a tough week for Christian Arcand:


"I started at ESPNNH in 2011 and Mike Loyko was a frequent guest on both shows I was a part of over the years I worked there - based on his appearances on the show and our correspondences over the years I would be 100% astonished if he authored the tweets in that picture."

No way it's not 100% authored by Loyko.
 

cshea

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They all line up to Bruins games. He deleted all his tweets, but I’d assume he was tweeting during the games too, awfully hard to claim hacking.

3/8- Bruins lose in MTL (Paciorrety/Chara game)

4/18- Bruins win game 3

4/27- Prior to game 7 against MTL

6/4- Bruins lose game 2 of SCF (Burrows winner after the biting incident)

6/6- Bruins win game 3; Horton injury game.
 

JohntheBaptist

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The "I was hacked!" thing is something someone who doesn't know a ton about the internet thinks will work 100% of the time. There are times its plausible enough you can maybe get it out there and let everything blow over. Then there are times claiming it is a big, fat, neon "I'm ALSO a liar, in addition to being a hateful numbskull."

That Subban tweet in particular, my god. Boston sports media is just total poison.
 

shaggydog2000

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Were they available in his time line up until
They all line up to Bruins games. He deleted all his tweets, but I’d assume he was tweeting during the games too, awfully hard to claim hacking.

3/8- Bruins lose in MTL (Paciorrety/Chara game)

4/18- Bruins win game 3

4/27- Prior to game 7 against MTL

6/4- Bruins lose game 2 of SCF (Burrows winner after the biting incident)

6/6- Bruins win game 3; Horton injury game.
Do we know when the tweets were deleted. If soon after they went up, it could be a drunken jackass friend doing it under his name. Unlikely, but possible. If it was right after this article comes out, any statement that these were not by him and reflecting his opinions would be a lot harder to accept.
 

NortheasternPJ

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I’m not a believer in I was hacked but those tweets are so horrible I’m not dismissing it. If those are real fuck him even if he was drunk.
 

kelpapa

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Were they available in his time line up until


Do we know when the tweets were deleted. If soon after they went up, it could be a drunken jackass friend doing it under his name. Unlikely, but possible. If it was right after this article comes out, any statement that these were not by him and reflecting his opinions would be a lot harder to accept.
The tweets were from 2011, and they were deleted after he found out about them this week. He deleted his Twitter account by the looks of it.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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If you’re a media member, ‘when you find out’ about your tweets should be about three seconds after they’re posted. ‘I was hacked’ has surpassed ‘it was a tainted supplement’ for bullshit explanations.

It shouldn’t take you seven years to figure out someone hacked your Twitter. And if it’s true, why nothing outside that stretch?
 

thebtskink

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Jul 15, 2005
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Yeesh, checking his LinkedIn, hes a 4th grade teacher in Mashpee as well. He's probably flailing to save his job. The "in my youth" argument doesnt work, he would've been 27 in 2011 when he tweeted that.

Not saying that people cant grow out of that abhorrent mindset, but if you truly have grown, a full apology is the way to go here, not the "I got hacked" defense.
 

JimD

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Bedard penned a 'note to members' in his BSJ daily briefing this morning:

NOTE TO OUR MEMBERS

In the spirit of BSJ’s desire to be fully accountable to our valuable members, I wanted to update you on something.

It has come to my attention that one of our freelancers (not a staff member or employee), Mike Loyko, has been accused by an anonymous Twitter user of making abhorrent racist and homophobic statements several years ago. Mike has strenuously denied these allegations to me. BSJ takes this very seriously and obviously finds the alleged comments disgusting and vile with no place in society.

Unfortunately, due to travel and logistics, I can’t give this issue the attention it deserves until the World Series concludes. Until I determine exactly what has gone on, his 20 previous stories have been removed from the site, and he will not be involved with BSJ in any way.

That being said, I have known Mike for many years through his work and obviously find this to be entirely out of character. And as someone who is slandered on social media on an almost daily basis, going off the word of an anonymous Twitter user is extremely dangerous and should not be deemed immediately credible when it comes to someone’s name and reputation. Things are not always what they seem, especially on Twitter, and there should not be a rush to judgment. I would want the same rational due diligence done if my name was at stake, and I’m sure you would too.

Still, I will aggressively investigate this as soon as time permits — I have already been in contact with some sources to begin to verify information — and will make a final determination wherever the facts take me and report back to you.

Thank you for your understanding and support of BSJ.
https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2018/10/25/bsj-daily-briefing-10-25-18-red-sox-take-2-0-lead-pitching-continues-dominate-note-members/
 

TFP

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You’d think a professional journalist would know the difference between libel and slander.

Also - the tweets existed as plenty of people screen shotted them, so continually harping on “anonymous twitter user” is lame. Either it was Loyko who wrote them or it wasn’t, it doesn’t matter who brought them to light. This isn’t an instance of taking someone’s word over another.

I bailed on BSJ for The Athletic once Joey MAC left and haven’t regretted it for a second.
 

kenneycb

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I don’t disagree but what do you want Bedard to say? He’s in CYA mode at a startup and hasn’t had the ability to do the duties of a CEO because he’s in LA for a high traffic event for a flailing company.
 

chonce1

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Apr 23, 2010
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I am suprised there is no news about a 4th grade teacher in Mashpee being connected to racist tweets. 4th graders will know about this. I don't know for sure how to handle it but does the school act? Should it? I don't know, I don't really care to see Loyko's head literally chopped off, but I would also not want a racist tweeter teaching my kids. And I dont even have kids