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NEW ORLEANS – ESPN’s story about Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis listening in on opposing teams’ locker rooms has come under quite a bit of scrutiny by journalists.

ESPN admits in its story that the network “could not verify the system was used.”

But, the network quoted an unnamed source as saying that an audio system was in place between 2002 and 2004 that allowed Loomis to listen to opposing coaches.

Robert Carroll, an audio engineer for Saints radio broadcasts for 27 years and former WWL-TV engineer, said the story had him scratching his head.

“My opinion, when I heard the story, I said, ‘this is crazy. This is ridiculous.’

Carroll has wired the Superdome for the Saints radio network and has served as the chief engineer at WWNO for the past 12 years. Carroll said that if there was a wiring system that would have allowed the eavesdropping to occur, he would have known about it.

“Absolutely, without question,” he said. “I’ve spent too many hours in that Superdome not to think I would have seen something.”

At the heart of ESPN’s story is an anonymous source, which, according to many professionals, causes some doubts.

“As a journalist, the story raised questions about the use of a single, unnamed source,” said Kevin Smith, the chairman for the American Society of Professional Journalists.

“There’s a huge degree of skepticism, when you’ve got an unnamed source and you’ve got nobody else verifying that this even occurred,” said Loyola University journalism professor Lisa Martin, a former WWL-TV producer.

Smith also took a shot at sports reporting in general, saying “there’s always been a rogue-type approach, different standards than in traditional news reporting.”

The Saints organization held to its position that the story is patently false. Greg Bensel, the Saints Vice-President of Communications, said the team’s position is to force ESPN to prove the allegations.

ESPN on Tuesday said that it continues to stand by its report.

Saints audio engineer: Idea of wire allowing GM to eavesdrop 'Ridiculous' | wwltv.com New Orleans

WhoDat!656

For the sake of argument, lets say that this is 100% true.

Mickey Loomis had a spying wire. He was relaying signals.

At that time the Jim Haslet (current Redskins DC) and Mike McCarthy(current Packers HC) called the defensive and offensive plays for the Saints.

Loomis should and probably would get a lifetime ban from the NFL. What happens to McCarthy and Haslett? Or was Loomis just relaying messages to himself…or better yet Sean Payton in Dallas?

CharityMike

Can someone please fix the title. Thanks !

|Mitch|

I hope Loomis and the Saints can do something legally to the "creator" of this ridiculous scandal.

Saintswrath

Fixed

Seer1

Like get enough $$$ out of it to pay Drew!

SaintsBro

Exactly what I have been saying since the beginning. Loomis could not have done this work HIMSELF, someone would have had to do the actual work to switch the wiring, that person would have to be a licensed professional electrician/contractor, and someone would have noticed it being done and had to sign off on it from the Superdome staff....you don't just go into multi-million dollar, state-owned buildings and start secretly switching around wiring things inside the walls like that, it's completely absurd.

CharityMike

Thanks bro!

lynwood

Gotta love those unnamed sources.

burningmetal

Hey ESPN, you wouldn't happen to be trying to "cover up" anything would you?

I love Irony.