Journalism, in most instances, is a highly collaborative enterprise. Above the reporter is an assigning editor. That assigning editor will usually consult with still another higher editor on a major story, such as the earthshaking one that ran Feb. 2 in the Herald about the Patriots' alleged transgression in 2002. Then, there is the last line of defense, the copy desk, where at least two more editors often take a look.
Sometimes, in this business, having someone's back means protecting him or her from a self-inflicted wound. Unless Tomase bamboozled his superiors (and I doubt he would still have a job if he did), others at the Herald -- some with more stripes on their shoulders than Tomase -- failed in their duties as well.
In his article yesterday, Tomase made a personal observation that was particularly sobering. He called the Rams' walkthrough story something he'll have to live with the rest of his life. I hadn't thought about it in those terms, but he's right. This is the sort of thing that can wind up in a person's obituary.
