Clik here to view.
By: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Sport
By: Mike Meltser
Even after bowing out of the NFL playoffs two weeks ago, the Jets still can’t manage to stay out of the headlines. Today comes a report from Deadspin alleging that Mark Sanchez had a romantic “encounter” with a 17 year old girl. The age of consent in both New York and New Jersey is 16, so Sanchez is in the clear from a legal standpoint.
What do we make of this story? It’s interesting, and I’ll discuss it on Wednesday morning from 10am-11am. Some of my early thoughts:
From a journalistic perspective, I felt uncomfortable reading the entire story. Admittedly, I don’t consider myself a true, by-the-books journalist, despite working in the media. I have my biases and rooting interests, and would never pretend like I view things completely objectively. The back-and-forth that Daulerio had with this girl and her lawyer gives me a very slimy vibe.
The reality is, this Sanchez story would never be published by ESPN, SI, Yahoo! Sports, the Washington Post, or any journalism outlet of that sort. Having said that, a famous quarterback having trysts with 17-year-olds is a story. I can’t kill Deadspin for publishing this report, because that’s how they’ve grown their business. See: Brett Favre sexting photos, MLB financial documents.
In terms of Sanchez himself, my advice would be to stay away from these types of situations. Despite being legal, it makes little sense for a 24-year-old to be having any sort of relationship with a young girl who’s 17. Find someone your own age, and you’ll stay out of these ugly headlines.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
