Who is this big drinker?

[Ryan W <ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx>]

> My wife works for Historic Deerfield in Western MA
> and as such has pretty close contact with a lot of
> Deerfield Academy rumors - the only one vis a vis
> the Celtics came from a female alumni of DA now at
> BC that sees one of the Cs stars socially downtown
> quite often (in the "extended posse" if you will)
> and that said star was a "very heavy binge drinker"
> (and wasn't Vin Baker). 
> 
> Because I don't want a libel or slander suit brought
> against me I won't name names, but I'm pretty sure
> Josh's scuttlebutt is true as this lady from DA is a
> pretty reliable source.

However, if so-and-so unnamed player TRULY is a "very
heavy binge drinker", then any libel (it's only libel
and not slander because libel pertains to written
defamation) suit won't occur (or if it does occur,
wouldn't be fruitful once the truth of the statement
in question has be established).  Thus, if your source
is reliable, you should tell.  Furthermore, while
email messages are subject to libel (wrongly I might
add), you can always get past the possibility of a
suit by crouching whatever you say in opinion.  For
example, don't say, "so-and-so player is a heavy binge
drinker," but instead say, "I think so-and-so player
is a heavy binge drinker," followed closely by, "I
give this opinion credence because it was
substantiated by a source I believe to be reliable." 
Thus, in the end, as long as you don't make claims
supposing a FACTUAL basis, you will be fine.  So, who
do you THINK this big drinker is???

Ryan

P.S.  To those on the list....if Mr. Scottman comes
thru with his opinion (that is, reveals who he thinks
is the mystery player), you all must play the game too
(i.e., if you repeat Mr. Scottman's opinion, repeat it
as opinion and not as fact....or you may be
sued...that is, if what is revealed is not the
truth....of course, it never pretended to be true, as
it was simply Mr. Scottman's opinion).

P.S.S. This is all my opinion, btw.  

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