Quote Originally Posted by jloome View Post
I wasn't a sports journalist, I just wrote a soccer column on the side. I was a hard news reporter, including many years as an investigative journalist.

A source's accuracy in the past isn't the only issue when assessing the likelihood of a rumor to be true.

For this to be true, we have to assume that
A) manning is somehow subservient to the will of Giovinco's former agent, or his influence
B) That the former agent will exercise that influence regardless of the potential negative income potential (from his cut of any deal that isn't made as a result)
C) That manning is comfortable overriding or making a decision without Bob Bradley's input on whether he wants the player
D) That Manning is comfortable telling either Seba or front office staff this info, to have them leak it
E) That Bob Bradley is comfortable working with an acquisition agent who blackmails them over who they can sign (i.e. you won't get 'a' if you sign 'b', with Seba being b)

It's just not very likely. More likely is that they drew up terms of a deal for Seba but it went no further because Bradley thought he would be not worth the outlay/disruption.

When two parties see themselves as enemies, it's far more likely one side is being blamed for a deal falling apart based on hearsay.

Again, I'm not saying it's not true. I'm just saying the logic doesn't jibe with the perceived reality.
Only the paranoid survive!

I don't believe (E), I just think BB would happily be a party to things that allow him to escape having players put to him by suits (which is the core conspiracy theory, and entirely a fabrication of fertile imaginations only at this point, as you rightly surmise).

But I buy it. Probably says more about me than it, I know. The whole 2021-22 Gio flirtation was pretty weird, and has some sort of explanation that isn't visible yet..