Page 7 of Puck Fest
Which makes this whole situation more difficult than it should be.
I pull up the video one more time and watch it with fresh eyes. Masterson moves fast, puts himself between the fan and Tate before the situation escalates. The fan shoves him…I can see it now, but it’s barely visible in the frame. Masterson’s body shifts backward from the impact.
Then the fan moves toward Tate, and Masterson reacts.
It’s still assault. Still indefensible from a legal standpoint. But it’s not unprovoked.
I make notes for tomorrow’s meeting with Marshall and the league:
1. Masterson acted in defense of teammate being harassed with hate speech
2. Fan initiated physical contact
3. Masterson’s response was disproportionate but not premeditated
4. Recommend: public apology, community service, anger management training
5. Position team as taking player conduct seriously while supporting anti-harassment stance
I frown at the words. It’s not perfect. But it’s a framework.
My phone buzzes. Another text from Tate appears on the screen and my mouth twists.
He’d do it again. Just so you know. If someone came after any of us, he’d step in without thinking.
I scrub a hand down the front of my face.
That’s what concerns me.
It shouldn’t. You want guys like that on your team.
Not if they end up suspended or sued.
Better than standing by and doing nothing.
He has a point. But my job isn’t to debate philosophy. My job is to keep this organization out of the news for the wrong reasons.
I close my laptop, organize my files, and head for the parking garage. It’s nearly midnight, and I have to be back here in nine hours to meet with Masterson and start damage control.
In the car, I think about what Dad said.
The problem is we live in a world where context doesn’t matter as much as optics.
He’s right. But he’s also wrong.
Context always matters. The challenge is making people care about it when the optics are terrible.
I pull up the video one more time on my phone at a red light.I watch Masterson’s face as he steps between the fan and Tate. There’s no calculation there. No thought about consequences or cameras or careers.
Just pure, instinctive protection.
It’s going to make my job impossible.
And for some reason I can’t quite explain, that makes me more determined to fix this than anything else that’s happened today.
I get home, pour myself a whiskey, and start drafting tomorrow’s statement.
Whatever else Danny Masterson is, he’s not going to be the reason my first major crisis ends in disaster.
