Curt Schilling and Wife Defend Themselves and 38 Studios - ABC6 - Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather

Curt Schilling and Wife Defend Themselves and 38 Studios

by Mark Curtis

mcurtis@abc6.com

     A war of words is brewing on Facebook over the fate of Curt Schilling's 38 Studios.
     Today, both Schilling and his wife defended themselves.

     Curt Schilling's wife Shonda has once again taken to Facebook trying to defend her husband and his failed video game company 38 Studios. The sometimes rambling statement blames Governor Chafee and the news media for her husband's predicament. URI Business Professor Ed Mazze calls it a desperate, public relations stunt.

     Dr. Ed Mazze, URI Business Professor said, "This post activity anxiety in terms of trying to defend himself in a situation where, the last inning is over."

     Mrs. Schilling's attacks on the media are curious, since her husband had ample opportunity to speak with reporters, but chose not to. He made on lone sports talk show appearance, answering soft ball questions.

     ABC-6 Reporter Mark Curtis said, "Not long after Mrs. Schilling's rant on Facebook, Curt Schilling himself chimed in saying quote, 'We didn't stonewall anyone. The EDC was trying to bully us and intimidate us on multiple fronts.'"

     Schilling's denial of "stonewalling" stems from an Associated Press report this week. It said that state auditors wanted to examine the book at 38 Studios, but the company did not let them.

     Professor Ed Mazze said, "They were really not cooperative. They were running a very secret type of operation, rather than transparent. You know under the guise that they are developing a game and they didn't want any of the information to go out."

     Professor Mazze doubts that Curt Schilling or anyone at 38 Studios did anything criminal. In his words, they just didn't know how to run a business.

     Late Friday the Associated Press broke another big story relating to 38 Studios.
     The report says that J. Michael Saul - who once worked in the finance department of the state E-D-C - later sought a finance job at 38 Studios.
     A-P says it is unsure if Saul ever got the job, but the EDC says it frowns upon it's employees trying to seek jobs at companies it serves.
     In this case the Rhode Island EDC gave 38 Studios 75 million in loan guarantees, only to have 38 Studios file for bankruptcy.