I don't think I ever said it did. But, I think you could argue that a reporter using that quote without checking the source has malice as a motive.
You point is well taken, just not against Donovan. Derek wasn't defending the sportswriter, what he was defending, as was obvious to me, was what he (Donovan) wrote. He actually mentions that he wouldn't have done what the sportswriter did, ie: use quotes without checking sources. Donovan didn't defend the sportswriter.