> Where was the "gawker is not journalism and threatens to undermine us all with their stupidity" WaPo opinion piece before the trial?

Here. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/free-speech-i...

It doesn't just criticize Gawker, of course, because it's focused on press freedom in general. That's because press freedom is a right, not some kind of privilege that can be taken away from everybody if one actor "abuses" it.