Posted on 09/11/2007 4:12:17 PM PDT by jmc813
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has determined that the New England Patriots violated league rules Sunday when they videotaped defensive signals by the New York Jets' coaches, according to league sources.
NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella on the New England sidelines when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Sources say the visual evidence confirmed the suspicion.
Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks" because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents.
The Patriots will be allowed an opportunity to present their case by Friday, sources said, most likely via the telephone.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on Tuesday that no official decision has been made and that the club has not been notified.
The league also was reviewing a possible violation into the number of radio frequencies the Patriots were using during Sunday's game, sources said. The team did not have a satisfactory explanation when asked about possible irregularities in its communication setup during the game.
Goodell is expected to have a decision no later than Friday but that is not set in stone.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I am a huge Pats fan and will be VERY disappointed if this is true though. They knew the rules and if they flagrantly flouted them they should pay a high price.
I think what it points to is the idea that if they have been resorting to these kinds of tactics previously to gain unfair advantages, it would certainly call into question their perceived superiority. That could render moot, the notion that the Patriots don't need this kind of thing to defeat the Jets or anyone else. Any thoughts?
Ironically, the NFL is forced to deal with a situation like this because it is almost a "natural" consequence of what I consider the biggest flaw in the game of football -- the fact that NOTHING HAPPENS during the vast majority of a football game (thereby enabling the games to be over-coached to the point where the players themselves are almost extraneous).
This should level the playing field...somewhat.
I was thinking the exact same thing earlier. I pacified myself for the moment by reckoning that having to verbally relay the signal by phone might be just enough too slow for it to be effective. If a camera signal were instantaneously seen in the coaching booth that would be tantamount to seeing them live and thus give enough time to react.
I cannot identify myself as a Pats fan, but have much admired them in recent years, for the idea of acheiving excellence by team play. Like you, I would be very disappointed to learn that they have done it otherwise.
Instant view is obviously not the issue, as they are allowed to have binoculars. It seems to me that any advantage would be in being able to rewind, and in examining a full sequence of signals, repeatedly.
CTM (chuckling to myself)
CTM (chuckling to myself)
Wasn’t there an incident last year in which the Jets were accused of cheating in some way against the Pats? Can someone refresh my memory?
Two things strike me as discordant in this...if the fuss is about anything more than being open about violating a rule...are that we a) have people coming forward suggesting that the Patriots have been doing this repeatedly, and b) that they haven’t taken the simple steps to make it untenable, such as simple variants of the method that Parcells suggests.
I’m a Colts fan and it’s true Bellichek is a cut every corner, it’s only cheating if you get caught, push every rule, SOB. He’s also the best head coach in the history of the league. He’s gotten more out of less than anyone. It’s all part of the same competitive package. I’ll be glad when that guy retires.
I agree that being able to learn from the recorded sequences is likely the primary use for this, but once signals were decoded, don't you think the ability to see the signaling in real time without having to verbally relay it might help as well?
Also, I wasn't aware that binoculars were allowed. Are they allowed in the booth and at field level?
Discussion video on NFL.com:
http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80243d4b
(Sounds like everyone’s gonna come out of the woodwork with past grievances...)
I have been overly busy the last week or so, and actually just learned of this whole thing tonight from this thread. What did Parcells have to say about it?
Saw Parcells on ESPN (or somewhere) the other day and he didn’t seem upset by this.He said that the solution is simple....issue your defense numbered arm bands and change the numbering each week.Problem solved...according to Bill.
3 posted on 09/11/2007 3:50:53 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (If martyrdom is so cool,why does Osama Obama go to such great lengths to avoid it?)
Your off-colored joke is neither warranted nor appreciated. This thread has nothing to do with Brady's family, his personal life, or your own personal feelings of inadequacy.
Yep I am so old and have been watching them so long I remember the pre-Meridith quaterback who was so short he had to throw jump passes to clear the line (Eddie?).
Anybody else remember when Victor Kiam was owner of the Patriots and he ran the Zamboni out to clear the field of snow for a game-winning field goal? Now that was in your face cheating, but they got away with it as far as I recall.
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