[BigJohn44]

In a September 13, 2007 column written for ESPN.com, sportswriter Mike Sando disclosed a very disturbing and heretofore largely ignored fact that is absolutely crucial to understanding the severity of the cheating in which the New England Patriots engaged for several years before they were finally caught earlier this season.

The cheating did not just involve illegal videotaping. The Patriots also illegally recorded the audio of opposing defensive coaches, all of whom undoubtedly had the expectation that their utterances to their players were private. Sando wrote:

"The illegal tactics the New England Patriots evidently employed Sunday against the New York Jets-- capturing signals and corresponding audio with a sideline camera -- might have allowed the Patriots to sniff out blitzes had security officials not intervened, scouts and coaches said."

See http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=sando_mike&id=3017542 (emphasis added).

When the audio and video were both stolen and used in combination, the Patriots were able to, in effect, step into their opponents' defensive huddle.

As the associated press reported regarding the 2005 Super Bowl, which the Patriots "won," 24-21:

"Every time the Eagles rushed Brady in the Super Bowl, the Patriots nullified the defensive attack with screen passes. Lots of them. On almost every play defensive coordinator Jim Johnson called for a blitz, the Patriots used the short pass to confuse the Eagles."

See http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3017964

The idea that knowing what the opponent was going to do did not give the Patriots an unfair advantage is absurd. They "won" three super bowls this decade by a lousy three points each.

The Patriots cheating scandal is primarily a story of eavesdropping on private conversations. Many who excuse away the cheating have failed to recognize that key fact. The conduct of Belichick and the Patriots was outrageous, and has left their accomplishments utterly tainted.

[kinoxi]

They cheated. They got caught. They were penalized for it. Perfect season with a question mark.

[Izzy Dunne]

So, after being caught in the first game of the season, did they manage to do a better job of hiding it? Or did they obliterate the rest of the league with football skills?

[weegee]

I wish the Disney owned media empire was as upset when Democrats cheat in debates and elections...

[Lakeshark]

Amazing....all of their wins because of high tech cheating.

They must have lost their next 15 3/4 games then........

[SamAdams76]

"The illegal tactics the New England Patriots evidently employed Sunday against the New York Jets -- capturing signals and corresponding audio with a sideline camera -- might have allowed the Patriots to sniff out blitzes had security officials not intervened, scouts and coaches said.

Damn! Good thing the Pats got caught or they would have done even better than 16-0!

[rlmorel]

Hah hah. I love listening to people stew over it...

It’s great...:)

[bpjam]

Either the Pats are much better coached and managed to get a lot more out of studying film that the other teams do, or they have some other way of doing this that hasn’t been discovered yet.

They seem able to thwart other teams consistently and sometimes magically. Brady is pretty much amazing but if he knew what was going to happen he would look even more amazing.

The part that I can’t make sense of is why don’t former coaches of the Pats use the same tactics to prepare their teams? When Walsh coached the 49ers and revolutionized the offense, other coaches under him took the plan to their new teams. Nobody appears to be able to duplicate what the Pats are doing though. Curious.

[rawhide]

And what amazes me is how the NFL quickly and quietly swept this under the rug. Destroying all the videos supposedly received from the Patriots almost immediately after receiving them. And taking the Patriots at their cheating word that they sent in all the film? And what about the audiotapes?

Why was Commissioner Goodell so quick on the draw? Perhaps he saw an enormous scandal getting ready to blow open?

[big'ol_freeper]

Ya'll want some cheese with your whine?

[Beckwith]

Belichick - - Coach of the Year.

Brady - - MVP.

When are you whiners going to hang up your crying towels?

[dfwddr]

capturing signals and corresponding audio with a sideline camera

If the guy taping had taken 15 steps backwards (putting him in the front row of the stands), this would have been legal. Also, how did they capture the "corresponding audio" from the far sidelines? Maybe it was from the black helicopter hovering overhead.

[torchthemummy]

"The illegal tactics the New England Patriots evidently employed Sunday against the New York Jets-- capturing signals and corresponding audio with a sideline camera -- might have allowed the Patriots to sniff out blitzes had security officials not intervened, scouts and coaches said."

This is beyond childish. A camera with both video AND audio is just unbelievable! (/sarc) It didn't say there was a separate camera and a separate audio capture device. Get real.

The following comments that go from charging some unfair mystical ability to some complete war room cheating operation is beyond belief. Since their regrettable action in the first quarter of the first game of the first season with the new rule in effect and somehow it is supposedly proof, when combined with their phenomenal season led by a three-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback, that they have accomplished nothing without cheating. Truly childish. Double-childish when the source material is from September and presented as some kind of overlooked coup evidence.

I write this as the Patriots just beat the Jacksonville 31-20. Ha, Ha! GO PATS!