Report: Loomis had ability to eavesdrop on visiting coaches on gameday

cbssports ^ | 4-23-12 | By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Blogger

[rawhide]

With the Saints still reeling from the bounty program punishments and with general manager Mickey Loomis already suspended for eight games in 2012, an ESPN Outside the Lines report claims Loomis had an electronic device in his Superdome suite that allowed him to listen to the conversations of visiting coaches for nearly three seasons.

According to the report, Loomis had rewired that device so he could eavesdrop for most of the 2002 season, the year he was hired, and all of the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana was told about these allegations Friday. U.S. attorney Jim Letten has briefed the FBI in New Orleans.

"I can say that we were just made aware of that on Friday, at least of these allegations," Letten told ESPN. "Anything beyond that I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to comment."

Greg Bensel, Saints vice president of communications who was speaking on behalf of Loomis and the team, strongly denied the charges to ESPN.

"This is 1,000 percent false,” he said. “This is 1,000 percent inaccurate."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the NFL was not aware of the allegations.

The device was supposedly installed for former Saints GM Randy Mueller in 2000, but at the time, Mueller used it to listen to the New Orleans coaching staff during games. When Loomis took over, the story alleges, the device was rewired so he could listen in on the visitors rather than the home coaches.

"That would be a stupendous advantage if you had that," Rick Venturi, who was the team's defensive coordinator from 2002-05, told the website. "That's shocking. I can tell you if we did it, nobody told me about it. ... Nobody ever helped me during a game."

[rawhide]

The problem Loomis has is, with his recent suspension, tend to make people see him guilty until proven innocent.

[iowamark]

If true, this is both a felony and, along with Bountygate, the worst possible violation of sportsmanship.

[rawhide]

More detailed information here: http://espn.go.com/chicago/story/_/id/7846290/new-orleans-saints-mickey-loomis-eavesdrop-opposing-coaches-home-games

[capydick]

Hopefully all of the Katrina based, pious pity party patter that every network would indulge in during a Saints game will stop now. At one point I thought they were renamed the Katrina’s.

[Delta Dawn]

I would hate to think that ESPN learned about the device and extrapolated that the Saints were using it to listen in on the opposing team.

This has the feeling of a disgruntled employee who tossed this bouquet to ESPN in an effort to mess with his former employer.

To the Saints credit, they are threatening to sue the pants off of everyone involved with the story making it to the air.

[Doomonyou]

Saints in (deeper) Deep Kimchi.

[Abigail Adams]

1000%? Methinks he doth protest too much.

[big'ol_freeper]

If you want to be a good Saint, a little confession is good for the soul.