Posted on 09/13/2007 5:45:28 PM PDT by misterrob
Actually the Pats sound more like a Dynasty with every passing year. Who here is old enough to remember when every other team and their fans hated the Dynasties of the old? Who here remembers those Dynasties being called "cheaters, no class, dirty players, stealers, they'd do anything to win" by fans of other teams the Dynasties of the old kept pounding upon? I am. I remember when people used to hate Montana. Yup, the Pats sound more and more those Dynasties of the old then I original though. LOL!!
Has anyone seen that poll taken by ESPN back in August of 2007? The result are very interesting.
Updated: Sep. 12, 2007, 12:46 PM
SportsNation mixed on NFL spying
SportsNation
Maybe if the Pats had just used audio, SportsNation wouldn't be so disappointed. Back in early August, we polled SportsNation on a plethora of issues regarding cheating in sports as part of a sitewide initiative called Cheatwave. In fact, we even took it off the field and asked how much you cheat in real life. If we ever find out which of you are in the 37% that take food that isn't yours from the communal refrigerator, expect a knock on the door. In the light of the recent developments concerning the New England Patriots spying on the New York Jets and stealing their defensive signals, we decided to look back at what you told us before the season began. What did you think of the scenario when it was laid out to you as a hypothetical? Look at the results below and join the Conversation to talk to other fans about what exactly constitutes cheating in the NFL.
The following results are from polls conducted from Aug. 9-10. To see complete list of NFL questions asked, click here.
A LITTLE EXTRA PEEK
Home teams often place video cameras on the sideline to record the opposing team's signals. The cameras are placed on the sideline under the guise that they provide extra game tape for the home team's coaches. When road teams attempt to get credentials for their sideline cameramen, the applications are usually rejected.
69.6% Cheating
30.4% Gamesmanship
Total Votes: 23,606
Your opinion on this issue hasn't changed. After it was announced that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell found the Patriots violated league rules and is considering severe sanctions, SportsNation weighed in with 68% agreeing that the Pats deserved some kind of punishment. Not surprisingly, the voters from Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine didn't agree.
SPYMASTER
Most teams send a scout to watch the game of the next opponent. The scout sits in the press box and tries to pick up signals from the other team. The team being scouted, however, will often have a coach on the sideline wearing a headset that is not plugged in, and he gives bogus signals to throw off the scout, as well as the opposing team.
90.1% Gamesmanship
9.9% Cheating
Total Votes: 23,606
So cheating is against the rules, but trying to embarrass the cheaters is perfectly OK. We like where you are going with this one, SportsNation! What if the Patriots had been videotaping bogus signs and found themselves in the wrong formations which led to a loss? Would we still be clamoring for sanctions? Right now, 32% of SportsNation feels the Patriots should lose multiple draft picks and pay a fine. Is that just because their actions might have paid off?
SIGNAL INTERCEPT
After the Dolphins defeated the Patriots 21-0 in Miami last season, Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas claimed he knew the Patriots' audibles. He wasn't kidding. Teams sometimes will place microphones on their defensive players to tape the opposing team's audibles. The team then matches the audibles with the play the offense runs. In the shutout loss to Miami, the Patriots played their worst game of the season, as Tom Brady was sacked four times. Coincidence?
50.6% Gamesmanship
49.4% Cheating
Total Votes: 23,606
Wait a minute, SportsNation! Let's get this straight. Videotaping signals is bad, but audio is good? So if Peyton Manning walks up to the line and says "Blue 42, Red 38, Green 34", and you know exactly what that means from having taped it previously and frantically compared it to past plays, that's acceptable? How is that different from video?
http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/story?id=3015550
That last one is what lead me to conclude what hypocrates certain people are.
When does the fine have to be paid? In one year or over the life of his contract with the Pats?
Where does the money go? does it go to a charity and does he get a tax deduction?
So now they have one 1st round pick. The same as every other team?
% wise players get fined more for use of roids.
where are all the great " hall of fame" sports writers on this story. Up the A@@ of the NFL that is where.
The rationalizations are getting sickening.
Of course, when your eight-term senior senator’s most notable act was driving a girl off a bridge and leaving her to die while saving his own ass, rationalizations become a way of life. It must be something in the water up there.
Same here, as a Raiders fan I could care less but the hypocrisy of some is simply mind boggling. Me as a Raiders fan and a you Giants, you might get a kick out of the following. Raiders owner Al Davis and his coaching team were often accused of spying on opponents, especially back in the Raiders' heyday of the 1970s and '80s. Parcells when he was coaching the Giants would always scope out security when playing the Raiders for spies. Heck he even look under his hotel bed for Davis' spy gear. LOL!!
From what I've heard, the Pats were videotaping information for their library game film, and according to Keyshawn Johnson its a typical scouting method that other teams do too. This got a little bit more attention then Mangini originally anticipated. Lets not forget the Jets and Dolphins did similar things to the Pats last year with little to no media flare.
I really don’t see much rationalizing here. I see far more hysteria than anything else. An overwhelming amount of Pats fans say they don’t approve of what the team did and deserved punishment. The Pats crossed over a line in collecting information and got spanked. The line in this game is rather interesting. Some stealing is okay but you have to do it with approved means. On the other hand, the Jets are supposed to have a W handed to them even though the Pats gained no benefit from the film, the Pats Super Bowls were won through “cheating” and they are frauds.
Righttttt....
I’ve lived and worked in Boston.
If you are from there, the rules are more like guidelines, and everyone flouts them. If you are NOT from there, the smallest, most inconsequential rule will be brought to bear with horrifying repercussions.
LoL! Wrong game. I believe he was talking about the infamous 1982 "Snowplow Game" between Patriots and Dolphins. ;-)
Tom who?
For that matter, Peyton who?
Hey, jackieaxe, as a fan who's team is part of the Dynasties of the old, Silver and Black fan here, I'd like to welcome you to the club of the hated Dynasties. Don't let the current nostalgia that some have been displaying towards our Dynasties of the heyday. Any true fan of these Dynasties back then will never forgot how we were envied and hated by other fan bases because our teams kept beating the snarts out of others. Back then outside from the teams fan base, the Dynasties of the Good ol' days and their fans were hated by all the rest. Comes with the territory when ones team becomes the dominate force for an era. LoL! Still can't get over the "Tuck Rule" but I'm not a hypocrite when it comes to this fiasco being blown out of proportions. And don't worry about the "you cheated, classless, dirty players, blah blah blah blah" BS, those others said the same things about the players of the Raiders, Cowboys, Steelers, 49ers back when these teams were dominating their game. No one likes to see the same team winning over and over again. Comes with the territory. LOL! By the way, if you guys loose Pioli I hope to got the Raiders are smart enough to pick him up so we'd kick your butts again. ;-)
If you don’t see the rationalization, hit “preview” before your next post. Nothing in my lifetime has struck at the integrity of the game like this has. The Sweatshirt deserved to be Pete Rose’d for what he did.
And how many of Montana’s teams got hit with league record fines and lost draft picks for cheating during games?
If everybody does it to one extent or the other, one of you apologists out there should be able to cite a comparable punishment given to another team for a similar violation.
The jets also had a camera man on the filed during the whole game, wonder why the NFL didn’t do anything about it?
Start drinking early today?
The difference is that the league told the pats that the fins buying spy tapes of the pats teams practice wasn't illegal.
Well according to a poll taken by "ESPN" on cheating back in August of 2007 ALL hometeams often place video cameras on the sideline to record the opposing team's signals. The cameras are placed on the sideline under the guise that they provide extra game tape for the home team's coaches. When road teams attempt to get credentials for their sideline cameramen, the applications are usually rejected. Given the Pats were playing on Jets "hometurf" it goes without saying Mangini probably had video cameras taping Belichick's crew.
I am really amazed out the outrage here. Some stealing is okay if it is done in a manner not deemed to be illegal.
Here is a link to a thread documenting the activities of a guys with a Jets polo shirt on the jets sideline last week:
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=60970
BTW the Pats guy was removed in the first qtr, there were 16 blitz’s against the Pats in 29 passing plays.
The beat down on the JEts will be worse the next time.
Thought you’d enjoy this, found it on youtube.
Shady Brady and Bill Belicheat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EU1O-hGxgg
” Belichick has never lost to a QB twice in the same season. Remember that stat? Sure , after he loses the first time, he studies their signals after video taping the coach and knows what defenses to call the 2nd time around.”
The Colts beat New England twice last year.
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