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From a Patriots message board.

"So, the NFL Gameday Operations manual says:

"no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game."

As far as we know, the Pats did not have a video camera in the coaches booth. Or in the locker room. Did they have a video camera on the field?

Depends what you mean by field. See page 5 of the NFL rulebook PDF for a graphic representation of the field:

http://www.patscap.com/rulebook.pdf

It appears to me that the "field" is the area outlined by the outermost broken line in the diagram.

Page 7 of the PDF provides a closeup of the bench area, delineating the "field" from the "media and other" areas.

Unless the NFL has published a definition of the "field" that differs from that in the official rulebook, I see no violation as long as the recording device never entered the restricted areas (the field, the coaches box, the locker room).

I looked at the nfl rule book, but the NFL rules where the camera man was standing was not on the filed, in the coaches box or in the locker room. Technically (within the letter of the rules) BB wasn't cheating.

If the NFL was sloppy in writing the rules that should be their problem. They should fix the rule. Better yet allow the D players to have the radio as the O players do. BTW the Pats voted in favor of allowing the radios in the D players helmet which would make all this moot.

The media wanted to 'lynch' BB. They hate him bercause he ignores them and they can't stand it. Goodell folded under the media firestorm.

BB made his case and the commish didn’t buy it.

You have a interesting interpretation of the rule book then both the commishoner, and apparently BB, and Mangini.

FWIW, I think the whole thing was a set up, Mangini knew what Bill was going to do, and had tipped of the NFL, and they waited and busted Bill.

Also, can you cite the source where the Pats voted to allow the radio's in the helmet, I read something in Newsday that appears to contradict that.

Also, keep in mind, the person here doing the recording, was not official media, and was not acting in a media capacity, and WAS very close to the bench area. From every account I have read, he appears to have been in an area restricted.

The media wanted to 'lynch' BB. They hate him bercause he ignores them and they can't stand it.

SO does everyone here in Cleveland. He was such a polarizing person here back in the 90's before the NFL orchestrated the bullsh*t move to B-more. Plus he treated Bernie Kosar like a 3rd rate player...I can honestly say I have not spent $1 on any NFL merchandise since they left or tickets for that matter.

If the NFL was sloppy in writing the rules that should be their problem. They should fix the rule. Better yet allow the D players to have the radio as the O players do. BTW the Pats voted in favor of allowing the radios in the D players helmet which would make all this moot.

The media wanted to 'lynch' BB. They hate him bercause he ignores them and they can't stand it. Goodell folded under the media firestorm.

The rules specifically forbid taping other coaches.

They sent a memo today reminding the boundaries of the rules. "Among other things, the memo reiterated that videotaping opposing coaches is banned."

I agree about D players and radios though.

Finally!! A logical approach to this problem. Listening to the media you’d have thought that spy cameras were inside the Jets team zone.

The only reason this is news is because it was BB and not Cleveland.

I agree Goodell rolled over.