JJDChE

First of all, let's get this "stealing" signs crap out of the way. No one is "stealing" anything, the players and coaches are giving the signs out in open. There is no, nor has there ever been, any rule about not watching the other team's signs.

Now, the big issue. Everyone is throwing around the big C-word, as if the Patriots were caught in the Jets locker room putting sedatives in their water supply. This is crazy, part of playing the game of football is trying to figure out what the other team will do before they do it. It's not just blocking and tackling. It has been like this since day 1. Any information you can gather on the field is fair game.

I can see why the league has a problem bringing video equipment into the equation (I should say additional video equipment, since the teams are allowed to gather information on the other teams calls from sanctioned videos). I don't have any problems with punishment related to this, it's a league violation.

That said, I just don't see any reason why reading the other teams signs should be looked on in a negative light. The reason there are elaborate play calls is to try to conceal from the other team what you are doing because part of the objective of the game is for the opponent to figure out what you're doing.

The more I think about it, the more I am confused about the prevalent idea that reading another teams signs is some clandestine activity. It's an integral, and I think, perfectly legitimate part of the game of football.

I think a lot of the backlash (besides the fact that people want to bring the Patriots down, and that the media are attention whores) is that the average fan doesn't get on the field and hear what goes on. Every time an offensive or defensive unit comes off the field, part of what they are discussing is what the other team is trying to do and what calls they are making and how they can recognize those calls, what hand signals they are using, etc. It's not just, "hey, we need to execute this play better." This isn't something teams are trying to hide...THIS IS PART OF FOOTBALL!

That's the reason why many players and coaches being interviewed are blowing it off, to them that's what you are supposed to do.


Seriously, the more I think about this, the more I realize how insanely overblown the reactions are. I'm guilty myself of being swayed by the overwhelming negative media reaction. What should have been apparent immediately, actually took me two days to figure because I've been constantly being bombarded with the media allegations of cheating. Looking at what the Patriots actually did within the context of the game I see how innocuous it is now.


In my opinion, what this amounts to is the Patriots being caught using an unsanctioned way to gather information that everyone else is gathering anyway. It's a clear cut case of violating an equipment rule and should be punished as such. I can't believe I'm agreeing with Sean Salisbury, but 50K and move on really sounds right to me.

ELOrocks17

I read on the Chargers messageboard that NE should forefit the game and give the win to the Jets. First off, that is the stupidist thing i ever heard. Secondly, the cameraman left the field with the alleged videotape before halftime and was NEVER GIVEN TO BILICHICK to use. Thirdly, coaches cover thier faces with thier play sheet to prevent people from seeing what they are saying, how is a videotape showing thier faces covered going to help? Forth, If we were "Cheating" all along, why in the ***** would we let Iny beat us twice last year? Anything else anyone wants to add?

DisgruntledTunaFan

It's just a slow news week-maybe ESPN et al wants to pump up their ratings.

On a brighter note-Keith Olbermann hasn't said anything about this on Countdown-sometimes, he'll throw in sports segments(i.e. Barry Bonds), and sometimes, he'll throw in sports stuff in his "Worst Persons of the World" segments in with his daily O'Reilly rants. But he didn't mention a peep.

PATRIOT64

I heard on another site to make the patriots play the Jets again but at the Meadowlands so the Pats lose 1 home game and have Belichick serve a 1 game suspension in THAT game as well

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pheenix11

Yes this is definitely overblown, this whole fiasco is a result of media driven sensationalism.

All teams in the NFL take multiple pictures of the opposing team during the game, you see the QB's looking at the pics after every series. So what is the difference if they take pics or video of the coaches? They are part of the game, they are dictating what happens on the field.

This whole thing is ridiculous. Its not cheating, they aren't "stealing" anything, these signs are all done out in the open. Someone with binoculars and a notepad could do the same thing.

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DarrylS

Precisely, is this country's sports fans this bored that they have this much fascination with this issue.. the Yankees are coming to town, Papi hit a walkoff, the Pats played incredibly well last Sunday, the Bruins are opening camp, big golf tournament in Atlanta this week, the "chase" starts in NASCAR this weekend.. on and on.. but somehow there is a national fascination with this event.. time to move on folks.. I am beginning to really believe that there was a misinterpretation of the rules.. not sure how, but nothing else makes sense. Time for a new scandal to divert us from this one..

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"Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.

Aqua4Ever04

If you use the naked eye to pick signals from your own sideline, then all the power to you. But how can any one condone sending a staff member to the oppositions sidelind to record calls and signals?

DarrylS

Here is a real basic question for you? How do you edit and process this information during the game to make it meaningful during that game? Half time lasts 12 minutes, there are usually several folks giving signals, only one is not the decoy.. why would he do it so blatantly on the sidelines.. signals change from game to game.

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"Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.

Aqua4Ever04

Every play there are polaroids taken pre-snap, during the snap and at the conclusion of the play. You could very easily match those up with the tape during your halftime period and when the teams take the field for the 2nd half, the coaches work on the pairings and by time kick off, you know the signals. After this, you can use your coaches in the booth to look at what the coaches on the sideline signaled in, tell Tommy what he's facing, and watch him pick apart a defense where he knows exactly what's going to happen.

If it didn't help them, why would they do it?

DarrylS

Just as an exercise for fun, next time you go to a Fins game, have someone snap continual polaroids and you tape.. then go home and edit the tape, and match the polaroids to the film.. betcha it would take no less than maybe 8 hours if three people were working on it.

Why did they do it, no one knows. But, maybe they were doing it for themselves and their library of stuff to review later. In this day of technology, using a hand held camera to cheat and trying to match it with polaroids is prehistoric. You along with much of the press have a fertile imagination.

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"Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.