NYCPatsFan

(Mods - please feel free to close/move this if you think it is not pertinent.)

In that short statement by BB, I loved that brilliant inclusion of ' my interpretation of the rules', which I thought gave us excellent room to argue with the league about the reality of the situation (how others are doing it or how ridiculous the rule might be or what unwritten codes/rules are or whatever), and how the Pats have also been victim to it (Fins game for example).

But, IMO, the apology to the team and owners made it look like BB did something wrong. If all this is nothing but malicious PR and wait-till-dust-settles story, what was the need to apologize?

I fear that the apology gave instant ammunition to most of the media and the other fans to be convinced that we are indeed guilty of shady tactics. And now, we are facing a nightmare of situation where our image and reputation has been sullied and our achievements questioned even though we might not have done anything drastically different from other teams.

Curious to know what others think.

GO PATS!!

SVN

since BB likes to play with words- i would assume his apology is to the people affected thus far. Meaning ownership and players being asked all kind of questions and distractions.
Iam sure his statement was prepared with pats PR so it was more of "we need to say something" vs something he was apologizing for.

DaBruinz

He "apologized" to the players, owners and staff (as well as everyone) because the situation has become the media circus that it has. NOT because he did something wrong.

Patstopia

I think he apologized for his misunderstanding of the "camera on the sideline" rule. He did not, as the media says apologize for cheating.

My question for the reporters who have feasted in this bone and attacked BB personally is this;

When the league comes out and says the Pats had a camera which they shouldn't have. But there was no sign of impropriety by the Patriots. How are they ever going to retract the statements they have made? Will they ever get their reputations back to where they were before the venom they have spewed?

We should start now taking names, so we know in the future who is bias and who isnt.

chris_in_sunnyvale

Exactly. "I appologize to those this has affected."

Very much like "I'm sorry if you were offended." There's nothing in there admitting wrongdoing or fault.

Regards,
Chris

Gwedd

fellers,

I agree completely. He's apologising for causing a distraction, NOT for anything else. It's the same thing he would demand of any other member of the team or staff.

And yeah, there's a LOT of media-types who gone lower on the media-whore scale because of this. Many have fallen to the "crack-whore in the gutter" level.

Respects,

NYCPatsFan

Knowing how careful he is with his words, why then use 'apologize' in a public statement especially when that 'apology' is addressed to only the team, owner and staff - the very group to whom he could have personally apologized?

I wish he had struck to a one liner about his interpretation of the rules and how he will comment after the league's feedback.

AzPatsFan

Belichick apologized only to the players who will be put through the media wringer. He apologized from the diversion of their attention, this week.

He also established the basis of the Patriots and, IMHO, his quite legitimate defense. The background of open taping, and the use of a video technician who knows no football, is exculpatory. The taping technician never coached, played in the NFL, or even in a major college conference, if he even played college football at all. The Patriots were NOT slinking about as if they thought they were doing something against the rules. That is exculpatory as well. Unless it has been PROVEN that the tape was used "in the game" there is not even a minor technical violation.

As the rule and the clarifying memo has said, there is no taping allowed when used "in the game" Any taping or picture taking from wherever, is therefore Allowed if used for post game analysis. The league DOES NOT outlaw "Sign stealing", anymore than MLB does. It is part of th fascination of the game.

Surely you won't argue that a Coaches tape used for post game analysis is a violation. If so banish Paul Brown from the Hall of Fame for blatant but innovative "Cheating". While you are at it, remove Vince Lombardi, John Madden, Bill Walsh, Chuck Noll, Don Shaula, Tom Landry etc, as they did make private film or tape and used it for post game analysis.

Of all the tons of media frenzy and fan hyperbole, any lawyer, even a most mediocre one, would love to go to court with this as his defense. The Patriots most likely don't have mediocre lawyers on the payroll.

Has there been a single bit of public formation indicating that the Patriots used the information "in the game"?.
No.
Since the tape and camera was seized 8 minutes into the game, there was no way it was a violation in this particular game, unless there was some real time hookup. That has not been shown, at all. It is even dificult to see how it might be used in realtime. So you must PROVE that it was done other times, and that tape was used other times, expressly and explicitly "in the game". Where is the evidence? There is no tape evidence seized in previous games, nor evidence of in-game use.

There is None. Zip, Nada, Nothing, Nope...

Indeed, the Patriots could well demand and receive an apology from the league for the disruption, and character defamation.

[sarcasm on]

Now it time for Commissioner Goodell to make the Patriots whole by awarding them the first pick in the 2008 draft, and maybe more...

[sarcasm off]

upstater1

You mean, why did he issue a non-apology apology?

mgteich

Belichick likely "apologized" because he was ordered to do so. Even under a direct order, he really didn't apologize at all, just told us that he had a difference in rules interpretation with the Commissioner.