PFT creating controversy? - New England Patriots Forums

***Rob0729*** · 09-20-2007, 11:07 PM

I know it is a shock.

From PFT on the end of Spy Gate:

Quote:

POSTED 10:46 p.m. EDT, September 20, 2007
RESOLUTION TO PATS' SCANDAL HAS A STRANGE FEEL

Okay, so the NFL has received from the Patriots all materials related to the videotaping of defensive signals, and has destroyed them. The matter apparently is closed.

In all candor and with all due respect, however, something about this doesn't feel right. The destroyed materials had no real value, since any head coach or defensive coordinator who ever had played against the Belichick-led Pats would have surely revamped his defensive signals before facing them again. Even with the materials destroyed, any coach who would assume that a team that cheated in the first place by making the tapes wouldn't cheat by squirreling away a copy of the destroyed tapes doesn't deserve to have a job in the league.

But what of the ongoing rumors of other transgressions, such as the placement of microphones on defensive linemen? NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the AP, "We have no evidence to support that claim."

That's fine. No sanctions can ever be imposed on a matter of this nature without evidence. The real question, though, is what the league is doing, if anything, to search for such evidence.

Over the weekend, former Oakland receiver Tim Brown said on FSN's Pro Football Preview that an audiotape was sent to the the Raiders in 2002 containing clear sounds of quarterback Rich Gannon calling out audibles and adjustments during the teams' epic 2001 divisional playoff game. On Sunday, Gannon reiterated the contention while calling the Raiders-Broncos game for CBS.

It sure sounds like the early stages of "evidence to support that claim."

Still, we can't blame the NFL for closing the book on this one quickly. The league has no greater incentive to fully investigate the potential depths of the Patriots' rabbit hole than the Falcons had to insist on an archaeological at Michael Vick's property.

In these situations, nothing good can come of finding something bad.

Gregg Easterbook of ESPN.com addressed the potential ramifications of this scandal in his most recent Tuesday Morning Quarterback column, in a compelling look at a P.R. problem that could bring about a reduction in the league's popularity.

And that's why the best outcome might be to find a way to move on/move out regarding the whole cheating thing without screwing up what has become a very, very good thing for a lot of people. Us included.

We don't bust our butts on this site because we dislike the NFL and want to see its fan base shrink. I vividly remember as a kid being irritated by the notion that baseball was America's pastime, and being elated when it became clear that the NFL was the new king of the hill. But despite all of that, there's still a little voice in our guts telling us it's only right for the truth to come out (whatever it might be), and that even if the proof creates a short-term embarrassment the long-term interests of the sport will be vindicated.

So in the absence of a governmental body that has jurisdiction to poke its nose into these affairs, the onus falls on the "real" media to start turning stones in order to determine whether the skeletons in the closet have any meat on their bones. If there's anything to the whispers that resonated through the grapevine last week, there undoubtedly will be at least one former employee of the Patriots who no longer works in the NFL and has no aspiration to return -- and who has enough first-hand knowledge to make this story about something more than a guy with a video camera recording images that are in plain view of everyone during an NFL game.

Whether the "real" media is engaged in any such efforts remains to be seen.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

Ok, on the Raiders thing. Why would the Pats illegally record audio of Gannon calling the audible and then send it to the Raiders? If Belichick is this evil genius doing all these covert espinage, would he send evidence that he is doing to the team he is spying on even by accident? I don't get how this is proof of the Pats audiotaping signals. It could easily have been the audio feed from the network since they do record sounds from the field all game even if they don't broadcast it.

Patriot_in_NY · 09-20-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob0729

I know it is a shock.

From PFT on the end of Spy Gate:

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

Ok, on the Raiders thing. Why would the Pats illegally record audio of Gannon calling the audible and then send it to the Raiders? If Belichick is this evil genius doing all these covert espinage, would he send evidence that he is doing to the team he is spying on even by accident? I don't get how this is proof of the Pats audiotaping signals. It could easily have been the audio feed from the network since they do record sounds from the field all game even if they don't broadcast it.

He's a gutter whore, nothing MORE. If a tape exsisted, it would have surfaced back in 2002. No way they just would have tossed in in the garbage and said "gee, that really sucks". If TB and RG knew about it (the tape) all the players did, and there is no way it was quieted by that many people for so long, only to have is surface at this point (after tapegate broke).

100% crap. Move along folks, nothing to see here.

***ctpatsfan77*** · 09-20-2007, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patriot_in_NY

He's a gutter whore, nothing MORE. If a tape exsisted, it would have surfaced back in 2002. No way they just would have tossed in in the garbage and said "gee, that really sucks". If TB and RG knew about it (the tape) all the players did, and there is no way it was quieted by that many people for so long, only to have is surface at this point (after tapegate broke).

100% crap. Move along folks, nothing to see here.

IANAL, but it seems that Mr. Florio has forgotten the definition of laches.

As you said, if said tape existed, we'd have known about it in 2002.

***Rob0729*** · 09-20-2007, 11:50 PM

Even if the tape existed, wouldn't Florio, as a lawyer, know little things like proving chain of custody or obtaining proof that the Patriots actually were the ones who recorded the tape. Remember the Dolphins bought a tape supposably off the internet that had clear audio of Brady's audibles.

If the Raiders could produce the tape right now, how does the league prove that the Pats were the ones who recorded it? Fingerprints and DNA wouldn't last over nearly six years. Why would the league even believe that a tape that the Raiders had in their possession for nearly six years and never gave it to the league was mysteriously sent to them and recorded by the Patriots?

If this is the allegation with the hardest evidence floating around out there, it isn't surprising the league closed the case.

BoTown · 09-20-2007, 11:52 PM

What doesn't "feel right" to Florio is that this scandal is over and done with. He would probably prefer to keep stirring the pot. He doesn't want this to go away.

RayClay · 09-21-2007, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob0729

I know it is a shock.

From PFT on the end of Spy Gate:

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

Ok, on the Raiders thing. Why would the Pats illegally record audio of Gannon calling the audible and then send it to the Raiders? If Belichick is this evil genius doing all these covert espinage, would he send evidence that he is doing to the team he is spying on even by accident? I don't get how this is proof of the Pats audiotaping signals. It could easily have been the audio feed from the network since they do record sounds from the field all game even if they don't broadcast it.

He was no different from any other officer in the ward room, they were all disloyal. I tried to run the ship properly, by the book, but they fought me at every turn. The crew wanted to walk around with their shirt tails hanging out, that's all right, let them. Take the tow line, defective equipment, no more, no less. But they encouraged the crew to go around scoffing at me, and spreading wild rumors about steaming in circles, and then old yellow-strain. I was to blame for Lt. Maryk's incompetence and poor seamanship. Lt. Maryk was the perfect officer, but not Captain Queeg. Ah, but the strawberries, that's where I had them, they laughed at me and made jokes, but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt, with geometric logic, that a duplicate key to the ward room icebox did exist, and I've had produced that key if they hadn't pulled the Caine out of action...")

***DarrylS*** · 09-21-2007, 03:22 AM

Used to respect PFT, for what it was a rumor thing where you might get some information on the NFL.. however, after their flaming of this situation, I still visit, but view things more skeptically. The title of this thread, PFT creating controversy is what they do.. it is about generating hits..

cubicle_6 · 09-21-2007, 05:59 AM

There was nothing compelling about Easterbrook's pathetic column
that PFT credits.
There continues to be ridiculous lack of understanding how
a team's offense works given that Easterbrook still thinks it possible that the Patriots were stealing signs in the Charger game.
It's unbelievable.
These people don't stop to think how could that be?
If they did, they's understand it's just not realistic.

Cramden · 09-21-2007, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoTown

What doesn't "feel right" to Florio is that this scandal is over and done with. He would probably prefer to keep stirring the pot. He doesn't want this to go away.

Exactly. "Spygate" to Florio has been like the OJ trial was to Geraldo Rivera.

cartmen · 09-21-2007, 06:17 AM

what I am shocked by is that those guys are still grumbling over a playoff game that happened 6 years ago. The Defense had a good game but I wouldn't call it dominating. The offense was actually pretty mediocre in that game and thanks to a tuck rule call we got another shot at it. GET OVER YOURSELVES!! you still had a shot at preventing them from getting anywhere near the 31 yd line to tie it up and you couldn't

Why aint they ratting on the Bucs the following year they lambasted them made it look like they were in the huddle with them. Bunch of babies !