Jets STH sues Patriots, Belichick for $184M - New England Patriots Forums

***pats1*** · 09-28-2007, 05:19 PM

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7...40813162&ATT=5

Quote:

Jets ticket holder sues Patriots and coach Belichick, seeks damages of more than $184 million
Associated Press, Updated 2 minutes ago

NEW YORK (AP) - A New York Jets season-ticket holder filed a class-action lawsuit Friday against the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick for "deceiving customers."

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., by Carl Mayer of Princeton Township, N.J., stems from the Patriots being caught illegally videotaping signals from Jets coaches in New England's 38-14 season-opening win Sept. 9."They violated the integrity of the game," Mayer's attorney, Bruce Afran, told The Associated Press. "This is a way of punishing Belichick and the Patriots."

Mayer is seeking more than $184 million in damages for Jets ticket holders.

Belichick was fined $500,000 by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and the team was fined $250,000 for violating a league rule that prohibits clubs from using a video camera on the sidelines for any purpose - including recording signals relayed to opposing players on the field. New England also must forfeit a first-round draft pick next year if it makes the playoffs or a second- and third-rounder if it doesn't.

"They were deceiving customers," said the 48-year-old Mayer. "You can't deceive customers."

The lawsuit maintained that because other teams found illegal videotaping by the defendants, Jets ticket holders should be compensated for all games played in Giants Stadium between the Jets and Patriots since Belichick became head coach in 2000.

The two calculated that because customers paid $61.6 million to watch eight "fraudulent" games, they're entitled to triple that amount - or $184.8 million - in compensation under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act and the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

"How many times have the Patriots done this? We find it hard to believe they did it just once," Mayer said. "We just want to get to the truth of the matter of what the Patriots did to the Jets. I think the ticket holders are genuinely concerned about it. This is a type of misrepresentation."

Patriots spokesman Stacey James declined to comment on the lawsuit.

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***richpats*** · 09-28-2007, 05:21 PM

Jesus, do Jets fans not want to see their team beat New England ever again? Yeah, we really needed a competitive edge in 2005, didn't we?

Tucker · 09-28-2007, 05:22 PM

HAHAHAHAHAHA

What a joke, good luck with that. Also, have fun paying your lawyers later, douchebags

Crowpointer · 09-28-2007, 05:24 PM

If there was any doubt there isn't any now. The Jets fans are the bottom feeders of the NFL.

Oswlek · 09-28-2007, 05:24 PM

I was sure that this was something from The Onion when I clicked the link.

bradmahn · 09-28-2007, 05:24 PM

Guy's a joke. Oh, and remember, folks, Mangini had nothing to do with this as well.

PonyExpress · 09-28-2007, 05:25 PM

Thanks Goodell, you Doofus. This is why the NFL should have made a lawyer commissioner. His careless actions have spawned a generation of conspiracy theorists. All he had to do was hand out a small fine and send out a memo, and move on. What a moron.

Pujo · 09-28-2007, 05:26 PM

Wow, there are so many reasons to throw this one out. For one thing, he should be suing the Jets since his tickets are with them. He has no contract - implied or otherwise - with the Patriots, so how could their behavior be judged to be outside of acceptable? If a player's flagged for an offsides, does that give fans standing to sue because the action was against the rules of the game?

This guy's about to find out that the rules of football and the provisions of contract & tort law are very different, hopefully he gets slapped with sanctions - like attorneys fees, for this bullcrap. This reminds me of the guy suing god in Nebraska.

***Patriots Nation NY*** · 09-28-2007, 05:27 PM

This is really getting out of hand.

Pujo · 09-28-2007, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PonyExpress

Thanks Goodell, you Doofus. This is why the NFL should have made a lawyer commissioner. His careless actions have spawned a generation of conspiracy theorists. All he had to do was hand out a small fine and send out a memo, and move on. What a moron.

Who's the doofus?? This has nothing to do with Goodell, an attorney would not have done anything differently. The commissioner's not going to avoid taking action against a team because it could cause some nutjob to file a completely frivilous lawsuit. You can be sure his decision was vetted by the NFL's legal counsel, and you can also be sure that no lawyer advised him against this because of third-party RICO liability.