Evidence of other NFL teams stealing signs - New England Patriots Forums

Larry Whigham · 05-24-2008, 11:20 AM

To me, the question that should be asked by every reporter to every head coach around the league is "Do you steal signs?" This is one aspect of the story that has never been investigated the way it should around the league. I think we all know the answer but why can't other coaches go on the record on this issue?

I propose that this is the place where all evidence of other teams stealing signs goes here. If you are a reporter covering the NFL, I suggest you sack up and ask some other coaches to go on the record about this topic.

I'll get things started.

Quote:

"That type of sign-stealing goes on a ton in the league,'' said one NFL source who was both a former coach and player in the league. "From a coaching standpoint, you know who's signaling in the personnel on the opposing sideline, and then there's another guy making the play calls on the headset. Defenses used to watch the play-caller, and if a guy spoke for a real long time, that was usually a pass, because the calls take longer. A run is always a shorter call. So coaches shield their mouths when they're calling plays now. If you make your calls out in the open, the other team will steal your signals and your tendencies.''

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...nfl/index.html

***Rob0729*** · 05-24-2008, 11:28 AM

You forgot this one:

Quote:

Teams have also been chastised for having a second camera in the press box-area video box, with one camera shooting the game action and the other one being trained on the opposing team's signal-givers. On offense, that's why coaches have taken to holding their play-calling charts in front of their mouths when they're sending in the play to the quarterback via the radio headset system.

Banks does talk about the 2006 e-mail being specific for the Patriots, but he does use the word "Teams" in that quote.

***maverick4*** · 05-24-2008, 12:10 PM

I hope the FRAMe website guys post up evidence/info of all the other teams.

For example, the Dolphins getting the Pats line calls through audio mics. Or, the Jets being caught and told to stop taping during a playoff game against the Pats

questionman · 05-24-2008, 03:12 PM

I thought the issue was the taping of other teams signals, not just trying to steal them, right?

Zeke_Mowatt · 05-24-2008, 03:17 PM

How have I never seen that article before throughout all this Spygate horse*****? (answer, I'm lazy and don't read enough but still...)

This should be tattooed on the face of every douchenozzle at ESPN with permanent ink and 5 needle packs.

Thank you very much Whigam, I enjoyed reading that, and have forwarded it to every hatriot in my address book.

JoeSixPat · 05-24-2008, 03:27 PM

While we're on the topic - here's a quote from the story decrying the allegation that a player who regained his health while on IR actually practiced.

Quote:

IR ISSUE BIGGER THAN SPYGATE?

Posted by Mike Florio on May 23, 2008, 11:53 a.m.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/...-than-spygate/

With the lidless red eye of the media now focusing on ten-day-old evidence of then-fresh cheating allegations regarding the Patriots, ... we’ve gotten some feedback on the situation, unsolicited, from someone not in the media. Instead, a high-level exec with a team other than the Patriots has shared some opinions about the differences between the videotaping of defensive coaching signals...

“I honestly feel like the IR issue is a way bigger issue than taping signals. I always felt that was overblown because everyone was doing it in some way (i.e. with a scout in the press box, etc).

Of course the admission from the "source" that "everyone's doing it" is disregarded and disbelieved while everyone eagerly accepts his take on the IR issue

If anyone's looking for the clincher, ask yourself - have you ever seen coaches covering their mouths calling plays in during games OTHER THAN AGAINST THE PATRIOTS?

Of course the answer is Yes - every team attempts to cover their playcalling becasuse they know that every team has a camera in the press box... even - gasp - teams OTHER than the Patriots.

If "everyone isn't doing it" there'd be no need for them to cover themselves.

Zeke_Mowatt · 05-24-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nittanylions52

First of all, questionman is right that the main issue is videotaping signals, not just stealing them.

Also, I'm not sure how many times this has to be explained. Coaches cover their mouths because of the plethora of network cameras that focus on them so often. You can't just say "coaches cover their mouths, which means other teams are taping." No, actually coaches don't want other people to just be able to Tivo the game and figure out their signals from that.

There was this whole big deal late this past season where one of the cameras caught the other side of Mike Holmgren's cheat sheet - the one used to cover his mouth. He got really pissed and told them not to do that. So just because coaches cover their mouths doesn't mean the opposition is taping them.

Your first point is correct...but did you actually read the article where they talk about "teams" not just the Patriots videotaping signals from the sidelines? They mention the pats vs. packers issue, but in this pre-spygate article before the witch hunt started, the memo and the discussion was about "teams" not just a team. JoeSixPat's point is valid, he just framed it in a way that allowed you to cast aspersions on it.

***BelichickFan*** · 05-24-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoever

I always felt that was overblown because everyone was doing it in some way (i.e. with a scout in the press box, etc).

Yeah, where the hell was that the past 8 months. Bull*****. The Patriots go through all that crap and NOW it's overblown. Bull.

JoeSixPat · 05-24-2008, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nittanylions52

First of all, questionman is right that the main issue is videotaping signals, not just stealing them.

Also, I'm not sure how many times this has to be explained. Coaches cover their mouths because of the plethora of network cameras that focus on them so often. You can't just say "coaches cover their mouths, which means other teams are taping." No, actually coaches don't want other people to just be able to Tivo the game and figure out their signals from that.

There was this whole big deal late this past season where one of the cameras caught the other side of Mike Holmgren's cheat sheet - the one used to cover his mouth. He got really pissed and told them not to do that. So just because coaches cover their mouths doesn't mean the opposition is taping them.

Which do you think they are more concerned about - a passing network camera, or the admission of the "high level exec" that there's widespread videotaping from the pressbox. The Network might show about 60 seconds a game of signals being called. The videotaping from the pressbox will show the ENTIRE game.

And you don't need to remind me or most fans here that the issue is taping - not just stealing - signals. When we say "everyone does it" we mean videotaping - not stealing signals, which is allowed by the league because - apparently like videotaping signals from the press box - they can't enforce it, and make no effort to determine what is being taped.

I'd find it hard to believe that the "high level exec" failed to recognize that distinction in his remarks either. Here again we have another "high level executive" stating that everyone's doing it (i.e. taping signals - in this case from the press box)

chech1965 · 05-24-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by questionman

I thought the issue was the taping of other teams signals, not just trying to steal them, right?

The issue is solely the location of the camera.