How do you stop teams from cheating with cameras?

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

The way I understand how this camera thing works - and admittedly, I am no expert. I can't even get the clock programmed on my DVD/VCR player, but...

Teams film from the sideline and run a live feed from the camera straight to the coaches booth, where coaches make adjustments play to play by seeing the opposition's defensive signals and then alert the QB, who can make audibles at the line of scrimmage based on the signals.

The NFL or the teams themselves could easily mitigate the whole impact of stealing signals by employing a couple of relatively simple measures.

1) Put microphones/speakers in the helmets of 2 or 3 of the play-calling defensive players so they don't have to give hand signals.

2) Put 2 or 3 coaches on the sidelines all giving signals and rotate which ones are the actual signals. You could even have the "hot" signal caller throw a couple of dummy signals in to further muddy the water for the opposition.

It's not that hard. We do it in baseball all the time.

We'll give the players 4 or 5 different signs from the 3rd base coaches box, and only the one that corresponds with the number of strikes is the actual signal (ie: 3-1 count, 1st sign is the hot sign; 3-2 count with 2 fouls, 4th sign is the hot sign).

Meanwhile, there is a coach in the dugout throwing off fake signs and maye we've got the 1st base coach involved, too, flipping dummy signs.

All you need is intelligent coaches and players.

 

[Pedrorocks458]

The way I understand how this camera thing works - and admittedly, I am no expert. I can't even get the clock programmed on my DVD/VCR player, but...

Teams film from the sideline and run a live feed from the camera straight to the coaches booth, where coaches make adjustments play to play by seeing the opposition's Jets defensive signals and then alert the QB, who can make audibles at the line of scrimmage based on the signals.

The NFL or the teams themselves could easily mitigate the whole impact of stealing signals by employing a couple of relatively simple measures.

1) Put microphones/speakers in the helmets of 2 or 3 of the play-calling defensive players so they don't have to give hand signals.

2) Put 2 or 3 coaches on the sidelines all giving signals and rotate which ones are the actual signals. You could even have the "hot" signal caller throw a couple of dummy signals in to further muddy the water for the opposition.

It's not that hard. We do it in baseball all the time.

We'll give the players 4 or 5 different signs from the 3rd base coaches box, and only the one that corresponds with the number of strikes is the actual signal (ie: 3-2 count, 1st sign is the hot sign; 3-2 count with 2 fouls, 4th sign is the hot sign).

Meanwhile, there is a coach in the dugout throwing off fake signs and maye we've got the 1st base coach involved, too, flipping dummy signs.

All you need is intelligent coaches and players.

There are no monitor in the coaches booth that would accept live feeds from these cameras. They're not given carte blanch to put in whatever video equipment they want. Its not circuit city in there.

The issue of mics in defensive players helmets lost by two votes in the offseason. It will now pass.

And teams do use dummy signals. Already. Which makes this story even more absurd.

 

[DaBruinz]

The way I understand how this camera thing works - and admittedly, I am no expert. I can't even get the clock programmed on my DVD/VCR player, but...

Teams film from the sideline and run a live feed from the camera straight to the coaches booth, where coaches make adjustments play to play by seeing the opposition's Jets defensive signals and then alert the QB, who can make audibles at the line of scrimmage based on the signals.

The NFL or the teams themselves could easily mitigate the whole impact of stealing signals by employing a couple of relatively simple measures.

1) Put microphones/speakers in the helmets of 2 or 3 of the play-calling defensive players so they don't have to give hand signals.

2) Put 2 or 3 coaches on the sidelines all giving signals and rotate which ones are the actual signals. You could even have the "hot" signal caller throw a couple of dummy signals in to further muddy the water for the opposition.

It's not that hard. We do it in baseball all the time.

We'll give the players 4 or 5 different signs from the 3rd base coaches box, and only the one that corresponds with the number of strikes is the actual signal (ie: 3-2 count, 1st sign is the hot sign; 3-2 count with 2 fouls, 4th sign is the hot sign).

Meanwhile, there is a coach in the dugout throwing off fake signs and maye we've got the 1st base coach involved, too, flipping dummy signs.

All you need is intelligent coaches and players.

Armen -
How can they run a live feed into the Coaches booth when they'd need a land line or specific wireless equipment to do that? Do you honest believe that the JETS or any other team would allow the Pats to run a LIVE FEED to the coaches booth? Not gonna happen.

The teams aren't allowed to bring recording equipment into the coaches booth. Nor video playing equipment other than what is there.

The QBs receiver shuts off with 10 seconds left on the play-clock. So, what you're proposing has to happen within a 15 second time span. Sorry, but it just doesn't. Go back and re-watch all the plays that go off within 3 seconds of the play-clock expiration. I'd bet that its more than 80% of them.. Maybe even more than 90%.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

There are no monitor in the coaches booth that would accept live feeds from these cameras. They're not given carte blanch to put in whatever video equipment they want. Its not circuit city in there.

The issue of mics in defensive players helmets lost by two votes in the offseason. It will now pass.

And teams do use dummy signals. Already. Which makes this story even more absurd.

I read something yesterday, and I am so sorry, I do not recall where, about a former Minnesota Vikings (I believe) cameraman who said they used to do just that. Tap into the "trunk" line and send the live feed to the coaches box.

He went on to say that what surprised him was that the Pats taped it. He said he never had the tape feature on so there never any evidence of what he was doing.

So, if I am giving out bad info on that, I am just taking second hand from that article.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Armen -
How can they run a live feed into the Coaches booth when they'd need a land line or specific wireless equipment to do that? Do you honest believe that the JETS or any other team would allow the Pats to run a LIVE FEED to the coaches booth? Not gonna happen.

The teams aren't allowed to bring recording equipment into the coaches booth. Nor video playing equipment other than what is there.

The QBs receiver shuts off with 10 seconds left on the play-clock. So, what you're proposing has to happen within a 15 second time span. Sorry, but it just doesn't. Go back and re-watch all the plays that go off within 3 seconds of the play-clock expiration. I'd bet that its more than 80% of them.. Maybe even more than 90%.

Well, here again, I am not claiming to be an expert. Just sharing what was my understanding of how this works.

I also did not know the QB speaker shut off with 10 seconds to go on the play clock. Who monitors that? The league?

And if all this is true, why is this such a big deal?

 

[DaBruinz]

Well, here again, I am not claiming to be an expert. Just sharing what was my understanding of how this works.

I also did not know the QB speaker shut off with 10 seconds to go on the play clock. Who monitors that? The league?

And if all this is true, why is this such a big deal?

Yes, the league monitors it. Just like the league is in control of the headsets and the frequencies that the headsets are set to. And that the league is the only one who knows what the frequencies are.

 

[DarrylS]

Well, here again, I am not claiming to be an expert. Just sharing what was my understanding of how this works.

I also did not know the QB speaker shut off with 10 seconds to go on the play clock. Who monitors that? The league?

And if all this is true, why is this such a big deal?

That is the big question, maybe it was filmed for the Pats Archives as is contended, not to cheat last Sunday.. the whole thing has gotten blown completely out of proportion.