Cell phones on the sidelines???

[Patsfanin Philly]

Since the NFL is cracking down on any violation of the rules, I have a question for the board. I was under the impression that any and all cellphones were banned from the sidelines by team personnel during games.
Yet at the end of the Titans-Texans game yesterday during a timeout before the last Tennessee field goal, the camera panned the Tenn sidelines and they stopped at what appeared to be two Tenn coaches, both wearing Titans polo jerseys and one holding a clipboard. It sure looked like the other one was dialing a cell phone. Aside from the obvious question of what was more important than the kick at that moment, why did he have it on the sidelines if it is banned? I'm hoping that they rerun the game on NFLN and I can check it out but did any one else notice it??

Just my $0.02,

 

[363839]

Since the NFL is cracking down on any violation of the rules, I have a question for the board. I was under the impression that any and all cellphones were banned from the sidelines by team personnel during games.
Yet at the end of the Titans-Texans game yesterday during a timeout before the last Tennessee field goal, the camera panned the Tenn sidelines and they stopped at what appeared to be two Tenn coaches, both wearing Titans polo jerseys and one holding a clipboard. It sure looked like the other one was dialing a cell phone. Aside from the obvious question of what was more important than the kick at that moment, why did he have it on the sidelines if it is banned? I'm hoping that they rerun the game on NFLN and I can check it out but did any one else notice it??

Just my $0.02,

If it wasn't the Pats then no transgression was committed.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

If it wasn't the Pats then no transgression was committed.

If it is true, it will be interesting to see how the NFL acts, since IIRC Fisher is on the competition committee................................

 

[KoolAidDrinker]

Since the NFL is cracking down on any violation of the rules, I have a question for the board. I was under the impression that any and all cellphones were banned from the sidelines by team personnel during games.

Originally Posted by Section103
According to Mike Reiss of the Globe, this is the exact rule that the Pats allegedly broke:

"Any use by any club at any time, from the start to the finish of any game in which such club is a participant, of any communications or information-gathering equipment, other than Polaroid-type cameras or field telephones, shall be prohibited, including without limitation videotape machines, telephone tapping, or bugging devices, or any other form of electronic devices that might aid a team during the playing of a game."

I still have not found an online pdf of the NFL Constitution and Bylaws which states this. But if this is accurate, and the cell phones are being used to communicate (duh!), and game participants are using the cellphones, and the game is underway, then it's a rule violation.

IMO, in it's most liberal interpretation, this rule is violated every week by every NFL team.

 

[He Ban Me]

IIRC, didn't More Jr. get fined for using a celly during a game? Pretty soon, they'll have to frisk players, coaches, and the like. Metal detectors, partitions so that the players are confined to a specfic area. wow.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Originally Posted by Section103
According to Mike Reiss of the Globe, this is the exact rule that the Pats allegedly broke:

"Any use by any club at any time, from the start to the finish of any game in which such club is a participant, of any communications or information-gathering equipment, other than Polaroid-type cameras or field telephones, shall be prohibited, including without limitation videotape machines, telephone tapping, or bugging devices, or any other form of electronic devices that might aid a team during the playing of a game."

I still have not found an online pdf of the NFL Constitution and Bylaws which states this. But if this is accurate, and the cell phones are being used to communicate (duh!), and game participants are using the cellphones, and the game is underway, then it's a rule violation.

IMO, in it's most liberal interpretation, this rule is violated every week by every NFL team.

You mean like this

 

[ddell1]

So what can be done with this info? Is it something that can be e-mailed to Reiss?

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

So what can be done with this info? Is it something that can be e-mailed to Reiss?

Done. I also sent it to Florio and I'm waiting to see if anything comes of it (not likely, especially for those in whom Patriots bashing has become a cottage industry!!)

 

[ALP]

You mean like this

thats pathetic...really, really, really pathetic...u guys think the titans are gonna lose a 1st round pick if they are penelized for this at all? i highly doubt, i would actually bet a LOT of money that they do not...

wasnt Fisher one of the coaches who bashed BB?....

 

[Gumby]

1. Nobody would be penalized anything as drastic as a pick until after the league sends out one of their "reminder" memos and then violates it.

2. My impression was that the only rule on cell phones was the Chad Johnson / TO prop rule.


If the rule does exist as prior poster listed; I would think a little bit of rationality has to come into play. Cellphones are ubiquitous. Everybody has one. And I dont think they qualify as "phone tapping equipment" (unless of course you have one that has been issued by the DNC or camp Hillary).

Certainly the players dont have pockets;and ought to keep them in the locker room. But coaches and medical staff especially had darn well better have one. If someone gets hurt and you want your doc to call ahead to the nearest med facility for something like the everett situation than a cell phone is crucial. Not even considering notifying the players family etc.