OT: Bears and 49ers to have tampering hearing

[slash83]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/

BEARS, 49ERS TO HAVE TAMPERING HEARING
Posted by Michael David Smith on March 15, 2008, 8:01 p.m.
Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports that an NFL hearing scheduled for Monday in New York is set to determine whether the 49ers tampered with Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.

Glazer cites unnamed league sources saying the Bears believe the 49ers had impermissible contact with either Briggs or his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, during the 2007 NFL season. The Bears and 49ers were close to working out a trade involving Briggs, but the trade fell through at the last minute. Briggs ultimately re-signed with the Bears this month.

According to Glazer, the Bears are taking the matter seriously and are prepared to have team president Ted Phillips, General Manager Jerry Angelo and head coach Lovie Smith all travel to New York for the hearing.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was apparently hoping the Bears and 49ers could reach some type of agreement before the hearing. But short of such an agreement, Goodell will side for one team or the other. If he finds that the 49ers did break league rules on tampering, the team could be fined or docked draft picks.

Better make a good example of them if they are indeed guilty.

 

[Excel]

I'm more surprised that the Dolpins/Eagles aren't even being looked at with their multi-year deals being hashed out in the opening minutes of free agency, out of thin air!

 

[BradyFTW!]

Pretty lame, IMO, but after SpyGate I do kinda want to see every team that commits even the most minor technical infraction get docked a pick, just because that's what it will take to make idiots realize how minor spygate really was.

 

[Disco Volante]

5-11*

 

[blackglass3]

Don't see anything on it per ESPN yet...

Joking. If it's not negative Pats news, it's not reported.

 

[PatsfanGlo]

5-11*

ROFL. Best ever.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

ya fine the niners there first round pick..... oops the Pats own that. take away both first rounders of the pats? it's a conspiracy!!

 

[Jimke]

If found guilty, the 49ers will lose an 8th round pick in 2010.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Cheaters!!!!!

 

[ALP]

so wait....a TEAM has to report the matter, otherwise the league does not investigate?

can we get ht epats to send a memo about the eagles plz?

also...this better mean a 1st rd pick...no less (maybe a 2nd and 3rd b/c the 9ers did not make playoffs)

 

[Joker]

yeah...Goodell investigates alright...and then he takes away SF's pick they ALREADY traded to the Patriots...that's about all you're gonna get from undercover Jet employee commisioner

 

[Excel]

yeah...Goodell investigates alright...and then he takes away SF's pick they ALREADY traded to the Patriots...that's about all you're gonna get from undercover Jet employee commisioner

You know at this point, I would not be surprised at all if I read this in the morning globe at all.

 

[Topher]

The most disturbing quote from the article is the following:

"NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was apparently hoping the Bears and 49ers could reach some type of agreement before the hearing."

So, in other words, Goodell would have preferred not to deal with the issue. So much for the recent statements about being more assertive in enforcing rules, especially tampering.

It appears like he is acting solely for the purposes of keeping up appearances in the media. Unless the media forces his hand with this, and shows "outrage" (which is unlikely) the penalties here will be minimal, if at all.

 

[DarrylS]

The most disturbing quote from the article is the following:

"NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was apparently hoping the Bears and 49ers could reach some type of agreement before the hearing."

So, in other words, Goodell would have preferred not to deal with the issue. So much for the recent statements about being more assertive in enforcing rules, especially tampering.

It appears like he is acting solely for the purposes of keeping up appearances in the media. Unless the media forces his hand with this, and shows "outrage" (which is unlikely) the penalties here will be minimal, if at all.

In his haste for saving the "integrity of the game", he severely overreacted to the Pats situation and betcha he wants things to cool down for a while and deflect as much attention as he can..

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Goodell is still framing his work vis a vis the Pats earlier this season as part of a leaguewide cleanup.

It's in his interests for this not to just be a "cheatin Patriots" story. That's what was behind his earlier statements last week, and that's what's behind the 9ers/Bears hearings.

He evidently has a league mandate from the owners to "clean up" the league, and that means taping, tampering, and the usual gamesmanship we've all grown up watching for years.

Now that Specter jumped on the bandwagon, it is very difficult to turn back. He can say "We got this, Senator, cool your jets... we are all about integrity."

What he can't say is "Huh? Oh yeah, integrity, that was the Pats. We already did that." That plays into the "coverup" talk.

One bogeyman team and three asterisk super bowls are not in the League's interest. One would imagine that a "super-clean" league is in the league's interest. Maybe they want soccer moms and their non-football playing kids to grow up with the game, and don't want the soccer moms to feel embarassed because the players shoot strip club bouncers and steroids, and the coaches are like kids trying to copy in school.

Remember the No Fun League characterization of NFL? Well this is the No Fun League on steroids. No, wait, that was the No Fun League on steroids, this is that same league without them. Or something. You get the point.

I think the reason Goodell went after the Pats in the first place is they were a super-hot commodity of a franchise, they were perenniel winners, and they were almost spotless in their reputation. As if to say, well, we could kick the Raiders in the nads again, but who'd even notice, and the Bengals are all on probation, incarcerated, or awaiting trial... plus, the Patriots brand will withstand the s***storm.

Oh and by the way, does the phrase "target of convenience" mean anything to ya? We did conveniently tape the Jets, and get caught by the Jets/NFL security.

Goodell used that occasion to set an example; we did provide him the occasion.

But Goodell's current efforts underscore a very good point to be made in the Pats' defense: enforcement was lax for years on many points, then suddenly went into hyperdrive on some points but not others.

The league evidently needs a very high standard of proof before busting... so Miami and the Jets were let off the hook in 06 for violations on a par with the Pats' infraction last year. When the 'phins and Jets did it, it really was just after the league's offseason memo.

What else could Goodell have had in mind when he asked for expanded powers? I mean unless you think he intends to use them to send head coaches to Gitmo for waterboarding or something.

The point of this extended ramble is:

1) I'm on travel for a few days so I'm getting in some last rants,
2) The recent napoleonic memo on the part of Goodell asking for greater powers is, in the short term, a good sign for the Pats, and
3) Ditto the current emphasis on tampering.

Goodell is perceived by someone seeing through anti-Patriot eyes as "coddling" the horrible (and uniquely horrible) Patriots. The charge, remember, is cover-up. Disposing of evidence so the Pats are punished "lightly".

I.e., with the harshest punishment ever meted out by the league.

If the Pats uniquely and regularly broke the rules, that's one thing.

If the Pats were doing one species of rulebreaking behavior, which in the main has been engaged in by every team in the league one way or another, that's another thing.

What Goodell's doing now, for his own sake and that of the league contra government, is establishing the latter.

PFnV