NFL announces deal with Walsh; Goodell meeting set for May 13

[BrianPat]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

I don't know if I could. I'd have to ask FBN. But it doesn't really have anything to do with Walsh.

Interesting, but it has to do with Matt and Spector, hmmmmm my imagination is now in over drive LOL

 

[richpats]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

If this was a former Colts employee (or any other team for that matter), do you think the NFL would even give this guy a 2nd thought? The NFL is jumping through hoops at the mere CHANCE that he has something will bring the Pats down.

 

[Disco Volante]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

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

WALSH DEAL IS IN PLACE
Posted by Mike Florio on April 23, 2008, 12:43 p.m.

The NFL has issued a statement regarding the status of negotiations with former Patriots employee Matt Walsh.

Basically, the negotiations are over, because a deal has been reached.

An agreement has been completed between the NFL and Matt Walsh that will allow Mr. Walsh, a former videotape operator with the New England Patriots, to share with the NFL information about activities occurring during his employment with the club from 1997-2003,” the statement reads.

Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet with Walsh in the league office on May 13.

The interview with Mr. Walsh will seek to determine whether he has any new information about that videotaping practice or other possible violations of league rules,” the NFL said. Under the agreement, Walsh must return any tapes or other items in his possession that belong to the team. The league and the Patriots have promised not to sue him. And the league and the Patriots “will indemnify him for any expenses, including legal fees that he incurs in connection with the interview.”

It’s unclear how far this commitment to indemnify Walsh goes; if he’s sued by, for example, Bill Belichick as a result of what Walsh tells Goodell, will the NFL and the Patriots cover Walsh financially?

After the May 13 meeting, there will be a news media briefing, which will be attended by Goodell.

The open question in all of this is whether Walsh will also have the ability to speak to the media or to Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). If the deal contemplates that Walsh will only speak to the league, then there are two potential explanations. First, Walsh is confident that he has enough information to prompt Goodell to take swift and stern action against the Patriots. Second, Walsh really doesn’t have anything and prefers not to be exposed as not having anything to a national television audience.

There you have it folks, May 13th.

 

[bigjunk1]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

There you have it folks, May 13th.

Oh man, the haters are going to turn this date into another Super Bowl.

 

[tombonneau]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

Oh man, the haters are going to turn this date into another Super Bowl.

Hardly. It's a deadzone for news. The wording of this release makes me think all it was about is Walsh wants to make sure the Pats don't sue him out of spite for stolen tapes & other paraphernalia.

It is not with a bang, but a whimper that Mr. Walsh will exit the spotlight...

 

[Disco Volante]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

It falls on a Tuesday.

So everyone make plans now. I'm going to go pick up a few Matt Walsh foam fingers tonight.

 

[Sicilian]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

Oh man, the haters are going to turn this date into another Super Bowl.

Prediction:

Walsh meets with Goodell, has pretty much nothing. Maybe another example of the things BB already admitted to, no big deal.

Goodell holds a press conference to relay these "findings".

Specter / media accuse him of cover up and demand a transcript of the conversation, saying, "Until we get the exact words from his mouth, we can't be sure that's what he said!"

Someone will find a way to give this new legs, however feeble :bricks:

 

[PAPatsjunkie]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

Thank God I will be out of the country... ESPN is going to have a field day with coverage on that day.

 

[pats1]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

Well thanks for updating that. FBN's initial message was kind of scary.

Be not afraid. It's nothing damaging against the Patriots.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

Re: PFT/Peter King: Walsh deal imminent; Courant: NFL will announce deal today (4/23)

Any chance the Pats will have repsrentation present on 5/13?

I'm not sure that it would much matter, but it would make for interesting tv.

 

[Jimke]

At least it's after the draft so the Pats shouldn't lose any 2008 draft picks.

 

[Joker]

why would Jetdell, the former Rat employee allow the Patriots to have a representative present? HE started all this complete B.S. because of his hatred for NE, as evidenced by his upbringing on Long Island , New York and his lifelong fan affiliation with his beloved Rats.

Easily the WORST, MOST BIASED, AND DISINGENUOUS commisioner in any sport in history.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

The agreement, from Reiss:

Commissioner Goodell will meet with Mr. Walsh in the commissioner’s office on Tuesday, May 13, the earliest date that Mr. Walsh, who lives in Hawaii, will be available on the east coast.

The agreement also requires Mr. Walsh to return any tapes and other items in his possession that belong to the Patriots. In return, the NFL and the Patriots have promised not to sue Mr. Walsh. They also will indemnify him for any expenses, including legal fees that he incurs in connection with the interview.

Who will indemnify Walsh? The Pats? The league? Will they share it?

 

[pats1]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

NFL statement on Matt Walsh
Posted by Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
April 23, 2008 12:43 PM

The NFL released the following statement today:

"An agreement has been completed between the NFL and Matt Walsh that will allow Mr. Walsh, a former videotape operator with the New England Patriots, to share with the NFL information about activities occurring during his employment with the club from 1997-2003.

Commissioner Goodell will meet with Mr. Walsh in the commissioner’s office on Tuesday, May 13, the earliest date that Mr. Walsh, who lives in Hawaii, will be available on the east coast.

The agreement also requires Mr. Walsh to return any tapes and other items in his possession that belong to the Patriots. In return, the NFL and the Patriots have promised not to sue Mr. Walsh. They also will indemnify him for any expenses, including legal fees that he incurs in connection with the interview.

Commissioner Goodell determined last September that the Patriots had violated league rules by videotaping opposing coaches' defensive signals during Patriots games throughout Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach. Coach Belichick admitted to his use of the taping practice on a regular basis as a result of what he said was his misinterpretation of the rule.

Commissioner Goodell imposed substantial discipline on Coach Belichick and the club as a result of that practice. The interview with Mr. Walsh will seek to determine whether he has any new information about that videotaping practice or other possible violations of league rules.

Following the meeting with Mr. Walsh on May 13, there will be a news media briefing later that day in New York that will be attended by Commissioner Goodell."

 

[BelichickFan]

The agreement, from Reiss

The way I read that :

- Walsh has nothing other than items stolen from the Patriots.
- NFL and Patriots need Walsh to speak to end the situation once and for all.
- NFL will pay the legal fees from Walsh's lawyer.
- Patriots won't sue him in order to end this situation.

(and just for fun, nothing from Reiss post here) :
- Patriots will sue the Herald. Tomase will be working in some small town by June.

The bottom line, Walsh has nothing but the NFL and the Patriots need to have him talk to show he has nothing.

 

[BostonBullit]

be kind of funny if some private lawyer(s) who happen to be Patriots fans start filing suit against Walsh for all the stuff the Pats and League said they won't.

the meeting is after the draft so they can't take away any more picks so instead if anything new comes to light Goodell reserves the right to take one or more of the players selected by the Patriots out back and shoot them.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Of course, the b******s at E*PN.com are now trying to have it both ways:

The Herald story cited an unidentified member of the Patriots' video staff as having filmed the Rams' final practice. Other media outlets subsequently connected Walsh to the alleged taping. ESPN.com, however, has been unable to confirm that the taping took place.

Yeah, you've just all been praying it's true.

Asked about the rumored taping, Walsh told ESPN.com: "Really, it is nothing that I care to go on the record about or talk about."

Maybe because you're afraid of a libel lawsuit?

BTW--note that the agreement says he has to turn over any materials he has from the Patriots. It doesn't specify "related to illegal videotaping," etc.--it may well be that he has the "missing" footage that Reiss talked about earlier this year (Vinatieri's kick in SB36, I think). . . .

 

[denverpatsfan]

It at least should finally be over for better or for worse well before the season starts.

I really don't like Pennsylvania teams and their fans right now. I only wish them the worst.

This would have went away if ESPN didn't spend countless hours tracking him down. Think about that every time you watch sports center.

 

[pats1]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2008/04/statement_from.html

Statement from Walsh's attorney
Posted by Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff
April 23, 2008 01:08 PM

The following is a written statement released by Matt Walsh's attorney, Michael N. Levy of the Washington, D.C.-based firm McKee Nelson, regarding the agreement Walsh has reached with the NFL.

“Today, Mr. Walsh and the National Football League reached an agreement under which the NFL will provide legal indemnification and a release of claims against Mr. Walsh relating to his employment by the Patriots and the Patriots' videotaping operations.

I am pleased that we now have an agreement that provides Mr. Walsh with appropriate legal protections. Mr. Walsh is looking forward to providing the NFL with the materials he has and telling the NFL what he knows.

The agreement provides that, on or before May 8, 2008, Mr. Walsh will provide the NFL with any documents he may have, including videotapes, that relate to allegations of videotaping of Patriots opponents and that he will make himself reasonably available for an interview with the NFL soon thereafter. The agreement further provides that Mr. Walsh must make himself available for an interview with the NFL prior to conducting any such interview with any third party inquirers, including the media. Accordingly, Mr. Walsh will not be making any statements at this time.”

 

[BelichickFan]

BTW--note that the agreement says he has to turn over any materials he has from the Patriots. It doesn't specify "related to illegal videotaping," etc.--it may well be that he has the "missing" footage that Reiss talked about earlier this year (Vinatieri's kick in SB36, I think). . . .

I think that we'll find Walsh has nothing but stolen items and a big mouth. The reason the agreement took so long (IMO) is that Patriots had all the power, they had nothing to be afraid of other than rumor and innuendo. They would probably like something bad to happen to Walsh but realize they have to agree to do nothing just to get the innuendo ended. This will die with a whimper. The items will be returned, Walsh's life will continue as is and Goodall will announce that nothing new information came out.

As for Tomase and the Herald, it may not end in a whimper for them. And rightly so.