"Man behind the Curtain"

[DaBruinz]

Whether he is or not, he will certainly be remembered around here for eternity.
While I feel today's events have ended this saga, I am still a little frustrated by how the Patriots handled it from the start. One thing I know is, when you get caught, just apologize and move on. Being smug only brings the hammer down harder...and THAT is what the mediots have done to BB.
After reading the 'rules' in Mike Reiss's Mailbag, I too feel that BB should have just said "I'm Sorry" vs. justifying his interpretation. The rule is about as clearcut as a STOP sign. I'd be the same if you told the police, "Officer, I thought it meant to just be ready to stop...you know...in case if any cars are coming."

First of all, you really don't know what you are talking about. BB didn't try to JUSTIFY anything. He told Goodell what his interpretation of the rule was because that is what Goodell asked him. BB wasn't being smug and its foolish of you to think so.

Sorry, but the rule regarding taping is NOT as clear cut as a stop sign. And anyone with a brain can look at the way the rules are written and CLEARLY come to two different interpretations of the rule. If you believe that it is clear, then you are clearly not reading the entire rule. Particularly the part where it says,

that might aid a team during the playing of a game

. Or, if you DID read it, you chose to ignore it.

Also, if your frustrated with the Patriots handling of the situation, you should be quadrupoly frustrated with the handling of the situation by Goodell. Because, in reality, what the Patriots did was not nearly as egregious as the salary cap violations by the 49ers and Broncos or the steroid use by the same said Broncos and the Steelers of the 70's.

As was stated today by Goodell, Walsh kept the tapes for the entirety of the games and did not give them to Ernie Adams until after the game was completed. So, in that sense, the Patriots did NOT violate the By-laws because the tapes weren't viewed until after the games.

The biggest problem here is that the Jets were not handed any penalty for their taping of the same game. Nor were they handed a penalty for the game from last year. And if you don't know what I am talking about, just do some research on this board. There were several major threads on the fact that the Jets were doing the exact same thing during the same game. And there were pictures to PROVE IT.

There is another point that Mike Reiss alludes to in that same mail bag. The statement in the memo was not included as changes into the Constitution and Bylaws. They should have been. They weren't. So, for the Patriots to be punished for the NFL's mistake is actually pretty lame. In fact, in a court of law, the standing rule would hold power over the memo. Not the other way around.

 

[ScottieC]

Goodell was asked who told him that and I think Goodell said his supervisor
( the guy in charge of filming ... can't recall his name ) but it wasn't
BB that told him that. If Sal said that .... he is wrong I believe.

Sue Sal.

10 Char.

 

[Water Boy]

Goodell didn't believe Belichick back in September and said so today.
When he told reporters that Wash said he was told to be careful not to be
seen reporters fired back 'You mean they knew it was worng".

Isn't it possible the reason they didn't want the taping to be seen was more to keep the other team from disguising their signals than to sereptisciously break a league rule. I may be in the minority, but I happen to believe BB's interpretation of the rule that the taping is only illegal if it is used 'in-game'.

 

[DaBruinz]

Goodell was asked who told him that and I think Goodell said his supervisor
( the guy in charge of filming ... can't recall his name ) but it wasn't
BB that told him that. If Sal said that .... he is wrong I believe.

Goodell re-iterated several times that it was Jimmy Dee, the head of the video department that told Walsh not to get caught.

So, yes, Sal Pal is talkin out his arse.

 

[bruinator]

10 Char.

Why do people put such things as that in their posts? Why not 25 char?

 

[Water Boy]

Why do people put such things as that in their posts? Why not 25 char?

You need a minimum of 10 characters in a post.

 

[PittPatriot]

First of all, you really don't know what you are talking about. BB didn't try to JUSTIFY anything. He told Goodell what his interpretation of the rule was because that is what Goodell asked him. BB wasn't being smug and its foolish of you to think so.

Ok, DaBruinz. You got me. I am not as bright and as well-researched as you. Regardless, BB's explanation was not only waived off by pretty much everyone with a media voice, it was outright ridiculed. The statement "might aid a team in the playing of a game" is pretty specific. It does not say "the" game, meaning specifically the game in which the videotaping occurred, it says "a" game...likely meaning ANY game. It seems pretty straightforward to me, but I am not as complex as you are, big guy.

 

[DaBruinz]

Ok, DaBruinz. You got me. I am not as bright and as well-researched as you. Regardless, BB's explanation was not only waived off by pretty much everyone with a media voice, it was outright ridiculed. The statement "might aid a team in the playing of a game" is pretty specific. It does not say "the" game, meaning specifically the game in which the videotaping occurred, it says "a" game...likely meaning ANY game. It seems pretty straightforward to me, but I am not as complex as you are, big guy.

Again, the fact that you disagree with me PROVES the point that its NOT straightforward and that it is ambiguous. You took it to refer to ANY game. MANY others don't.

As for the mediots ridicule, if you are going to use THAT as your basis of saying that its straight forward, please don't take too much offense while I laugh in your face. The mediots are 75% of the problem. They have an agenda. That agenda is to break Bill Belichick and make him play by THEIR rules. They don't like that he doesn't. They never have. Its why he was fired from Cleveland. As far as Belichick is concerned, they bring no value to the product that is on the field and only a little product to what is off the field. And this whole "SPYGATE" BS is proof positive of that. Especially with all the lies and spinning they've done.

 

[PittPatriot]

Again, the fact that you disagree with me PROVES the point that its NOT straightforward and that it is ambiguous. You took it to refer to ANY game. MANY others don't.

As for the mediots ridicule, if you are going to use THAT as your basis of saying that its straight forward, please don't take too much offense while I laugh in your face. The mediots are 75% of the problem. They have an agenda. That agenda is to break Bill Belichick and make him play by THEIR rules. They don't like that he doesn't. They never have. Its why he was fired from Cleveland. As far as Belichick is concerned, they bring no value to the product that is on the field and only a little product to what is off the field. And this whole "SPYGATE" BS is proof positive of that. Especially with all the lies and spinning they've done.

You can laugh in my face, but I agree with you on the whole Media trying to bully BB thing. Anyway, I don't want to argue with you because in the end, we are fans of the same team. I am gald to have BB as our coach and hope his legacy will overcome all that has happened. Hopefully winning a few more SBs will put all of this in the rear view.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Nah ... Bill is not this.

Bill is this:

I wish I could have put a hoodie on it.​

 

[Joker]

Wow...look at all those PCI slots in Bill's brain

Can this be....ulp...the start of Processor Gate????

 

[OhExaulted1]

Sue Sal.

10 Char.

T-R-O-L ......Troll, Troll, Troll!!!