NFL's mouthpiece (ESPN) at it again with OTL piece on cameragate

bresna said:

Yahoo! Sports' take on it: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...r-in-scope-than-first-realized-140513497.html

This one quote really, really irks me:
"In the preseason, the Patriots taped the Buccaneers' defensive signals. New England played Tampa Bay in the season opener. Backup quarterback John Friesz was told to memorize the signals in the preseason film, watch the Bucs' signals from the sideline during the regular-season game, relay the defensive play to offensive coordinator Charlie Weis who would relay them to then-starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, ESPN reported."

THE PATRIOTS DID NOT VIOLATE ANY RULES WHEN THEY DID THIS. IT WAS AND IS STILL LEGAL TO FILM SIDELINE DEFENSIVE SIGNALS.

In reality, this was great coaching by the Patriots. That's how you use the rules to LEGALLY gain a competitive advantage.

Too bad they lost the game. Yeah, you read that right - they lost a game where they knew most of the defensive alignments prior to the snap. That how big of a competitive advantage that really was.

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Not to mention that they talk about a meeting between Freisz and BB but Friesz declined to comment.

PatsWickedPissah said:

You Kraft rump swabs and Pollyannas need to wake up and realize what some of us have been saying...
There is a blood vendetta going on against the Patriots. Owners, league front office, media minions.
SOMETHING will be ginned up this season in yet another attempt to derail the Patriots playoff success.
BANK ON IT.
Dig your heads out of the sand.

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My fear is that they go after Belichick again and he like other coaches don't have the benefit of a CBA to protect them. Maybe it's time for the coaches to unionize.......
I know they have a coaches association (IIRC Belichick is NOT a member) but they need to look out for each other because it is coming.......and the useless neanderthals i 345 Park Ave have the team in their sights.... even if ownership is willfully naively blind to that fact...

Just think of all the bulletin board material for this season though.

BOB KRAFT: PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS INSANITY COMING FROM THE LEAGUE OFFICE! THROW A TANTRUM! GO ON TELEVISION AND CONDEMN GOODELL! ANYTHING! PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!

I read the article. Hated having to do so. There's tons of hearsay in it - but it paints Spygate in the most negative light I've ever seen it.

It spends multiple paragraphs describing, in ominous tones, how a "system of covert videotaping was developed and a secret library created." Former players were brought in only for the purpose of aiding the staff in developing their understanding of the defensive signaling scheme, with the result being Ernie Adams (the ominous and dangerous super intellectual guy with a photographic memory) sitting in the coach's booth calling plays.

The allegations then move on to the standard stuff that only surfaces as rumor. "[M]any former New England coaches and employees insist that the taping of signals wasn't even the most effective cheating method the Patriots deployed in that era." The article goes on to list things like breaking into hotels and locker rooms to steal playsheets, illegal use of players on IR during practice, and screwing with in stadium radio communications.

There's obviously lots more, but I thought this was the type of damning stuff that, and this is my whole point in posting, I feel like we're not at all done with the NFL disciplining the Patriots at this point. I doubt it'll be as blatant as a Ray Rice, double jeopardy style, ad hoc amendment to the punishment. However, I do expect the league to seize even the slightest opportunity to sanction any Patriot, chief among them Belichick.

It's actually upsetting to think about, but Brady's 4 game suspension being overturned in court may just have been a battle victory in a war that the NFL seems willing to escalate against Kraft and Belichick. Of course this escalation is being supported by some or many of the "other 31" that Kraft feels so compelled to protect. Plus, every battle against the NFL (and its media arm / ESPN) will be completely uphill, as evidenced by everything that's transpired since the AFCC. I hope I'm very wrong, but this seems like a signal that things will get even worse.

In my mind, the statement by the Patriots doesn't go far enough to defend what was said in this piece. The article cites more than 90 interviews, and the Patriots' statement only punched at the credibility of Matt Walsh (whom the reporter called a young, lifelong Patriots fan during his time of employment in Foxboro.) Pointing out ESPN's error and apology for re-reporting the walkthrough also does not go very far, because in the context of the entire article, the walkthrough is given mere mention amidst a picture of a league-wide paranoia about the rampant cheating that Belichick was responsible for. There is barely any mention of other league-wide behavioral norms (e.g., other teams did stuff), which emphasizes the author's stance that Spygate wasn't as simple as the "tape here, not there" type picture that circulates as a quick-draw response that many of us have practiced in debunking haters, but was instead the tip of the iceberg.

[edits for spelling]

I think this looks just as bad if not worse for Goodel and the NFL. If Goodel destroyed evidence that is an even bigger charge as PFT has pointed out Fifa like.

The NFL is likely going to be standing with the Patriots fighting this. Goodell's legacy is completely destroyed if the public believes three superbowls were tainted and he covered it up.

Kdo5 said:

Nice job, Bob. Your capitulating has really helped all this **** go away...everything would be fine as long as we took our lumps and moved on, right?

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Great point. I mean, everyone has said that if the Pats had just taken their medicine this all would be over. Well, the Pats took their medicine in 2007 right away. Admitted to it, handed over everything, etc. And then they got whacked with the biggest penalty in league history. And not only that, but Spygate actually increased the penalty for Deflategate, so it's like they're STILL paying for it. And now this.

I'd argue now that taking their medicine is precisely the wrong way to go from now on when it comes to the NFL.

I am sick of unnamed sources. If you want to tout some story as a big deal, someone needs to associate a name with the allegation.

Mythical people tend to remain unnamed, forever.

QuantumMechanic said:

That's not a correct statement of American law. In the US public figures have to prove "actual malice" which, despite the words, is a legal term of art and doesn't involve malice at all. As has been noted in many places on this forum many times, a public figure has to prove the publisher knew the item was false or had a "reckless disregard" as to whether it was true or false.

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The reason that defamation law in the U.S. is so stringent with respect to public figures is, in part, to allow for exposé journalism; of course, it is not so stringent as to allow publishers to make sh–t up.

TeamFirst said:

I think this looks just as bad if not worse for Goodel and the NFL. If Goodel destroyed evidence that is an even bigger charge as PFT has pointed out Fifa like.

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You know, it would be the epitome of Roger-ness if a story that Roger helped plant and encourage ends up taking him down.

The team and its fans could sure use a Murrow-esque figure who is prominent enough in the national psyche, in order to combat these McCarthy-level witch hunt fear-mongering tactics deployed by BSPN/NYJFL.

Well it looks like I won't be watching many Monday night football games. I already got rid of espn/nfl network and don't view either of their websites, but I was planning on watching some games online. It is unbelievable how much jealousy and hate ESPN/NFL has towards the patriots. ESPN should have done an OTL piece on the blatant corruption at the NFL headquaters (starting with Goodell). Oh yeah, they can't investigate the NFL because they are in bed with them. Somebody should investigate the ties between ESPN and the NFL, that would be a story worth following.

Lastly, Bob it doesn't look like the other "31" are taking your lead and doing whats best for the league. It is about time you went on a PR campaign and started sticking up for your own organization.

QuantumMechanic said:

You know, it would be the epitome of Roger-ness if a story that Roger helped plant and encourage ends up taking him down.

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Edit: My previous view was completely insane.

it's pretty clear at this point that goodell isn't the real villain here, it's the 31 other owners.

i'm not saying goodell is innocent, but he is taking marching orders from the owners who are sick of losing to NE.

Bobby needs to let loose the dogs of war. Let Jonathan go nuclear. Who cares at this point? What does a statement do for you? Absolutely nothing. As Pats fans, it will never end as evidenced by this "timely" report by that despicable organization ESPN.

It will never end. The only way it ends is again, with a judges order. I would be suing the NFL for defamation as well as seeking an injunction against any material related to Spygate etc from being published. The time has come.

TommyBrady12 said:

it's pretty clear at this point that goodell isn't the real villain here, it's the 31 other owners.

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I disagree. I think that Goodell is just as guilty as the other owners..

People on here said that if the NFL lost get ready for a smear Campaign of historic proportions.

FYI, there is a package on directv that has NFLN but does not have ESPN. I think it is the 29.99/month package. When i bought it 3 months ago, I assumed it would have ESPN, but alas it doesnt. I cant tell you how enjoyable the last 3 months have been.

Palm Beach Pats Fan said:

I am sick of unnamed sources. If you want to tout some story as a big deal, someone needs to associate a name with the allegation.

Mythical people tend to remain unnamed, forever.

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Because people like that fear the beat down, if they exist at all.