HOF Voter leonard Shapiro of the Wash Post Repeats Tomase's Libel

[Joker]

Thanx for the info and link ,Smessy...as everyone knows ,I'm compiling any and all information pertaining to Roger Goodell and his role in the attack on the New England Patriots Football Club. I'll be sure to cross reference Shapiro and HIS history starting in his teen years with that of Goodell's
and see if there 's any commonality. Usually a blatant fabrication like this is prompted by some behind the scenes impetus.

Once again,I must and WILL CONTINUE to repeat...

Jets get in huge imbroglio over blatant cheating and out come the PURE LIES AND FABRICATIONS of the debunked Spygate story involving the PATRIOTS,unsolicited yet published again anyway....I ask you AGAIN, for the 10,000th time...

QUITE A COINKY-DINKY

When are the proper law enforcement authorities going to finally tear the stinking rotten corrupt lid off this festering cabal?

 

[MassPats38]

Tomase came out and apologized when the accusation about taping the walkthrough of the Ram's SB 36 wealk through was officially debunked.

Now Leonard Shapiro - - an NFL Hall of Fame voter - - repeats the debunked accusation tonight.

Shouldn't there be some accountability?

If not legal, doesn't the NFL have the right to yank his HOF vote for this kind of public libel?

The League Panelists: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots best in the NFL despite youngest team yet - Leonard Shapiro

It's not libel uless it purports to be the truth rather than an attempt at humor, as in this case. He doesn't claim it's true. Newspapers have significant protection against libel (even the Herald article from Tomase was not libel as it claimed to be relaying allegations from a source not known to be false when printed).

Whether parody, sarcasm or humor, these guys can say what they want to say. I'm sure Redskins fans love it, and that's who the Post probably caters too.

The bottom line to all this is the Pats were caught videotaping teams. They broke the rules and the NFL did a lousy job of clarifying exactly what happened. Fans were left to speculate the degree of competitive advantage, so 31 teams worth of media will tag the Pats with this every opportunity they get. The more Pats fans lament, the more print these stories get. I just don't read the drivel as it is entirely within the law and it sells.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Since Monday, King, Easterbrook, and now this hack Shapiro have referenced "SpyGate".

Something tells me that the timing of these articles is not a coincidence.

Exactly. Too many mentions in too short of a time span makes the possibility of coincidence statistically unlikely. This is happening, likely, because the Patriots are now proclaimed this season's top of the heap. You wouldn't be hearing this if the Patriots were 6 and 7. The Patriots have people who just don't like them. Winning your share plus the share of others (too many to some) will not sit well with many (especially when you consistently beat those the MSM adore/follow). The way the Patriots win -- without a team full of headline grabbing superstars -- is decidedly not going to sit well with some. BB is disliked by many in the MSM. "The Patriots win again through team effort and without memorable pre or post game quotes" is a headline the MSM doesn't like to write over and over. We should all prepare to see spygate brought up more and more if/when the Patriots move closer and closer to the SB.
The MSM is a joke. The sports MSM is even more appalling. The sports MSM is largely a group of mediocre individuals....yet they are never fired (or rarely). Any profession that has employment so guaranteed is bound to, ultimately, turn out a bad product. Many Patriots fans try to avoid ESPN now....add King and the rest to the list.

 

[Joker]

It's not libel uless it purports to be the truth rather than an attempt at humor, as in this case. He doesn't claim it's true. Newspapers have significant protection against libel (even the Herald article from Tomase was not libel as it claimed to be relaying allegations from a source not known to be false when printed).

Whether parody, sarcasm or humor, these guys can say what they want to say. I'm sure Redskins fans love it, and that's who the Post probably caters too.

The bottom line to all this is the Pats were caught videotaping teams. They broke the rules and the NFL did a lousy job of clarifying exactly what happened. Fans were left to speculate the degree of competitive advantage, so 31 teams worth of media will tag the Pats with this every opportunity they get. The more Pats fans lament, the more print these stories get. I just don't read the drivel as it is entirely within the law and it sells.

An attempt at humor????Are you SERIOUS???? From Leonard Shapiro????Involving Bill Belichick??? Read this piece of excrement by Shapiro and THEN try selling me that load of B.S.....humor.[..krist, I've read everything now...

Assistants, Practices Should Be Fair Game (washingtonpost.com)

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Actually, in a weird and twisted sort of way, it seems the guy is actually trying to be complimentary towards what BB is doing this year. Sure, he's couching it all under the guise of BB's a cheat and all, but he certainly is giving credit to some of the things they are doing this year, and who they are doing it with.

Enough with the damn "spygate" crap though, that was old two years ago.

 

[MassPats38]

An attempt at humor????Are you SERIOUS???? From Leonard Shapiro????Involving Bill Belichick??? Read this piece of excrement by Shapiro and THEN try selling me that load of B.S.....humor.[..krist, I've read everything now...

Assistants, Practices Should Be Fair Game (washingtonpost.com)

I already read it. Read it again slowly if you are having trouble keeping up. And I'm not trying to sell you anything, nor would I attempt to do so given your educated response. Try to sound out the words and individual syllables. That might help.

And I am not claiming it is funny to me, or in good taste. Humor in D.C. is probably a little different than it is in New England. If that proposition rocks your world, then deal with it. What we find funny about the Skins is probably not all that funny there. Humor is subjective, not objective. Search the phrase "know your audience" and 'humor' or 'joke" and expand your horizons. It's a brave new world.

 

[shmessy]

I already read it. Read it again slowly if you are having trouble keeping up. And I'm not trying to sell you anything, nor would I attempt to do so given your educated response. Try to sound out the words and individual syllables. That might help.

And I am not claiming it is funny to me, or in good taste. Humor in D.C. is probably a little different than it is in New England. If that proposition rocks your world, then deal with it. What we find funny about the Skins is probably not all that funny there. Humor is subjective, not objective. Search the phrase "know your audience" and 'humor' or 'joke" and expand your horizons. It's a brave new world.

I live just north of Olney for the past 12 years.

Been in Maryland the past 23 years.

I have no idea what you're trying to tell Joker.

The only reason why people down here laugh about the Skins is because the alternative is to cry. Maybe folks here should have less of a sense of humor - - they could have run Snyder out of town 5-6 years ago. He certainly wouldn't have gotten away with his despicable shtick in New England for very long.

Leonard Shapiro is a sharp guy and a good writer - - sort of the eminence gris of the Post. He wasn't attempting humor with his point there - - he was making a point. He was trying to be cute about it, but make no mistake - - he was making his point.

 

[Tunescribe]

Another article that people shouldn't read and support let alone post on a forum where hundreds of other people can read it, support it, and get pissed off. I know I'm not required to click on this thread so spare me the lecture about it. I'm merely hoping that I can convince as many people as possible to not give these people hits at the expense of their blood pressure levels.

In the end, crap like this is why I took pretty much all of 2007 off from posting on this forum. I actually found the season far more enjoyable than I would have had I contributed regularly on here as I do today.

Good advice, Kontra. I made the mistake of reading the column and could not believe how irresponsible it was. I even tore the guy a new one on Facebook. Is this what we have to look forward to if the Pats continue to win? I hope not.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Good advice, Kontra. I made the mistake of reading the column and could not believe how irresponsible it was. I even tore the guy a new one on Facebook. Is this what we have to look forward to if the Pats continue to win? I hope not.

I'm afraid it is.

 

[Kontradiction]

Good advice, Kontra. I made the mistake of reading the column and could not believe how irresponsible it was. I even tore the guy a new one on Facebook. Is this what we have to look forward to if the Pats continue to win? I hope not.

I suppose it's better than reading article after article about how the dynasty is over. That's like having to choose between a shotgun blast to the back and a knife to the heart though.

 

[shmessy]

Good advice, Kontra. I made the mistake of reading the column and could not believe how irresponsible it was. I even tore the guy a new one on Facebook. Is this what we have to look forward to if the Pats continue to win? I hope not.

It'll get easier after we win the next Super Bowl.

The campaign for the one after that will see a falling off by then of the whole SG stuff. The haters will just be too demoralized.

The big hill will be during this first "post-SG" Super Bowl.

Embrace it - - victory is all the sweeter when there is a crazy, irrational, bullying opponent.

Ask yourself, which was the sweeter victory in the 1980 Winter Olympics? The semis against the Russians or the finals against Finland? Which Pats victory was more fun - - last game against Lovie Smith and the Bears or the one before against Rex Ryan and the Jets?

Folks, it's SPORTS!!!!!! Enjoy it!!!.....and remember they are using pop guns, while we have Brady and Belichick bazookas (not to mention 6 picks in the first 3 rounds next April) - - the Pats are going to prevail, might as well have some real good bad guys in whose faces it can be rubbed.

 

[Joker]

Humor is subjective, not objective. Search the phrase "know your audience" and 'humor' or 'joke" and expand your horizons. It's a brave new world.

A jackass walks in O'Malley's Bar in Southie...bartender says "Hey Jack, why the long face?"

or

You walk into the Dancing Crab on Wisconsin with a scowl on your face...bartender says "Crabby today are we?"

I like the Southie regional joke better...you win

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Minor point...but as far as I know, the memo was sent out September of 2006.

Love the Wayback Machine -

Yeah, here's the FRAMe archive
FRAMe

And here's the page that confirms what you know

FRAMe: Timeline

Some guys here put this together for every fan pissed off at the idiotic coverage and reaction. Once the storm had passed, the page pretty much came down. It ain't worth doing for these occasional add-ons.

But had it been maintained, the instances that come up from time to time with absolutely no media notice, would be great to add in.

Anyone new to the Pats or to the board since 07, should just realize what we saw at that time, and what we'll continue to see: a ridiculously overblown media frenzy.

It's fading, because of time, and because it's becoming clearer and clearer that "spygate" wasn't the all-explaining silver bullet for the Pats or for Belichick. We were supposed to just go away when we couldn't tape games. Then we were supposed to shrivel up and die as the veterans got replaced. Then it was going to be when Moss couldn't open up the underneath for Wes. Blah blah blah blah blah.

Mediots can use "spygate" as a touchstone all they want and randos you meet in a bar can say "oh yeah but dey cheated" until the cows come home, but the narrative is going to continue to shift back to a center: The Pats did a baaaaad thing, like the 9ers cheating on the salary cap. But they were clearly the team of the 2000s.

If I had my way, we'd also kick off the 2010s with a SB this year just to put a fine point on it (then maybe a couple more.)

Anyhoo it's late at night, I woke up, and I'm just posting quasi-randomly at this point. Thanks for the walk down memory lane, guys... but the JEST are not going to take heat over this like the Pats did over videotaping from the wrong place.

There's no interest in it. The JEST didn't win anything.

 

[abdul7]

My dear Shmessy, and friends you are so right, the next SB win will BE the greatest one to shut these jealous idiots forever. That is the fear they have, that is why they think by writing these articles it might distract the Team. They want to destroy this Team's confidence. But you know what ? I think it is this that will make us stronger and God Willing go all the way. I promised to be there in Dallas to celebrate the Greatest Super Bowl in the Pats history. Keep hating Gregg EasterEgg and co. because words are not going to hurt this Team. Abdul.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Do people have some sort of automatic web search program to automatically find every reporter that included the word "spygate" in a new story so they can post the link on this board and help that hack generate page hits?

PatsFans.com posters, rather than spending your time finding every Tom, **** and Harry who is mentioning SpyGate and posting it here why not take that time and fire off a tweet or an email to that person and confront them on how their misinformation on this subject has poisoned the water for 3 years now as I did with Peter King.
I asked Peter to explain "secretive videotaping"done by a known Patriot employee with a Patriot logo on his shirt standing out in the open on the sidelines of an NFL game with camera in hand for all to see. I also asked Peter if the only rule broken was the location of that person rather than the videotaping, which was allowed in certain areas. Of course I never got a reply but it still needs to be done. Do not let these mediots and their agendas go unchallenged.

 

[Rob0729]

I really don't care, but I do think it is funny that writers have to invoke Spygate to show how irrelevant it really was to this team's success by slammming Belichick rather than admit that maybe they and the rest of the media overblew the whole thing in the first place.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I am looooooooving this hate...

Please write more while we continue to torch the NFL landscape...this is a constant fuel sorce for this team.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Another article that people shouldn't read and support let alone post on a forum where hundreds of other people can read it, support it, and get pissed off. I know I'm not required to click on this thread so spare me the lecture about it. I'm merely hoping that I can convince as many people as possible to not give these people hits at the expense of their blood pressure levels.

In the end, crap like this is why I took pretty much all of 2007 off from posting on this forum. I actually found the season far more enjoyable than I would have had I contributed regularly on here as I do today.

What?? How will the pats fans know the slander and smear campaign unless someone posts such links here? I am glad to read the comments posted under the article by tunescribe and other fans.

for my part, I have already emailed Peter King - in a nice manner, providing him with the link of BB's CBS interview, Bill Cowher's and Jimmy Johnson's comments - and requested him to frame the so-called 'spy' gate in an impartial manner and whether it was really overblown.

Subsequent to this Post article, I forwarded this link to Peter King and requested him again to consider my request. Who knows what agenda motivates the reporting. But as a fan, i am not going to sit and ignore these slanders without pushing back in terms of comments.

 

[shmessy]

What?? How will the pats fans know the slander and smear campaign unless someone posts such links here? I am glad to read the comments posted under the article by tunescribe and other fans.

for my part, I have already emailed Peter King - in a nice manner, providing him with the link of BB's CBS interview, Bill Cowher's and Jimmy Johnson's comments - and requested him to frame the so-called 'spy' gate in an impartial manner and whether it was really overblown.

Subsequent to this Post article, I forwarded this link to Peter King and requested him again to consider my request. Who knows what agenda motivates the reporting. But as a fan, i am not going to sit and ignore these slanders without pushing back in terms of comments.

Bingo.

Sunlight is always better than darkness.

Patriots fans have every right to make their voices heard. We don't have to hand the revisionist historians a forfeit victory on the truth.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Love the Wayback Machine -

Yeah, here's the FRAMe archive
FRAMe

And here's the page that confirms what you know

FRAMe: Timeline

Thanks for the links!

A comment -yes, I know it is archived but still. - and a suggestion:

(1) there is 'download pdf' link in the bottome but it doesn't work

(2) can we update this (I am prepared to chip in if it requires $ to set this up on the web again) but this time include the youtube clip of BB's interview with CBS?

And, it might be helpful if BB's comments in that interview are also posted for reference. Some are truly gems because they answer the many questions in simple terms but yet with great clarity that helps the reader realize that this wasn't anything big.

For example, this is what I posted on a different thread in the same subject:

=====================================================
YouTube - Eye To Eye: Bill Belichick (CBS News)
YouTube - Eye To Eye: Bill Belichick (CBS News)

Thanks for posting this.

I am glad I saw it again now because it made me realize that our PR department fumbled badly in not countering the smear campaign against us. Maybe their hands were tied or maybe they badly underestimated how this fiasco could have damaged our reputation and records.

I became more mad after hearing BB say (btw, don't think this full 15 minute was telecast to the national audience):

=================

"...if [cheating] was the intent, we might have done it in a more discreet way. We were open about it...."

"....[signals] weren't anything that weren't available or visible. We did in a way that was more convenient and in way we could study it a little bit better. Those signals were available for anyone that wanted to see them."

"...[signals] were mosaic....there were never/not QB-ErnieAdams-BB-OffensiveCoordinter meeting where we sat down, looked at signals and made up game plans based on signals. That never happened."

"...[signals] were one part of a very broad.. 100s of things that are put into preparation and game planning..."

'..there was no 'ok, we are going to sit down here on this day and have this meeting and there's the signals, and here's the plays we are going to run' and all that, that never happened.

So, there was no calculated deliberate system that put into place to take advantage of this illegal taping?

"No, because you can't take advantage of the signals because you never know if they are ever going to be available or not."

==================

There are more gems like 'this is no DNA" when he is questioned why across the sidelines and why on videotape. But by this point it was clear that here was an individual on national TV with nothing to hide and taking sole responsibility because he went by the byelaws and failed to get clarification on the memo primarily because he assumed he was ok as long as he was not using those recordings 'DURING THE GAME'.

I wish this whole interview could have been broken down as an "Idiot's guide to cameragate" (some of us actually tried to do it back then but well, it didn't get much mileage) and distributed by the Pats PR to every single media outlet whenever some idiot with an agenda cared to slur us.

Maybe they did and maybe the time was just not conducive for reason and understanding to prevail over the fury and envy against the achivements of a brilliant coach and successful owner.

I will still have my patient smile when I hear someone call us cheats. If the person is willing to listen, I will explain what BB said in this interview. If not, it is what it is. No point talking to a stone.

==================================================