Per SI: Spygate deal not close

[Excel]

The only thing the NFL should idemnify him for is for breaking any confidentiality agreement (if there is one) and for stealing patriots' property.

That's the thing that should be raising more red flags but isn't! An attorney for the Pats says there's no confidentiality agreement at all with Walsh

“An attorney for the Patriots told ESPN.com that Walsh did not have a confidentiality agreement with the franchise or anything else that might prevent his cooperation.”

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3259486

Funny how that little gem isn't getting more airtime then it should.

 

[The Boston Patriot]

Even I want this crap to end already, at first I was happy that the supposed cheaters were getting their due but now this is just becoming a hypocritical joke. Who the hell even came up with the term spygate any way?

They don't in Jetland. Over at JI they are like Jackals and Hyenas at a kill. You
are in a definite minority from what I have seen...

 

[PatsDeb]

Excellent explanation.

I agree, unless they know he has something. This is the only thing that bothers me about this whole thing. If they knew that Walsh could have nothing then what are they worried about? Tell him to bring it on. It doesn't even have to be public. Simply have him talk to Goodell with Patriot reps and an objective third party (an arbitrator or something) and find out what he's got (which sounds like nothing). Then the NFL can say we investigated and found nothing new. End of story.
This will never, EVER happen. Look at the crap Goodell took for destroying the tapes. Give them immunity if Walsh has something new on them? That would be like giving immunity to OJ if Kato Kaelin agreed to testify against him. They'd ride him out on a rail!


pao

I said it won't happen, but Goodell would be smart to take this thing over. Right now it seems like a senile senator from PA and a washed up golfer from Hawaii are running the NFL. Goodell has handled this thing badly from beginning to end. He overreacted initially by imposing a huge fine & penalties. Then, when it became clear that everyone does this (and when a huge leak occurred in his own back yard), he destroyed the evidence and tried to bury anything further. Now he's letting some high powered atty and his weasel of a client hold him hostage. Let's face it, the only reason the NFL is "interested in what Matt Walsh has to say" is because Specter and ESPN have whipped everyone into a frenzy. They didn't even interview him when they did their own investigation.

The problem in all of this is that he has allowed the Pats to be skewered unmercifully in the Court of public opinion, and has let the NFL seem tainted by association.

If Matt Walsh hasn't agreed to give him the goods by Friday, Goodell should come out and say, "we've tried to secure Matt Walsh's cooperation, but he is asking for the moon. People who are going to tell the truth don't need these kinds of protections. Until and unless he speaks with us with no strings attached, I consider this case closed." Then he should refuse to take Specter's calls and tell the competition committee to move on to worrying about this season. Grow a set Roger.

Like the scenario with offering the Pats no further penalties in exchange for just letting Matt Walsh speak, it will never happen, but one of them should. When is Goodell up for reappointment? I hope Bob Kraft has started his "Ditch Roger" campaign with the other owners.

 

[BrianPat]

I think an agreement is in place but nothing finalized. I also read that Walsh's Atty Levy has a full caseload and is going on 2 weeks vacation. So probably no deal done till the end of this month, beginning of next.

Can I have the link to the story that talks about Levy caseload and the fact he's going on vacation ?? I'd like to see that please !

 

[Mark Morse]

I said it won't happen, but Goodell would be smart to take this thing over. Right now it seems like a senile senator from PA and a washed up golfer from Hawaii are running the NFL. Goodell has handled this thing badly from beginning to end. He overreacted initially by imposing a huge fine & penalties. Then, when it became clear that everyone does this (and when a huge leak occurred in his own back yard), he destroyed the evidence and tried to bury anything further. Now he's letting some high powered atty and his weasel of a client hold him hostage. Let's face it, the only reason the NFL is "interested in what Matt Walsh has to say" is because Specter and ESPN have whipped everyone into a frenzy. They didn't even interview him when they did their own investigation.

The problem in all of this is that he has allowed the Pats to be skewered unmercifully in the Court of public opinion, and has let the NFL seem tainted by association.

If Matt Walsh hasn't agreed to give him the goods by Friday, Goodell should come out and say, "we've tried to secure Matt Walsh's cooperation, but he is asking for the moon. People who are going to tell the truth don't need these kinds of protections. Until and unless he speaks with us with no strings attached, I consider this case closed." Then he should refuse to take Specter's calls and tell the competition committee to move on to worrying about this season. Grow a set Roger.

Like the scenario with offering the Pats no further penalties in exchange for just letting Matt Walsh speak, it will never happen, but one of them should. When is Goodell up for reappointment? I hope Bob Kraft has started his "Ditch Roger" campaign with the other owners.

I would take it one step further. Goodell should state that without Walsh coming forward without any indemnity, the commissioner will reduce the punishment to the Patriots by reinstating their 1st round draft pick. This will be in retribution to the unfounded attacks from Sen Specter, Mr Walsh and the Boston Herald. The commissioners office doled out the punishment before they actually had the evidence (tapes and notes). Once Goodell saw them he declared that the Patriots gained no advantage in the Jets game.

 

[DownSouthPatFan]

It will be nice to finally not hear the names of guys like Matt Walsh and or Spygate ever again...

I agree...

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I would take it one step further. Goodell should state that without Walsh coming forward without any indemnity, the commissioner will reduce the punishment to the Patriots by reinstating their 1st round draft pick. This will be in retribution to the unfounded attacks from Sen Specter, Mr Walsh and the Boston Herald. The commissioners office doled out the punishment before they actually had the evidence (tapes and notes). Once Goodell saw them he declared that the Patriots gained no advantage in the Jets game.

I have a better chance of signing with the Pats as their new KO returner (and I dare say LeKevin Smith would do a better job than I).

But, seriously, I understand why Goodell felt he had to penalize the Pats with their first-rounder, although I think that a third-rounder would have been more appropriate (keeping it in line with the equally offensive salary cap infractions).

 

[tuckeverlasting]

I have a better chance of signing with the Pats as their new KO returner (and I dare say LeKevin Smith would do a better job than I).

But, seriously, I understand why Goodell felt he had to penalize the Pats with their first-rounder, although I think that a third-rounder would have been more appropriate (keeping it in line with the equally offensive salary cap infractions).

goodell was probably listening to his fellow bitter jets fans at espn calling for bb's head over an inocuous 8 min. tape of that loser franchise. defensive signals of the jets ? come on !!

 

[upstater1]

Excellent explanation.

I agree, unless they know he has something. This is the only thing that bothers me about this whole thing. If they knew that Walsh could have nothing then what are they worried about? Tell him to bring it on. It doesn't even have to be public. Simply have him talk to Goodell with Patriot reps and an objective third party (an arbitrator or something) and find out what he's got (which sounds like nothing). Then the NFL can say we investigated and found nothing new. End of story.
This will never, EVER happen. Look at the crap Goodell took for destroying the tapes. Give them immunity if Walsh has something new on them? That would be like giving immunity to OJ if Kato Kaelin agreed to testify against him. They'd ride him out on a rail!


pao

This is naive thinking. If Walsh makes claims without proof, then the media has proven they will run with it regardless. They already have. So have the vast majority of NFL fans, including the Chargers. The claims about the Rams walkthrough have hurt the Patriots brand. If there's no proof it ever took place, the Patriots MUST RESERVE the right to sue Walsh and clear their name.

To expect them to sit and take it without responding is ludicrous.

 

[otis p. driftwood]

This is naive thinking. If Walsh makes claims without proof, then the media has proven they will run with it regardless. They already have. So have the vast majority of NFL fans, including the Chargers. The claims about the Rams walkthrough have hurt the Patriots brand. If there's no proof it ever took place, the Patriots MUST RESERVE the right to sue Walsh and clear their name.

To expect them to sit and take it without responding is ludicrous.

Weren't you arguing--last week--that the Patriots had nothing to sue for?

Having a hard time keeping track of all the different spin you spun?

:bricks:

 

[fourthandmiles]

Just my gut feeling. Walsh is sitting on a bag of hard turds and thinks it is gold. Walsh thinks he has some kind of integrity that needs to be protected and doesn't. And Specter is getting really sick of him.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Actually, yes, probably. Florio on PFT has been advancing this theory for weeks. Levy works for a high-priced (read: out of Walsh's price range) law firm operating out of D.C. When asked about who is footing the money for his billable hours, Levy ignores the questions/declines to comment. He and Specter also have some connection.

Florio said weeks ago that he probed that theory and was told in confidence (that he invokes periodically when he's trying to play real journalist and not lawyer wannabe mediot who ownes a lucrative rumor mongering site) that Specter did not hook Walsh and Levy up, though someone did and he knows who. My guess would be another mediot either from the four letter network or one of the three letter networks that carry games.

I said it won't happen, but Goodell would be smart to take this thing over. Right now it seems like a senile senator from PA and a washed up golfer from Hawaii are running the NFL. Goodell has handled this thing badly from beginning to end. He overreacted initially by imposing a huge fine & penalties. Then, when it became clear that everyone does this (and when a huge leak occurred in his own back yard), he destroyed the evidence and tried to bury anything further. Now he's letting some high powered atty and his weasel of a client hold him hostage. Let's face it, the only reason the NFL is "interested in what Matt Walsh has to say" is because Specter and ESPN have whipped everyone into a frenzy. They didn't even interview him when they did their own investigation.

The problem in all of this is that he has allowed the Pats to be skewered unmercifully in the Court of public opinion, and has let the NFL seem tainted by association.

If Matt Walsh hasn't agreed to give him the goods by Friday, Goodell should come out and say, "we've tried to secure Matt Walsh's cooperation, but he is asking for the moon. People who are going to tell the truth don't need these kinds of protections. Until and unless he speaks with us with no strings attached, I consider this case closed." Then he should refuse to take Specter's calls and tell the competition committee to move on to worrying about this season. Grow a set Roger.

Like the scenario with offering the Pats no further penalties in exchange for just letting Matt Walsh speak, it will never happen, but one of them should. When is Goodell up for reappointment? I hope Bob Kraft has started his "Ditch Roger" campaign with the other owners.

Nail on the head. Goodell is the new commissioner of a league heading for labor war and he's totally immersed himself in playing hanging judge on an ill conceived mission to restore integrity that has done nothing but undermine it further by placing overweaning emphasis on it.

I would take it one step further. Goodell should state that without Walsh coming forward without any indemnity, the commissioner will reduce the punishment to the Patriots by reinstating their 1st round draft pick. This will be in retribution to the unfounded attacks from Sen Specter, Mr Walsh and the Boston Herald. The commissioners office doled out the punishment before they actually had the evidence (tapes and notes). Once Goodell saw them he declared that the Patriots gained no advantage in the Jets game.

Problem with that is it would require Goodell to admit he made a huge miscalculation in using this incident to drive his own pet agenda and appease the union and garner favor with the competition committee teams who may or may not have backed his 5th ballot vote to the commissionership. If he had fined Kraft and Belichick a hundred grand apiece and docked them a second OR third round pick he would have still punished them more than Denver or SF was punished for their more serious transgressions and if he were remotely articulate he could have explained better that part of the purpose of the penalty was to send a message to the other 31 teams that ALL rules infractions by any team going forward would be dealt with increasingly harshly. But he's not articulate and I'm not even sure he's terribly bright - which should be a huge concern to both owners and the union moving forward.

 

[upstater1]

Weren't you arguing--last week--that the Patriots had nothing to sue for?

Having a hard time keeping track of all the different spin you spun?

:bricks:

No spin at all. It's stupid idiots like you who can't understand the difference between suing Tomase and suing Walsh.

People who can't get the details straight are often confused, and I'm not surprised you weighed in with your idiocy once again. Frankly, it's been polluting these boards a lot lately.

Show me one time where I said the Patriots had nothing to sue Walsh for. You can't.

 

[upstater1]

Just my gut feeling. Walsh is sitting on a bag of hard turds and thinks it is gold. Walsh thinks he has some kind of integrity that needs to be protected and doesn't. And Specter is getting really sick of him.

The only real question I have is, "Why hasn't just given up already?"

 

[Tunescribe]

If he had fined Kraft and Belichick a hundred grand apiece and docked them a second OR third round pick he would have still punished them more than Denver or SF was punished for their more serious transgressions and if he were remotely articulate he could have explained better that part of the purpose of the penalty was to send a message to the other 31 teams that ALL rules infractions by any team going forward would be dealt with increasingly harshly. But he's not articulate and I'm not even sure he's terribly bright - which should be a huge concern to both owners and the union moving forward.

Yup, the Patriots paid a ridiculously harsh penalty for an inexperienced commissioner's knee-jerk reaction.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Yup, the Patriots paid a ridiculously harsh penalty for an inexperienced commissioner's knee-jerk reaction.

Yeah, well one of the four letter sports networks (borrowing from Mo there) "analysts" said a couple of nights ago that the Walsh thing needs to get going soon in case something needs to be done about the Patriots #7 pick. If ever I wished I could reach through the TV screen and choke someone...

 

[PittPatriot]

Absolutely. That's their ace in the hole. As we found out in September, Goodall and the NFL can do what they want for whatever reason they want as it relates to in league punishments. If for some reason Goodall is talked into further action, the ace the Patriots can play is taking Walsh to court and getting it out on public record under oath. If they believe the facts are on their side there is no reason to give that up when the NFL can act and sway public opinion with no facts whatsoever.

Why don't the Pats sue him NOW....before all this immunity/indemnity stuff even has a chance to protect him. If they feel they are in the right and can prove it, sue the schmuck and let the ashes fall where they may.

 

[upstater1]

Why don't the Pats sue him NOW....before all this immunity/indemnity stuff even has a chance to protect him. If they feel they are in the right and can prove it, sue the schmuck and let the ashes fall where they may.

Sue him for what? He's not on record yet.

Tomase's article cited a "source."

 

[fgssand]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fgssand
Spector & Comcast??

Actually, yes, probably. Florio on PFT has been advancing this theory for weeks. Levy works for a high-priced (read: out of Walsh's price range) law firm operating out of D.C. When asked about who is footing the money for his billable hours, Levy ignores the questions/declines to comment. He and Specter also have some connection.

Now, mix in one sports network ESPN ( you will find three or more of their channels on every Comcast package nationwide )....I wonder why ESPN is anti Patriots (pawn in this money game) & anti Kraft (influential member of NFL TV committee's).

As always, follow the money and power....

ESPN competes with NFL Channel

Comcast fighting with NFL Chanel

ESPN supports Comcast

Spector (the best senator Comcast could buy) is their man!

Levy - bought and paid for by Spector, Comcast & ESPN

 

[otis p. driftwood]

No spin at all. It's stupid idiots like you who can't understand the difference between suing Tomase and suing Walsh.

People who can't get the details straight are often confused, and I'm not surprised you weighed in with your idiocy once again. Frankly, it's been polluting these boards a lot lately.

Show me one time where I said the Patriots had nothing to sue Walsh for. You can't.

Stupid idiots like me?

LOL.

Whatever, sparky. Have it your way, with my compliments.