Peter King says the Colts are known for this as well

[Jacky Roberts]

On Colin Cowherd's show, he says that Rex Ryan told him that Indy was especially good at stealing defensive signals. FWIW.

I hope Bill Polian doesn't find out.

 

[Mack Herron]

If there is a mic in the LB helmet, then teams will steal the electronic signal. (The story is that we already did that in NY too.)

 

[sieglo]

I believe they voted that down this year at the league meetings. Don't know what the reason was, because it seems to make sense.

The reason is that they want the offense to have an advantage.

 

[BelichickFan]

It's the videotaping:

Right, and at the end of the day IF we did it that's not a big deal if other teams are "stealing" signs by their chosen method. Some innocuous thing isn't a big deal - stealing signs would be if all other teams were choir boys.

A big deal is being made over little.

 

[workhorse]

If there is a mic in the LB helmet, then teams will steal the electronic signal. (The story is that we already did that in NY too.)

Why do they have them in QB's helmets then?

 

[NEPat]

Right, and at the end of the day IF we did it that's not a big deal if other teams are "stealing" signs by their chosen method. Some innocuous thing isn't a big deal - stealing signs would be if all other teams were choir boys.

A big deal is being made over little.

But it's a big deal because videotaping is against the rules. That's what the NFL is investigating. They wouldn't investigate if it was just some NE coach peering at the D coaches from across the field.

It's no big deal in baseball if the batter or the guy on second is trying to steal signs. Someone might get a fastabll up and in, but MLB isn't going to investigate. But if the teams made it more complex, and planted a guy with a camera in one of the dugouts and focused it on the catcher to get the signs, it would be a no-no. It's about degrees of wrong here.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

My biggest complaint here is show me a team that isn't doing this. The fact that the Pats were this open about it hints that they did this for ulterior reasons. My guess to take the pressure off the players heading into SD. Nothing BB does is without calculation.

 

[NEPat]

My biggest complaint here is show me a team that isn't doing this. The fact that the Pats were this open about it hints that they did this for ulterior reasons. My guess to take the pressure off the players heading into SD. Nothing BB does is without calculation.

There might be more teams doing it, I don't know, but it doesn't really matter since the Pats were the ones caught.

I agree though, that I still don't get it why it was apparently so blatant, and why they continued to do it after the camera guy got caught in Green Bay. It also makes me think that there must be something here we're missing, because I can't yet believe the Patriots were that dumb. But I don't buy that it had to do with taking pressure off the players. The team has faced much more pressure than a second regular season game, no matter the opponent.

 

[Rob0729]

Oh please, let that one go. That was just one idiot reporter that wasn't used to how loud it gets in a dome talking to another that saw the network crowd mics and believed it as gospel.

There have been allegations of the Colts and other teams pumping crowd noise in their stadiums for years. It just became a big deal when one reporter accused them of it publically.

It is very likely that Colts pump crowd noise through their speakers and still do. And probably most teams do. How can you prove the did?

 

[BelichickFan]

But it's a big deal because videotaping is against the rules.

Going 56 in a 55 is against the rules - is it a big deal ?

 

[sieglo]

Going 56 in a 55 is against the rules - is it a big deal ?

Only if you're Lindsay Lohan and you're hopped up on pain killers, coke, and booze.

New England is the equivalent of Lindsay Lohan in your analogy.

 

[NEPat]

Going 56 in a 55 is against the rules - is it a big deal ?

But isn't the whole point the NFL thinks it's a big deal? Isn't that what we've all been talking about? That the Pats might be in trouble because the NFL specifically pointed out NOT to videotape?

 

[14thDragon]

If there is a mic in the LB helmet, then teams will steal the electronic signal. (The story is that we already did that in NY too.)

As I understand it, the problem is to whom does the voice in the ear go? LB come on and off the field in lots of different sub packages, safteies and corners as well, lineman are rotated regularly.

On offense the QB is always out there, there are few coresponding guys on the D that are out there every play.

 

[BelichickFan]

Only if you're Lindsay Lohan and you're hopped up on pain killers, coke, and booze.

New England is the equivalent of Lindsay Lohan in your analogy.

Huh ?

If no team tried to steal signs and we were stealing them and using them real time - then you're right.

As it stands, we're speeding. Nothing more, nothing less. Every team does what it can to steal signs. You don't think inside info is part of why Mangina's blitzes killed us in the home game last year ? Of course it was.

 

[upstater1]

Okay, is it stealing signals that is illegal or videotaping them as a method of stealing that is illegal?

Come on now. If stealing signals is illegal, then all methods to do so should be considered illegal.

And for the record, I don't care what the Colts do to gain a competitive advantage. Pipe in crowd noise, steal signals, so what. Teams do this, always have, probably always will. What is the big effin' deal? Let's play ball already, this is so overblown and STUPID.

Getting stolen signals through videotaping isn't illegal either, as the NFL made it known after the Miami game last year. Only videotaping is illegal. But if someone already made the videotape, you're free to use it for the purpose of stealing signals.

 

[workhorse]

But isn't the whole point the NFL thinks it's a big deal? Isn't that what we've all been talking about? That the Pats might be in trouble because the NFL specifically pointed out NOT to videotape?

I think you are right. Here is a link about the subject prior to the start of the season. I know it refers to cameras in the press box, but it's the topic in general.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/07/06/cheating.nfl/index.html

 

[BelichickFan]

But isn't the whole point the NFL thinks it's a big deal? Isn't that what we've all been talking about? That the Pats might be in trouble because the NFL specifically pointed out NOT to videotape?

The NFL will do what it does. We might be "in trouble" if they decide to be overbearing asses. I'm not arguing what will happen because I don't know. I'm just saying not much SHOULD happen. What we did is no big deal - if the NFL has had enough of us and puts the screws to us then we're f*cked I guess but that still doesn't mean we did anything really wrong. It SHOULD be a slap on the wrist - hopefully should will become will.

 

[upstater1]

Right, and at the end of the day IF we did it that's not a big deal if other teams are "stealing" signs by their chosen method. Some innocuous thing isn't a big deal - stealing signs would be if all other teams were choir boys.

A big deal is being made over little.

Again, this doesn't preclude the possibility that you steal signals by using a videotape. That's still legal in the NFL. What's illegal is the actual act of videotaping.

But if you have the tape in your possession, there's nothing wrong with stealing the signals and using them, apparently.

 

[BelichickFan]

I think you are right. Here is a link about the subject prior to the start of the season. I know it refers to cameras in the press box, but it's the topic in general.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/07/06/cheating.nfl/index.html

Whatever. If you're stealing signs you're stealing signs. The fine line of whether the NFL approves of it or not is very questionable.

What Saban did last year was much more to their competitive advantage but it's legal. Go figure.

 

[BelichickFan]

Again, this doesn't preclude the possibility that you steal signals by using a videotape. That's still legal in the NFL. What's illegal is the actual act of videotaping.

Right. And for videotaping (if we did it) we should get a minor punishment if we violated that rule. A major punishment for cheating ? Nope.