Peter King says the Colts are known for this as well

[workhorse]

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.

Teams generally have one specific guy that calls plays for the defense. It's either him or the guy that replaces him and with the green dots on the helmets it's easy to make sure only one headset helmet is out there.

 

[upstater1]

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.

I'll say it again. When to Dolphins had such a videotape last year, the NFL was completely OK with the use of stolen signals. That tells me there's nothing wrong with using a videotape to find the opposition's signals.

But clearly there's something wrong with the actual act of making a videotape. I mean, that's clear to everyone right? Everyone understands the difference, right? Right?

 

[NEPat]

But clearly there's something wrong with the actual act of making a videotape. I mean, that's clear to everyone right? Everyone understands the difference, right? Right?

Are you addressing that to me? That's exactly what I said in the post you quoted, it's the videotaping that is the problem.

 

[upstater1]

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.

That's my feeling anyway, and it's no different than the violation of a dress code.

I have to say, in fairness, I think the NFl is hypocritical and this whole distinction is illogical, but I'm not the one who made the distinction. The NFL did. They specifically came out and said that using a videotape to get stolen signals is perfectly legal.

 

[upstater1]

Are you addressing that to me? That's exactly what I said in the post you quoted, it's the videotaping that is the problem.

No, I was asking this in general because I don't understand the difference. I was being sarcastic.

Someone should explain to me why it's illegal to videotape but legal to use a videotape to grab stolen signals.

 

[NEPat]

No, I was asking this in general because I don't understand the difference. I was being sarcastic.

Ah, I get it, sorry.

Someone should explain to me why it's illegal to videotape but legal to use a videotape to grab stolen signals.

I remember Miami saying they knew the line calls, but I'm fuzzy on what happened exactly. What did they do?

 

[BelichickFan]

I remember Miami saying they knew the line calls, but I'm fuzzy on what happened exactly. What did they do?

They bought the field level sound track (not sure how or where from) where they could hear Brady's audibles, synched it up with the game film and, voila, had the audibles with the associated plays. And that was declared to be legal. More power to them. And a clear precedent, IMO, that using videotape to "steal signs" is 100% perfectly legal.

 

[Bella*chick]

They bought the field level sound track (not sure how or where from) where they could hear Brady's audibles, synched it up with the game film and, voila, had the audibles with the associated plays. And that was declared to be legal. More power to them. And a clear precedent, IMO, that using videotape to "steal signs" is 100% perfectly legal.

Wasn't the quote, "That's football?" Fine, we were told to get over it. This story is SUCH bull**** in light of what Miami did and what the league response was.

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

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

Would someone please explain to me why this has become such a big deal? Do the OCs and DCs througout the league cover their mouths with their clipboards when calling in plays because they all forgot to use Listerine?

 

[BelichickFan]

Would someone please explain to me why this has become such a big deal? Do the OCs and DCs througout the league cover their mouths with their clipboards when calling in plays because they all forgot to use Listerine?

Only against us - BECAUSE WE CHEAT and no-one else does

 

[njpatsfan]

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 BILL POLIAN is on the competition committee .....

R

 

[PatsDeb]

I think it's good if it's true - then Polian won't support shining a bright light on the Pats lest someone start looking at his golden boys.

 

[NEPat]

Here's a little bit more from Don Banke:

If the NFL penalizes New England for its sideline video subterfuge by taking away a 2008 draft choice, it'll be because of the Patriots' well-known penchant for pushing the envelope in terms of their video taping of opposing coaches' signals.

In a story I did on cheating in the NFL this summer, numerous league sources told me that New England was far from the only team trying to gain this sort of competitive advantage, but that the Patriots were more aggressive than anyone else in their attempts to illegally gather such information.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/09/11/chiefs/1.html