JoeSixPat
Pro Bowl Player
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- Nov 8, 2004
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Re: I'll try to answer
Thanks for the citations. That will come in handy in educating the media and other team fans.
So, pre-2006 clairifcations, taping signal calling or anything else from the sidelines was only prohibited if was to be used for game day activities.
The same sentiment is a holdover in the current rules, 'citing locations accessible to club members"
Post 2006 it was clear that for ANY purposes, taping on the field was prohibited.
Yet even today, if you read the "manual" carefully video taping offensive and defensive calls are STILL ALLOWED as long as the taping location is not accessible to the team (i.e. - it can be used for post-game analysis - just as Belichick always did, and one assumes, still does).
That's very significant in my opinion - as the current rule is still focused on the LOCATION of the taping - and allows and condones taping of signal calling - as long as it's in the appropriate location.
From the NFL Game Day Operations Manual states:
1. Page 105 of the Game Operations manual: "No video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game." It later says: "All video shooting locations must be enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead."
By the way - it's not a rule book but a manual. It also covers things like the number of footballs the home team has to provide and appropriate clothing to be worn. It seems like after several complaints from teams about opponents taping (perhaps Green Bay about the Pats) a "clarifying" memo was sent out:
A memo from Ray Anderson, NFL head of football operations, to head coaches and GMs on Sept. 6, 2006 said: "Video taping of any type, including but not limited to taping of an opponent’s offensive or defensive signals, is prohibited on the sidelines, in the coaches’ booth, in the locker room, or at any other locations accessible to club staff members during the game."
Now a confusing this for me is, a team is allowed to film the game from various points in the stands if it has the other teams permission. This was the jets issue from a couple years ago. They were caught filming, claimed they had permission but the Pats disputed that. So, the "rule" is rather fungible in how it is applied.
At the end of the day this is not about rules or memos but a lazy and overzealous media feeding on the passions and ignorance of sports fans around the country and made worse by incompetent Commissioner. It was then co-opted by a head-line seeking politician.
Thanks for the citations. That will come in handy in educating the media and other team fans.
So, pre-2006 clairifcations, taping signal calling or anything else from the sidelines was only prohibited if was to be used for game day activities.
The same sentiment is a holdover in the current rules, 'citing locations accessible to club members"
Post 2006 it was clear that for ANY purposes, taping on the field was prohibited.
Yet even today, if you read the "manual" carefully video taping offensive and defensive calls are STILL ALLOWED as long as the taping location is not accessible to the team (i.e. - it can be used for post-game analysis - just as Belichick always did, and one assumes, still does).
That's very significant in my opinion - as the current rule is still focused on the LOCATION of the taping - and allows and condones taping of signal calling - as long as it's in the appropriate location.
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