Penalties being considered for the Pats - UPDATED 1/1/2020

[upstater1]

I doubt that this will be what happened. I'm sure they had permission to film inside the pressbox, but that is different than filming the Bengals sideline. BB said immediately the next day that the film crew broke the rules. I really don't think the penalty will be major, because I highly doubt there was any connection to football operations other than the fact that the fime crew was there to do a story on football operations. That does not change the fact, however, anyone who is part of football operations remotely familiar with "spygate" should know the will treat the Pats differently than the other 31 teams in a situation like this and yes step in and tell the jamokes with a camera to not traini the film on the Bengal's sideline!!! This was such a stupid F'ing unforced error!

I didn't say they had permission to film the sideline. I said he might have asked if they had permission to film.

 

[Jlaff]

He’s gonna go full Bob Kraft. Can’t wait to see the written statement whereby he gladly accepts an absurdly stupid, draconian penalty. I hope he does a live presser.

If we want to see Al Davis, we'll need the NFL releasing video of Kraft receiving a * as part of the penalty.

 

[sb1]

With the Pats exit and the perception that they’re coming back to the pack now I’m thinking the penalty will be lighter.

Pats third rounder is a bit higher than it usually is. Might give the NFL some room to lower the pick slot like they did with the Giants instead of taking it if that’s what they had in mind.

 

[ohiopatsfan]

A mid round draft choice plus a hefty fine seem to be in order, especially since the NFL has been unable to link the incident directly to the team, unless "prior bad acts" are used as a reason to increase.

 

[BTTA]

There's no legitimate reason to penalize the team for this. It was a casual error made by people unconnected with football ops and had no upside for the team. Stuff like this happens all the time over the course of an NFL season - it has to, there are too many moving parts over the course of a season.

The real reason this is being made into an issue is that the NFL is in the business of entertainment, as measured by its income, which is indirectly but substantially increased by this kind of attention. If it were Tampa Bay, nobody would care so the NFL wouldn't give it a second thought. But they can make $$ when it's the Pats.

Trying to measure "the right penalty" as if there is an objective system of justice is a fool's errand.

 

[sb1]

I think one aspect that might be overlooked in the NFL’s investigation into the Patriots’ videotaping of the Bengals sideline, and whatever punishment is ultimately handed down, is how almost every team has delved into creating its own media department over the last decade; so in a sense, this is a new frontier for the league in establishing accountability in that area. In my view, there truly isn’t a comparable situation from the past. That’s why I think if the league’s investigation ultimately finds the Patriots made a mistake that had nothing to do with football operations — which makes it different from past penalties across the NFL involving artificial crowd noise etc. — the most fair result is one in which a monetary fine would be the maximum punishment.

That’s a great point by Reiss.

Won’t matter though, knowing who we are dealing with here.

 

[upstater1]

That’s a great point by Reiss.

Won’t matter though, knowing who we are dealing with here.

Where is this Reiss quote from?

There has been an example: Jets explain presence of camera man on sidelines

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Where is this Reiss quote from?

There has been an example: Jets explain presence of camera man on sidelines

His personal website here:
Sharing final thoughts from Patriots’ 2019 season, and more

 

[upstater1]

His personal website here:
Sharing final thoughts from Patriots’ 2019 season, and more

I wish I could get the link to him, I just tweeted it to Gasper

 

[upstater1]

In case people aren't aware of the link I just posted, this is what it says: Jets explain presence of camera man on sidelines

Many of you have been up in arms regarding the presence of a man with a camera on the Jets sideline during Sunday’s game against the Patriots. The camera was pointing out onto the field, and possibly across the field to the Pats sideline.

The Jets have explained to PFT that the man with the camera “works for Jets TV and shoots footage for our team programming.”

The Jets also have pointed out that the league’s 2011 policy on sideline media access permits “[c]lub video crews and video crews from television stations that produce and telecast club-licensed programming (e.g. coaches’ shows, team magazine-style shows, etc.) may also be permitted to have a camera on the sidelines to shoot footage for those club-licensed programs only.”

 

[Hammer of Thor]

In case people aren't aware of the link I just posted, this is what it says: Jets explain presence of camera man on sidelines

But the Jets actually were in compliance with the policy. The Patriots were in the press box (not sidelines) and not in lime green vests and not even at their own game. Purpose was the same, but wasn’t anticipated under that policy. That’s why there is an issue here. Reiss has it right, and that’s why the Pats should get a fine (who knows what will happen....) and the Jets got nothing.

 

[upstater1]

But the Jets actually were in compliance with the policy. The Patriots were in the press box (not sidelines) and not in lime green vests and not even at their own game. Purpose was the same, but wasn’t anticipated under that policy. That’s why there is an issue here. Reiss has it right, and that’s why the Pats should get a fine (who knows what will happen....) and the Jets got nothing.

Well, Reiss wrote that there wasn't a comparable situation. I'd say having your media team, unaffiliated with football ops, filming is a very comparable situation.

If the main thing that comes out of this is that the Patriots media people weren't wearing proper clothing, then the whole scandal becomes silly.

Were they hiding? Well, they were in the press box in front of everyone. Did they have permission? From the Browns, yes.

I bet you that 99% of fans don't even realize the media people are allowed to film if only they wear lime vests.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Well, Reiss wrote that there wasn't a comparable situation. I'd say having your media team, unaffiliated with football ops, filming is a very comparable situation.

If the main thing that comes out of this is that the Patriots media people weren't wearing proper clothing, then the whole scandal becomes silly.

Were they hiding? Well, they were in the press box in front of everyone. Did they have permission? From the Browns, yes.

I bet you that 99% of fans don't even realize the media people are allowed to film if only they wear lime vests.

You’re focusing on the vests. The point is the policy relates to filming from your own sidelines during your own game. The Jets did everything right so there is no “comparable situation” - they were totally in compliance. This is filming another team’s game (not your own) from the press box (not the sidelines) without the NFL’s permission (because those circumstances aren’t covered under the NFL policy; yes, they had the Browns permission but why not the NFL?). The Patriots film crew having lime green vests still wouldn’t have had them meeting the policy.

 

[archstanton543]

without the NFL’s permission (because those circumstances aren’t covered under the NFL policy; yes, they had the Browns permission but why not the NFL?).

Because they never had to in the past. This was a documentary on the advance scout who, in the course of his job, looks at the other teams sideline. They wanted to film that to give you an idea of what he's looking at.

That's like covering the equipment manager and filming B-roll of the team's washing machine.

They didn't ask the NFL for permission because they assumed (wrongly, mistakenly) that they had permission to film what they were filming.

 

[upstater1]

You’re focusing on the vests. The point is the policy relates to filming from your own sidelines during your own game. The Jets did everything right so there is no “comparable situation” - they were totally in compliance. This is filming another team’s game (not your own) from the press box (not the sidelines) without the NFL’s permission (because those circumstances aren’t covered under the NFL policy; yes, they had the Browns permission but why not the NFL?). The Patriots film crew having lime green vests still wouldn’t have had them meeting the policy.

It's the same thing, though. I mean, you can get clearer pictures on the sideline. The press box gives you no advantage at all.

As for the "not your own game," that's not in the rule.

 

[sb1]

I’m thinking the decision on a penalty for this will come after the season. The Falcons one was March 30 of that year.

What may help the Patriots - assuming no link to the football team is found- is the league doesn’t really have a policy of how team video productions are to do their jobs and an outcome of this will be the creation of one. Hard to talk about precedent in the absence of such a policy.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Can't we just say it was a "mistake" like the Ravens' bluetooth guy standing right behind Harbaugh?

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Let’s be real. The Patriots losing and the talk of TB12 leaving will probably lighten the punishment. This has always been about hated and jealousy. I think if the Pats had lost to the Seahawks in the SB, Deflategate investigation and results are very different. This is all about meting out justice to satiate the angry, jealous feelings from other teams owners and fans alike. There isn’t one thing Goodell does that isn’t political.

 

[sb1]

Can't we just say it was a "mistake" like the Ravens' bluetooth guy standing right behind Harbaugh?

We all know what would happen if that was the Patriots.

Kraft better stand up for this organization if the league goes way over the top again. If he can’t do that then sell it to someone who will.

 

[The Brandon Five]

We all know what would happen if that was the Patriots.

Kraft better stand up for this organization if the league goes way over the top again. If he can’t do that then sell it to someone who will.

We better see some punishment for Bluetoothgate as well.