Thank you. *^This^* is the crux of Belichick's own argument against Spygate; and it's a genuinely solid argument that I've always felt Patriots fans really overlook when arguing against the spygate accusers. Belichick's point directly addressees the key issue at hand: is taping signals illegal? This is what the league is accusing the Patriots of doing wrong. This is what Belichick argued against.
Instead, the common defense among fans has always been claiming it was strictly due to the *location* of the camera. I've never liked this argument. Why? Because, (1) it was standard operating procedure for visiting teams to ask, and get, permission to allow a second camera to film the game from the end-zone viewpoint (and NE asked and got permission for a 3rd camera too). (2) The NFL never disputed the permission for teams to allow the 2nd camera. (i.e. getting the endzone camera angle has always been fine). So, (3) "location" was never the issue at hand (NE had permission), and it's simply not what the league was accusing NE of doing wrong in the first place (i.e. Goodell's ruling is still implying that filming signals is wrong even when from the proper location). So it's almost like fans are unintentionally side-skirting the main issue by going down this particular road of defense.
Here's Belichick's defense:
"As the commissioner acknowledged, our use of sideline video had no impact on the outcome of last week's game," Belichick's statement continued. "We have never used sideline video to obtain a competitive advantage while the game was in progress."
Here' the rules/memo:
“Videotaping 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.”
"Any use by any club at any time, from the start to the finish of any game in which such club is a participant, of any communications or information-gathering equipment, other than Polaroid-type cameras or field telephones, shall be prohibited, including without limitation videotape machines, telephone tapping, or bugging devices, or any other form of electronic devices that might aid a team during the playing of a game."
Ray Anderson's memo: "Videotaping 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."[/I]
Also, the one good this about the ESPN hit-piece on on the Patriots was how it pointed out that the NFL didn't have the legal right to acquire "proprietary evidence" that was owned by a franchise (i.e. tapes/notes); so both sides simply agreed to side-step the legal issue of setting any type of precedent; and instead, simply let Goodell watch the tapes and see the notes, and then destroy it so that it cannot be used any further by NE. Which is a perfectly fair move by both sides, yet, somehow gets turned into a shady conspiracy-theory by the media.
Do you have a link on this? I've never heard about this, but I always wondered how/why the memo sort of re-worded the rule itself.