Did the pats even do anything illegal?

[richie021501]

I know there's already a topic on the allegations against the pats but I wanted to bring something up and I figured it would just get lost in the 100 page thread that already exists.

Did the pats really do anything illegal by filming the Bengals sidelines? I don't believe there is a rule in the NFL rulebook that stipulates that the sidelines can't be filmed. In the past, the pats filmed opposing teams defensive signals from illegal locations but in this particular instance, the sidelines were filmed from the press box which I believe IS a legal location (someone can correct me if I'm wrong). Perhaps the fact that the pats weren't competing on the field that day when the filming was done actually adds another wrinkle to this regarding legality.

What do you guys think?

 

[luuked]

No.

The social media team might have broken a rule on paper but given the entire context this complete situation is ridiculous. They didn't come up with the idea and filmed multiple episodes of the Do Your Job series in a plan just so they could have the perfect alibi for the Bengals game.

 

[richie021501]

Good answer

 

[Pape]

I know there's already a topic on the allegations against the pats but I wanted to bring something up and I figured it would just get lost in the 100 page thread that already exists.

Did the pats really do anything illegal by filming the Bengals sidelines? I don't believe there is a rule in the NFL rulebook that stipulates that the sidelines can't be filmed. In the past, the pats filmed opposing teams defensive signals from illegal locations but in this particular instance, the sidelines were filmed from the press box which I believe IS a legal location (someone can correct me if I'm wrong). Perhaps the fact that the pats weren't competing on the field that day when the filming was done actually adds another wrinkle to this regarding legality.

What do you guys think?

Yes, the Patriots organization broke a rule. Not the football ops, but an arm of The organization. The Kraft group camera man was with an advance scout and they filmed the team that was being scouted. BB said on eei that advanced scouts cannot tape or film the teams they are scouting. While it's splitting hairs about the football ops / the Kraft group, what was done is against the rules. In the strictest sense.

 

[supafly]

No one knows, mostly Goodell and the rest of the league. They simply make it up as they go along.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

I know there's already a topic on the allegations against the pats but I wanted to bring something up and I figured it would just get lost in the 100 page thread that already exists.

Did the pats really do anything illegal by filming the Bengals sidelines? I don't believe there is a rule in the NFL rulebook that stipulates that the sidelines can't be filmed. In the past, the pats filmed opposing teams defensive signals from illegal locations but in this particular instance, the sidelines were filmed from the press box which I believe IS a legal location (someone can correct me if I'm wrong). Perhaps the fact that the pats weren't competing on the field that day when the filming was done actually adds another wrinkle to this regarding legality.

What do you guys think?

To my knowledge, I don't believe any teams' production team is tied to the rules based on football ops and the gameday manual Clowndell apparently cherishes so much over the Constitution and ByLaws.

With a rumor of at least a fine coming, clearly he thinks something was worth handing out some kind of punishment.

What's maddening about this is really how Cincy might completely get away with THEM rolling their own film in the press box without notifying the Browns.

I am shocked this part hasn't been brought up,

But, yeah, I don't believe team personnel can film from the press box, regardless of what it is. And yes, as we know, other teams can break rules up the ying yang and nothing happens.

The Giants walkie-talkie thing is a good example of a rule broken without nefarious intent and it not being a huge deal, IMO.

I can see a similar fine here. 150K, maybe Kraft takes on a personal fine for it being Kraft Productions, etc.

As per usual, this whole thing is overblown and I am not a big fan of the Bengals behavior either. Simply walking up and asking some questions and getting answers from humans mere feet away in a press box, would have sufficed.

 

[TB_Helmet]

What's maddening about this is really how Cincy might completely get away with THEM rolling their own film in the press box without notifying the Browns.

I am shocked this part hasn't been brought up,

I'm fuzzy on the details about how and why Cincy was filming in the press box.

But it's reminiscent of the Colts measuring the air pressure of the football they intercepted on the sideline during the AFCCG, which is tampering with a football and against the rules.

 

[Dr Pain]

Kraft getting a $500k fine is like an average guy worth 300k getting a $50 parking ticket. Yea it bugs you but is forgotten in a few days.

 

[sb1]

Kraft getting a $500k fine is like an average guy worth 300k getting a $50 parking ticket. Yea it bugs you but is forgotten in a few days.

I won’t be upset if his wallet is lighter. Call it a fine for embarrassing the organization last March.

 

[Froob]

Does it matter? They broke the rules integrity blah blah what will the kids think

 

[jboston19]

No, they didn’t.

They also didn’t create the ideal gas law and received a heavy punishment for its existence, though, which is why this situation scares the hell out of me.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

I'm fuzzy on the details about how and why Cincy was filming in the press box.

But it's reminiscent of the Colts measuring the air pressure of the football they intercepted on the sideline during the AFCCG, which is tampering with a football and against the rules.

I'm fuzzy on the details about how and why Cincy was filming in the press box.

But it's reminiscent of the Colts measuring the air pressure of the football they intercepted on the sideline during the AFCCG, which is tampering with a football and against the rules.

So, it was reported the 8 min tape was Cincy filming Kraft Productions. It may have been on a cellphone or something, but Bengals football ops people were sneaking the 8 mins, apparently as proof for the passive-aggressive tattle taling they ended up doing.

Apparently, Kraft Productions took about 30 mins of total film time before they were approached.

I also got a kick out of that loud mouth, Diana Russini, who said that the Pats offered to remove what was filmed as if it was sinister or some kind of a cover up, which clearly makes no sense with probably over a dozen or so people in the press box standing right there over a period of time.

It's statements like that which end up brainwashing people into thinking something sinister DID occur, when it was really someone simply just trying to be professional and transparent with people who were obviously upset by it.

So, if I am Kraft, if Goodell tries anything funny here), I'm keeping that in my back pocket in a public statement after his all ends.

The arrogance of only holding up rules for one team or another is absolutely ridiculous.

Either the rule is followed or it's not. Goodell continues to pick and choose when Article 46 makes an appearance.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I'm fuzzy on the details about how and why Cincy was filming in the press box.

But it's reminiscent of the Colts measuring the air pressure of the football they intercepted on the sideline during the AFCCG, which is tampering with a football and against the rules.

Why? Because they wanted to bust us?

 

[sb1]

So, it was reported the 8 min tape was Cincy filming Kraft Productions. It may have been on a cellphone or something, but Bengals football ops people were sneaking the 8 mins, apparently as proof for the passive-aggressive tattle taling they ended up doing.

Apparently, Kraft Productions took about 30 mins of total film time before they were approached.

I also got a kick out of that loud mouth, Diana Russini, who said that the Pats offered to remove what was filmed as if it was sinister or some kind of a cover up, which clearly makes no sense with probably over a dozen or so people in the press box standing right there over a period of time.

It's statements like that which end up brainwashing people into thinking something sinister DID occur, when it was really someone simply just trying to be professional and transparent with people who were obviously upset by it.

It’s not as much about the Patriots as it is about our team driving clicks and hits. The more sensational something is the better.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

No.

The social media team might have broken a rule on paper but given the entire context this complete situation is ridiculous. They didn't come up with the idea and filmed multiple episodes of the Do Your Job series in a plan just so they could have the perfect alibi for the Bengals game.

They also had to have done some kind of filming on the video scouting crew one that was shot in DC earlier in the year vs the Skins. There simply HAD to be a similar situation, so why didn't the Skins do this? What are the odds that you didn't ever pan down to the field during that one?

That would be a good question to compare, similarly to why didn't they pull the in-house security footage vs Baltimore the week before the Indy Deflategate game simply to compare what McNally did? It would have bolstered the Wells Report and they didn't even say they asked for it, which is incredibly suspicious since it would have been really supportive of their case. The answer is, they ignored it because McNally doesn't necessarily take a leak before every single game on his way out to the field. That's why. It didn't fit their narrative.

The answer to me is pretty obvious: The Skins are in the NFC. Usually, it's AFC teams with a conference title to try to win, who play the funny business game with us, using Goodell.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

It’s not as much about the Patriots as it is about our team driving clicks and hits. The more sensational something is the better.

Right, but not when it's slanderous like it has been. Tomase, the Herald, ESPN and their cowardly 2 AM "apologies" so no one sees it, etc.

Kraft just sits there. It's annoying. IMO, this kind of **** will never end as long as BB and Brady are here and/or NE continues to win the division every year like it's a birth right.

 

[tasmlab]

Nitpicking, but the word "legal" or "illegal' makes me think of violations of state or national law. Any violations, from an offsides penalty, to spygate, to equipment infractions, etc., are just against the league rules.

 

[luuked]

They also had to have done some kind of filming on the video scouting crew one that was shot in DC earlier in the year vs the Skins. There simply HAD to be a similar situation, so why didn't the Skins do this? What are the odds that you didn't ever pan down to the field during that one?

That would be a good question to compare, similarly to why didn't they pull the in-house security footage vs Baltimore the week before the Indy Deflategate game simply to compare what McNally did? It would have bolstered the Wells Report and they didn't even say they asked for it, which is incredibly suspicious since it would have been really supportive of their case. The answer is, they ignored it because McNally doesn't necessarily take a leak before every single game on his way out to the field. That's why. It didn't fit their narrative.

The answer to me is pretty obvious: The Skins are in the NFC. Usually, it's AFC teams with a conference title to try to win, who play the funny business game with us, using Goodell.

I think you are putting more thought into this than whoever in the Pats media team that was running the entire project.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

I think you are putting more thought into this than whoever in the Pats media team that was running the entire project.

Not really. The patterns are clear both with how these framejobs start and seeing how either little clues pop up to see why they're lies.

I just think it's funny the Skins did not try to do this when NE filmed there with their actual gameday video scouting group, led by Jimmy Dee.

 

[gitgronked82]

So the illegal people part was that the scout was there? If it were just the independent video team they could have recorded the sideline?