upstater1
Hall of Fame Poster
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- Nov 29, 2005
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Re: Breaking "Spygate" news
Well, they did break a rule. The rule against filming.
But when the Jets broke the same rule this year, the NFL didn't care. When the Dolphins broke it last year, the NFL didn't care. Do you know why? Because the Jets got a FBI agent to apprehend the Patriots' cameraman, and so the NFL had to go through with viewing the tape.
There is no rule against stealing signals because the NFL probably finds it impossible to police. This is exactly what Goodell said to Costas. However, in the memo of 2006, the NFL seemed to tie in filming with opposition sideline for the first time. Before that, no mention was made of what was being filmed. There was just a blanket statement against filming from non-enclosed spaces. The 2006 memo added opponents' sideline.
For me, this is what the Patriots did wrong. The memo prohibited filming toward the opponents sideline. Note however that the NFL again made no mention of stealing signals even though it could be inferred that that's what they meant in the memo.
The NFL simply doesn't want to go there when it comes to policing the stealing of signals. This would be a pandora's box, and it would be keystone cops every week.
The only reason the Patriots were singled out is because Mangini--instead of doing what other teams had done in the past--decided to get law enforcement involved, and after that, Goodell felt as though he had no choice.
Thank you upstater. I think I understand now that from a Patriot fan pov the means may have been wrong but the result wasn't. Ipso facto there should have been no punishment. Since they were "stealing" signals, a time honored craft in football and other sports, and not gaining any other competitive advantage it should not have been made into a big deal. Is that about right?
pao
Well, they did break a rule. The rule against filming.
But when the Jets broke the same rule this year, the NFL didn't care. When the Dolphins broke it last year, the NFL didn't care. Do you know why? Because the Jets got a FBI agent to apprehend the Patriots' cameraman, and so the NFL had to go through with viewing the tape.
There is no rule against stealing signals because the NFL probably finds it impossible to police. This is exactly what Goodell said to Costas. However, in the memo of 2006, the NFL seemed to tie in filming with opposition sideline for the first time. Before that, no mention was made of what was being filmed. There was just a blanket statement against filming from non-enclosed spaces. The 2006 memo added opponents' sideline.
For me, this is what the Patriots did wrong. The memo prohibited filming toward the opponents sideline. Note however that the NFL again made no mention of stealing signals even though it could be inferred that that's what they meant in the memo.
The NFL simply doesn't want to go there when it comes to policing the stealing of signals. This would be a pandora's box, and it would be keystone cops every week.
The only reason the Patriots were singled out is because Mangini--instead of doing what other teams had done in the past--decided to get law enforcement involved, and after that, Goodell felt as though he had no choice.