NFL - Are you ready for some Football - Week 4

[-Jrabbit]

I think the use of videotape is what takes it over the line for most people.

[snoopy369]

Indeed. If it's a "heavy practice" they wouldn't penalize them seriously for it. I suspect it's a rare practice to actively practice espionage; there's a difference between having someone carefully watch the Fox broadcast and having someone tape signals. Just as there is a difference in baseball between the guy on 2nd telling the hitter what's up next, and someone videotaping the catcher's signals from the stands (as a few teams, notably the White Sox, have been accused in the past but never proven).

[ColdWizard]

..."The rule is that 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," the league said in a statement from spokesman Greg Aiello. "Clubs have specifically been reminded in the past that the videotaping of an opponent's offensive or defensive signals on the sidelines is prohibited.

"We are looking into whether the Patriots violated this rule."...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3012989

[Lord Avalon]

A Patriot Spy has been stumbled upon while operating near the Jet city of East Rutherford!

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Koyaanisqatsi
So, given that this is by all reports a widespread practice

do you have a link?

[DanS]

This is funny. Seems mostly harmless. One person's cheating is another person's attention to detail.

Maybe they'll punish NE to make an example of them, though.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
do you have a link?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/09/11/chiefs/1.html

In a story I did on cheating in the NFL this summer, numerous league sources told me that New England was far from the only team trying to gain this sort of competitive advantage, but that the Patriots were more aggressive than anyone else in their attempts to illegally gather such information.

The same has been said by a lot of the radio-sock puppets who used to be coaches, and there's even been at least one camera guy who said he did it for both the Pats and Panthers. Lots of people do it, the Pats just didn't try to cover it up as much.

[asleepathewheel]

funny.

Goodell is so strict, will be interesting to see what happens....

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Koyaanisqatsi
Well, admittedly, it was easy to figure out the Jets' signals since Mangini only sent in the one 'play dead' sign all day.

You know your from New England with an answer like that

[Dis]

take away all their superbowl rings I say. That'll teach em a lesson

[Lord Avalon]

How injured is Eli?

Sources still reporting Manning has slightly separated shoulder

A second opinion on Eli Manning's shoulder offered encouraging news to the New York Giants quarterback on Tuesday, sources confirmed.

Dr. James Andrews, a noted orthopedic specialist in Birmingham, Alabama, studied an MRI of Manning's shoulder and informed the team that he believed Manning was "week-to-week" based on his findings, a source said.

However, two sources said again on Tuesday Manning does have a slightly separated shoulder. The Giants have varied on their official report, calling it either a contusion of the A-C joint or a shoulder sprain.

"It's medical word games," a source close to Manning said. "He's got a second-degree separation -- that comes from the Giants' doctor [Russ Warren], who did the hands-on exam and thought it could be a month … three or four weeks.

"Dr. Andrews admitted that he doesn't have the benefit of a hands-on exam, but he was encouraged by the MRI. There's no structural damage, but there is a little soreness and some swelling. He thinks that it could be a week-to-week deal, but that's not an absolute. It's encouraging but there has to be some caution exercised here."

Manning himself has said that he was not in a great deal of pain and believed he has a chance of playing Sunday against the Green Bay Packers in a home opener.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3015000

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
funny.

Goodell is so strict, will be interesting to see what happens....

Apparently I've heard Goodell is considering multiple draft picks and a heavy fine. I think that's mostly because the Pats have been already warned about this behavior.

[Grandpa Troll]

I think Goodell is to be commended for a much stricter approach to all these items that have been brought before him.

I was a bit miffed that some sort of frequency issues, which I am wondering if that meant the Pats were listening to what was being said over the radio by other team, in addition to video taping lipreading


But, either we take a stand or we take a fall.

I applaud his course of action in sending out a message to these offenders.

Gramps

[DanS]

I refuse to take this seriously, but I guess Goodell figures he can punish New England severely without it having too negative of an impact on the team. If you punished a team like Cleveland severely, it would seem to be a bit much.

[Dis]

I really thing they should forfeit last sunday's game. granted they would have won easiliy without cheating... but it's the principle.