And even so....former coach's/front office people talk to players from other teams all the time. They'd have to prove that figures were tossed around in a serious matter...including dates, times and numbers. Very similar to proving premeditation in criminal cases.
I was thinking about this whilst I was disinterested with my dinner company this evening. That would be tampering in the traditional sense, but I could make a plausible claim for tampering during that one-week window. At some point they would need, you know, evidence. But, as DW mentioned, today was a discovery date. Maybe the Branch team produced something for the Patriots to grasp. I really hope the drama continues. Things get so boring without controversy.
the most likely reasoning would be that the JEts made calls to branch or his agent either before the patriots gave permission, or continued to make calls after the Patriots appointed window closed. the content of the offer is unlikely as a source since poison pill contracts were upheld with the whole Seattle/Minny fiasco.
Wrong, it was Parcells bolting to the Jets days after abandoning the Pats' Super Bowl XXXI appearance. Hotel phone records and all. That was what started the border war. That site is usually on top of that kind of soap opera drama, surprised they missed it.
What are you talking about? Day of discovery? They never held the meeting over the two filed grievances. And the Pats filed the tampering charge last week. You know what, their probably was slight tampering, but that happens all the time in sports, including the NFL. I doubt anything will come of it. It was probably filed mainly as just a PR shot against the Jets, because basically I don't ever really think they were very serious about acquiring Branch, and we more so looking to just cause another team to get involved and also drive Branch's price up and take a harder line against the Pats. I fully believe that while they may have been floaty around the idea of him, that again they were mainly just looking to make sure Branch would no longer be a Patriot.
Gee, I don't know, only the lawyer talked about it today in an interview. Today was the day od 'discovery' in the hearing process. Branch was traded later in the day. I hardly expect lawyers to get around to doing discovery on a hearing after lunch, or after SportsCenter. My guess, they did it first thing in the morning. Branch wasn't traded until later in the day. Was I there, no, but don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. I was only reporting what the lawyer said in the interview today. Thanks. Sheesh.
It sound to me like the Jets really tried to sign Branch. There was just no way the Pats were sending him here
The Boston Herald reports that the foundation for the tampering charge centers around the fact that the Jets informed Branch and his agent as to what they offered for compensation (second round pick) which according to the CBA, is privy only to the two teams. That information led to the grievance which was filed by Branch. Branch and his agent would've hand no legal grounds for a grievance unless they were privy to the "fair" compensation their entire case revolved around. Legally, they weren't supposed to have any information as to what offers the Patriots received. As a result, the grievance became additional leverage for Branch to shoot his way out of town. Without the greivance hanging over their heads, the Patriots would've maintained a much better position of leverage. Not saying I necessarily agree with it, but that's the story.
In typical (Kraft) fashion (I decided BB wouldn't do this), I believe the sole purpous of this alleged tampering claim is to throw up a smoke screen in order to gain any advantage as a means of distraction from this week's focus, which coincidently, happens to be the upcoming NE game. There is no prayers chance in hell they will ever be able to prove anything and I can't stand this kind of tactic. Maybe Kraft should take the tarp off of the field and have it thoroughly soaked with water the day before we play them. I am not surprised by Kraft's action. This is typical of him. He is such a Muggle.
It's a smart move on the pats part to file the greivance, they have a decent shot at proving tampering, and if they can they will have a shot at snagging a low pick from a division rival.
There never was a hearing. The hearing was postponed over the weekend. It never took place. The charges were filed a week ago. So I quite frankly have no idea why you are either just telling lies or paraphrasing lies all over the board.
SM, Are you telling me 'discovery' happens at the hearing? Are you telling me that lawyers do not get a chance to look over 'discovery' until the hearing? Is this the logic you are writing? And, are you telling me that I made up, and hence am telling lies about the interview i listened to on the radio yesterday? Just want to make sure I am reading you right.
Patriots file charge against Jets By HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports Writer September 12, 2006 FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots have filed a tampering charge against the Jets in connection with New York's talks with wide receiver Deion Branch. The move was confirmed Tuesday by a person within the league familiar with the situation who asked anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the subject. On Monday, the Patriots traded Branch to Seattle for a first-round choice in next year's draft. The Patriots contend that they gave Branch permission to discuss only terms of a contract and not what a team would offer the Patriots in trade, according to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. The papers said New England contends the Jets told Branch what they would offer. The Jets were among the teams Branch or his representative spoke with after the Patriots on Aug. 25 gave the player, who had been holding out since the start of training camp, permission to seek a trade and negotiate a contract with other clubs until Sept. 1. The Jets offered the Patriots a second-round pick for Branch, but the Patriots announced just after the 4 p.m. deadline that no trade had been consummated. The NFL Players Association then filed two grievances against the Patriots. One said that in allowing Branch to work out a contract with another team, the Patriots agreed they would trade him if he was comfortable with that contract and if the draft choice compensation for him "was commensurate with what has been the value of similar players," according to union general counsel Richard Berthelsen. The other said the Patriots didn't bargain in good faith with Branch over an extension of his contract. He was scheduled to make $1.045 million this season, the last of the five-year contract he signed as a rookie. The tampering charge against the Jets comes less than a week before New England visits them in Sunday's second game of the season. The head coach of the Jets, Eric Mangini, was the Patriots defensive coordinator last year. The Patriots and Jets tangled off the field early in 2000 when Bill Belichick quit after one day as coach of New York. The Patriots hired Belichick but had to give the Jets a first-round draft pick as compensation. After the 1997 Super Bowl, Bill Parcells left as coach of the Patriots and moved to the Jets. The Jets paid them back with draft choices. Seems like a rookie GM mistake. Oh well. This brings an extra storyline going into this weekends game if anything.
First off do you know what paraphrasing means? (even though essentially since you are saying this came off a radio show, dear God, it's not written text so it's not really paraphrasing, I was at the time of my previous post assuming you read this in a paper) Secondly, the lawyer can say all he wants but their was no day of discovery. It's political talk. Basically garbage. Secondly if he said this happened within the past two days, then that's even more clarification that it is a lie. Lastly, the tampering charges were filed against the fact the Jets let Chayut and Branch know what they were offering to the Pats as compensation. That isn't some big all of a sudden discovery as it was well known back at the Pats self-imposed deadline (which also helped this mess blow up in their faces) what the Jets were offering. And again, the charges were filed last week, presumably the just after the deadline, because by then the team knew the Jets (and then the Hawks) basically just made it impossible for the team to keep Branch. As far as that whole mess happening in the first place, blame can be placed about 50% on Chayut, 5% on Branch for just continually taking a back seat most of the time, and 45% the Pats. As far as lawyers, they only came into play likely after the fact the Pats turned around angry at what the Jets essentially had done (elminate any chance of Branch staying a Patriot) and asked can they attack the Jets for any illegal procedures. The way CBA agreements are written up (to of which I don't even think the current CBA is even finalized), it's very easy to attempt to nail someone for tampering, it's a lot harder to prove it since most of it is based on hearsay. Not to mention it has to be quite a case for the league to rule in favor of the plaintiff. /end of all tampering talk...this annoying topic now probably won't go away for the next two weeks
It did indeed come from a radio interview with Jeffrey Kessler (sp?), Branches lawyer that was representing him for the hearing. Well, according to Kessler, it was indeed the day of discovery. I was not present at any point during the day with either party, so I have no idea whether or not anything took place, just repeating what he said and theorized off it. I agree. But if you look at when I posted that, it was only a theory based off the knowledge that the lawyer said it was discovery day. I in no way said it was set in stone or that they ineed found something from the process. Please re-read my original posts. During the interview, that question was asked of Kessler who said he was not at liberty to say, but something could have come from it. Well, if what the Jets did (according to the Pats, I have no idea what actually happened) affected the Patriots ability to get the best value from trading Branch and in turn was not legal within the rules of the league, then they should face the consiquences. If it was indeed within bounds, I hope the Jets get off with no ramifications. Pretty simple. I doubt it. This is the kind of topic that the daily news media will feast on, especially with our two teams facing off on Sunday.
