FOXBORO - The Patriots [team stats] were caught illegally filming the Jets? defensive signals Sunday - for at least the fourth time in the past year - and could lose a draft pick as a result, a league source said yesterday. The Pats have a reputation throughout the league for such chicanery, noted former competition committee member Charley Casserly, who first broke the story of the Pats stealing signs last year for CBS. But not until the Jets confiscated a camera and sent it to the league offices following Sunday?s game -which Belichick admitted being aware of during his weekly visit to WEEI - did rival clubs break their silence. According to league sources, the Packers and Lions also nabbed the Patriots filming their defensive signals, while the Bills suspected it and now are reviewing last year?s game tapes. Casserly?s report dealt with either the Jets, Bills, Broncos or Bengals. ?There?s a league-wide perception that this is something they do,? one rival executive noted. In each instance, the pattern appears to be the same. A Patriots employee with a team-issued credential records opposing coaches signaling the defensive plays. It?s unclear what the Pats do with the information, though sources in Green Bay believed the cameraman was relaying information to the Patriots bench via hand signals. Earlier this summer, a league spokesman said all 32 teams received a reminder that it is illegal to videotape opposing signals, adding that cameras can?t be used on the sidelines, in the booth, or in the locker room during a game. According to an ESPN report, the eight-man competition committee could investigate. Among its members are Titans coach Jeff Fisher and Colts president Bill Polian, who have clashed with the Pats in the past, as well as Lions general manager Matt Millen, whose team believes it caught the Pats doing the same thing last December. Among the possible punishments would be for the Pats to lose a draft pick. For a window into the Patriots? tactics, multiple Packers sources provided a fascinating account of what happened in the 35-0 victory last Nov. 19. A man identifying himself as a Patriots employee asked a security guard if he could shoot footage of Lambeau Field before the game, and permission was granted. Just before the game, he requested to stay on the sidelines to record quarterback Tom Brady [stats] for the coaching staff. However, he was soon spotted filming the Packers defense and signaling Patriots coaches. A member of the Packers security staff witnessed the exchange and asked him to leave. He retreated to the tunnel, continued filming, and appeared to be communicating with the coaches via hand signals before being escorted off the field. Asked why the Patriots weren?t reported, a Packers executive suggested there was a code of silence regarding such matters, particularly after a blowout. ?It bothers you that it?s cheating,? he said, ?but it?s not the reason they kicked our (butt).? It?s interesting to note a pair of comments after that game. The first came from Packers corner Al Harris, who praised the Patriots coaching staff. ?It?s almost like they knew what we were doing, you know?? he said. ?You have to tip your hat to them. They ran plays designed for us. They ran plays that made us check out of some things. I don?t know who calls their plays, but Belichick is pretty good. Honestly, he?s pretty good. Following the season, Belichick conducted an interview with the Globe and singled out the Packers game as a turning point, coming on the heels of consecutive losses to the Jets and Colts. ?I think things could have unraveled a little bit,? he said. ?It?s a point around midseason and that was a big game to rein things back in. I think it showed the team what we could do.? http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1030707#articleFull ___________________________________________________________ If this was already posted, please accept my apology. I wanted to point out some glaring statements made in the article.
I would be real surprised if anything comes of this. Not only is it probably a rampant problem around the league, but what is the cost? How do you regulate something like this? Let alone prove it, even with that videotape. The NFL has a history of letting these things slide.
NFL confirms that Patriots broke rules NFL confirms that New England broke the rules breaking news on ESPN News ats_suck:
I don't know when the last time you went to a sporting event but I can't remember any game I've been to in recent memory that they'd allow me to bring in a video camera and record anything. That's what You must get Express Written Consent from the NFL for means. No Joe can walk in off the street and record NFL games for his personal library.
What kind of legitimate defense can they possibly have? If the rule was broken, it was broken... And many teams now are standing up saying they've done it before....
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has determined that the New England Patriots violated league rules Sunday when they videotaped defensive signals by the New York Jets' coaches, league sources have told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella on the New England sidelines when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Sources say the visual evidence confirmed the suspicion. Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks" because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents. The Patriots will be allowed an opportunity to present their case by Friday, sources said, most likely via the telephone. The league also was reviewing a possible violation into the number of radio frequencies the Patriots were using during Sunday's game, sources said. The team did not have a satisfactory explanation when asked about possible irregularities in its communication setup during the game. Goodell is expected to have a decision no later than Friday but that is not set in stone. The league refused comment but did confirm Monday that they were reviewing a possible violation by the Patriots. Chris Mortensen covers the NFL for ESPN.
Here's my favorite part! I knew Goodell would want to make and example of this. He isn't not going to let this go unchecked in his first year on the gig. This does not diminish the Patriots talent, but they sure will get a black eye in the court of public opinion....
i wonder if they will just take picks, or if we get some from them for this....i would love to get their first rounder...if not more.
i just hope if they get docked the picks that we get them considering the offense was in a game against us.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3014677 I can't imagine the Pat cameraman is happy his name is now out there.
