[El Scorcho]

Sources: Camera confiscated after claims of Pats spying on Jets

NFL security confiscated a video camera and its tape from a New England Patriots employee on the team's sideline during Sunday's game against the Jets in a suspected spying incident, sources said.

The camera and its tape were placed in a sealed box and forwarded to the league office for investigation, the sources said.

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

[El Scorcho]

Sources: Goodell determines Pats broke rules by taping Jets' signals

By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com

Updated: September 11, 2007, 7:32 PM ET

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, according to league sources.

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.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3014677

[Fumblerooskies]

We'll see if he'll crack down on the teams like he does with the players.

[01LUGrad]

Cheating against the J-E-T-S? Maybe they should have sent the camera guy to the Colts game instead.

[thepostman]

hahahahahaha

patriots....

[LUconn]

It seems like this is getting more serious the more they look into it. I'm sure nothing additional will come of this at this point but look at what we know outside of this. Bilichik really sucked in Cleveland, and now he's a super genius in NE. Players, who blow everywhere else, are superstars in NE. The only thing that makes me think it's not as rampant as it could be is no former player or coach has blown the whistle on them yet. It'd be tough to keep something like stealing radio frequencies or signals by other means a secret for that long.

[SuperJon]

A former player said he tried to do this stuff in Cleveland as well.

[RagingTireFire]

These guys are supposed to be professionals.

So, I'm shocked only that they got caught.

[TDDance234]

Ouch.

How do you get caught doing that? With all the technology around today--you can't sneak some camera shots? Sheesh.

[belcherboy]

www.espn.com (breaking news)

Bill Belichick was hit with a $500,000 fine Thursday night -- the maximum allowable by NFL by-laws -- for violating the league's policy on videotaping the Jets defensive signs Sunday. In addition, Roger Goodell notified the Patriots that they would forfeit a 2008 first-round draft choice if they reach the playoffs, or second- and third-round picks if they do not qualify for the playoffs. The club was also fined $250,000.

It is nice to see the NFL isn't playing around!! WOW!!! The more I read about these guys, the more disgusted I get with them. I'm sure it isn't as bad as reported, but it sounds like these guys mess with communications as well.

[belcherboy]

Last year the Lions played the Patriots in Foxboro. At one point their coach, Rod Marinelli, phoned up to the press box, "There's a camera pointed right at our defensive coach making his calls. Is that allowed?" A Lions' employee called the NFL booth. No, it certainly was not. So the videotaper was stopped. Then after a while he began again. The same process was repeated and he was asked to stop again. Now that's dedication.

"You don't really know for sure," Marinelli said. "I mean you don't know whether he might be doing something for NFL Films or a coaches' show or whatever."

"At one point we had a good drive going against the Patriots," said one Lion who doesn't want his name involved in this mess, but was willing to talk about it. "Mike Martz really had 'em going. They were getting fouled up, lining up wrong, we were moving the ball. Then boom, the headset from the sidelines to the coaches' booth goes out.

"Next possession we were moving the ball again and the same thing happened. You know it only takes two or three plays to mess up a drive."

Matt Millen, the Lions' GM, was talking to Bengals' coach Marvin Lewis at the league meetings. He started telling him the story.

"Yeah, I know," Lewis said. "Headset went out. It happened to me in Foxboro, too."

Marinelli was the defensive line coach in Tampa Bay when the Bucs beat the Patriots in the 2000 regular season opener and did a good job controlling New England's offense. After the game the Patriots' offensive coach, Charlie Weis, was overheard congratulating the Bucs' defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin.

"We knew all your calls, and you still stopped us," Weis said. "I can't believe it."

He couldn't believe it because the Patriots had videotaped all of the defensive signals in their last preseason game, which was against the Bucs.

The stories are all coming out now, but why hadn't all this been reported to the league office before this?

"At the time, you never know for sure," Millen said. "And if you don't know it at the time, then you don't feel right reporting it later."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/w ... ml?eref=T1

[Sly Fox]

Now Weis is at ND and stealing signals doesn't appear to be helping him any now.

Belicheater's legacy is tainted forever.

[01LUGrad]

So is his bank account. $500,000 fine. Wowzers.

[LUconn]

If I'm a fan of NE, I'd much rather they lose a 1st rounder instead of a 2nd and 3rd. Even if they didn't have an additional #1 next year a 2 and a 3 has more value than a 1.

[RagingTireFire]

Sorry, but I don't see the big deal about stealing signals. If you're going to put them out there and the other team is smart enough to figure them out, that's your loss. Wasn't this why they started putting radios in the helmets in the first place?

[El Scorcho]

If it were just the signal stealing, that'd be one thing. But all of the allegations of radio interference and stuff that are coming out against the Pats now makes them look very very bad.

[TDDance234]

They got off easy.

Belicheater should have been suspended 2-4 games.

[LUconn]

Wasn't this why they started putting radios in the helmets in the first place?

Yes, and this is why the Pats vote against putting them in the defensive helmets.

[ALUmnus]

this is all just stupid and blown way out of proportion. Yes, they cheated, got caught, and got punished. But come on, any good team will have ways to deal with this stuff so that you can't cheat against them. If you can't disguise your signals properly, then teams will be able to figure you out easily. And radio frequency tampering? They still have phones and hand signals, I think they'll be okay. A lot of this crap coming out now is sour grapes and too late. I'm not a patriots fan, but this is just getting ridiculous.

New NFL Rule: All play calls are to be written in plain english on large placards. When team A is sending in a play, team B must turn around and face the other direction until team A says "Ready". All in the name of fairness.

[El Scorcho]

So I'm watching Conan interview Tiki Barber. He asked Tiki for his thoughts on the Pats spying stuff. After saying he though the fine was appropriate and that it'll just blow over now, Tiki pointed out that the fines are never too big of a big deal for NFL players and coaches because they're a tax write-off. Conan laughed and the Tiki said "No I'm serious." He says that because the NFL gives all of the fines they collect directly to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the players get to use them as a tax write-off.

Amazing.

[01LUGrad]

That's really stupid. NFL players can get away with anything (except dog fighting).

I do like Shawn Merriman's Nike commercial, though. You could barely tell he was on roids when he tackled 10 guys in 10 cities in 15 seconds. Any other sport, you get busted for drugs and your rep is gone. It seems to beef it up in the NFL.

[whmatthews]

Just saw that T.O. was find over $7,000 for mocking the incident in a touchdown celebration. Hahaha