The NFL cover-up that started it all

[Gen X Jet]

Good article in the Post today.  Spot on:

 

http://nypost.com/2014/10/12/they-are-cheaters-spygate-the-nfl-scandal-that-started-it-all/

 

Before the start of the football season, Cary Williams, a veteran cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles, reminded the sports world about a scandal the NFL would prefer people forget.

“One fact still remains: They haven’t won a Super Bowl since they got caught. They are cheaters,” Williams said in August.

He was referring to Spygate, when the New England Patriots were busted for illegally videotaping the Jets’ defensive signals during the first game of the 2007 season.

Then, as now with a series of disturbing incidents of domestic violence, the NFL seemed more interested in covering up the problem than investigating it.

“It really shows you what’s truly important to the NFL — and that’s ‘duck and cover,’ ” said Bryan O’Leary, author of the book “Spygate: The Untold Story.”

And that’s why certain allegations — including that the Pats were using a radio frequency outside the NFL’s purview to ­illegally communicate information to quarterback Tom Brady during the game — were seemingly ignored, O’Leary says.

The Jets play their arch rivals again this Thursday, and some fans are still fuming about the advantage the Patriots had over them — and that it was never fully probed.

“I just don’t understand it,” said lifelong Jets fan Ira Lieberfarb, 60. “They got caught cheating, and it should have been investigated in more ­detail. I find it very strange.”

It was seven years ago that Jets security confiscated a sideline camera and tape from a Patriots video assistant during their Sept. 9 game at the Meadowlands.

The spying was a blatant violation of league rules, since knowing what an opponent will do on any given play confers an ­immense advantage to a team.

As 49ers quarterback Steve Young once explained to ESPN: “The game would be over. If I knew what was coming, that’s the whole game.”

It was Jets head coach Eric Mangini, a former Pats defensive coordinator, who dropped a dime to NFL security about the sideline shenanigans of his former mentor, New England head coach Bill Belichick.

Mangini already had prepared an elaborate system to foil his former team.

“He had three sets of signals being given, one real, two dummy. He had the same thing going when he beat the Patriots” the previous year, a former Pats employee told Sports Illustrated.

But that meant extra work — that both teams were not playing on the same level field, the ex-staffer noted.

“I wasn’t going to give them the convenience of doing it in our stadium, and I wanted to shut it down,” Mangini said on “NFL Live,” adding that he later regretted doing it. “There was no intent to have the landslide that it has become.”

The filming was fairly straightforward — a staffer pointed a camera at an opposing team’s coaches from across the field. And it had gone on for nearly a decade — since Belichick took over the Pats in 2000, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell later revealed.

It was so obvious, the Pats were busted several times before Spygate erupted, including a year earlier, during a 35-0 thrashing of Green Bay.

The Packers spotted Pats video assistant Matt Estrella — who was also shooting the video during the Jets game the next season — shooting unauthorized video from the sidelines. He was asked to leave — then was spotted doing it from a tunnel, which got him booted from Lambeau Field.

“From what I can remember, he had quite a fit when we took him out,” Packers President Bob Harlan said.

When the Lions played the Pats in Foxboro in 2006, the same thing happened, Sports ­Illustrated reported.

“ ‘There’s a camera pointed right at our defensive coach making his calls. Is that allowed?’ a Lions’ employee asked in a call to the NFL booth. No, it certainly was not. So the videotaper was stopped. Then after a while he began again,” the magazine reported at the time.

But it wasn’t just a matter of filming opposing team’s coaches — it was also how that information was allegedly passed to Brady.

As the scandal broke, the NFL was investigating a possible violation into the number of radio frequencies the Patriots were using during the Jets game, sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, who reported at the time that the Pats did not “have a satisfactory explanation when asked about possible irregularities in its communication setup during the game.”

Quarterbacks communicate with the sidelines via microphones in their helmets that pick up an NFL-monitored radio frequency. An NFL sideline official cuts off communications on this frequency 15 seconds before the play clock runs out.

O’Leary — who uses data crunched by a Las Vegas bookie and a Ph.D. statistician from China with no previous familiarity with Spygate — suggests Patriots “director of football research” Ernie Adams, a prep-school chum of Belichick from Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., was the nerve center behind the chicanery.

Offensive plays would be called based on stolen signals and the information relayed straight to Brady’s helmet, O’Leary theorizes.

In this scenario, the extra frequency is critical, as it allows the team to do something in real time with the stolen signals, out of earshot of the NFL monitor, and change its plays accordingly.

If there’s an open channel during the play itself, you can also alert the quarterback to open receivers he may not see.

O’Leary repeats a rumor that Pats backup quarterback Doug Flutie once said he accidentally picked up Brady’s helmet during the 2005 season.

“He was amazed that the coaches kept right on speaking to Brady past the 15-second cutoff, right up until the snap,” ­according to O’Leary.

“The voice in Tom Brady’s helmet was explaining the exact defense he was about to face.”

That same year, Pats linebacker Ted Johnson told USA Today that an hour before game time, a list of the opposing team’s audibles — the signals a QB would use at the line of scrimmage just before a snap to change the play — would sometimes appear in his locker. He had no idea where the lists came from. Three years later, he said he was as surprised as anyone to hear about the cheating allegations.

Action from then-rookie  Commissioner Goodell  was suspiciously swift, critics said.

Less than a week after the tape was confiscated, Goodell on Sept. 13 issued an emergency order compelling the Pats to fork over any other tapes. Yet before receiving any of them, he handed down his punishment: taking away the Pats’ first-round draft pick the next year, while fining the team $250,000 and Belichick — who claimed he simply misinterpreted the rulebook and never used video to gain a competitive advantage — the league maximum $500,000.

On Sept. 20, the NFL announced the Pats handed over six tapes and two days later said little about what the recordings contained — only that they had been destroyed.

“When somebody has a hit that looks suspicious, it takes the league three to four days of looking at a tape, then they ­issue a fine,” O’Leary said.

“In this case, they had a team that potentially stole three Super Bowls, and they issued a verdict in four days. Does that sound like the NFL was trying to get to the bottom of anything?”

And the league’s actions didn’t sit well with some outside observers, including the Sen. Arlen Specter, who requested a meeting with Goodell in November 2008 to learn why the tapes had been destroyed.

What Specter learned from the one-hour, 40-minute sitdown in February 2008 was that the Pats had been spying on opposing teams for nearly a decade, ever since Belichick’s first year as head coach of the Pats.

“There was confirmation that there has been taping since 2000, when Coach Belichick took over,” said Specter, who called for an independent probe similar to a Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. It never materialized.

“I found a lot of questions unanswerable because the tapes and notes had been destroyed,” said the late Pennsylvania lawmaker. “We have a right to have honest football games.”

Despite rhetoric from the Beltway, the Patriots received no further sanctions — even after a long-delayed meeting in May 2008 between Goodell and Matt Walsh, an ex-Pats videographer who worked for the team from 2000 to 2002. Walsh came forward and eventually handed the league eight additional tapes, including evidence that the team was swiping in-game defensive and offensive signals against ­Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and San Diego in 2000 and 2001.

Belichick assured the league the team never used information from the tapes during the same game and said he simply misinterpreted the league’s rule.

But critics such as O’Leary don’t buy it.

“If you tape a defensive coach’s signaling in the plays, and you compare it to the action of the field, you can quickly discover that when they flap their arms like a seagull, they’re in a blitz,” he said. “The basic formations are pretty easy to decipher with just a quarter of the action taped.”

Walsh did not return The Post’s call for comment, but
in 2008 he told “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” that the team’s intent was clear.

“Coach Belichick’s explanation for having misinterpreted the rules, to me, that really didn’t sound like taking responsibility for what we had done, especially considering the great lengths that we had gone through to hide what we were doing.”

[jgb]

if the tapes were exculpatory, the owners would've been allowed to view them.

[Blackout]

great article

[Bob]

if the tapes were exculpatory, the owners would've been allowed to view them.

 

Exactly.

[WickedAwesome]

Trash.

 

The Patriots have the highest winning % in the league since 2007, missed a 19-0 season via the most miraculous play in Superbowl history, and lost another one with another amazing reception. Beyond that, three AFC Championships in a row.

 

This article is for bitter whiners.

[RutgersJetFan]

Trash.

 

The Patriots have the highest winning % in the league since 2007, missed a 19-0 season via the most miraculous play in Superbowl history, and lost another one with another amazing reception. Beyond that, three AFC Championships in a row.

 

This article is for bitter whiners.

 

[WickedAwesome]

 

You guys are the ones still talking about this tabloid trash 8 years later like it's a real story and not just illogical media stupidity.

[RutgersJetFan]

You guys are the ones still talking about this tabloid trash 8 years later like it's a real story and not just illogical media stupidity.

 

[PatriotReign37]

Trash.

 

The Patriots have the highest winning % in the league since 2007, missed a 19-0 season via the most miraculous play in Superbowl history, and lost another one with another amazing reception. Beyond that, three AFC Championships in a row.

 

This article is for bitter whiners.

 

   All NY Jets fans have left is to hope NE loses.

[Larz]

I don't know what's sadder about our fan boy wicked idiot

 

is it sadder to have all of your self esteem flow from other peoples "accomplishments" ?

 

is it sadder if those "accomplishments" are forever tainted because of blatant and obvious cheating ?

 

or is it saddest that he points to evidence they are still cheating as some sort of exoneration ?

 

nah the saddest part is he still believes fans around the sports world respect the cheaters in any way shape of form

[Blackout]

I don't know what's sadder about our fan boy wicked idiot

 

is it sadder to have all of your self esteem flow from other peoples "accomplishments" ?

 

is it sadder if those "accomplishments" are forever tainted because of blatant and obvious cheating ?

 

or is it saddest that he points to evidence they are still cheating as some sort of exoneration ?

 

nah the saddest part is he still believes fans around the sports world respect the cheaters in any way shape of form

 

 

a lot of real talk here 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Trash.

The Patriots have the highest winning % in the league since 2007, missed a 19-0 season via the most miraculous play in Superbowl history, and lost another one with another amazing reception. Beyond that, three AFC Championships in a row.

This article is for bitter whiners.

This you or nah?

[JoeyCee]

I stopped by to see how Jets fans were handling things...yup you guys are Jets fans alright

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Maybe while we are at it, we can talk about Shula leaving the tarp off the field at the Orange Bowl for the 1982 AFC Championship and killing McNeil's running attack.

FFS - Get over it.

[WickedAwesome]

I don't know what's sadder about our fan boy wicked idiot

 

is it sadder to have all of your self esteem flow from other peoples "accomplishments" ?

 

is it sadder if those "accomplishments" are forever tainted because of blatant and obvious cheating ?

 

or is it saddest that he points to evidence they are still cheating as some sort of exoneration ?

 

nah the saddest part is he still believes fans around the sports world respect the cheaters in any way shape of form

 

This is probably why you believe the word "Spygate" implies a sinister Belichick tinfoil hat conspiracy about Superbowls being "stolen" via some all knowing, mind reading, super scheme involving complete prior knowledge of all future plays.

 

You invent a lot of imaginary characteristics for things that aren't really there.

[Gen X Jet]

Like the Yankees' late '90's championships are forever stained by steroids, Spygate and the blatant cheating did the same for the early '00's Pats.  

 

The point of the article was to illustrate how Goodell has been a company man from the start.  He'd rather sweep things under the rug and destroy evidence rather than confront the problem at hand.  One could argue that Spygate emboldened Goodell and created the situation he now finds himself re domestic violence and sexual assault.

[WickedAwesome]

Like the Yankees' late '90's championships are forever stained by steroids, Spygate and the blatant cheating did the same for the early '00's Pats.  

 

The point of the article was to illustrate how Goodell has been a company man from the start.  He'd rather sweep things under the rug and destroy evidence rather than confront the problem at hand.  One could argue that Spygate emboldened Goodell and created the situation he now finds himself re domestic violence and sexual assault.

 

One could argue he is a reactionary moron who consistantly and always bungles discipline, and Crygate was the first and worst example. There was no "blatant" cheating. You guys just repeat things until they become true in your own heads. The Patriots were in violation of a league memo that was sent to all teams in 2007. It stated opposing signals could no longer be filmed from the press box.  Belichick believed the film just couldn't be used on the same day, which is actually what the memo said.

 

Roger Goodell found the Patriots in violation of this rule with the Mangini episode, and punished the Patriots heavy handedly for defying his memo, in his mind, just after he was made league Commisioner.

 

That is it. Being fined for a league rule violation is not "blatant cheating"

 

If you have a part of this story that I'm missing that isn't based on someone's imagination, I'm happy to hear how you make the extroardinary leap from that to "blatant cheating" to apparantly "steal Superbowls."

[WickedAwesome]

Have you guys WATCHED the Patriots since 2007? They generally ROFLstomp everyone in a way other teams have not. Did you miss all of these games where season after season they leave a trail of tears and destruction behind them wherever they go?

[JetsFanInDenver]

Like the Yankees' late '90's championships are forever stained by steroids

 

Which person on those stellar teams that won championships was doing steroids ?

[JetsFanInDenver]

One could argue he is a reactionary moron who consistantly and always bungles discipline, and Crygate was the first and worst example. There was no "blatant" cheating. You guys just repeat things until they become true in your own heads. The Patriots were in violation of a league memo that was sent to all teams in 2007. It stated opposing signals could no longer be filmed from the press box.  Belichick believed the film just couldn't be used on the same day, which is actually what the memo said.

 

Roger Goodell found the Patriots in violation of this rule with the Mangini episode, and punished the Patriots heavy handedly for defying his memo, in his mind, just after he was made league Commisioner.

 

That is it. Being fined for a league rule violation is not "blatant cheating"

 

If you have a part of this story that I'm missing that isn't based on someone's imagination, I'm happy to hear how you make the extroardinary leap from that to "blatant cheating" to apparantly "steal Superbowls."

 

and because the Pats violated the league rule Goodell who was mad at the Pats violating his memo decided to take that anger out on the tapes that he had with him of the incidents and destroyed them. Late he realized that oopsie daisy no one can see those tapes now.

 

There you go now we have all the loose ends tied and people will not doubt the Pats and start believing this true true true story.

[New York Mick]

All NY Jets fans have left is to hope NE loses.

I'd rather the Fins lose. The Pats fans down here aren't that bad. The ones on this site however are a bunch of assholes.

[WickedAwesome]

and because the Pats violated the league rule Goodell who was mad at the Pats violating his memo decided to take that anger out on the tapes that he had with him of the incidents and destroyed them. Late he realized that oopsie daisy no one can see those tapes now.

 

There you go now we have all the loose ends tied and people will not doubt the Pats and start believing this true true true story.

 

Dude, WTF do you think was on these tapes? Two of them aired on national television - one with the networks, and one with Fox News.

 

What do you think was on them? What do you think was going on on the sidelines with the Superbowls? What in any game footage does it appear to you that something scandalous is taking place on the sidelines with the coaching staff?

 

Where?

[deucebag]

Which person on those stellar teams that won championships was doing steroids ?

Clemmens, Pettite, Posada, A-Rod....to name a few....but the question should be - how many pro athletes do not use PED's?

[JetsFanInDenver]

Two of them aired on national television - one with the networks, and one with Fox News.

 

*Cough* Bull sh*t *Cough*

[JetsFanInDenver]

What do you think was on them? What do you think was going on on the sidelines with the Superbowls? What in any game footage does it appear to you that something scandalous is taking place on the sidelines with the coaching staff? Where?

 

No one will ever know. Goodell made sure of that.

[PatsFanTX]

Funny thread.

[WickedAwesome]

No one will ever know. Goodell made sure of that.

 

Ok... so your theory then? lol

[shawn306]

Clemmens, Pettite, Posada, A-Rod....to name a few....but the question should be - how many pro athletes do not use PED's?

 

Clemens, Pettitte were there. I have no doubt Clemens was. Pettitte not sure if he was doing it during that era, the years he was in Houston and his second tour of New York would be a better shot.

 

A-Rod wasn't with the Yanks in the late 90's, and I have no idea where Posada came from. 

 

I am sure though there were probably a couple of relief pitchers that were named in that report. Just don't know the names off the top of my head

[JetsFanInDenver]

Ok... so your theory then? lol

 

 

Use your common sense.....oh well who i am talking to.

[WickedAwesome]

 

Use your common sense.....oh well who i am talking to.

 

You don't want to type it because when you translate your thoughts into text you'll see how laughable it is.

 

Come on, tell me. What were the Patriots doing? How were they cheating? What was the process during the game clock?

[Jetscode1]

Protect the shield!

[JetsFanInDenver]

You don't want to type it because when you translate your thoughts into text you'll see how laughable it is.

 

Come on, tell me. What were the Patriots doing? How were they cheating? What was the process during the game clock?

 

I asked you to use your common sense or any sense in your being to figure out. Obviously that is too hard for you. 

 

So if infact the tapes were exculpatory they wont have been burned down in such a hush hush manner without anyone else getting a look at them. Obviously no one got a look at them. Now you can walk away with your conclusions.

[WickedAwesome]

I asked you to use your common sense or any sense in your being to figure out. Obviously that is too hard for you. 

 

So if infact the tapes were exculpatory they wont have been burned down in such a hush hush manner without anyone else getting a look at them. Obviously no one got a look at them. Now you can walk away with your conclusions.

 

lol

[JustInFudge]

Biggest frauds in the history of sports. It's criminal what they did and the league covered it all up.

[JetsFanInDenver]

lol

 

Suddenly lacks of words. Now GFY!