Walsh, Goodell to huddle today
Walkthrough is focus of meeting
When former Patriots employee Matt Walsh meets with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell this morning in New York, one topic figures to trump all: Walsh's recollections from Feb. 2, 2002.
The St. Louis Rams' walkthrough practice prior to Super Bowl XXXVI was held that day inside the Louisiana Superdome, a session that, according to an anonymous source of the Boston Herald's, was filmed by a member of the Patriots video department. The Patriots denied the report the day it was published, Feb. 2, 2008.
If Goodell determines the Patriots did film the practice, he has said, he would revisit the issue and could impose more penalties against the club. He could have his answer this morning.
Walsh's lawyer, Michael Levy, told the
The Patriots have agreed not to pursue legal action against Walsh as long as he speaks truthfully with Goodell and returns all stolen items in his possession. Walsh has returned eight videotapes of opponents' signals and certified that they were all he had - which means he did not have a Rams tape.
The Rams' walkthrough won't be the only topic of discussion this morning, as Goodell will be seeking more information about the Patriots' taping of opposing signals. If Walsh provides more damaging detail and evidence in addition to what the NFL has already uncovered, it could lead to more penalties against the team.
First and foremost, however, will be the issue of the Rams' walkthrough.
"A newspaper made a damaging allegation about the so-called Matt Walsh affair," said Patriots owner Robert Kraft March 31 at the NFL owners meeting. "I believe it's something that never happened. If so, why wouldn't - two months later - anything have come out? But we live in a society where people can make any kind of allegation. But then, it has to be substantiated.
"I'm looking forward to [Walsh] speaking, and hopefully cleaning this up and completely exonerating us."
Walsh's role in this was first brought to light by the New York Times Jan. 31, 2008. The Times posted on its website a story in which Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter requested an explanation from the NFL as to why the tapes seized from the Patriots for illegal filming were destroyed, and in the story, the Times introduced Walsh, noting that he had not been interviewed as part of the league's investigation.
Walsh, who worked for the club in a variety of roles from 1997-2003 but was mostly in the video department, said he would speak of specifics only if legally protected, telling the Times, "There would be things I'd be forced to answer that some people haven't taken responsibility for."
Walsh's suggestion of having additional information reignited a story that had simmered since September, when the NFL stripped the Patriots of their 2008 first-round draft choice, fined coach Bill Belichick $500,000, and fined the team $250,000 for the videotaping practices. In September, the NFL indicated that the penalty was for the totality of the Patriots' actions, although it wasn't completely clear what that meant.
Only until Goodell met with Specter in February was it clear that the totality of the Patriots' actions included taping that went back to 2000.
So it's possible that at the time of Walsh's remarks to the Times, he was unaware that the Patriots had admitted to the NFL that their taping of opposing signals went back to 2000.
If that is the case, Walsh's meeting with Goodell might only confirm details of the process.
Goodell is scheduled to hold a press conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in New York after the meeting with Walsh, and the contents of the tapes are to be shown. The time will be contingent on how long the meeting lasts and could come as early as the 9 o'clock hour. Goodell and Walsh are scheduled to meet at 7:30.
Both Walsh and Levy, who will be meeting with Specter later in the day in Washington, D.C., have been invited to attend the press conference. Specter is scheduled to hold a press conference later today.
Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.
