Videotaping rules

So the Jets admit that they broke a league rule. It's not a big deal. They'll find a way to screw up that draft pick anyway.

Thanks, Mike, for again putting out the facts!

The National Media and Pundits are a disgrace!

It starts with the term "SpyGate" to describe broad daylight, videotaping; no skulking around; no disguises.

Then there's "cheating" to describe a rules violation. Videotaping Is no more cheating than offensive holding. It's against the rules; it's a rule violation, subject to penalty. (and what a penalty that was!!!)

Then there's the media implication that Belichick arrogantly did this right after the Ray Anderson memo came out. No ... the memo came out in 2006. It was not enforced for an entire season!

Then there's the issue of which (or all) rules to use. Is your conduct bound by all NFL memos, the yearly playbook, AND the Constitution and Bylaws? If so, it seems to me that the Constitution and Bylaws is most prohibitive. IE: "Bob Kraft better not be viewing the game with binoculars!!" It's a mess!

This whole "tempest in a teapot" continues to besmirch the NFL, The Patriots, and Bill Belichick. It's disgusting!

It's all interesting. The Jets were given permission to break the rules. You can also see where Belichick thought he could get away with video taping from the statement "...that might aid a team during the playing of a game.". The tape was being used after the game.

Mikes Dogs,

If you're implying that the Pats 1st round pick went to the Jets you're mistaken. That pick just vanishes.

Any use by any club at any time, from the start to the finish of any game in which such club is a participant, of any communications or information-gathering equipment, other than Polaroid-type cameras or field telephones, shall be prohibited, including without limitation videotape machines, telephone tapping, or bugging devices, or any other form of electronic devices that might aid a team during the playing of a game."

But if they didn't use it during the game, then it's not illegal.

Thanks Mike for posting these in the same spot. So if I'm on a mezzanine, I can only videotape if it's enclosed with a roof... but what if club staff members have access to the mezzanine (which i'm sure they do), now i'm breaking the rules. And then the by-laws say there is no videotaping at all. Seems to me Roger Goodell should dock himself $500,000 bucks for having unclear rules in the operations manual, the 9/6/06 memo and in the by-laws. Now that Mangini admitted he videotaped the Pats... I wonder what Goodell will do. If he doesn't investigate this, I'll be the first to sign a petition asking Belichick to NOT shake Goodell's hand when we get the Lombardi trophy this year.

Mike,
Why doesn't the media stop being lazy and do a little leg work. Who granted permission and did other teams the Jets played last year, confirm that they asked if they could tape?

If it's got legs, someone should run with it. Isn't this more important than who is missing from practice?

So lets review. When first asked by Jay Glazer in October about the incident, Tannebaum said “absolutely no truth to that whatsoever! Completely false!”

Now, to Newsday, Tannebaum admits it happened.

Now we are asked to believe, after all the acrimony BEFORE spygate even happened that the Patriots would grant the Jets permission to videotape?

Mangini and Tannebaum think we are all fools or they are…

If the Patriots go undefeated and win out....this whole thing will go away. Trust me. Many of the press (minus a few like Tom Jackson) view this whole "Spygate" thing in a very tongue and cheek mentality. Lock them in a room and ask if they really care and they'll say "No, not really." But ask them on national TV and you'll get much better ratings for crying foul and talking about the best team the NFL has ever seen as "cheaters". Calling who many considered on par with Vince Lombardi an evil mastermind gets papers read. Its not sexy to talk about the Denver offensive line as cheaters. Its not sexy to talk about the Ravens mugging Wes Welker and labeling them cheaters. If this were the Colts it would get brushed under the mat. But trust me...winning fixes everything.

Sounds to me as if someone could start a company providing advance video scouting of teams. Simply invest in a couple of tickets to each weeks games and dispatch someone to attend the game and make videotapes of the sidelines.

None of it would be done by team personnel or coaches.

You offer up the tapes at a price, for advance scouting of signals and sideline habits for each team.

To Bob: remember this? "..this whole thing will go away. Trust me. "
According to today's coverage, it still hasn't "gone away"........is it still around because they didn't win the Super Bowl?
I believe it would have only added MORE scrutiny had they won.......

You don't think NFL teams cant just zoom in on the hand signals even with there cameras taping the games from a filming booth or from the other cameras filming the game...seriously and i think its hilarious how we got caught in week 1 of the season and went on 2 win every game after that besides the super bowl...aparently the cameras didnt make to much of a difference after all...having an edge or not its still the Patriots and their still one of the toughest teams to beat out there