All That Needs To Be Said About the Pats

by Brian Galliford on Sep 14, 2007 7:56 PM EDT in Opinion Comment 6 comments

I've debated discussing the scandal surrounding Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots here. I generally am a person to act civilly and avoid confrontation, but seriously - how could I possibly call myself a Bills fan without acknowledging the Patriots' downfall? (Because if this is anything, it's a downfall - you can argue that the team was and is good, but you can't argue that their legacy is tarnished in a big way.)

But Ryan Parker has saved me from saying what I wanted to say - because, well, he said it all for me. This video has made the rounds around SB Nation blogs today, but props go out to Stampede Blue for not only getting this video up early, but absolutely trashing the Patriots over the past week. Well done, BigBlueShoe.

And now, all that needs to be said about the Pats:

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Are you as fed up as I am listening to all the hot air bags shouting about how bad a war criminal Bill Belichick is; that he should be suspended, lose his Superbowl rings and the right to vote?

Did you know that it is legal to tape the offensive and defensive signals at NFL games as long as you do it in a way that is discrete and a coach isn't sitting next to you? Here is the language of the NFL rule:

"Video taping of any type, including but not limited to taping of an opponent's offensive or defensive signals, is prohibited on the sidelines, in the coaches' booth, in the locker room, or at any other locations accessible to club staff members during the game."

So video taping is not illegal, just doing it from specific locations. It is sort of like jay-walking. You can legally cross at the corners but not from the sidelines. What about video taping from a Corporate booth?

I was thinking about this tempest in a teapot and wondered, would it be possible for fans to legally video tape signals and put them on Youtube. I think that would show how ridiculous this rule really is. Wouldn't the NFL and all the loudmouths look silly if all the signals were available to everyone.

Please circulate this message before Sunday and Monday

by forcryingoutloud on Sep 14, 2007 9:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

forcryingoutloud

So video taping is not illegal, just doing it from specific locations. It is sort of like jay-walking.'

Actually its 'illegal' in any place but certain locations, and the Patriots coach doing the taping intentionally avoided those locations. Why do you suppose that was? Did he get lost? And why did he refuse to turn over the tape?

And you can compare it to 'jaywalking' if you like. If there was a race, a Jaywalker would have a huge advantage over someone who walked legally in the crosswalk from Corner A to B to C.

And thats the point btw. The Patriots gained an advantage from their cheating. And no one will ever look on their past success without questioning it.

Next time tell your heroes not to cheat, then you wont have to get angry when they get tossed of your pedestal.

by Thronsen on Sep 15, 2007 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: forcryingoutloud

"Are you as fed up as I am listening to all the hot air bags shouting about how bad a war criminal Bill Belichick is; that he should be suspended, lose his Superbowl rings and the right to vote?"

Ans: Nope. Dude's legacy is tarnished. The punishment he received was justified, but it's also debatable. Anybody who lists those punishments you just mentioned is merely voicing their opinion, and they're entitled to it.

"Did you know that it is legal to tape the offensive and defensive signals at NFL games as long as you do it in a way that is discrete and a coach isn't sitting next to you?"

Ans: Nothing about what Belichick did was "discrete" by any stretch of the imagination. With as many near-misses as he had, he was still arrogant enough to trot that assistant out there with a camera against a former assistant coach. Belichick tried to find a loophole in a rule that Commissioner Goodell reinforced this off-season, and he failed miserably. You can claim that the rule is crap all you want; it doesn't change any aspect of what Belichick did. That is the message that needs to be circulated here.

Create a free account to join in the discussion, Bills fans!

by Brian Galliford on Sep 15, 2007 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow.

I don't think you are going to find too much sympathy for the Patriots around a Bills' blog site.
Even if it is legal to tape from some places, it was not legal to tape from where they were taping from. Therefore, illegal. Against the rules. Cheating.

If Belichick the genius "misinterpreted" the rule, then maybe he should read the rule book a little harder or possibly read memos sent to him by the COMMISSIONER OF THE NF-freakin'-L!

3. This video is great in every way. Now I agree this has gotten a little (just a little) out of hand, but the creativity involved in creating a masterpiece like that is unrivaled. Congrats to Ryan Parker.

bravescorner.blogspot.com

by nickfeely8 on Sep 14, 2007 10:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree that it needs to be said...

...and I think Belichick should have been suspended, but I wouldn't trust Stampede Blue as a source. Every time I read something over there, I come away with the impression that they're a bunch of self-righteous jerks who think Peyton Manning is the Second Coming and all Patriots fans are minions of the antichrist. Even if there's a kernel of truth in what they say there, it's like citing Rush Limbaugh as an objective analyst in a political discussion.

by rexob on Sep 15, 2007 2:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Stampede Blue

I suggested checking out the site more for entertainment purposes than anything; your usual sources should cover the news and fact aspects of this story well enough. :)

Create a free account to join in the discussion, Bills fans!

by Brian Galliford on Sep 15, 2007 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs