Yes it's so easy to misinterpret "don't tape the other teams practice sessions" as "yes it's okay to tape the other team's practices"
If one thing Belicheat isn't it's "stupid".
You are 100% wrong and mis-informed. There was a story that came out right before the 2007 Super Bowl that the Pats had taped the Rams walk through before the 2001 Super Bowl. This was proved to be utterly false and the person who reported it was fired from covering the NFL.
"In New York, where Walsh and Goodell met at 7:30 a.m. and league officials later publicly showed footage from Walsh's tapes, Goodell said a key purpose in speaking with Walsh was to learn more about the alleged filming of the Rams' walkthrough.
"We were able to verify that there was no Rams walkthrough tape," Goodell said. "No one asked him to tape the walkthrough. He's not aware of anybody else who may have taped the walkthrough. He had not seen such a tape. He does not know of anybody who says there is a tape."
Truth be told, Spygate was the most overblown story in the history of sports. There were many teams who taped signals, and in 2006 the NFL put there foot down and said teams could not tape from the sidelines. In 2006 the Patriots themselves blocked a Jets cameraman from taping on the New England sideline, but unlike the Jets they never went to the league about it. What got the Pats in trouble is that Belichick was arrogant and in the opening game of 2007 was still taping from the sidelines even though the league told teams the year before to stop. Now there are many coaches who have come forth and said it was no big deal and was pretty common in the NFL (Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cohwer, Marty Shotteinheimer, Bill Parcells) and with camera technology would it really make any difference if it was from row 1 or from the sidelines?
Coaches have come forth and said the tapes were never used in the same game they filmed. They were used later to study tendencies. Most teams would change signals every quarter anyways. And if anyone thinks it helped the Pats offense, then take a look at the stats. They have been a much better offense post Spygate then they were pre Spygate.
Superbowls pre spygate : 3
Superbowls post spygate : 0
How much "better" are they ?
Final ruling
Email|Link|Comments (3) Posted by Mike Reiss, Globe Staff September 13, 2007 08:25 PM
Here is the final ruling from the NFL:
Bill Belichick has been fined $500,000 by the NFL. That is the maximum amount under the NFL Constitution and By-Laws for violating league policy last Sunday on the use of equipment to videotape an opposing team’s offensive or defensive signals.
The Patriots have been fined $250,000 by the NFL.
The Patriots will give up their first-round pick in 2008 if they make the playoffs. If they don't make the playoffs, they will surrender their second- and third-round picks.
Belichick will not be suspended.
“This episode represents a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field,” Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter to the Patriots.
"I specifically considered whether to impose a suspension on Coach Belichick," Goodell also wrote. "I have determined not to do so, largely because I believe that the discipline I am imposing of a maximum fine and forfeiture of a first-round draft choice, or multiple draft choices, is in fact more significant and long-lasting, and therefore more effective, than a suspension."
