Ex-Pat employee, Matt Walsh, ready to turn over evidence to NFL (1 Viewer)

[brednbuddah]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

link

Ex-Pats employee Walsh close to handing spygate material to NFL

March 9, 2008

CBSSports.com wire reports

NEW YORK -- Matt Walsh, the former New England Patriots employee said to have tapes of illegal spying by the team, is close to an agreement to turn over information to the NFL.

The NFL said in a statement Sunday night that in the last week, lawyers for Walsh and the league have made "substantial progress toward an agreement that will allow Mr. Walsh to be interviewed."

"Both sides are optimistic that any remaining issues can be addressed successfully and they are committed to reaching a full agreement as promptly as possible," the statement added.

Walsh, a golf pro in Hawaii, has been seeking protection from lawsuits and other legal action, whether by the Patriots or other parties. The two sides have been negotiating for almost a month after reports surfaced just before the Super Bowl that Walsh videotaped a walkthrough practice of the St. Louis Rams before the 2002 title game. It was won by the Patriots 20-17 over the Rams, who were favored by more than two touchdowns.

Walsh's lawyer, Michael N. Levy of the Washington firm of McKee Nelson, confirmed Sunday night that an agreement was near.

"I have consistently asked the NFL to provide appropriate legal protections for Mr. Walsh," Levy said in an e-mail to the Associated Press.

"In recent discussions I have had with the league's lawyer, we have made substantial progress toward this end, and I am hopeful that we will be able to craft an agreement with the necessary legal protections so Mr. Walsh can come forward with the truth."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said Walsh was not interviewed as part of the league's investigation into "Spygate," which involved the league confiscating tapes from a Patriots employee who recorded the New York Jets' defensive signals from the sideline during the opening game of the 2007 season.

Six confiscated tapes and other documents pertaining to the Patriots' taping were subsequently destroyed by the league. Goodell has defended the destruction of the tapes.

As a result of that investigation, New England coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and the team was fined $250,000 and forfeited its 2008 first-round draft choice. That pick would have been 31st overall, but New England still has the seventh overall pick, obtained in a trade with San Francisco last year.

Goodell has also met with Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who asked pointed questions about taping of both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots beat the Eagles in the 2005 Super Bowl and the Steelers in two AFC championship games.

"As commissioner Goodell has repeatedly emphasized, `Nobody wants to hear from Matt Walsh more than the National Football League,' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday night.

In addition to the negotiations over Walsh's testimony, Willie Gary, who played in that game for the Rams, filed suit in New Orleans last month accusing the Patriots of fraud, unfair trade practices and engaging in a "pattern of racketeering." Three fans joined in the suit.

Specter subsequently said that his interest might be covered by that suit.

"I think now that the lawsuits have been started, that I got the ball rolling, and the plaintiffs' lawyers are picking it up," he said.

AP NEWS

The Associated Press News Service

 

[The Shizzle]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Then be cool and put it in the appropriate thread.

 

[streamkeeper]

Can't we cut some posters a little slack. This atitude in the Shark Pool is becomming tiresome.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Then be cool and put it in the appropriate thread.

fresh news sometimes deserves it own thread

 

[Road Warriors]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Then be cool and put it in the appropriate thread.

fresh news sometimes deserves it own thread

Much better than bumping a 17 page mess. I hadn't seen this news cross the wire yet. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Mustang Man]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Then be cool and put it in the appropriate thread.

fresh news sometimes deserves it own thread

Much better than bumping a 17 page mess. I hadn't seen this news cross the wire yet. Thanks for the heads up.

Yeah really this is fresh news and all Pats info does not need to be in one thread. Get over it. That is over, they are just like the other 31 teams in the league.

 

[fatness]

Specter was in the news yesterday complaining about lack of an agreement.

New York Times article

So I wonder if this agreement that Walsh and the league are supposedly close to reaching includes the right for the NFL to destroy all the evidence?

 

[Banger]

That's funny...no one wants to talk to the guy more than the NFL, yet they knew about this guy and the allegations for what 6 months and were following him with NFL security but don't bother to sit down with him until Spector brings up the issue. They are trying to save face, nothing more....

 

[Koya]

Wishful thinking I know, but I wish this could just be done with. Do what is needed, if possible (there's the rub I suppose) to get clarity on this issue - what was REALLY going on?

If there was true "cheating" then come down with a very heavy hand. If not, lets move on.

Anyway, nothing constructive here, just ranting.

 

[brednbuddah]

Specter was in the news yesterday complaining about lack of an agreement.

New York Times article

So I wonder if this agreement that Walsh and the league are supposedly close to reaching includes the right for the NFL to destroy all the evidence?

I don't understand. Why would there be a need to destroy evidence* after the commisioner ruled againsts the Patriots franchise AND wouldn't that same evidence be needed to support any future accusations? As with SBXXXVIII walk through? very sketchy.* - evidence destroyed in NYTimes article.

 

[Das Boot]

So I wonder if this agreement that Walsh and the league are supposedly close to reaching includes the right for the NFL to destroy all the evidence?

Wonder what the odds are that NFL will destroy the Walsh evidence if it's handed over?My rough estimate is 98%

 

[bearsharks]

The Pats performance against the Giants in the SB had the appearance of a team in need of some illegal spying to be competitive.

 

[Raider Nation]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

ST. LOUIS RAMS.... SUPER BOWL XXXVI CHAMPIONS!

 

[Bri]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

Not that we could ever reasonably discuss this around here but the first one could be construed as too much. Landry got caught watching practices from a hotel room over the field with binoculars. "Nothing" happenned to him. Lombardi knew "everyone" spied on practices so he had his players trade jerseys to confuse them. Nothing happenned back then. If Goodell feels- It's wrong, let's establish this as wrong and condemn it to put an end to it. The first round pick penalty is cool by me. It is wrong. It should be punished.

When people get all "oh my" and "I can't believe it" about it, it makes me want to point out the legends Landry and Lombardi. There IS something along these lines with Paul Brown too but I don't know the story on that one.

How many chop blocks or clipping penalties have you seen vs how many are called? There's always been hypocrisy with penalties and the NFL and we fans accept it on alot of levels. There might be human error by refs, there might not. The end result is we accept there's hypocrisy.

Why do OC cover their mouth when they call plays and have been doing it for decades?

The public beats the Pats up a bit much IMO.

The people on this board completely glossed over BBs buddy Saban getting caught with the Dolphins and the NFL doing nothing about it. It's easier to pile on the Pats than to discuss that other teams might do some stuff or that legends did some similar things etc. There's always been hypocrisy in penalties in the NFL.

There's a real lot of good comments here and it's a good article

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_footb...ins_blast_.html

If you take the time to read it and think about the press vs the Pats and vs the Fins, the public's reaction, that game where they just uncharacteristically oWned the Pats.....it's interesting to say the least.

Here's a Saban quote which lends to everything-the way it's been going on a long time(stealing cadence), everyone does it, media's overblown reaction.

Saban opened his Wednesday news conference by saying, "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. I mean just because you guys [the media] don't know something goes on, doesn't mean it goes on. Every guy on our team that I talked to about this says, 'Yeah, we've been doing this for 10 years.' We did it in Cleveland . . . watch a TV copy of the game, trying to get the cadence. Now they got us stealing stuff, buying stuff, I mean, like we're in the mafia or something. It's unbelievable."

Palm Beach Post broke the article, if you'd like to google and search for the start of it.

 

[Road Warriors]

Specter was in the news yesterday complaining about lack of an agreement.

New York Times article

So I wonder if this agreement that Walsh and the league are supposedly close to reaching includes the right for the NFL to destroy all the evidence?

I read Specter's quotes... How exactly does he know what's in the correspondense between the NFL and Matt Walsh? Does he have some connection with Levy? As to the question you ask, Specter seems to be intimating exactly that. But if these are communciations between Walsh's laywer and the NFL, why does Specter seem to have inside knowledge about the negotiiations?

 

[jonessed]

Wishful thinking I know, but I wish this could just be done with. Do what is needed, if possible (there's the rub I suppose) to get clarity on this issue - what was REALLY going on?If there was true "cheating" then come down with a very heavy hand. If not, lets move on.Anyway, nothing constructive here, just ranting.

This is pretty much Goodell's fault. He shouldn't have tried to sweep everything under the rug from the get-go. The slow leak of information is killing them.

 

[BigTex]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

Not that we could ever reasonably discuss this around here but the first one could be construed as too much. Landry got caught watching practices from a hotel room over the field with binoculars. "Nothing" happenned to him. Lombardi knew "everyone" spied on practices so he had his players trade jerseys to confuse them. Nothing happenned back then. If Goodell feels- It's wrong, let's establish this as wrong and condemn it to put an end to it. The first round pick penalty is cool by me. It is wrong. It should be punished.

When people get all "oh my" and "I can't believe it" about it, it makes me want to point out the legends Landry and Lombardi. There IS something along these lines with Paul Brown too but I don't know the story on that one.

How many chop blocks or clipping penalties have you seen vs how many are called? There's always been hypocrisy with penalties and the NFL and we fans accept it on alot of levels. There might be human error by refs, there might not. The end result is we accept there's hypocrisy.

Why do OC cover their mouth when they call plays and have been doing it for decades?

The public beats the Pats up a bit much IMO.

The people on this board completely glossed over BBs buddy Saban getting caught with the Dolphins and the NFL doing nothing about it. It's easier to pile on the Pats than to discuss that other teams might do some stuff or that legends did some similar things etc. There's always been hypocrisy in penalties in the NFL.

There's a real lot of good comments here and it's a good article

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_footb...ins_blast_.html

If you take the time to read it and think about the press vs the Pats and vs the Fins, the public's reaction, that game where they just uncharacteristically oWned the Pats.....it's interesting to say the least.

Here's a Saban quote which lends to everything-the way it's been going on a long time(stealing cadence), everyone does it, media's overblown reaction.

Saban opened his Wednesday news conference by saying, "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. I mean just because you guys [the media] don't know something goes on, doesn't mean it goes on. Every guy on our team that I talked to about this says, 'Yeah, we've been doing this for 10 years.' We did it in Cleveland . . . watch a TV copy of the game, trying to get the cadence. Now they got us stealing stuff, buying stuff, I mean, like we're in the mafia or something. It's unbelievable."

Palm Beach Post broke the article, if you'd like to google and search for the start of it.

IMHO, there are three reasons the Pats are getting beat up:1. They were warned to stop video tapping and they ignored it.

2. They did it (or accused of) in the biggest games in the NFL.

3. Bill B.

 

[Slider]

You don't get a 750k fine and lose a draft pick if you're just doing what everyone else is. Especially if you have a guy dishing out the fines that is "just trying to sweep it under the rug". There's more to what the Pats did and it's pretty clear to see.

 

[munchkin]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

ST. LOUIS RAMS.... SUPER BOWL XXXVI CHAMPIONS!

I think you better go take a look at the record books. The Rams won Super Bowl 34 and lost to the Pats in 36; but don't let the facts confuse you. Go Raiders!!!!!!

 

[AB in DC]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Honestly, what were you expecting?

 

[kethnaab]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

ST. LOUIS RAMS.... SUPER BOWL XXXVI CHAMPIONS!

I think you better go take a look at the record books. The Rams won Super Bowl 34 and lost to the Pats in 36; but don't let the facts confuse you. Go Raiders!!!!!!

I think his point was that if something substantial was proven, that the Rams would be the rightful winners of sb36

 

[BigSteelThrill]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Honestly, what were you expecting?

Just the facts ma'am, just the facts. Such as - any agreement that protects Walsh has to include stipulations that protect him from the New England *Patriots and any of its employees/subsidiaries as well the NFL and congress. (Except for perjury).

 

[BigSteelThrill]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

ST. LOUIS RAMS.... SUPER BOWL XXXVI CHAMPIONS!

I think you better go take a look at the record books. The Rams won Super Bowl 34 and lost to the Pats in 36; but don't let the facts confuse you. Go Raiders!!!!!!

I think his point was that if something substantial was proven, that the Rams would be the rightful winners of sb36

No winner for those years in question. Erased from the record books and left blank. Just a big * as a constant and brutal reminder of the transgressions, if true.

 

[Raider Nation]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

ST. LOUIS RAMS.... SUPER BOWL XXXVI CHAMPIONS!

I think you better go take a look at the record books. The Rams won Super Bowl 34 and lost to the Pats in 36; but don't let the facts confuse you. Go Raiders!!!!!!

I think his point was that if something substantial was proven, that the Rams would be the rightful winners of sb36

Didn't really think it required further explantion.

 

[Workhorse]

Interesting investigative piece on Walsh from the Boston Globe. This guy is a real piece of work, eh?

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patr..._bitter/?page=1

And from that piece:

A league source said NFL investigators found two practical reasons why the Patriots could not have used their video equipment to tape the Rams the day before the Super Bowl. First, the team's video crew did not take any battery packs to the Superdome because they planned only to set up the equipment, not to use it. Second, the league confirmed there was no electrical power available at the camera positions in the stadium.

In addition, an NFL investigator interviewed a Patriots employee who left the Superdome that day with Walsh and quoted Walsh as saying, "We should have taped that," according to a person familiar with the league's inquiry.

 

[fatness]

I read Specter's quotes... How exactly does he know what's in the correspondense between the NFL and Matt Walsh? Does he have some connection with Levy? As to the question you ask, Specter seems to be intimating exactly that. But if these are communciations between Walsh's laywer and the NFL, why does Specter seem to have inside knowledge about the negotiiations?

I believe that Specter may have been talking periodically to Levy, so that would be the "connection".

 

[yellowdog]

Interesting investigative piece on Walsh from the Boston Globe. This guy is a real piece of work, eh?

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patr..._bitter/?page=1

And from that piece:

A league source said NFL investigators found two practical reasons why the Patriots could not have used their video equipment to tape the Rams the day before the Super Bowl. First, the team's video crew did not take any battery packs to the Superdome because they planned only to set up the equipment, not to use it. Second, the league confirmed there was no electrical power available at the camera positions in the stadium.

In addition, an NFL investigator interviewed a Patriots employee who left the Superdome that day with Walsh and quoted Walsh as saying, "We should have taped that," according to a person familiar with the league's inquiry.

 

[fatness]

Interesting investigative piece on Walsh from the Boston Globe. This guy is a real piece of work, eh?

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patr..._bitter/?page=1

And from that piece:

A league source said NFL investigators found two practical reasons why the Patriots could not have used their video equipment to tape the Rams the day before the Super Bowl. First, the team's video crew did not take any battery packs to the Superdome because they planned only to set up the equipment, not to use it. Second, the league confirmed there was no electrical power available at the camera positions in the stadium.

In addition, an NFL investigator interviewed a Patriots employee who left the Superdome that day with Walsh and quoted Walsh as saying, "We should have taped that," according to a person familiar with the league's inquiry.

That's part of the NFL's "discredit the source of unwanted news" campaign. That's why they hired a former FBI guy to investigate Walsh and dig up dirt on him. From the article you cite:

The former coworker, who was questioned last month by an NFL investigator, was among more than 30 individuals interviewed by the Globe during a monthlong inquiry into Walsh's controversial role in Spygate

Unless something has changed, the NFL doesn't want Walsh to have any information about cheating, and if he does they want to discredit him. The only reason they're (supposedly) investigating further is due to public and/or governmental pressure.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

Not that we could ever reasonably discuss this around here but the first one could be construed as too much. Landry got caught watching practices from a hotel room over the field with binoculars. "Nothing" happenned to him. Lombardi knew "everyone" spied on practices so he had his players trade jerseys to confuse them. Nothing happenned back then. If Goodell feels- It's wrong, let's establish this as wrong and condemn it to put an end to it. The first round pick penalty is cool by me. It is wrong. It should be punished.

When people get all "oh my" and "I can't believe it" about it, it makes me want to point out the legends Landry and Lombardi. There IS something along these lines with Paul Brown too but I don't know the story on that one.

How many chop blocks or clipping penalties have you seen vs how many are called? There's always been hypocrisy with penalties and the NFL and we fans accept it on alot of levels. There might be human error by refs, there might not. The end result is we accept there's hypocrisy.

Why do OC cover their mouth when they call plays and have been doing it for decades?

The public beats the Pats up a bit much IMO.

The people on this board completely glossed over BBs buddy Saban getting caught with the Dolphins and the NFL doing nothing about it. It's easier to pile on the Pats than to discuss that other teams might do some stuff or that legends did some similar things etc. There's always been hypocrisy in penalties in the NFL.

There's a real lot of good comments here and it's a good article

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_footb...ins_blast_.html

If you take the time to read it and think about the press vs the Pats and vs the Fins, the public's reaction, that game where they just uncharacteristically oWned the Pats.....it's interesting to say the least.

Here's a Saban quote which lends to everything-the way it's been going on a long time(stealing cadence), everyone does it, media's overblown reaction.

Saban opened his Wednesday news conference by saying, "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. I mean just because you guys [the media] don't know something goes on, doesn't mean it goes on. Every guy on our team that I talked to about this says, 'Yeah, we've been doing this for 10 years.' We did it in Cleveland . . . watch a TV copy of the game, trying to get the cadence. Now they got us stealing stuff, buying stuff, I mean, like we're in the mafia or something. It's unbelievable."

Palm Beach Post broke the article, if you'd like to google and search for the start of it.

Excellent Post. Thank you.

 

[Workhorse]

So the Boston Globe was doing the bidding of the NFL by releasing this story? Where's the tinfoil hat emoticon?

And yellowdog, I think that line about the battery packs was referring to setting up the cameras for use in the actual game. But who knows? It wasn't very well written.

 

[fatness]

So the Boston Globe was doing the bidding of the NFL by releasing this story? Where's the tinfoil hat emoticon?

That particular columnist was buying into the NFL's "discredit Walsh" effort, obviously. Unless you think he dug up that information on his own? Where's the head-in-sand emoticon?

 

[Workhorse]

So the Boston Globe was doing the bidding of the NFL by releasing this story? Where's the tinfoil hat emoticon?

That particular columnist was buying into the NFL's "discredit Walsh" effort, obviously. Unless you think he dug up that information on his own? Where's the head-in-sand emoticon?

The former coworker, who was questioned last month by an NFL investigator, was among more than 30 individuals interviewed by the Globe during a monthlong inquiry into Walsh's controversial role in Spygate.

:X

 

[fatness]

So the Boston Globe was doing the bidding of the NFL by releasing this story? Where's the tinfoil hat emoticon?

That particular columnist was buying into the NFL's "discredit Walsh" effort, obviously. Unless you think he dug up that information on his own? Where's the head-in-sand emoticon?

The former coworker, who was questioned last month by an NFL investigator, was among more than 30 individuals interviewed by the Globe during a monthlong inquiry into Walsh's controversial role in Spygate.

:X

The NFL hired the former FBI guy to dig up dirt on Walsh. He did. Some or all of that information was fed to the Globe. They talked to some of the people involved.

 

[brednbuddah]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Honestly, what were you expecting?

See Clayton Gray's "pinned" post regarding Pats threads... I guess that's what I was expecting.

 

[phthalatemagic]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

Not that we could ever reasonably discuss this around here but the first one could be construed as too much. Landry got caught watching practices from a hotel room over the field with binoculars. "Nothing" happenned to him. Lombardi knew "everyone" spied on practices so he had his players trade jerseys to confuse them. Nothing happenned back then. If Goodell feels- It's wrong, let's establish this as wrong and condemn it to put an end to it. The first round pick penalty is cool by me. It is wrong. It should be punished.

When people get all "oh my" and "I can't believe it" about it, it makes me want to point out the legends Landry and Lombardi. There IS something along these lines with Paul Brown too but I don't know the story on that one.

How many chop blocks or clipping penalties have you seen vs how many are called? There's always been hypocrisy with penalties and the NFL and we fans accept it on alot of levels. There might be human error by refs, there might not. The end result is we accept there's hypocrisy.

Why do OC cover their mouth when they call plays and have been doing it for decades?

The public beats the Pats up a bit much IMO.

The people on this board completely glossed over BBs buddy Saban getting caught with the Dolphins and the NFL doing nothing about it. It's easier to pile on the Pats than to discuss that other teams might do some stuff or that legends did some similar things etc. There's always been hypocrisy in penalties in the NFL.

There's a real lot of good comments here and it's a good article

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_footb...ins_blast_.html

If you take the time to read it and think about the press vs the Pats and vs the Fins, the public's reaction, that game where they just uncharacteristically oWned the Pats.....it's interesting to say the least.

Here's a Saban quote which lends to everything-the way it's been going on a long time(stealing cadence), everyone does it, media's overblown reaction.

Saban opened his Wednesday news conference by saying, "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. I mean just because you guys [the media] don't know something goes on, doesn't mean it goes on. Every guy on our team that I talked to about this says, 'Yeah, we've been doing this for 10 years.' We did it in Cleveland . . . watch a TV copy of the game, trying to get the cadence. Now they got us stealing stuff, buying stuff, I mean, like we're in the mafia or something. It's unbelievable."

Palm Beach Post broke the article, if you'd like to google and search for the start of it.

Excellent Post. Thank you.

Not really. It's a garden variety misdirection post.

 

[TD Ryan]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

Not that we could ever reasonably discuss this around here but the first one could be construed as too much. Landry got caught watching practices from a hotel room over the field with binoculars. "Nothing" happenned to him. Lombardi knew "everyone" spied on practices so he had his players trade jerseys to confuse them. Nothing happenned back then. If Goodell feels- It's wrong, let's establish this as wrong and condemn it to put an end to it. The first round pick penalty is cool by me. It is wrong. It should be punished.

When people get all "oh my" and "I can't believe it" about it, it makes me want to point out the legends Landry and Lombardi. There IS something along these lines with Paul Brown too but I don't know the story on that one.

How many chop blocks or clipping penalties have you seen vs how many are called? There's always been hypocrisy with penalties and the NFL and we fans accept it on alot of levels. There might be human error by refs, there might not. The end result is we accept there's hypocrisy.

Why do OC cover their mouth when they call plays and have been doing it for decades?

The public beats the Pats up a bit much IMO.

The people on this board completely glossed over BBs buddy Saban getting caught with the Dolphins and the NFL doing nothing about it. It's easier to pile on the Pats than to discuss that other teams might do some stuff or that legends did some similar things etc. There's always been hypocrisy in penalties in the NFL.

There's a real lot of good comments here and it's a good article

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_footb...ins_blast_.html

If you take the time to read it and think about the press vs the Pats and vs the Fins, the public's reaction, that game where they just uncharacteristically oWned the Pats.....it's interesting to say the least.

Here's a Saban quote which lends to everything-the way it's been going on a long time(stealing cadence), everyone does it, media's overblown reaction.

Saban opened his Wednesday news conference by saying, "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. I mean just because you guys [the media] don't know something goes on, doesn't mean it goes on. Every guy on our team that I talked to about this says, 'Yeah, we've been doing this for 10 years.' We did it in Cleveland . . . watch a TV copy of the game, trying to get the cadence. Now they got us stealing stuff, buying stuff, I mean, like we're in the mafia or something. It's unbelievable."

Palm Beach Post broke the article, if you'd like to google and search for the start of it.

 

[TD Ryan]

Interesting investigative piece on Walsh from the Boston Globe. This guy is a real piece of work, eh?

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patr..._bitter/?page=1

maybe.it's clearly an attempt to discredit the guy.

the article paints him as a driven, excessive, over-the-top, wannabe that's only been able to land a few minimum wage jobs.

he hated the establishment

he wasn't very good at anything he's done

he was very passionate and wanted to succeed

he was maniacal is his desire to succeed

Did Lee Harvey Oswald have a child nobody knew about?

I'm not saying Walsh is or isn't a bad guy. Just that this article does a pretty good job of assassinating his character.

And whether Walsh is a good guy or a bad guy really won't matter much; what will matter is what (if any) damning evidence he possesses.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

Not really. It's a garden variety misdirection post.

 

[redman]

Specter was in the news yesterday complaining about lack of an agreement.

New York Times article

So I wonder if this agreement that Walsh and the league are supposedly close to reaching includes the right for the NFL to destroy all the evidence?

The lawyers in that lawsuit are undoubtedly drafting letters to the NFL and Walsh giving notice of the lawsuit and demanding that they preserve the evidence. This will be interesting.

 

[TD Ryan]

The problem now is IF Walsh's story doesn't come out, there will always be the public assumption of GUILT. It will be assumed that Walsh has the smoking gun on NE/NFL and it's all being covered up by legal garbage.

 

[Joe Bryant]

be cool. don't turn this into a Pats bashing thread...

Then be cool and put it in the appropriate thread.

fresh news sometimes deserves it own thread

Yes. The hating on everything New England is lame. As is the attitude from some Pats fans whenever negative news is reported.Please don't do either.TIA.J

 

[Kiddnets]

If Walsh provides something substantial, I wonder if N.E. will lose their other first-round pick next month -- the 1.07.

Not that we could ever reasonably discuss this around here but the first one could be construed as too much. Landry got caught watching practices from a hotel room over the field with binoculars. "Nothing" happenned to him. Lombardi knew "everyone" spied on practices so he had his players trade jerseys to confuse them. Nothing happenned back then. If Goodell feels- It's wrong, let's establish this as wrong and condemn it to put an end to it. The first round pick penalty is cool by me. It is wrong. It should be punished.

When people get all "oh my" and "I can't believe it" about it, it makes me want to point out the legends Landry and Lombardi. There IS something along these lines with Paul Brown too but I don't know the story on that one.

How many chop blocks or clipping penalties have you seen vs how many are called? There's always been hypocrisy with penalties and the NFL and we fans accept it on alot of levels. There might be human error by refs, there might not. The end result is we accept there's hypocrisy.

Why do OC cover their mouth when they call plays and have been doing it for decades?

The public beats the Pats up a bit much IMO.

The people on this board completely glossed over BBs buddy Saban getting caught with the Dolphins and the NFL doing nothing about it. It's easier to pile on the Pats than to discuss that other teams might do some stuff or that legends did some similar things etc. There's always been hypocrisy in penalties in the NFL.

There's a real lot of good comments here and it's a good article

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_footb...ins_blast_.html

If you take the time to read it and think about the press vs the Pats and vs the Fins, the public's reaction, that game where they just uncharacteristically oWned the Pats.....it's interesting to say the least.

Here's a Saban quote which lends to everything-the way it's been going on a long time(stealing cadence), everyone does it, media's overblown reaction.

Saban opened his Wednesday news conference by saying, "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. I mean just because you guys [the media] don't know something goes on, doesn't mean it goes on. Every guy on our team that I talked to about this says, 'Yeah, we've been doing this for 10 years.' We did it in Cleveland . . . watch a TV copy of the game, trying to get the cadence. Now they got us stealing stuff, buying stuff, I mean, like we're in the mafia or something. It's unbelievable."

Palm Beach Post broke the article, if you'd like to google and search for the start of it.

when you are using Saban for any comparison or input is a mistake - that guy is one step above Bellislime.....a small one!It certainly seems like the NFL wants Walsh to go away!

 

[switz]

New England is lame.

You know Joe, you really shouldn't be so biased But that's a good example of how some articles in the paper use "quotes" that really aren't what the person interviewed said.Anywho... I have no opinion on this thing anymore. We'll see when and what and if anything comes out of this whole story.

 

[Workhorse]

The problem now is IF Walsh's story doesn't come out, there will always be the public assumption of GUILT. It will be assumed that Walsh has the smoking gun on NE/NFL and it's all being covered up by legal garbage.

No question about that. At this point, I think the "legal garbage" is a question of (a) whether Walsh has information that was "stolen" that he wants protection to release or (b) he wants to make allegations against the Patriots without any hard evidence and want protection to disclose. At this point, I'm not sure which is the case.

 

[TD Ryan]

The problem now is IF Walsh's story doesn't come out, there will always be the public assumption of GUILT. It will be assumed that Walsh has the smoking gun on NE/NFL and it's all being covered up by legal garbage.

No question about that. At this point, I think the "legal garbage" is a question of (a) whether Walsh has information that was "stolen" that he wants protection to release or (b) he wants to make allegations against the Patriots without any hard evidence and want protection to disclose. At this point, I'm not sure which is the case.

WEEI was reporting this morning that the endzone video of Vinatieri's winning FG against STL is also "missing" and coincidentally, Walsh was the guy operating the endzone camera that filmed the kick.So, here the (no pun) kicker to all of this:- If Walsh was a renegade and taped stuff he wasn't supposed to and stole tapes he wasn't supposed to, does that get NE off the hook? I'm guessing no because:1. Walsh was a NE employee. Even if he's the loony, amoral, nutcase the article suggests, he represented NE and the Pats organization is responsible for his actions just like they are with Brady or Belichick. Shame on the Pats HR department for hiring a nut job.AND/OR2. Even if Walsh taped stuff he wasn't supposed to, the public will never believe that NE was unaware OR didn't use the material.It's just not a good place at all for anyone here.

 

[Joe Bryant]

But that's a good example of how some articles in the paper use "quotes" that really aren't what the person interviewed said.

I don't disagree the spin factor from both sides is off the chart on this. That's why I'm asking people not to do it here.J

 

[switz]

WEEI was reporting this morning that the endzone video of Vinatieri's winning FG against STL is also "missing" and coincidentally, Walsh was the guy operating the endzone camera that filmed the kick.

I have a very hard time believing this, simply because the Pats earlier "turned over" all video tapes to the NFL. Doesn't it make sense that they would have noticed then that other tapes were missing?

 

[switz]

But that's a good example of how some articles in the paper use "quotes" that really aren't what the person interviewed said.

I don't disagree the spin factor from both sides is off the chart on this. That's why I'm asking people not to do it here.J

Sorry, that wasn't really directed at you... but more to everyone else in here. In line with what you were originally posting. I just thought it was a humorous way to make a point.

 

[TD Ryan]

the Pats earlier "turned over" all video tapes to the NFL. Doesn't it make sense that they would have noticed then that other tapes were missing?

maybe that's when NE noticed the endzone tape was missing?I don't know the answer. I'm just telling you what I heard on sports radio this morning.

 

[Jason Wood]

NFL is going to have to tread lightly on this one. They're going to have a hard time keeping what Walsh says under wraps given the light thrown on the last round of evidence and its disposal.