Specter Wants Mitchell-like Investigation (1 Viewer)

[westbrook36]

I applaud Senator Spector for this. Rodger Goodell is coming up very small with this issue, and he continues to minimize spy gate. I think Spector is just making sure that this does not get "swept under the rug". The main goal is not to just penalize New England more, but to get the entire truth out there. Make Bill Bellichick go in front of a congressional hearing, and then launch a real investigation(not that phony one Goodell had). Spectator is digging for the truth, and I am glad that he is not satisfied with how the NFL has handled this.

 

[Kit Fisto]

I'm all for a Mitchell-like investigation in the NFL.

Just not with taxpayers' dollars.

NE has been in the crosshairs of every investigative reporter for 9+ months now and still nothing new has come to light despite all the conspiracy theories and outlandish claims being made.

I welcome a ransacking of the rest of the NFL. Clean everyone's closets out. I'm sure there would be some surprises at what's found.

Which is exactly why the other owners want to move on too.

For the past 9+ months we've been listening to the holier-than-thou's on this board spout off nonsense about how their teams would never stoop to such levels. Yeah right... naive much?

 

[PatsFanCT]

If it was any other "leader" of any other industry would we be having this discussion? The billions of $s that the NFL is responsible for is pretty important to this country. If the business practices of the NFL are in question, and they are, and the commissioner is doing a piss-poor job of righting the ship, who is going to investigate? The government. Why is that so hard to understand. I'm sick of it too, but I understand it.

How the hell is the commissioner doing a piss-poor job? So far, he seems to be the best commissioner the NFL has had in either a long time, or ever. He is the person that brought "spygate" to light. He dragged it out into the open, took care of it, and levied a huge and unprecedented fine on the Patriots. The case should be closed, but for some reason there is a ridiculous amount of people who believe the man responsible for showing the world "spygate" is also responsible for covering up exactly what he dragged out into the light. That doesn't make sense on any level...even the conspiracy level.Really, using your wildest imagination, can somebody please tell me what in the world could possibly be hidden in the tapes Goodell destroyed that weren't explained by him already, or shown from Walsh's collection? Dig deep. Take a Spielberg stab at it. For anyone who wants to proclaim that the NFL is covering something up, I beg you to answer this question. Either answer it, or shut up about it and stop trolling.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

I'm all for a Mitchell-like investigation in the NFL.

Just not with taxpayers' dollars.

NE has been in the crosshairs of every investigative reporter for 9+ months now and still nothing new has come to light despite all the conspiracy theories and outlandish claims being made.

I welcome a ransacking of the rest of the NFL. Clean everyone's closets out. I'm sure there would be some surprises at what's found.

Which is exactly why the other owners want to move on too.

For the past 9+ months we've been listening to the holier-than-thou's on this board spout off nonsense about how their teams would never stoop to such levels. Yeah right... naive much?

We have?Isnt the issue getting caught. With official complaints to the league more then just once.

Seriously, I dont ever recall someone saying "my Panthers would never do such or a thing".

And if someone did say it, it certainly was never "9+ months of spouting 'my team would never'".

 

[twitch]

Howie Long's view on the subject. Fairly predictable, considering he's a rational, educated, ex-Hall of Fame football player with no axe to grind who actually knows a little something about the game.

LONG on the DP Show

He's no US Senator, but for some reason, he seems slightly more credible than most of the windbags that have been yapping about this thing lately. The media is simply out of control. Understatement of the year.

 

[PatsFanCT]

I'm all for a Mitchell-like investigation in the NFL.

Just not with taxpayers' dollars.

NE has been in the crosshairs of every investigative reporter for 9+ months now and still nothing new has come to light despite all the conspiracy theories and outlandish claims being made.

I welcome a ransacking of the rest of the NFL. Clean everyone's closets out. I'm sure there would be some surprises at what's found.

Which is exactly why the other owners want to move on too.

For the past 9+ months we've been listening to the holier-than-thou's on this board spout off nonsense about how their teams would never stoop to such levels. Yeah right... naive much?

We have?Isnt the issue getting caught. With official complaints to the league more then just once.

Seriously, I dont ever recall someone saying "my Panthers would never do such or a thing".

And if someone did say it, it certainly was never "9+ months of spouting 'my team would never'".

Yes, you have. And don't embarrass yourself by trying to deny it. You have had the holier-than-thou attitude in every one of your posts for a long, long time now, so don't pretend you have another agenda. We all know what it is. Carry on, but don't really expect to be taken seriously.

 

[Workhorse]

EVERYONE should read this from Scouts Inc.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3394809

 

[twitch]

MIKE MARTZ commenting on the end of the drama.

"I had the opportunity to talk to Commissioner [Roger] Goodell yesterday and I was very satisfied with the NFL’s efforts to investigate the situation with Matt Walsh as it related to Super Bowl XXXVI. I’m very confident that there was no impropriety. I believed Bill Belichick when he said there wasn’t and I took that at face value.

"Let me make this clear – we lost to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl because we turned the ball over three times. If there was anything obtained from our walk-thru from a casual observer that happened to be present, then that was just part of those walk-thrus and that environment. What I’ve said all along and what my only concerns were if A): If the walk-thru was filmed or B): If it was purposely scouted for information. If so, then that is an issue that the league needs to pursue. I’m very satisfied that this was not the situation in this instance whatsoever.

"I was stunned at Matt Walsh’s allegation that he was on the sideline in New England Patriots apparel during our walk-thru. I find that insulting, disturbing and a slap in the face to both our team security and NFL security, who both do outstanding jobs. I promise you that if he was on the sideline, he was not in New England Patriots apparel because he would have been identified.

"This whole issue is based on statements made by Matt Walsh, and I think we have to understand that.

"I’m very grateful for Commissioner Goodell to take the time to talk to me about this. It’s time to put this situation behind us.”

 

[twitch]

EVERYONE should read this from Scouts Inc.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3394809

that's good stuff right there. definitely required reading. nice, WH.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

I'm all for a Mitchell-like investigation in the NFL.

Just not with taxpayers' dollars.

NE has been in the crosshairs of every investigative reporter for 9+ months now and still nothing new has come to light despite all the conspiracy theories and outlandish claims being made.

I welcome a ransacking of the rest of the NFL. Clean everyone's closets out. I'm sure there would be some surprises at what's found.

Which is exactly why the other owners want to move on too.

For the past 9+ months we've been listening to the holier-than-thou's on this board spout off nonsense about how their teams would never stoop to such levels. Yeah right... naive much?

We have?Isnt the issue getting caught. With official complaints to the league more then just once.

Seriously, I dont ever recall someone saying "my Panthers would never do such or a thing".

And if someone did say it, it certainly was never "9+ months of spouting 'my team would never'".

Yes, you have. And don't embarrass yourself by trying to deny it. You have had the holier-than-thou attitude in every one of your posts for a long, long time now, so don't pretend you have another agenda. We all know what it is. Carry on, but don't really expect to be taken seriously.

Im not denying my disdain for the cheaters one bit. Not one single iota.This is BS tho====> (my) team would never stoop to such levels.

 

[Big_Russel]

EVERYONE should read this from Scouts Inc.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3394809

Now, these guys get it. GREAT, GREAT article. This is pretty much what I have been saying all along. If Pats fans put up THIS argument more, instead of the weak "everyone does it" stuff... I think you all would get a better response (or maybe not). Im actually shocked that it is published on ESPN. Someone should force that knuckle dragging IDIOT Mark Schleref(sp) to read this thing.

 

[Akkum]

I applaud Senator Spector for this. Rodger Goodell is coming up very small with this issue, and he continues to minimize spy gate. I think Spector is just making sure that this does not get "swept under the rug". The main goal is not to just penalize New England more, but to get the entire truth out there. Make Bill Bellichick go in front of a congressional hearing, and then launch a real investigation(not that phony one Goodell had). Spectator is digging for the truth, and I am glad that he is not satisfied with how the NFL has handled this.

Senator Spector not wanting to make sure something isn't "swept under the rug"...lol...have you every read the Warren Comission report?

 

[Road Warriors]

EVERYONE should read this from Scouts Inc.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3394809

Now, these guys get it. GREAT, GREAT article. This is pretty much what I have been saying all along. If Pats fans put up THIS argument more, instead of the weak "everyone does it" stuff... I think you all would get a better response (or maybe not). Im actually shocked that it is published on ESPN. Someone should force that knuckle dragging IDIOT Mark Schleref(sp) to read this thing.

Schlereth is too busy cashing his deferred, cap-navigating paychecks to read about a team circumventing rules for an advantage!

 

[twitch]

JIM NANTZ' view on the subject of sports media and journalism of the day. Good stuff.

 

[fatness]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

 

[twitch]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

Matt Walsh. Yeah. OK.

 

[Kit Fisto]

I'm all for a Mitchell-like investigation in the NFL.

Just not with taxpayers' dollars.

NE has been in the crosshairs of every investigative reporter for 9+ months now and still nothing new has come to light despite all the conspiracy theories and outlandish claims being made.

I welcome a ransacking of the rest of the NFL. Clean everyone's closets out. I'm sure there would be some surprises at what's found.

Which is exactly why the other owners want to move on too.

For the past 9+ months we've been listening to the holier-than-thou's on this board spout off nonsense about how their teams would never stoop to such levels. Yeah right... naive much?

We have?Isnt the issue getting caught. With official complaints to the league more then just once.

Seriously, I dont ever recall someone saying "my Panthers would never do such or a thing".

And if someone did say it, it certainly was never "9+ months of spouting 'my team would never'".

Yes, you have. And don't embarrass yourself by trying to deny it. You have had the holier-than-thou attitude in every one of your posts for a long, long time now, so don't pretend you have another agenda. We all know what it is. Carry on, but don't really expect to be taken seriously.

Thanks for writing my reply for me!

 

[Big_Russel]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

This does nothing except reaffirm the Scouts inc. article posted above. This whole story is about nothing more than advanced scouting, with the process being streamlined illegally via videotape. I'm amazed at how few people actually understand how football operations work in the NFL (and even CFF). Particularly the TV “experts” and writers whose job is to understand stuff like this. It truly is laughable and kind of pathetic on some level.

 

[Kit Fisto]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

Matt Walsh, a pillar of credibility.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

Matt Walsh, a pillar of credibility.

just like the rest of the organization.

 

[Bri]

I think Vic Ketchman(Ask Vic) said this well:

Vic: It would be easy to say that Arlen Specter wants the truth, but I think it’s more than that. I think he wants the NFL to understand that as part of its arrangement in being granted a limited anti-trust exemption, it agreed to senate oversight. That means don’t destroy evidence. That’s the problem here. The senate can’t perform oversight because the evidence was destroyed. Plus, there’s a fundamental suspicion that accompanies that kind of action; it sounds the alarm. In his press conference on Wednesday, Specter called for a new investigation to re-collect the evidence that was destroyed. That’s all. I think that’s fair. Give the senator the information he needs that would allow him to do his job.

 

[TD Ryan]

This does nothing except reaffirm the Scouts inc. article posted above. This whole story is about nothing more than advanced scouting, with the process being streamlined illegally via videotape. I'm amazed at how few people actually understand how football operations work in the NFL (and even CFF). Particularly the TV “experts” and writers whose job is to understand stuff like this. It truly is laughable and kind of pathetic on some level.

however the "job" of those writers and experts is really to make the most sales and achieve the highest ratings.

this story is far too boring if it's only about illegal advanced scouting methods.

 

[ScottyFargo]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

Matt Walsh, a pillar of credibility.

Did I miss where he lied about something previous to this interview? Please tell me you aren't referring to his taping of phone conversations, because that would be too much irony for me to handle.

 

[twitch]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

Matt Walsh, a pillar of credibility.

Did I miss where he lied about something previous to this interview? Please tell me you aren't referring to his taping of phone conversations, because that would be too much irony for me to handle.

Are you at all familiar with why he was kicked off his college golf team? Save me the trouble, and look that weird little story up yourself.

 

[yabahos]

For those wanting a Mitchell Report investigation -

The Mitchell Report was paid for by MLB, conducted by a former senator that took a leave of absence from his current job associated with the Boston Red Sox, using a team of investigators that did not have subpoena power. The main sources for the report was a guy that received a plea bargain for his cooperation (Radomski) and a guy that has legal problems of his own (McNamee). The main finding of the report was that baseball has a major steroids problem and the players association, owners, and commissioners all have culpability for the problem. I’m not sure of the official price tag on the report but I've seen articles that estimate $20 to $50 million. That’s a lot of $$ for something that was pretty obvious to most baseball fans.

About the only new information that came out of the report was that Roger is a complete buffoon and the problem was more wide spread than some people believed. Fernando Vina and Jerry Hairston Jr., a couple of slap hitting middle infielders were named in the Mitchell Report, which pretty much tells me the majority (but not all) of players were doing something.

I seen/heard/read critics pointing out the inherent conflict of interest (baseball financing an independent investigation of itself using someone that had a position with a MLB team), the Mitchell investigators never really spoke to Canseco at length, no subpoena power (i.e no need to speak with the investigators and no penalty for perjury), not complete enough (focused on NY teams as a result of the sources), etc.

As the distinguished Senator is so quick to point out “An Objective, Thorough, Transparent Investigation is an Absolute Necessity” into SpyGate so we don’t need a Mitchell like investigation. Detractors and critics have conveniently pointed out the problems with the Mitchell investigation. Let’s try to get it right this time.

First the report would need to be conducted by and financed by an independent party. I'm sure we can find an excellent team of impartial investigators so the first part isn't a problem but who is going to finance it? It can not be the NFL or anyone tied to the NFL so we need someone without anything to gain … fans of the NFL, footballguys.com, the gaming industry, the federal government? I'd like to nominate Pennsylvania. Specter can explain the price tag to his constituency.

Second to have any hope of succeeding the investigators would need subpoena power? No problem. Congress has loads of free time to discuss the validity of the issue. Specter can get the paperwork going (or however it is done) and make sure this happens. Again he's obviously got loads of free time on his hands and the country and presumably the state of Pennsylvania are running pretty smoothly so get this on a fast track.

Third and most important, I agree whole heartedly with Specter that “Evidence of winning by cheating would have the inevitable effect of undercutting public confidence in the game and reducing, perhaps drastically, attendance and TV revenues.” So lets start with the Patriots videotaping and move on to how prevalent the issue was in the NFL. Was it common place as some ex-coaches/players indicate or is it an isolated event? Next lets investigate the myriad of other rumors, allegations, and incidents that have occurred that could be construed as winning by cheating. I’ve heard and watched Bill Parcels accuse Steve Young and the 49ers of messing with the overhead doors near the end zones. The Broncos cap violations. Tampering charges by several teams. HGH use by players – lets find out who is doing it, I’m sure Harrison and Merriman are the only ones. We might as well throw the referees under scrutiny after that little issue in the NBA … that could be a potential problem. Lastly, let’s just make sure that the billions of $$ rolling in to Vegas, off-shore betting, and illegal booking aren’t influencing NFL games. I’m sure there are a lot of gamblers that would like this answer.

If that is what everyone wants I’m all for it, open the books and let’s have at it. I'm sure it will keep me entertained for years to come.

If all people want is a Mitchell-like report into the Patriots videotaping incident without looking at some of the other issues (such as how prevalent is/was this in the NFL, is/has any other team done this, really what is to be gained) then I’ll volunteer my services for somewhere between $10 to $15 million and a footballguys.com account for life. I’m pretty sure I can come to the same conclusions as the investigative team is going to arrive at.

 

[Big_Russel]

For those wanting a Mitchell Report investigation - The Mitchell Report was paid for by MLB, conducted by a former senator that took a leave of absence from his current job associated with the Boston Red Sox, using a team of investigators that did not have subpoena power. The main sources for the report was a guy that received a plea bargain for his cooperation (Radomski) and a guy that has legal problems of his own (McNamee). The main finding of the report was that baseball has a major steroids problem and the players association, owners, and commissioners all have culpability for the problem. I’m not sure of the official price tag on the report but I've seen articles that estimate $20 to $50 million. That’s a lot of $$ for something that was pretty obvious to most baseball fans.About the only new information that came out of the report was that Roger is a complete buffoon and the problem was more wide spread than some people believed. Fernando Vina and Jerry Hairston Jr., a couple of slap hitting middle infielders were named in the Mitchell Report, which pretty much tells me the majority (but not all) of players were doing something.I seen/heard/read critics pointing out the inherent conflict of interest (baseball financing an independent investigation of itself using someone that had a position with a MLB team), the Mitchell investigators never really spoke to Canseco at length, no subpoena power (i.e no need to speak with the investigators and no penalty for perjury), not complete enough (focused on NY teams as a result of the sources), etc.As the distinguished Senator is so quick to point out “An Objective, Thorough, Transparent Investigation is an Absolute Necessity” into SpyGate so we don’t need a Mitchell like investigation. Detractors and critics have conveniently pointed out the problems with the Mitchell investigation. Let’s try to get it right this time.First the report would need to be conducted by and financed by an independent party. I'm sure we can find an excellent team of impartial investigators so the first part isn't a problem but who is going to finance it? It can not be the NFL or anyone tied to the NFL so we need someone without anything to gain … fans of the NFL, footballguys.com, the gaming industry, the federal government? I'd like to nominate Pennsylvania. Specter can explain the price tag to his constituency.Second to have any hope of succeeding the investigators would need subpoena power? No problem. Congress has loads of free time to discuss the validity of the issue. Specter can get the paperwork going (or however it is done) and make sure this happens. Again he's obviously got loads of free time on his hands and the country and presumably the state of Pennsylvania are running pretty smoothly so get this on a fast track.Third and most important, I agree whole heartedly with Specter that “Evidence of winning by cheating would have the inevitable effect of undercutting public confidence in the game and reducing, perhaps drastically, attendance and TV revenues.” So lets start with the Patriots videotaping and move on to how prevalent the issue was in the NFL. Was it common place as some ex-coaches/players indicate or is it an isolated event? Next lets investigate the myriad of other rumors, allegations, and incidents that have occurred that could be construed as winning by cheating. I’ve heard and watched Bill Parcels accuse Steve Young and the 49ers of messing with the overhead doors near the end zones. The Broncos cap violations. Tampering charges by several teams. HGH use by players – lets find out who is doing it, I’m sure Harrison and Merriman are the only ones. We might as well throw the referees under scrutiny after that little issue in the NBA … that could be a potential problem. Lastly, let’s just make sure that the billions of $$ rolling in to Vegas, off-shore betting, and illegal booking aren’t influencing NFL games. I’m sure there are a lot of gamblers that would like this answer.If that is what everyone wants I’m all for it, open the books and let’s have at it. I'm sure it will keep me entertained for years to come. If all people want is a Mitchell-like report into the Patriots videotaping incident without looking at some of the other issues (such as how prevalent is/was this in the NFL, is/has any other team done this, really what is to be gained) then I’ll volunteer my services for somewhere between $10 to $15 million and a footballguys.com account for life. I’m pretty sure I can come to the same conclusions as the investigative team is going to arrive at.

Game Over.

 

[BaBastage]

I have no problem with it. He obviously knows more behind the scene details than you or I.

I think someone should investigate his primary contributer (comcast) and see if there is a link between his witch hunt on the NFL and NFL's lawsuit against comcast.I just wish this guy would go away already. Can't he focus on the oil crisis or something important rather than using all of his time and resources on the NFL?

I'll hypocritically admit I first enjoyed spygate with schadenfruedistic glee, but this has gone to far.1) Comcast is Spectre's largest contributor. Between Comcast and the law firm representing Comcast, They've donated around half a million dollars.

2) Comcast is in a lawsuit with the NFL because of the deal with DirectTV.

3) Spectre goes rattling the NFL on what is increasingly looking like a non-issue.

This is corrupt constituent pandering at its worst, and at taxpayers' expense to boot.

Arlen Spectre is a disgrace.

 

[ScottyFargo]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

Matt Walsh, a pillar of credibility.

Did I miss where he lied about something previous to this interview? Please tell me you aren't referring to his taping of phone conversations, because that would be too much irony for me to handle.

Are you at all familiar with why he was kicked off his college golf team? Save me the trouble, and look that weird little story up yourself.

While I certainly don't condone mean spirited pranks that have the potential to injure people, that offers no evidence to back up assertations that he's not to be believed. I am reminded of the adage, if you don't want fleas, don't lie with dogs. You don't usually find that the highest caliber of people are willing to do unsavory jobs. Reap what you sow, etc. etc. etc. These are the sort of things that the franchise was trying to hide with the confidentiality agreement.

 

[jonessed]

When you are a recipient of special legislation that allows you to bypass anti-trust laws you don't destroy evidence that puts the validity of the game in question or try and brush something this sensetive under the rug. Goodell's mishandling of the situation from the get-go is why it's still lingering. He could have opened and shut this thing months ago if he had just been honest about it.

 

[Road Warriors]

New York Times interview with Walsh

The taping felt wrong, Walsh said, and that notion was reinforced when his supervisor, Jimmy Dee, told Walsh to keep his videotaping quiet. Walsh said Dee gave him alibis to use if suspicions arose with other teams.

If someone questioned why Walsh was filming an opposing sideline, he was told to say he was shooting the chains and the down-and-distance marker. If a team asked why the Patriots needed a third videographer, Walsh was instructed to say the coaches wanted two end-zone shots or tight footage.

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks.

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach. Before the game, Walsh said Dee seemed “unsure of himself of what specifically it was that the coaches wanted me to film.” The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

(Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2000. The other quarterbacks on the roster were Tom Brady, Michael Bishop and John Friesz.)

Matt Walsh, a pillar of credibility.

Did I miss where he lied about something previous to this interview? Please tell me you aren't referring to his taping of phone conversations, because that would be too much irony for me to handle.

Are you at all familiar with why he was kicked off his college golf team? Save me the trouble, and look that weird little story up yourself.

While I certainly don't condone mean spirited pranks that have the potential to injure people, that offers no evidence to back up assertations that he's not to be believed. I am reminded of the adage, if you don't want fleas, don't lie with dogs. You don't usually find that the highest caliber of people are willing to do unsavory jobs. Reap what you sow, etc. etc. etc. These are the sort of things that the franchise was trying to hide with the confidentiality agreement.

The "non-existant" confidentiality agreement? Just another smoke screen from Walsh & lawyer. "Area scout, responsible for visiting and evaluating players from 64 colleges" This is his bio... he shot film. He's at best an exagerating manipulator, at worst an outright liar.

Lets be realistic... if you are looking for a rock solid witness, Matt Walsh is NOT it.

 

[twitch]

As an FYI, Bill Belichick will be on the CBS Evening News tonight, Friday, at I believe 6:30 in an interview with Armen Keteyian. And the Walsh interview with Andrea Kramer will be on HBO RealSports sometime tonight. Not sure of the time. 7PM maybe?

 

[BigSteelThrill]

As an FYI, Bill Belichick will be on the CBS Evening News tonight, Friday, at I believe 6:30 in an interview with Armen Keteyian.

twitch, as a Pats fan...Do you expect him to lie again?Be honest in his answers?Perform damage control?All of the above?Or?

 

[twitch]

As an FYI, Bill Belichick will be on the CBS Evening News tonight, Friday, at I believe 6:30 in an interview with Armen Keteyian.

twitch, as a Pats fan...Do you expect him to lie again?Be honest in his answers?Perform damage control?All of the above?Or?

I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But I expect honesty. I expect the man to actually give some answers. The damage is already done. Not sure how much control exists at this point. But to be honest, I dont know what to expect. So, Ill watch, listen and think. And try not to judge the guy too severely. We pretty much know what's done is done. You?

 

[vinwinephans]

As an anology, let's say you keep your grass a certain length. And your neighbors are fine with it. And the town and state are fine with it. But here comes the federal government wanting to launch a formal investigation that would result in telling you what length to keep your grass and how often you should be forced to cut it.

You're starting to sound like a confederate...Let's say you keep slaves. And your neighbors are fine with it. And the town and state are fine with it. But here comes the federal government forcing it's views and telling you to free your slaves.What I see regarding this entire issue is there are some 'fans' who want it to dissappear because of their fandom and biased faith in that what has happened is true.Problem is there is no burden of proof, because it was destroyed. It screams cover up and looks bad.I really don't care, but I also don't care that other do.I think we are so numb to the fact that the NFL and those million $ salaries are a result of an antitrust exemption that allowed the NFL to become what it has - at the fans expense. Perhaps Specter is the only one old enough to remember the significance of what the antitrust exemption means.

 

[Pat Patriot]

As an FYI, Bill Belichick will be on the CBS Evening News tonight, Friday, at I believe 6:30 in an interview with Armen Keteyian. And the Walsh interview with Andrea Kramer will be on HBO RealSports sometime tonight. Not sure of the time. 7PM maybe?

Twitch, thanks for the heads up about CBS.Matt WalshIn his favor - Low level employee just doing as he was told. He is not to be blamed for the Patriots rules violation.Not in his favor 1. Apparently lied (TWICE) about the Rams Walkthrough.a. There is no TAPEb. Brian Daboll says he never had a conversation with Walsh about what he saw in the Rams walkthrough. Mike Martz says that there is no way that Walsh was in the Superdome wearing Patriots apparel watching the walkthrough.2. Walsh says he was told to go to great lengths to hide the fact that he was taping the other team. Apparently the Patriots must have changed their thinking on that since when they actually got caught, Walsh's replacement was out in the open plainly for anyone to see.3. Walsh says that the according to one of the Patriots QBs stated that they could anticipate 75% of the defensive signals in the game against the TB Bucs in September of 2000. The Patriots lost that game 21-16. Their talent must have been horrendous. I hate to think of what the score would have been if the Pats didnt know every play the Bucs defense was going to run.I am interested in hearing what Belichick has to say. I dont expect much but if he simply stated the obvious that they used the taping as a scouting tool for future games, it would be a step in the right direction.

 

[Big_Russel]

I think we are so numb to the fact that the NFL and those million $ salaries are a result of an antitrust exemption that allowed the NFL to become what it has - at the fans expense. Perhaps Specter is the only one old enough to remember the significance of what the antitrust exemption means.

That or...Specter is using "Spygate" as a catalyst to pressure the NFL, who is involved in a bloody fist fight with Comcast. The cable company who just happens to be one of Specter's largest campaign contributors, and a top client of Blank Rome, Specter's single most generous financial supporter over the last TWENTY YEARS. Either one.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

As an FYI, Bill Belichick will be on the CBS Evening News tonight, Friday, at I believe 6:30 in an interview with Armen Keteyian.

twitch, as a Pats fan...Do you expect him to lie again?Be honest in his answers?Perform damage control?All of the above?Or?

I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But I expect honesty. I expect the man to actually give some answers. The damage is already done. Not sure how much control exists at this point. But to be honest, I dont know what to expect. So, Ill watch, listen and think. And try not to judge the guy too severely. We pretty much know what's done is done. You?

My guess is damage control. But considering BBs history with the media and such... I have no idea what he will do/say. This was very unexpected.

 

[twitch]

As an FYI, Bill Belichick will be on the CBS Evening News tonight, Friday, at I believe 6:30 in an interview with Armen Keteyian.

twitch, as a Pats fan...Do you expect him to lie again?Be honest in his answers?Perform damage control?All of the above?Or?

I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But I expect honesty. I expect the man to actually give some answers. The damage is already done. Not sure how much control exists at this point. But to be honest, I dont know what to expect. So, Ill watch, listen and think. And try not to judge the guy too severely. We pretty much know what's done is done. You?

My guess is damage control. But considering BBs history with the media and such... I have no idea what he will do/say. This was very unexpected.

Did you catch it? If you blinked you might have missed it. Not much to that. Walsh is on HBO tonite at 8.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

<==== West Coast.

Did you catch it? If you blinked you might have missed it. Not much to that. Walsh is on HBO tonite at 8.

 

[twitch]

Here is the Bill Belichick interview with Armen Keteyian, a full 15 minutes, without interruption for anyone who didnt get much out of whatever shorter version was actually aired nationally by CBS Friday evening.

I dont know where this drama will move from here. But clearly for BB and the Patriots, its over. Good stuff here. Enjoy.

 

[DropKick]

As an anology, let's say you keep your grass a certain length. And your neighbors are fine with it. And the town and state are fine with it. But here comes the federal government wanting to launch a formal investigation that would result in telling you what length to keep your grass and how often you should be forced to cut it.

It's a really bad analogy because you're not running a monopoly that brings in billions of dollars a year.I don't have any real comment either way on what Specter wants to do, or whether Spygate should continue or end; but I don't think Patriots fans have any legs to stand on when they ask "can we please stop talking about spygate". Other teams' fans? Sure. But not Patriots' fans. You can't commit a crime and then complain about how long people are going to talk about it, especially when the crime is potentially an incredibly serious one w/r/t the integrity of the NFL.

Crime? What crime? The Patriots broke an NFL rule and were fined substantially. They crossed a line in stealing signals... an activity pursued by every NFL team. Its not illegal to steal signals; its not even illegal to tape signals. Its against the rules to tape from the sideline. They were caught and punished. Not hard to understand is it? This, to you, is incredibly serious?I disagree. I don't even think the activity was isolated to the Patriots. I believe the NFL had become lax in enforcement and the new commissioner decided, as in the case of player behavior, to take a strong stand. Were the Patriots in the wrong? Of course... but "incredibly serious"? The NFL (and most high profile teams) has many issues including performance enhancing drugs, tampering, salary cap violations, illegal blocking techniques intended to injure, etc. You want integrity? Merrriman was suspended for performance drugs and honored with a Pro Bowl selection! Chase, what bothers me (and my favorite team is NOT the Patriots) is the "holier than thou" and "crimes against humanity" attitude. Pats fans have no leg to stand on? Give me a break. This has become absolutely sickening. How about some football content?Specter? What a conflict of interest joke!

 

[simey]

Spygate and Spygate II have basically been the NFL vs. the New England Patriots. Spygate III would be the NFL and the Patriots vs. Arlen Specter and co. And I say bring it on! I'll put my money on the league and its best team....and more than likely, if it actually reaches that point, the other 31 teams as well. No way are Jerry Jones, Dan Rooney and the rest of those NFL power brokers gonna stand around and watch their brethren get bullied. They may all be competitors, but when it gets down to the nitty gritty, they're each gonna look out for their own. Its likely going to happen on some level. And if it does, it would be a beautiful thing. Its about time NE got help from some of its allies.

This past February GM Marty Hurney went on record to replying if there were any indications of the Patriots taping the Panthers before their Super Bowl:

"We certainly have never gotten any indications of that," Panthers’ general manager Marty Hurney said Saturday. "That’s all you can go by. Nobody has ever brought anything like that to our attention. You’re very careful not to jump to any conclusions on anything."

 

[nerangers]

Here is the Bill Belichick interview with Armen Keteyian, a full 15 minutes, without interruption for anyone who didnt get much out of whatever shorter version was actually aired nationally by CBS Friday evening.

anyone have a link to the Matt Walsh interview that was on HBO? Haven't had any luck finding it...Thanks

 

[ShadowPhunk]

Specter wants Mitchell-like investigation

May 14, 2008

WASHINGTON—Sen. Arlen Specter wants an independent investigation of the Patriots' taping of opposing coaches' signals similar to the Mitchell Report on performance enhancing drugs in baseball.

Specter again criticized the league's handling of the investigation and threatened the possibility of revoking the NFL's antitrust exemption during a news conference Wednesday. The senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee met with former New England video assistant Matt Walsh a day earlier.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell indicated he considered the investigation over after meeting with Walsh on Tuesday.

"Everybody pooh-poohs it," Specter said. "It's ridiculous to make that kind of contention."

Specter, from Pennsylvania, cited the fact a Patriots attorney sat in on Walsh's meeting with Goodell as proof the investigation has not been impartial.

He repeated his disapproval of Goodell's decision to destroy the notes and tapes confiscated during the initial investigation last fall.

"That sequence is incomprehensible," Specter said. "It's an insult to the intelligence of the people who follow it."

If the NFL condones cheating, Specter said, it encourages others to cheat.

"They owe the public a lot more candor and a lot more credibility," he said.

LINKAGEMay have already been posted, but here it is again if so.

Is this guy ever going to give up? Whether you believe the penalties were just or unjust (or not enough), the league has moved on, the other teams have moved on, and the NFL is moving forward.

What does Specter hope to accomplish at this point?

And PLEASE let's not rehash the battle lines that have been drawn over the past 9 months and let's just stick to this potential investigation. We already know that some folks love the Pats no matter what and other folks think that NE is a bunch of cheaters and they should be kicked out the the NFL and into the CFL. So don't go there because no one really cares about venom being spewed in either direction and stay away from the insults and name calling. Stick to the news item not the stuff that we've covered in countless other threads.

Leave all that out and there is nothing to talk about. The Pats are a bunch of cheating whores and their 3 superbowl dynasty is now tainted with this crap. The 'genius' coach who always has his guys in the right place is exposed like a stripper.If you don't want Pats battle lines then why start a Pats thread? Nothing else to talk about with those guys.......

 

[twitch]

Spygate and Spygate II have basically been the NFL vs. the New England Patriots. Spygate III would be the NFL and the Patriots vs. Arlen Specter and co. And I say bring it on! I'll put my money on the league and its best team....and more than likely, if it actually reaches that point, the other 31 teams as well. No way are Jerry Jones, Dan Rooney and the rest of those NFL power brokers gonna stand around and watch their brethren get bullied. They may all be competitors, but when it gets down to the nitty gritty, they're each gonna look out for their own. Its likely going to happen on some level. And if it does, it would be a beautiful thing. Its about time NE got help from some of its allies.

This past February GM Marty Hurney went on record to replying if there were any indications of the Patriots taping the Panthers before their Super Bowl:

"We certainly have never gotten any indications of that," Panthers’ general manager Marty Hurney said Saturday. "That’s all you can go by. Nobody has ever brought anything like that to our attention. You’re very careful not to jump to any conclusions on anything."

I hadnt read that. Thanks for the info. I probably shouldnt have suggested that the Pats werent getting any support at all from other teams. Certainly they have, it just hasnt gotten much attention. But any support at all is good support. I like what Hurney had to say there. He's 100% correct.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Here is the Bill Belichick interview with Armen Keteyian, a full 15 minutes, without interruption for anyone who didnt get much out of whatever shorter version was actually aired nationally by CBS Friday evening.

Anyone else catch Belichick saying he didn't know Matt Walsh personally, yet in the sentence before he said that, he referred to him as "Matt." I don't know about others, but I never refer to people I don't know by their first name. The way he said Walsh's name, he was clearly talking about someone he knew on somewhat of a personal level. But then he says in the next sentence that he never knew him personally. And people are supposed to believe that? Okay.

 

[twitch]

Here is the Bill Belichick interview with Armen Keteyian, a full 15 minutes, without interruption for anyone who didnt get much out of whatever shorter version was actually aired nationally by CBS Friday evening.

Youre reaching. No. Youre really reaching. Belichick is a person CONSUMED with football. Do you honestly think he ever spend more than a second of his passing time on anything more than a hello to this person? Seriously. Dont go there with the clearly talk. Nothing at all is ever clear. If you draw that conclusion, great. Good for you. does that make it a "clear" cut case? Not at all. I refer to President George Bush as "George". Does that make him my fraternity brother? Obviously not. He didnt know the guy personally. The guy's name is Matt. What's he gonna call him? Mr. Walsh?

 

[Ghost Rider]

Here is the Bill Belichick interview with Armen Keteyian, a full 15 minutes, without interruption for anyone who didnt get much out of whatever shorter version was actually aired nationally by CBS Friday evening.

How do you know Belichick didn't know Walsh personally? Because he said so? Belichick doesn't exactly have a lot of credibility when it comes to truth-telling. Neither does Walsh, apparently. So we really don't know FOR SURE. However, referring to the president by his first name (which is probably sarcasm when you or most do it) is a little different than referring to some obscure employee by his first name. If I were in charge of a huge company, and I was talking about a guy who hasn't worked for us in years, I doubt I would refer to him by his first name. And like I said, the way he said Walsh's name made it sound like he was talking about someone he knew on a personal level, even if it was nothing more than casual.

 

[Kit Fisto]

How do you know Belichick didn't know Walsh personally? Because he said so? Belichick doesn't exactly have a lot of credibility when it comes to truth-telling. Neither does Walsh, apparently. So we really don't know FOR SURE.

However, referring to the president by his first name (which is probably sarcasm when you or most do it) is a little different than referring to some obscure employee by his first name. If I were in charge of a huge company, and I was talking about a guy who hasn't worked for us in years, I doubt I would refer to him by his first name. And like I said, the way he said Walsh's name made it sound like he was talking about someone he knew on a personal level, even if it was nothing more than casual.

Playing devil's advocate: EVERYONE in New England knows Walsh's name now; especially Belichick.

 

[twitch]

Here is the Bill Belichick interview with Armen Keteyian, a full 15 minutes, without interruption for anyone who didnt get much out of whatever shorter version was actually aired nationally by CBS Friday evening.

Gotcha.