Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

In his press conference today following yesterday’s meeting with former New England Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh, Senator Arlen Specter called for an independent investigation of the Patriots’ videotaping of opposing coaches’ signals — aka “Spygate.” He doesn’t feel the NFL’s investigation was objective and was unforgiving in his criticism of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Senator Specter said, in-part:

“What is necessary is an objective investigation. And this one has not been objective. They (the NFL) are enormous role models for everybody. If you can cheat in the NFL, you can cheat in college, you can cheat in high school, you can cheat on your grade-school math test. There’s no limit as to what you can do. I think they owe the public a lot more candor and a lot more credibility.”

Naturally, the NFL stood firm in their investigation, which had seemingly concluded until this request surfaced today. A statement from the league office this afternoon read:

“We respectfully disagree with Senator Specter’s characterization of the investigation conducted by our office. We are following up after yesterday’s meeting with Matt Walsh.”

Senator Specter said he would prefer the NFL arrange the independent investigation and was willing to wait several months before calling for Congress to take what he called “corrective action.” Such action could include hearings or a full-blown Mitchell Report-type investigation. He said public reaction would determine the NFL’s next step.

Once again, here’s my public reaction. Case closed. This is a waste of everyone’s time. I’ve heard enough about “Spygate.” The tapes have been turned over. The admission of guilt has been made. The punishment has been handed down. What more is going to come of this other than negative publicity for the NFL? I don’t believe Congress or any other investigating body is going to dig up any worthwhile information.

Senator Specter has had the same agenda since this story broke last season. He didn’t like the fact that some tapes were destroyed. (Commissioner Goodell has explained why the tapes were destroyed time and time again.) His meeting with Matt Walsh yesterday didn’t change that. He thinks he’s going to dig up some shocking new discoveries, but I think all his efforts will be a waste of time and resources.

Source: NFL.com, Photo: Newscom

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Specter Wants Further ‘Spygate’ Probe

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

As scheduled, former New England Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell early this morning for about three hours to discuss his part in the team’s illegal videotaping scandal — aka “Spygate.” As I said last week, Matt had eight tapes from six different games that he sent to Commissioner Goodell. On those tapes were signals from opposing teams — Miami, Buffalo, Cleveland, San Diego and Pittsburgh. And I’m glad I wasn’t in New York to cover the Commissioner’s press conference today because I would’ve had the opportunity to sit through several hours of those signals prior to it. I’d rather watch Matt’s home movies. There was no new news here.

The only thing from today’s proceedings I found interesting — and this was of the greatest interest anyway — was that Matt (in Patriots’ gear, no less) was on the field during the St. Louis Rams’ walk-through before Super Bowl XXXVI. He didn’t have a video camera and doesn’t know of anyone who did, but how the heck does he get (and stay) on the field when the opposing team is practicing? That’s just bizarre. I guess the Rams were so focused on their game plan that not even one person in the entire organization noticed that a member of the opposing team was standing there watching them.

At any rate, as of right now, I don’t see any new developments in terms of punishment to the Patriots or further investigation of “Spygate.” Pulling from my transcript of today’s presser, Commissioner Goodell said:

“As I stand before you today, and having met with Matt Walsh and more than 50 other people, I don’t know where else I would turn.”

Let’s turn away. This is over. I should mention that Matt also met with Sen. Arlen Specter for about three hours and the Senator’s scheduled news conference regarding their discussions was postponed until tomorrow. I think I’ll still manage to sleep tonight despite the tremendous anticipation.

Sources: NFL Media, NFL.com, Photo: Newscom

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Matt Walsh Meets With NFL Commissioner

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

It looks like the New England Patriots’ illegal videotaping scandal (aka “Spygate”) will be put to rest once and for all next week. None of the eight tapes reportedly presented by former New England Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh to Commissioner Roger Goodell’s office today involved pre-Super Bowl XXXVI walk-throughs of the St. Louis Rams or anything other than game-related taping. In other words, these tapes didn’t show us anything we didn’t already know. When Matt meets with the Commissioner to discuss the tapes next week, I think that’s where this whole situation will be put to rest.

Here are the games included in the tapes turned over by Matt Walsh to the NFL, according to a letter sent by Walsh’s attorney, Michael Levy:

• Tape 1: Signals vs. Miami (Sept. 25, 2000)
• Tapes 2-3: Miami defensive and offensive signals (Oct. 7, 2001)
• Tape 4: Buffalo signal camera (Nov. 11, 2001)
• Tape 5: Coaches’ signals vs. Cleveland (Dec. 9, 2001)
• Tapes 6-7: Signals vs. Pittsburgh (Jan. 27, 2002)
• Tape 8: Third camera vs. San Diego (Sept. 29, 2002)

I guess everyone still wants to ask whether these incidents gave the Pats an unfair advantage and whether they won games because of videotaping signals? Well, of course the videotaping gave them an unfair advantage. That’s why it’s against the rules. Did New England win games as a result? Who really knows? Of these above-mentioned six games, the Patriots won half of them. More next week after Matt Walsh and Roger Goodell have their meeting.

Source: ESPN.com

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Latest Videotapes Show No New Evidence, Matt Walsh to Meet With NFL Next Week

Image details: Roger Goodell Selected To Become New NFL Commissioner served by picapp.com

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

An agreement has been completed between the National Football League and Matt Walsh that will allow Matt, a former videotape operator with the New England Patriots, to share with the NFL information about activities occurring during his employment with the club from 1997-2003. Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet with Matt in the commissioner’s office on Tuesday, May 13, the earliest date that Matt, who lives in Hawaii, will be available on the east coast.

This agreement also requires Matt to return any tapes and other items in his possession that belong to the Patriots. In return, the NFL and the Patriots have promised not to sue him. They also will indemnify him for any expenses, including legal fees that he incurs in connection with the interview.

As you know, Commissioner Goodell determined last September that the Patriots had violated league rules by videotaping opposing coaches’ defensive signals during Patriots games throughout Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach. Coach Belichick admitted to his use of the taping practice on a regular basis as a result of what he said was his misinterpretation of the rules. It’s kind of like a wardrobe malfunction. Of course, Commissioner Goodell imposed substantial discipline on Coach Belichick and the club as a result of that practice. The interview with Matt Walsh will seek to determine whether he has any new information about that videotaping practice or other possible violations of league rules.

Following the meeting with Matt on May 13, there will be a news media briefing later that day in New York that will be attended by Commissioner Goodell. A specific time and location will be provided at a later date. This has been a mysterious story since word of it first broke and it will be very interesting to see the results of this meeting.

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Matt Walsh to Meet With NFL Commissioner

It appears that Matt Walsh, the former New England Patriots employee believed to have tapes of illegal spying by the team, is close to an agreement to turn over information to the National Football League. The NFL said in a statement last night that in the past week, lawyers for Matt 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.”

This guy is currently a golf pro in Hawai’i. Does it get any better than that? Anyway, he’s been seeking protection from lawsuits and other legal action, whether by the Patriots or whoever. The two sides have been negotiating for almost a month after reports surfaced just before Super Bowl XLI that he videotaped a walk-through practice of the St. Louis Rams before the 2002 Super Bowl. Matt’s lawyer, Michael N. Levy of the Washington firm McKee Nelson, confirmed last night in a letter to the Associated Press that an agreement was near:

“I have consistently asked the NFL to provide appropriate legal protections for Mr. Walsh. 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.”

Well, this should be very interesting.

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NFL, Matt Walsh Close to Agreement in Alleged Super Bowl XXXVI Spying Incident

By now I’m sure you’ve heard that former St. Louis Rams player Willie Gary (yeah, I’ve never heard of him either) is suing the New England Patriots for allegedly videotaping one of the Rams’ practices before Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002. I didn’t write about it because I didn’t see any validity in his argument and I had never even heard of Willie Gary. Had Kurt Warner or Marshall Faulk filed a suit, it would have been a different story. Of course, they’re not that desperate. Anyway, the $100 million suit, which was filed in a U.S. District Court in New Orleans, names the Patriots, team owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick as the bad guys.

Here’s the breakdown. Willie Gary wants each member of the Rams Super Bowl roster to receive $150,000. According to Willie’s suit, each Ram should get $25,000, which is the difference between the bonuses paid to the losing team and the winning team, as well as $125,000 as compensation for not receiving a Super Bowl XXXVI ring, an amount Willie arrived at because he says that’s what a Super Bowl ring would fetch on eBay. The lawsuit also seeks a refund on behalf of everyone who bought a ticket to Super Bowl XXXVI. All this without any evidence that the videotaping actually happened. Humorous, isn’t it?

Well, Coach Belichick broke his silence on the matter last night in an interview with the Boston Globe, denying he told anyone to tape the St. Louis Rams’ walkthrough before the Super Bowl. He also apologized for all the attention generated by “Spygate.” A guy named Matt Walsh, a former Patriots employee, reportedly taped St. Louis’ walkthrough practice the day before the Patriots beat the Rams 20-17 in the Super Bowl. But Coach Belichick said he “couldn’t pick Matt Walsh out of a lineup” and added:

“In my entire coaching career, I’ve never seen another team’s practice film prior to playing that team. I have never authorized, or heard of, or even seen in any way, shape, or form any other team’s walkthrough. We don’t even film our own.”

Take what you will from that statement. My feeling is, when you’re convicted of one crime (as in “Spygate”), scavengers with too much time on their hands and too little money in their pockets will see the potential to profit off the momentum. In this matter, I don’t see the case going anywhere. But I do believe others will follow in an attempt to add to the Pats’ guilt. It will happen. You can count on that. Whether or not any of it will be valid is yet to be seen.

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Bill Belichick Breaks Silence on Allegations, Denies Taping Super Bowl XXXVI Practice