Belichick has been taping since 2000, Goodell tells Specter
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
February 13, 2008
Belichick has been taping since 2000, Goodell tells Specter
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bill Belichick has been illegally taping opponents' defensive signals since he became the New England Patriots' coach in 2000, according to Sen. Arlen Specter, who said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told him that during a meeting Wednesday.
"There was confirmation that there has been taping since 2000, when Coach Belichick took over," Specter said.
Specter said Goodell gave him that information during the 1-hour, 40-minute meeting, which was requested by Specter so the commissioner could explain his reasons for destroying the Spygate tapes and notes.
"There were a great many questions answered by Commissioner Goodell," Specter, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters after the meeting. "I found a lot of questions unanswerable because of the tapes and notes had been destroyed."
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I knew nobody could be a bum as a head coach in Cleveland , can all of a sudden become a genius in New England.
He should be suspended for at least a yr.
the penalty was too light- they should have been banned from the play offs- that simple.
There was a player from the phila team they beat in the super bowl who after the taping incident came to light said they should look back because every time they blitzed, the pats ran a screen- higher percentage than should have been if no cheating.
Belicheat!
You sit around eating Bon-Bons and watch Soap Operas don't you playa?
You're like a little Gossiping Busy Body
[Edited by - TrueBlue on 02-15-2008 10:25 AM]
You got it all wrong trueblue. I hate fake sports, fake govt propaganda etc...
The bottom line when the pats beat my eagles I always thought the patriots knew some of the plays when all of their defenders would be on the ball too many times.
All my close friends are now telling me " i WILL NEVER DOUBT YOU AGAIN WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS FIXING"
Posted by playa2:
You got it all wrong trueblue. I hate fake sports, fake govt propaganda etc...
The bottom line when the pats beat my eagles I always thought the patriots knew some of the plays when all of their defenders would be on the ball too many times.
All my close friends are now telling me " i WILL NEVER DOUBT YOU AGAIN WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS FIXING"
its one thing to cheat - but to cheat and win the superbowl. major tarnish.
actually, belicheat should have been banned from the league- just like the chicago black sox were.
BANNED!
He's a cheat and a sore loser. Nothing will happen to the guy cuz he isn't involved with the Knicks.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=29D133C4E8F62779784471B5A09BF382?id=09000d5d806ab830
Belichick has been taping since 2000, Goodell tells Specter
WASHINGTON -- Bill Belichick has been illegally taping opponents' defensive signals since he became the New England Patriots' coach in 2000, according to Sen. Arlen Specter, who said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told him that during a meeting Wednesday.
"There was confirmation that there has been taping since 2000, when Coach Belichick took over," Specter said.
Specter said Goodell gave him that information during the 1-hour, 40-minute meeting, which was requested by Specter so the commissioner could explain his reasons for destroying the Spygate tapes and notes.
"There were a great many questions answered by Commissioner Goodell," Specter, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters after the meeting. "I found a lot of questions unanswerable because of the tapes and notes had been destroyed."
Goodell said Belichick told him he believed the taping was legal; Goodell said he did not concur.
"He said that's always been his interpretation since he's been the head coach," the commissioner said. "We are going to agree to disagree on the facts."
Specter, from Pennsylvania, wants to talk to other league officials about what exactly was taped and which games may have been compromised.
"We have a right to have honest football games," he said.
Goodell noted that "we were the ones that disclosed" the Patriots' illegal taping of the New York Jets' defensive signals in Week 1 of last season. Further, Goodell said, they had an admission by Belichick.
"I have nothing to hide," Goodell said.
Goodell also told Specter that that he doesn't regret destroying the Spygate tapes or the notes.
"I think it was the right thing to do," Goodell said.
Still, Specter wants to know why penalties were imposed on Belichick before the full extent of the wrongdoing was known and the tapes destroyed in a two-week span. Asked if he thinks there was a coverup, Specter demurred.
"There was an enormous amount of haste," Specter said.
He scoffed at the reasons Goodell gave for destroying the tapes and notes, particularly about trying to keep them out of competitors' hands and because Belichick had admitted to the taping.
"What's that got to do with it? There's an admission of guilt, you preserve the evidence," Specter said. As for keeping the tapes out of the hands of others: "All you have to do is lock up the tapes."
Belichick was fined $500,000 and the team was fined $250,000 because of the Spygate incident. The Patriots also forfeited a first-round draft pick.
Specter has questioned the quality of the NFL's investigation into the matter and raised the possibility of congressional hearings if he wasn't satisfied with Goodell's answers. Specter also raised the threat of Congress canceling the league's antitrust exemption and reiterated that in the meeting with Goodell.
Goodell also said he has not heard from Matt Walsh, the former Patriots employee who performed some videotaping duties for the team.
Walsh told The Associated Press last week during the Pro Bowl in Hawaii that he couldn't talk about allegations that he taped a walkthrough practice by the St. Louis Rams before the 2002 Super Bowl. New England, a two-touchdown underdog, won that game 20-17.
Goodell said he has offered Walsh a deal whereby "he has to tell the truth and he has to return anything he took improperly" in return for indemnity. Specter said he, too, wanted to talk to Walsh and perhaps offer a different deal.
Goodell also said he reserves the right to reopen the investigation if more information is uncovered.
Not that Belichick is free from guilt, but I wonder if the defense of Barry Bonds argument that this has been a league wide thing for a long time, rather than an isolated incident applies.
I think I saw one of the analysts on ESPN before the Super Bowl say that when he was in the NFL that we were always looking to steal signals, info, etc. during games and had no shame about it because he said it was "warfare."
I do think that Goodell's justification for destroying evidence is very weak, and reeks of spin to CYA for what the league fears would cause major harm to their "product."
Good, and the Giants still beat those fookers.
Well My eagles lost to them in the superbowl 24-21 and I know the Pats stole plays and cheated!
