Belichick fined $500K by NFL for taping Jets' signals

[Tobias-Reiper]

..as it was the case with Vick (i.e., everyone saying "he's going to jail because of dog fighting", which really isn't why he's going to jail) people are just holding onto a sound bite, as in "they were videotaping" and don't see the scope of the implications here...

.. at the beginning, I couldn't see what the big deal was, since everyone has videotape of everyone. It wasn't until I saw a clip of the Jets game, where the Pats cameraman was highlighted in the background, that I figured - or at least I think I figured - why they were doing ti.

The camera in use was a bona fide TV camera, which has a powerful zoom, a boom mic, and seemed to be connected to something (a cable running off the back of the camera)
The cameraman could've easily zoom in and pick up the defensive call, and transmit it to the Pats' booth, knowing which play was going to be called. I would think that it would have taken the Pats 1-2 quarters to figure out what call meant what. Once they figured out the calls, cameraman picks up defensive/offensive call (possibly both video and audio), the Pats' booth sees it as it happens, Pats' booth relays call to def. coor. or Brady. Ex; the cameraman points camera to get the defensive call, transmits to the booth, booth determines that play call is a safety blitz coming from the weak side, and signal Brady or off. coor. to throw screen pass to the strong side. Happened over and over in SB XXXIX....