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

[blacksaint]

Updated: September 13, 2007, 8:53 PM ET


NEW YORK -- New England coach Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000 for videotaping an opponent's offensive and defensive signals.

Commissioner Roger Goodell also ordered the team to give up next year's first-round draft choice if it reaches the playoffs and second- and third-round picks if it doesn't.

"This episode represents a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field," Goodell said in a letter to the Patriots.

NFL policy states that "no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game" and that all video shooting locations for club coaching purposes "must be enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead."

ESPN - Belichick fined $500K for taping Jets' signals - NFL

"Man I was watching the West Virginia vs. Maryland game when they broke the news. OOOOUUUUCCCHHHH! So that's what it feels like when your hand get caught in the cookie jar. That's good for them, cheating is cheating no matter how you slice it."

[Turbo Saint]

ahhh serves em right.

[ScottF]

Small price to pay if it won them a few games, and maybe even a Super Bowl

[Ashley]

What A Jackass.

[blacksaint]

Originally Posted by blacksaint

Updated: September 13, 2007, 8:53 PM ET


NEW YORK -- New England coach Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000 for videotaping an opponent's offensive and defensive signals.

Commissioner Roger Goodell also ordered the team to give up next year's first-round draft choice if it reaches the playoffs and second- and third-round picks if it doesn't.

"This episode represents a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field," Goodell said in a letter to the Patriots.

NFL policy states that "no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game" and that all video shooting locations for club coaching purposes "must be enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead."

ESPN - Belichick fined $500K for taping Jets' signals - NFL

"Man I was watching the West Virginia vs. Maryland game when they broke the news. OOOOUUUUCCCHHHH! So that's what it feels like when your hand get caught in the cookie jar. That's good for them, cheating is cheating no matter how you slice it."

This is just a few Quote's from around the league on Belichick and his hustling skills. I'm wondering how much is coaching skills and how much is cheating. You have to admit, the play calling in the Superbowl against the Eagles was incredibly genius. Hmmmmmm.

PHILADELPHIA -- Sheldon Brown and the Eagles hoped a blitz would rattle Tom Brady.

One problem: Every time the Eagles rushed Brady in the Super Bowl, the Patriots nullified the defensive attack with screen passes. Lots of them. On almost every play defensive coordinator Jim Johnson called for a blitz, the Patriots used the short pass to confuse the Eagles.

After the Patriots beat the Eagles 24-21 in 2005 to win the Lombardi Trophy, Brown thought the Patriots beat them with nothing but sharp offensive playcalling. Now, he's not so sure.

Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins found the accusations troublesome.

"Now there's always going to be questions about the situation," Dawkins said Thursday. "Was it great adjustments at halftime or what?"

Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward said this week that he suspected the Patriots had some type of inside information on the Steelers before at least one of the teams' two AFC championship game matchups since the 2001 season. While Ward said the Patriots knew a lot of Pittsburgh's calls, none of the Eagles could offer any type of solid proof of any shenanigans.

"Hopefully there's a harsh enough penalty that it's not worth it to try to cheat and try to get any advantage that you're not allowed to get. I hope the commissioner is just as harsh on them as he's been on individual players for making mistakes."
-- Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback

"When you look back, it's scary. I think highly of their coaching staff and their personnel, but if that's the case, that's not right. I would consider it cheating."
-- Al Harris, Green Bay Packers cornerback

"I think the Patriots actually live by the saying, 'If you're not cheating, you're not trying.' They live off that statement. Nothing surprises me really.


"You keep hearing the different stories about stuff that they do."
-- LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers running back

"What the league has to do now is monitor the number of people on the sidelines who operate cameras. I bet a few people disappear this weekend."
-- Carl Banks, former New York Giants linebacker

ESPN - Some Eagles question Pats' tactics in Super Bowl - NFL

[QBREES9]

don't do the crime, if you can do the time.

[iceshack149]

And Belichik remains smug. What a punk.

"Hopefully there's a harsh enough penalty that it's not worth it to try to cheat and try to get any advantage that you're not allowed to get. I hope the commissioner is just as harsh on them as he's been on individual players for making mistakes."
-- Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback

This quote struck me funny. Palmer should know.

[papz]

3 Superbowl rings for a fine and a lost draft pick... well worth it for the Pats.

I still like the Pats.

I'm sure they're not the only team out there doing this sort of stuff... just maybe not as extreme. They're just the only ones who got caught and made an example out of.

[cadilacin]

So What!

Everything is on film these days anyway. Sometimes while watching the game on TV they'll show the D-cord making signals to the defense. So if these calls are so secret give the defensive coaches head sets.

And people been stealing signals for years thats why every O-cord and/or head coach in this league cover their mouths when they call plays.

Get over it! They were fined. Lets move on.

I guess those tapes had something to do with Donavan McNabb getting so tired in the SuperBowl that he couldn't call the play. Or had something to do with that last pick he through. I DOUBT IT.

I guess the tapes also had something to do with the blueprint that Bill gave the rest of the 3-4 defensive teams on how to frustrate Peyton Manning. PROBABLY NOT!

Losers always hate on winners.

Bring on TAMPA!!

The pats game plan, and draft well. This is the organization I wish the Saints were like.

[Tobias-Reiper]

Originally Posted by papz

3 Superbowl rings for a fine and a lost draft pick... well worth it for the Pats.

I still like the Pats.

I'm sure they're not the only team out there doing this sort of stuff... just maybe not as extreme. They're just the only ones who got caught and made an example out of.

... well, one thing is to cheat your way to 3 SB's, another is to get caught...
... and, the thing is, they just didn't "get caught"... there's a history, and the Pats had been warned to stop doing it. The monetary penalty as well as the draft pick may be 'a small price", but not the label of "cheater", which pretty much makes that "dynasty" talk crumble.