SportsCenter & OTL Bringing Back Spygate (live, 9AM)

[djbayko]

Even though in my punishment of Brady and the Patriots, my underling, Troy Vincent, who of course was only re-iterating the punishment I laid down, he totally didn't make it up on his own, said they were directly related, and in fact were the reason why we had to enhance the punishment of the Patriots. So Yes. Totally un-related. 

It's classic Goodell - he's making a truthful statement but not answering the original question. No one fucking cares if the "procedures" you went through during SG and DG were connected. The accusation is that the motive behind the investigation and the punishment of DG is connected.

He thinks he's smarter than everyone else.

 

[lexrageorge]

 
 

Finally had a chance to read every word of the ESPN story. In all, it's as bad for Roger Goodell as it is for the Patriots. Possibly worse.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 8, 2015

If Florio is saying that Goodell comes off to an intelligent reader looking somewhat worse than Kraft or Belichick, then Florio is probably correct.  
 
However, that ignores some key points:
 
1.) The article makes it clear that the owners were supportive of Goodell's punishment of Brady and the Pats for DeflateGate, which is far more recent and therefore far more consequential in the owners' minds than Spygate.  
 
2.) The article does indeed make Goodell's lack of leadership apparent.  However, it's not clear that anyone who matters really cares about this point.
 
3.) Fans outside New England could care less about Goodell.  However, most would be happy if the Pats were punished further, just because. 
 
4.) The articles primary meme is that Belichick and the Patriots cheat.  The Goodell/Spygate episode is a sideline example.  
 
5.) Noone will really care that Goodell blew off the Senator from Comcast.  IMO, that was actually one of the few smart decisions that Goodell made.  
 
6.) There is a nonzero chance that Goodell could find something in that report that is worthy of "further investigation".  Unlikely, but who could rule that out at this point?
 
7.) This will feed into the meme that Kraft "caved" during the owners meetings because Goodell had more dirty laundry on Belichick and the Patriots than was originally revealed. 
 
8.) Most people reading that article will not fall into the category of "intelligent reader".  Most will be at the Volin level or below.  
 
Florio is engaging in some wishful thinking.

 

[Shelterdog]

I don't know if this has already been discussed, but these were Roger's comments earlier.  Forget about the substance for a moment.  This man can't put together a coherent sentence.  But sure, he's a great choice to continue leading a multi-billion dollar organization. 
 

 
I think the ESPN article absolutely makes clear the one great virtue Goodell has--he knows how to curry favor with 2/3rds of the billionaire owners. If he needs to throw out his relationship with Kraft in order to keep the rest of the crew happy, so be it. 
 
It actually makes a lot of sense. There are so few decision makers--and many of the ones who are out there are pretty passive--that a clever commissioner can apparently keep most of them happy without doing much.  Bob Kraft is (with a guy like Jerry Jones) Joe League working like hell on the CBA, but at the end of the day he's one of 32 and if you're Paul Allen or Biscotti or Arthur Blank or Snyder you kind of don't give a fuck about the true innter workings of Deflategate, you think that Kraft is a nice enough guy but you don't really know him all that well anyway (and maybe you don't think he actually did that great a job on the last CBA and man, it's kind of silly for him to be dating a 30 year old and hanging out with JZ), and hey, you're getting a $230 million TV check a season and you get to bring hot chicks into the owner's box and chill out in the locker room after the game so why get all bent out of shape about any of this.  Your incentives to rock the boat are pretty damn low even if you think that maybe Condi Rice or Adam Silver or some Mara/Rooney spawn would do a slightly better job. 

 

[Investor 11]

Just made the mistake of leaving ESPN2 on after the soccer and caught the beginning of Around The Horn. They hit Goodell pretty hard. But, they have also taken as gospel that they were breaking in and stealing play books.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Love the KenTremendous line on twitter that is saying that the Patriots angling a kickoff towards the sideline is apparently evidence of cheating.

That kickoff, btw, was going out of bounds before Faulk stupidly caught it. Pats cheated by trying to give the Rams the ball on the 40.

 

[Shelterdog]

That kickoff, btw, was going out of bounds before Faulk stupidly caught it.

 
Thank god the Pats' crack espionage squad allowed them to figure out that the Rams might use one of the greatest open field threats in NFL history in the return game.

 

[canderson]

So he favors rapists instead. Good guy.

She.
 
She says those girls knew what they were getting into going with Ben and it's on them, not him. She's a 66 year old coworker. The mind reels. 

 

[jimbobim]

I mean this is like the Empire Strikes back but instead of storm troopers and actual weapons it's a barrage of ignorance and stupidity. 

 

[Devizier]

Will Leitch (Deadspin) had a silly Q and A today.
 
I thought this was relevant:
 

 
 
Cardinals fans have no one to blame but themselves for Deadspin mocking them. We are way, way too sensitive: Every time you react, you give them exactly what they want ... and proving their point. Do what I do in October: Take Twitter off your phone during playoff games, text with your friends and family who are Cardinal fans, stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and just enjoy how lucky we all are to watch our team win so often.

 

[LuckyBen]

I mean this is like the Empire Strikes back but instead of storm troopers and actual weapons it's a barrage of ignorance and stupidity. 

A little research tells me this university is in Connecticut. This guy got his 5 minutes of fame.

 

[ipol]

I mean this is like the Empire Strikes back but instead of storm troopers and actual weapons it's a barrage of ignorance and stupidity. 

 
Honestly, lolz. A professor of journalism holds up this pile of innuendo and "he said / then he said again," as exceptional work.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

I mean this is like the Empire Strikes back but instead of storm troopers and actual weapons it's a barrage of ignorance and stupidity. 

 
I suspect Rich Hanley knows of victory only through his reporting on the subject, not through any personal life experiences...

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

 
Honestly, lolz. A professor of journalism holds up this pile of innuendo and "he said / then he said again," as exceptional work.

 
Professor of "sports journalism," so...

 

[RedOctober3829]

Did the Patriots make Donovan McNabb puke?  I bet they brought down some warm Gatorade and spiked it just so he'd get sick in the 4th quarter.  The Patriots cheating knows no boundaries.

 

[joe dokes]

 

A little research tells me this university is in Connecticut. This guy got his 5 minutes of fame.

 
He just wants to create some competition for McCann to replace Lester Munson.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

I mean this is like the Empire Strikes back but instead of storm troopers and actual weapons it's a barrage of ignorance and stupidity. 

 
I'm assuming this professor is trying to equate the ESPN reporters to Woodward and Bernstein (because I'm not going to bother to read his drivel).  But didn't Woodward and Bernstein uncover, you know, actual evidence of crimes having been committed?  They didn't just take Deep Throat's innuendos and print them without vetting them...or finding a second credible source that wasn't anonymous.  Pig pile indeed.

 

[soxhop411]

Mike Triplett ‏@MikeTriplett  2m2 minutes ago
#Saints changing media access to coaches. Sean Payton will only talk via conference calls at 8:30 each a.m. Coordinators via phone Fridays.
 
odds that the media gets outraged by this?
 
 
Odds the media gets outrage if this was the pats?

 

[Koufax]

Quinnipiac's journalism program is hard-wired to ESPN.  Their students aspire to work there and many of them do  -  or so I understand from having had a son attend that school and major in a related field.

 

[Yossarian]

Belichick: "No, I"m really just focused on Pittsburgh."  Also regarding how news travels on social media, "You should know that I don't have a Twitter account, I don't have InstantFace.  I don't have any of that."  
 
God bless that man.

 

[edmunddantes]

Belichick: "No, I"m really just focused on Pittsburgh."  Also regarding how news travels on social media, "You should know that I don't have a Twitter account, I don't have InstantFace.  I don't have any of that."  
 
God bless that man.

And this is what annoys the media trolls so much. 
 
They so badly want to get a reaction from him. They want him to crack. They want him to go Rex Ryan on them. Give them that juicy quote.  Be the one that finally cracks the vaunted Belichick press conference "deflector shield".
 
And he gives them nothing, and is in fact openly contemptuous of them. One of the all time greats from the recent brouhaha was the "it's already been discussed before. Why don't you go look at your notes" line.
 
This is another one. 

 

[Omar's Wacky Neighbor]

Kornheiser:  (sorta) "Brady throwing the ball into the endzone and having someone wearing the same jersey more often than not catching it" kinda says to him the Pats are cheating.  (it was really convoluted, but I'm pretty sure that's close to what he just said)

 

[rembrat]

Belichick: "No, I"m really just focused on Pittsburgh."  Also regarding how news travels on social media, "You should know that I don't have a Twitter account, I don't have InstantFace.  I don't have any of that."  
 
God bless that man.

 
Link?

 

[bankshot1]

With all due respect to the learned prof from QU  we haven't had our Watergate moment yet. That will come when Matt Taibbi or some  other investigative reporter looks at the institutional corruption in the NFL that allowed it to pursue Brady and the Pats for DFG, for alleged breaches in 2007, to curry favor with owners, all to rebuild his eroded support for abusing his power, and screwing up his handling of a series of player conduct penalties.
 
All the Commissioner's Men, has yet to be written. 

 

[Jnai]

Mostly I'm just surprised that ESPN got Johnny Depp to agree to star in the upcoming Belichick biopic. I know they did print and TV but I think Black Mass is going to be a huge hit for them and really change how we think about content distribution.

 

[Yossarian]

 
Link?

It was on Dale and Holley, on EEI.

 

[nighthob]

Kornheiser:  (sorta) "Brady throwing the ball into the endzone and having someone wearing the same jersey more often than not catching it" kinda says to him the Pats are cheating.  (it was really convoluted, but I'm pretty sure that's close to what he just said)

Kornchowder is often confused.

 

[jsinger121]

As a Quinnipiac alum I condemn this garbage that Quinnipiac put out. They are totally in the tank for ESPN and we're when I was in the communications school as well.

 

[soxhop411]

 
Link?

WEEI ‏@WEEI  2h2 hours ago
"I don't have InstantFace." -Bill Belichick on @DaleHolleyWEEI

 

[Bergs]

As a Quinnipiac alum I condone this garbage that Quinnipiac put out. They are totally in the tank for ESPN and we're when I was in the communications school as well.

 
Condone or condemn?

 

[soxhop411]

Ryan Hannable ‏@RyanHannable  2h2 hours ago
Belichick on @DaleHolleyWEEI asked for reaction about ESPN report: "No, I'm really just focused on Pittsburgh. That's where I'm at."

 

[jsinger121]

 
Condone or condemn?

Condemn

 

[TSC]

 
Condone or condemn?

Forget it, he's rolling.

 

[TSC]

Interesting that this all comes out the day the story comes out about a Browns coach attempting to strangle and beat up a woman.

But this is more important.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Interesting that this all comes out the day the story comes out about a Browns coach attempting to strangle and beat up a woman.

But this is more important.

 
I fear we will never get to the bottom of the Dez Bryant tape.

 

[soxhop411]

- 

 

[RedOctober3829]

Please, please don't bring every single story in here and say "well if that were the Pats...".  We get it already.

 

[axx]

Don't think Rog was the one who leaked this; but it was someone who was clearly upset that Tom got off.

 

[TSC]

Don't think Rog was the one who leaked this; but it was someone who was clearly upset that Tom got off.

Bridgette?

 

[soxhop411]

So how long until this blows over... Or will this be a talking point for the whole season? As "deflate-gate" was

 

[edmunddantes]

There is always a problem of surrounding yourself with the type of people that Goodell surrounded himself with.
 
Eventually, one (or more of them) get it into their head they can do a better job than the current incompetent running the place.
 
They then can become your worst nightmare. As they are seen as being your trusted confidants and lieutenants. Thus what they do is seen as what you want done.
 
So a truly duplicitous one can do enough to sabotage you (without getting too much of their own hands on it) than all the blame falls to the fearless leader. 
 
Then they (delusionally) think they will just step up into your spot. Not realizing the stank will most likely pass to them as they are so closely tied to the incompetent leader, and they also will be gone.
 
The truly great ones are the ones that pull it off without ever getting even a sniff of being involved with the long knives.

 

[riboflav]

So how long until this blows over... Or will this be a talking point for the whole season? As "deflate-gate" was

 
Depends on whether an official investigation is launched. I wish I were kidding.

 

[soxhop411]

Dennis and Callahan ‏@DandCShow  3m3 minutes ago
I spent 30 minutes with ESPN PR & was told that @DVNJr will not be able to join us because @kirkmin may ask a question about Chris Mortensen
 
this is not a joke

 

[jimbobim]

 Tom E. Curran retweeted


Bruce Allen ‏@bruceallen  1h1 hour ago
This is @DVNJr From B.S. Report in December: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/b-s-report-don-van-natta-jr-2/ … (about 44min in)




 





 



 
This is today:




 





 


 
H/T tom curran for the retweets. Interesting how the the description of the meeting changes. RG becomes an ineffective convincer in the redo, but he was the pragmatic Commish protecting the "integrity "of the league the first time around. 

 

[PC Drunken Friar]

Bill Pollian of SportsCenter- "Goodell is nothing if not straightforward and honest"

"First and foremost, let it be clear that Mr. Kraft and all of his family has nothing to do with Spygate"

"The four game penalty, rejected by the judge, was fair, because Brady was suspended and upheld in arbitration, for conduct detrimental to the league. 4 games is consistent with penalties for infractions like this"

The ESPN side graphic shows the "new info" in the OTL said "pats stole pregame play sheets before games"

Is this shit now taken as Gospel because it had been suggested? How do they know....if they left them in the locker room, that a janitor didn't throw it out?

 

[Kliq]

At every newspaper I have ever worked with, it has been made clear that you never should use anonymous sources unless it is of critical importance to the story. The fact that ESPN published an 11,000 word article that is essentially nothing but anonymous source on top of anonymous source is just proof of what a joke that company has become.

 

[JayMags71]

 Tom E. Curran retweeted


Bruce Allen ‏@bruceallen  1h1 hour ago
This is @DVNJr From B.S. Report in December: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/b-s-report-don-van-natta-jr-2/ … (about 44min in)




 





 



 
This is today:




 





 


 
H/T tom curran for the retweets. Interesting how the the description of the meeting changes. RG becomes an ineffective convincer in the redo, but he was the pragmatic Commish protecting the "integrity "of the league the first time around.

"A senior executive whose team lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl. There's a trustworthy source right there."

 

[cornwalls@6]

Bill Pollian of SportsCenter- "Goodell is nothing if not straightforward and honest"
"First and foremost, let it be clear that Mr. Kraft and all of his family has nothing to do with Spygate"
"The four game penalty, rejected by the judge, was fair, because Brady was suspended and upheld in arbitration, for conduct detrimental to the league. 4 games is consistent with penalties for infractions like this"
The ESPN side graphic shows the "new info" in the OTL said "pats stole pregame play sheets before games"
Is this shit now taken as Gospel because it had been suggested? How do they know....if they left them in the locker room, that a janitor didn't throw it out?

Eye of the beholder I suppose. Those that already have a hair across their ass over the Pats success will absolutely take it as gospel. The fact they spent 4 months chasing this shit, and couldn't get anybody to go on the record or provide hard prove of the play sheet theft means we'll likely never know for sure. I fully expect even more damning sounding stuff to come out. This is clearly a full on smear campaign, the days of just enjoying the Pats in a football only way are long gone.

Edit: By on the record I mean for attribution/putting a name to it.

 

[ifmanis5]

ESPN stating the play sheet thing as actual fact even though they have no actual evidence and can't show their work.
 

KEY POINTS OF OTL/MAG PATS INVESTIGATION

• During Spygate investigation, Roger Goodell ordered NFL execs to stomp 8 videotapes to pieces.
• 
  
• From 2000-07, the Patriots recorded opposing coaches’ signals for at least 40 games.
• 
  
• During Pats early SB runs, a low-level Patriots employee would sneak into visiting locker rooms and steal play sheets during pregame warm-ups.

"Numerous former employees" would steal these play sheets. Name one. Quote one on the record? No? That other teams felt paranoid isn't proof. How about some specific examples or evidence? Even one will do. And if you get one, great, I'm ears.

 

[rodderick]

I love how people are going "40 games??? Oh my god, this is outrageous!" when the perception from the very beggining has always been that taping signals is something the Pats did in pretty much every home game.

 

[Marciano490]

Not to kick up that recurring joke and I can see why the Pats/BB wouldn't want any part of the discovery portion of a defamation suit, but unless ESPN has some legit source this shit is getting closer to libel - putting this stuff out there as true without some concrete background is reckless disregard for truth.