2020 Pats: Bengals Coach Implies Patriots Taping Play Signals

Hoya81

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They’ve been running these mini- documentaries about the team support staff (trainers, chefs etc) all season, its not like it’s a fake documentary.
 

Cotillion

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Where is the press box at the Browns stadium and were the Bengals on the far side or near side?
Hard to tell. But it seems as if the Visitor is on the same side as the press Box.

but there is this photo if you search for Press Box



Which seems to correspond to the purple blocked out section in the 400 level in this seating chart for First Energy Stadium



But I have also seen a seating chart that shows a Press thing over in between 316 and 317, but that still would have the backs of the Bengals team, and be at a really awkward angle.
 

lexrageorge

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"Videotaping of any type, including but not limited to taping of an opponent's offensive or defensive signals, is prohibited on the sidelines." I read that as you can't tape the other team's sideline.

As for the cover story:
View: https://twitter.com/johnbreech/status/1204146996430417923?s=19
The Matt Walsh story has been mostly debunked; the Pats were filming in front of thousands of fans. In 2006, the Green Bay coach complained and had the videographer removed; the NFL did nothing.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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She also said the employee was taped begging to delete it. Either that’s true, or it isn’t. If it isn’t, she should probably be fired. If it is, whoever sent the person there to tape should be.
She went from having not heard about this story at 3:15 pm to having a source inside the press box giving her details about what went down in 2.5 hours. Seems unlikely. What's old friend Mike Kensil up to these days?
 

Ralphwiggum

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Anything and everything involving any patriot employee videotaping anything during a game in an opposing stadium should be scrubbed and scrubbed again and then scrubbed a third time to make sure everything is transparent and by the book. Even if this is nothing, some easy step that could have been taken wasn’t and now we have this. At best it’s a completely unnecessary foot fault.
 

EL Jeffe

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I understand the team does these shows. What's alleged here is they filmed the show footage and then filmed the Bengals sideline. I'm saying if this is true, we're supposed to believe the tv crew just decided on their own this was a good idea? You expect anyone to buy that?
 

tims4wins

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They’ve been running these mini- documentaries about the team support staff (trainers, chefs etc) all season, its not like it’s a fake documentary.
Clearly the entire thing was a long con in order to be able to secretly spy on a 1-12 team in week 15
 

tims4wins

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I understand the team does these shows. What's alleged here is they filmed the show footage and then filmed the Bengals sideline. I'm saying if this is true, we're supposed to believe the tv crew just decided on their own this was a good idea? You expect anyone to buy that?
You think they filmed the Bengals backs? If it turns out they taped the Bengals sideline then I concede they should be kicked out of the NFL. Doesn’t seem likely.

Edit: and the only person alleging this is Russini.
 

E5 Yaz

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Anything and everything involving any patriot employee videotaping anything during a game in an opposing stadium should be scrubbed and scrubbed again and then scrubbed a third time to make sure everything is transparent and by the book. Even if this is nothing, some easy step that could have been taken wasn’t and now we have this. At best it’s a completely unnecessary foot fault.
I understand the team does these shows. What's alleged here is they filmed the show footage and then filmed the Bengals sideline. I'm saying if this is true, we're supposed to believe the tv crew just decided on their own this was a good idea? You expect anyone to buy that?
Guys, you just don't get it: They did everything they were obligated to do. It's all good
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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I understand the team does these shows. What's alleged here is they filmed the show footage and then filmed the Bengals sideline. I'm saying if this is true, we're supposed to believe the tv crew just decided on their own this was a good idea? You expect anyone to buy that?
It really all depends on what the video shows. Either it's going to be something that looks like legitimate documentary footage or it is going to be something that looks like it is an attempt to gather information about plays. Images of the scoreboard showing down and distance and then close ups of coaches in the period before a play is run would be bad. Following a Patriots employee on the sideline going about his job would be good.

Something in between would be a pain in the ass for Patriots fans and a boondoggle for ESPN and everyone else that breathlessly reports on the Pats.

If it were ambiguous, a reasonably competent investigation body would probably have little trouble getting to the bottom of it. You ask some questions. You look at production notes. You look at scripts or treatments of the program and you develop a sense whether the images you are seeing make sense in that context. This is not a reasonably competent investigation body. The ESPN reporter had one thing right -- what is on the tapes is going to tell us whether we're in this for the long haul or not.
 
A lot of the time I really struggle to fathom why diehard Pats fans can't just revel in the contented glow/afterglow of having had the best coach, the best quarterback and probably the best team in NFL history for most of the past two decades, instead of getting so pissed off about so many things so much of the time.

And then bogus crap like this happens, and I'm reminded that it all makes soooooo much more sense than I'd remembered. It's almost enough to make me root for the Pats again. (You all certainly have my sympathy here.)
 

nighthob

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For sure. And every minute that goes by without Schefter or Reiss or one of the other plugged in people posting something similar from their league sources -- and you can be sure they are beating the bushes -- is good. But I was just making the point that she does have something to lose by being completely wrong, in the credibility department. Unlike a random Jets fan.
Dude, who the hell has ever lost credibility by accusing the Patriots of cheating?
 

CoffeeNerdness

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Would a cameraman doing this type of behind the scenes documentary have a "monitor" as alleged in Russini's Tweet?
 

tims4wins

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A lot of the time I really struggle to fathom why diehard Pats fans can't just revel in the contented glow/afterglow of having had the best coach, the best quarterback and probably the best team in NFL history for most of the past two decades, instead of getting so pissed off about so many things so much of the time.

And then bogus crap like this happens, and I'm reminded that it all makes soooooo much more sense than I'd remembered. It's almost enough to make me root for the Pats again. (You all certainly have my sympathy here.)
Thank you. This means a lot at least to me.
 

Ralphwiggum

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The whole thing is too ridiculous to believe the pats were trying to do something they shouldn’t have. The likeliest explanations are (a) they failed to inform the league and Bengals which while technically ok led to suspicion on the part of the Bengals dude and here we are (unnecessary foot fault) or (b) if the ESPN report is true the dude with the camera thought it was funny or something to tape the sideline which makes him the most epically stupid person ever.

Nothing else makes sense. Of course If the tape shows shots of the Bengals sidelines the Pats are hosed regardless of the actual facts.
 

EL Jeffe

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You think they filmed the Bengals backs? If it turns out they taped the Bengals sideline then I concede they should be kicked out of the NFL. Doesn’t seem likely.

Edit: and the only person alleging this is Russini.
I hope they didn't film anything and Russini has this 100% wrong. But the allegations in her reporting are so specific, including quotes. Maybe it's Mort 2.0. Maybe not.

Look, I don't think the Patriots would have received any benefit from taping here. But that doesn't matter. What matters is if they broke the same damn rule they got crucified for 10 years ago. Just because it's hard to believe the team would be dumb enough to do it again doesn't mean they didn't. People repeat stupid behavior all the time. I can't tell you how much I want this to be a false alarm. We'll find out soon enough.
 

Ed Hillel

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I’m stunned this took a day to come out. Something about that is really odd.
 

tims4wins

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Flipping back and forth ESPN and NFLN while I wait for my Jet Blue flight to take off. If this were a thing wouldn’t both networks be talking about it non stop?
 

nighthob

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The whole thing is too ridiculous to believe the pats were trying to do something they shouldn’t have. The likeliest explanations are (a) they failed to inform the league and Bengals which while technically ok led to suspicion on the part of the Bengals dude and here we are (unnecessary foot fault) or (b) if the ESPN report is true the dude with the camera thought it was funny or something to tape the sideline which makes him the most epically stupid person ever.

Nothing else makes sense. Of course If the tape shows shots of the Bengals sidelines the Pats are hosed regardless of the actual facts.
Or, you know, given that they were there to tape an advance scout at work they actually showed him at his job. But, clearly, the view of the back of the Bengals bench unquestionably allowed the production crew to unlock Cincinnati's super secret hand signals, which they alone use in the NFL today as a means of defeating the BSA's warrantless wiretapping program.
 

E5 Yaz

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Flipping back and forth ESPN and NFLN while I wait for my Jet Blue flight to take off. If this were a thing wouldn’t both networks be talking about it non stop?
Not to mention that, if this were a thing, wouldn't some Bengals reporter have gotten something else from those in the Bengals booth?
 

JokersWildJIMED

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Flipping back and forth ESPN and NFLN while I wait for my Jet Blue flight to take off. If this were a thing wouldn’t both networks be talking about it non stop?
ESPN had Graziano on and he was VERY careful in how he worded his report, with no embellishment. Too hopeful to think ESPN has learned its lesson?
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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What matters is if they broke the same damn rule they got crucified for 10 years ago.
As many have tried repeatedly to explain to you, even if they did this, they didn't break the same rule. The rule is you can't tape from the sideline. That's why they got into trouble in 2007. It not the same thing here.
 

patinorange

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More of this embarrassing bullshit? They can’t control injuries, Brady getting old, horrible refs, bad bounces, or the weather. The one thing they should be able to control: DONT FUCK WITH VIDEOS. They should be extra vigilant with this crap.
 

Ralphwiggum

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Or, you know, given that they were there to tape an advance scout at work they actually showed him at his job. But, clearly, the view of the back of the Bengals bench unquestionably allowed the production crew to unlock Cincinnati's super secret hand signals, which they alone use in the NFL today as a means of defeating the BSA's warrantless wiretapping program.
The ESPN reporter's account is pretty specific, if the tape shows what she says it shows it's going to be pretty hard to argue that it was part of the documentary. If the tape only shows the scout at work we have no issues. Either way, I don't believe this has anything to do with the Pats trying to spy on the Bengals. As I mentioned, it's too ridiculous to believe for any number of reasons. But if the tape shows a shot of the Bengals sideline with the advanced scout nowhere to be found the reason why the tape shows that won't matter.
 

hunter05

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If they were really taping whatever the fuck there is to tape nowadays, then they deserve whatever punishment they get. The thing that sucks in these situations is the initial story, right or wrong, is what sticks. Spy gate and the nonsense about taping SB walkthroughs, Mortensen’s crap about air pressure, and now (potentially) Dianna’s story. Each time it has turned about to be BS, but that hasn’t mattered in the end.
 

nighthob

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You've seen the photo of Cleveland's stadium, the Browns are on the far sideline, the Bengals the near one. Regardless of what the Jets fan says.
 

Red Averages

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The paranoia in here and jump to conclusions approach by many posters isn't a surprise, but it's a reminder of how easily swayed people can be into illogical positions that they then become anchored to.
 

Harry Hooper

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Nicely played by Kraft to get BB out of the way so that Brady can be re-signed to a 4-year contract.
 

DJnVa

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More of this embarrassing bullshit? They can’t control injuries, Brady getting old, horrible refs, bad bounces, or the weather. The one thing they should be able to control: DONT FUCK WITH VIDEOS. They should be extra vigilant with this crap.
There's no proof they fucked with videos.

These "accusations" are coming from one of the 2 or 3 worst run franchises in the NFL.
 

Seels

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Is there any profession more dead than journalism in 2019?

This all falls back to Tomase. Whatever.

I'm personally drawing the line here for ESPN. No more clicks, no more watching outside of Pats games. So done with them as a brand.
 

EL Jeffe

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As many have tried repeatedly to explain to you, even if they did this, they didn't break the same rule. The rule is you can't tape from the sideline. That's why they got into trouble in 2007. It not the same thing here.
That's fair. My source is a NYT article saying it's illegal to tape the sidelines, which was my understanding. If it's allowed, it's allowed. I thought Goddell changed the rules after Spygate to no sidelines taping, not just no taping from the sidelines. I appreciate everyone's clarification.
 

cornwalls@6

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Couldn’t an explanation for any footage of the Bengals sideline be the production crew wanted a POV shot to give a feel for what an advanced scout sees while doing his job, ie. the field, etc.? I simply cannot believe they would willfully flirt with the rules again after everything they’ve been through. Unfortunately, this kind of ridiculous BS is always going to dog them from time to time. My only concern is an arbitrary over reaction from the league. I stopped caring about what media trolls and opposing fans say/think a long time ago.
 

Hoya81

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My guess is what will happen is that the tape shows the advance scout at work and includes some b-roll around the press box and some shots of the field/sideline, which ends up just pouring gasoline on this whole thing.
 

nighthob

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Couldn’t an explanation for any footage of the Bengals sideline be the production crew wanted a POV shot to give a feel for what an advanced scout sees while doing his job, ie. the field, etc.? I simply cannot believe they would willfully flirt with the rules again after everything they’ve been through. Unfortunately, this kind of ridiculous BS is always going to dog them from time to time. My only concern is an arbitrary over reaction from the league. I stopped caring about what media trolls and opposing fans say/think a long time ago.
My guess is that the film crew that produces segments for NFL Media knows less about Spygate than your average ESPN reporter and that in filming the advance scout at work did indeed do establishing shots of the field. And since they have nothing to do with the field ops thought nothing of it.
 

DJnVa

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If filming of sidelines it top fucking secret why do I see video of it all the time? What are we even doing here?
 

cshea

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Couldn’t an explanation for any footage of the Bengals sideline be the production crew wanted a POV shot to give a feel for what an advanced scout sees while doing his job, ie. the field, etc.? I simply cannot believe they would willfully flirt with the rules again after everything they’ve been through. Unfortunately, this kind of ridiculous BS is always going to dog them from time to time. My only concern is an arbitrary over reaction from the league. I stopped caring about what media trolls and opposing fans say/think a long time ago.
Believe they call that B-roll.

Russinni’s tweet about the interview with scout ending when the game started is pretty irresponsible. You mean they let the scout, you know, do his job?
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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It's going to be fucking epic when Aikman talks about how during the media day lead up to the Super Bowl, he said to Belichick "look me in the eyes Bill and tell me you never talked to the video guys about getting footage of the Bengals ipads"?

Won't it just be glorious if for a few hours on February 2 we can simply focus on football and let a game break out?
 

Mystic Merlin

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If filming of sidelines it top fucking secret why do I see video of it all the time? What are we even doing here?
Very little to none of it has to do with curbing genuinely anti competitive conduct. Instead it’s some combo of the following:

-showing the amount of investigative scrutiny and punishment the NFL perceives its owners and the public wants (which varies based on important factors like which team is accused)
-Goodell showing the accused who is boss, which is how satellite offenses like refusing to cooperate become the basis for punishment
-making an example of a team to deter similar misconduct, founded on a shaky theory that micromanaged hyper competitive teams will cease to seek advantages (Seattle has been fined for unauthorized padded practices, about half the league for equipment violations of some kind) if only the league punishes ANY offense that gets press harshly enough

Punishment is not really sought or assessed based on the actual severity of an offense. If you identify the target, owners’ agendas and media narratives you can back into the NFL’s investigative posture, at least for alleged offenses unrelated to the personal conduct policy.
 

E5 Yaz

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This story is going to stay exactly where it is until the NFL makes a statement. And, even then, there will be people who won't believe that.