NFL investigates 'spygate' video leak

by tommasse on Sep 18, 2007 10:27 PM EDT in New England Patriots News

No surprise. The videotape at the center of the whole so-called "spygate" fiasco was leaked to Fox Sports.

Looks like someone in the commissioner's office has no integrity either.

Here's the story from ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

The NFL is conducting an internal review to determine how a copy of the Patriots' videotape that spied on Jets signals during the teams' game ended up being aired on Fox's NFL pregame show on Sunday.

"We don't know how it happened and we're obviously not happy about it," said Greg Aiello, the league's senior vice president of communications.

One theory that should be put to rest is that multiple copies of the tape had been disbursed from the office and into the hands of the league's competition committee.

"That absoutely didn't happen," Aiello said. "There were no authorized distribution of any copies of the tape from the league office."

Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee, said that he did not receive a copy of the tape and to his knowledge, no other committee member received one, either. Two other committee members verified McKay's position.

Aiello did note that the videotape only revealed what already had been reported and ultimately what commissioner Roger Goodell acted upon when he disciplined the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick.

Still, said Aiello, "We're concerned about how it got out."

We know Goodell can dish out punishment. Let's see how well he can take it, and how clean he keeps his own house.

By the way, are we ever going to stop creating moronic compound "-gate" words whenever something controversial happens?

Poll

What should happen to the person who leaked the video to Fox?

Termination

22 votes

Suspension

7 votes

Fine

6 votes

Public ridicule

10 votes

Nothing

10 votes

55 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I suspect Polian and/or Dungy.

by scsatr on Sep 18, 2007 10:42 PM EDT reply actions

Couldn't have been

Unless the commissioner's office is lying, they never had access to the tape.

No, the leak had to come from inside the commissioner's office.

by RSNexile on Sep 19, 2007 2:58 AM EDT up reply actions

One thing that I've always found cute

about you guys is your obsession over the Colts. I remember Tom used to whimper in his sleep about Peyton. I wondered if I should be jealous. Sometimes he and coach would stay up late and debate who they hated more, Dungy or Mangini. Boys!

by BridgetMoynahan on Sep 18, 2007 11:36 PM EDT reply actions

That is perhaps the most foolish post ever!

Grow up! What the heck are you even doing here? If you want to post idiotic stuff go elsewhere. Moron!

Do you like Pizza? B!

by davidjohhn2 on Sep 19, 2007 10:43 AM EDT reply actions

Now, now

Please play nice. We're bigger than that here. This is my sandbox, and I will take care of it when it becomes a problem. The few troll posts so far contain no humor, satire, sarcasm or any rational point. So just ignore them.

Have something to say? Create a free account and step up to the Pulpit! (Please: No vulgarity. Thanks.)

by tommasse on Sep 19, 2007 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Goodell's wife works for Foxnews

I heard that on WEEI, but have not found any link backing that up. Even if she does actually work for Fox it doesn't mean anything of course, but can you imagine how ugly that would be if that's how it got leaked?

by 6thround on Sep 19, 2007 11:18 AM EDT reply actions

Confirmed

Again, this doesn't mean anything, but Goodell's wife is Foxnews anchor Jane Skinner:USA Today

by 6thround on Sep 19, 2007 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks, actually

Given the content, Pats fans should probably be thankful. Who could believe that what's displayed on that tape gives anything but a scant sliver of information to even the most obsessive of coaches? I though Salon's King Kaufman had it about right on 9/12 in his point that stealing signals is a time-honored art. If it weren't, why would they be coded in the first place? That, and anyone who believes he has an expectation of privacy or confidentiality whilst flapping his arms in front of 70,000 fans and a national TV audience should probably have his head examined.

As far as this:

are we ever going to stop creating moronic compound "-gate" words whenever something controversial happens?

Sadly, no.

Patriots and more at Borrowed Suits

by JohnHannahRules on Sep 19, 2007 4:18 PM EDT reply actions

League wide jealousy

is all this is. Didn't we look unstoppable against SD? People can't cope, so they just want to explain it away. The Titans blog and the Colts blog have both been ridiculous about this issue.

My prediction is a rematch of the 85 Super Bowl, with the Bears getting crushed this time.

by Ring4forFoxborough on Sep 21, 2007 12:04 AM EDT reply actions

actually glad to see the tape

I know the NFL probably did not want the tape leaked but I was actually very glad to see the content of the tape. It was confirmation to me that it was exactly what I expected, simply a scouting tape, nothing more.

The upper side-line and end-zone tapes that every team uses for game analysis are done the same exact way, panning from the field to the down/distance/time between every play.

This is so the teams can cut up the tape later on and have each play separated out for analysis on offense and defense.. All it is is a scouting tape.

Yes, they should not have had it on the sideline, but what they were doing with it has been blown so far out of proportion it's ridiculous.

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who obviously don't know what they are talking about spewing opinion as if it were fact. Oh well.

GO PATS

by mrbandw on Sep 21, 2007 10:51 AM EDT reply actions

uh huh

Everyone in the league tries to get any advantage they can. We are not the first team to do so, we're just the best and everyone is angry about it. All I have to say is:

Let's go Paa-aats <clap clap clapclapclap>

by PaulRevere on Sep 21, 2007 7:57 PM EDT reply actions