New England Patriots – Cheaters?
According to a report at espn.com, the NFL is investigating a claim that the New England Patriots used video equipment on the sideline to record the New York Jets’ signals.
NFL security confiscated a video camera and its tape from a New England Patriots employee on the team’s sideline during Sunday’s game against the Jets in a suspected spying incident, sources said.
Here is what the rule says:
“The rule is 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,” the league said in a statement from spokesman Greg Aiello. “Clubs have specifically been reminded in the past that the videotaping of an opponent’s offensive or defensive signals on the sidelines is prohibited.“We are looking into whether the Patriots violated this rule.”
No big deal, right. They just were taping for analysis after the game. This hasn’t happened before. But wait…
“It’s not their first time,” a member of the [league's competition] committee, who did not wish to be identified, said.
In fact, Green Bay Packers president Bob Harlan confirmed a similar incident that occurred when the Patriots played at Lambeau Field last Nov. 19. The same cameraman who was questioned by NFL security on Sunday was also the one whom the Packers removed from the sideline and escorted from the field during their 2006 game, according to Packers security official Doug Collins.
This is a very interesting development. I don’t know what the penalty could be. Perhaps a loss of the game. We will monitor this development.