Post by TheShadow on Sept 11, 2007 17:48:44 GMT -5
www.nytimes.com
By JUDY BATTISTA
Remember the border war between the Jets and the New England Patriots? A new chapter may be added with suspicions that the Patriots spied on the Jets during the teams’ season opener.
The National Football League took a tape and video camera from a Patriots employee on the sideline during Sunday’s game at the Meadowlands, and it is investigating whether the Patriots broke league rules prohibiting taping an opponent’s signals on the sideline.
The New England employee, who was not in the pool of designated camera operators permitted on the sideline to shoot footage of the game for use by local stations and Web sites, is suspected of shooting video of Jets coaches’ signals to players.
The camera and tape were sent to the N.F.L.’s office in New York for investigation. Neither team would comment yesterday.
No video recording devices of any kind are permitted in the coaches’ booth during the game, on the field or in the locker room. If the N.F.L. determines that the Patriots broke the rule, they could be fined or lose draft picks.
The video that photographers shoot on the sidelines for use on Web sites and scoreboards is not the same as the game film that is used by coaches to prepare for opponents.
A similar incident happened when the Patriots played in Green Bay last year, according to the Packers’ director of public relations, Jeff Blumb. A member of the Packers’ security team spotted a person on the field carrying a video camera who was wearing an official Patriots credential — those are usually given to members of a team’s staff — but not wearing the colored vests given to photographers.
The Packers asked the Patriots employee to put away his camera. After some initial resistance, he complied, Blumb said. The employee stayed on the field, taking still pictures, Blumb said.
“As to what he was doing, I couldn’t say,” Blumb said.
Blumb said the Packers did not seize his videotape, and nothing came of the incident. The Packers and the Patriots rarely play each other and there would be little competitive advantage to be gained if the Patriots stole the Packers’ signals.
The Jets are not likely to let a similar matter go as quickly, though, because the teams are fierce division rivals, and the relationship between Jets Coach Eric Mangini and Patriots Coach Bill Belichick has grown frostier since Mangini became the Jets’ coach last year.
By JUDY BATTISTA
Remember the border war between the Jets and the New England Patriots? A new chapter may be added with suspicions that the Patriots spied on the Jets during the teams’ season opener.
The National Football League took a tape and video camera from a Patriots employee on the sideline during Sunday’s game at the Meadowlands, and it is investigating whether the Patriots broke league rules prohibiting taping an opponent’s signals on the sideline.
The New England employee, who was not in the pool of designated camera operators permitted on the sideline to shoot footage of the game for use by local stations and Web sites, is suspected of shooting video of Jets coaches’ signals to players.
The camera and tape were sent to the N.F.L.’s office in New York for investigation. Neither team would comment yesterday.
No video recording devices of any kind are permitted in the coaches’ booth during the game, on the field or in the locker room. If the N.F.L. determines that the Patriots broke the rule, they could be fined or lose draft picks.
The video that photographers shoot on the sidelines for use on Web sites and scoreboards is not the same as the game film that is used by coaches to prepare for opponents.
A similar incident happened when the Patriots played in Green Bay last year, according to the Packers’ director of public relations, Jeff Blumb. A member of the Packers’ security team spotted a person on the field carrying a video camera who was wearing an official Patriots credential — those are usually given to members of a team’s staff — but not wearing the colored vests given to photographers.
The Packers asked the Patriots employee to put away his camera. After some initial resistance, he complied, Blumb said. The employee stayed on the field, taking still pictures, Blumb said.
“As to what he was doing, I couldn’t say,” Blumb said.
Blumb said the Packers did not seize his videotape, and nothing came of the incident. The Packers and the Patriots rarely play each other and there would be little competitive advantage to be gained if the Patriots stole the Packers’ signals.
The Jets are not likely to let a similar matter go as quickly, though, because the teams are fierce division rivals, and the relationship between Jets Coach Eric Mangini and Patriots Coach Bill Belichick has grown frostier since Mangini became the Jets’ coach last year.