[MERGED] PFT-Pats Filmed Rams Walk-Through at SB XXXVI

[CrunchTime]

REPORT: PATS FILMED RAMS WALK-THROUGH

When it rains, it freakin' pours.
After a bizarre day in which Spygate unexpectedly reappeared on the league's radar screen and strong hints of previously undisclosed cheating emerged, John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports that the Patriots videotaped the walk-through practice of the St. Louis Rams prior to Super Bowl XXVI.

Here's the key excerpt from Tomase's report:

"According to a source close to the team during the 2001 season, here's what happened. On Feb. 2, 2002, one day before the Patriots' Super Bowl game against heavily favored St. Louis in New Orleans, the Patriots visited the Superdome for their final walkthrough.

"After completing the walkthrough, they had their team picture taken and the Rams then took the field. According to the source, a member of the team's video staff stayed behind after attending the team's walkthrough and filmed St. Louis' walkthrough.

"At no point was he asked to identify himself or produce a press pass, the source said. The cameraman rode the media shuttle back to the hotel with news photographers when the Rams walkthrough was completed, the source said."

Though the Herald doesn't identify the cameraman, it doesn't take a genius to suspect that it was Matt Walsh, the video employee who has been quietly but doggedly pursued for nearly five months. It also doesn't require much gray matter to realize that Walsh likely gave Tomase the green light to cite him as an unnamed source.

On the eve of the SB this scandal intensifies.Do you think it has the makings of a long drawn out Watergate type scandal or do you think there will be a coverup which is quickly quashed and forgotten ?

Frankly I hope its the former.

[vere76]

REPORT: PATS FILMED RAMS WALK-THROUGH
When it rains, it freakin' pours.
After a bizarre day in which Spygate unexpectedly reappeared on the league's radar screen and strong hints of previously undisclosed cheating emerged, John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports that the Patriots videotaped the walk-through practice of the St. Louis Rams prior to Super Bowl XXVI.
Here's the key excerpt from Tomase's report:

"According to a source close to the team during the 2001 season, here's what happened. On Feb. 2, 2002, one day before the Patriots' Super Bowl game against heavily favored St. Louis in New Orleans, the Patriots visited the Superdome for their final walkthrough.

"After completing the walkthrough, they had their team picture taken and the Rams then took the field. According to the source, a member of the team's video staff stayed behind after attending the team's walkthrough and filmed St. Louis' walkthrough.
"At no point was he asked to identify himself or produce a press pass, the source said. The cameraman rode the media shuttle back to the hotel with news photographers when the Rams walkthrough was completed, the source said."
Though the Herald doesn't identify the cameraman, it doesn't take a genius to suspect that it was Matt Walsh, the video employee who has been quietly but doggedly pursued for nearly five months. It also doesn't require much gray matter to realize that Walsh likely gave Tomase the green light to cite him as an unnamed source.
A walk-through practice usually involves execution of the plays that are in the team's offensive game plan, out of the specific formations that each play will be called. Having access to that information would provide an enormous advantage to the opposing team.
In Super Bowl XXXVI, the ordinarily high-octane Rams offense struggled in the first half to move the ball, and trailed the underdogs from New England 14-3 at intermission. Seven of the Pats' points came when cornerback Ty Law jumped a route and took an interception to the end zone. After making halftime adjustments, the Rams came back, tying the game at 17 before the Pats won the game on a late field goal.
What does it all mean? For starters, much of the media assembled to cover the Super Bowl will soon swarm upon key figures from the 2001 Rams, searching for quotes that might support the notion that the Pats seemed to know exactly what the Rams were doing on offense. Guys like former coach Mike Martz and his offensive assistants (Henry Ellard, Bobby Jackson, Jim Hanifan, John Matsko, Wilbert Montgomery, and John Ramsdell) can expect to be pestered. Players like quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk and receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt will be pursued, too.
For now, however, we're even more convinced that the Patriots will win Super Bowl XLII by a huge margin. If the inflammatory remarks of various members of the Giants' organization weren't enough, the calling into question of the game that sparked the New England dynasty will surely drive the team to prove to the world that they win games based on talent, preparation, and execution.
Even if, six years ago to the day, they supplemented their skill and sweat with something else

[Dolphins7273]

Cheating = The Patriot way

[PogiRo]

Huh, no wonder Goodell burned the tapes, but goodness would he get crap for it if this stuff is true. And if they did it their first Super Bowl win and got away with it, why wouldn't they do it for the rest of their Super Bowls too? With all the crap the NFL would get from that, I'd probably burn the tapes too.

[elite14eva]

i truely hate that team with everything in me.

[chuckaloo]

wow, i can't believe they weren't banned from the playoffs this year. the patriots are to the nfl what steroids are to mlb.

[phinphever]

What scumbags!!! So much for the brilliant bELICHECK. Anyone can be brilliant if you know the plays your opponent runs.

[Dolphins7273]

I really hope the Giants pull off the miracle tomorrow. If that Pats lose, it'll be the biggest choke in NFL history and they deserve to be remembered like that.

[adamprez2003]

I dont think the team deserves an asterik next to their accomplishment this year but I would definitely put an asterik next to their SB wins prior. Three asteriks for the cheaters

[Captain Lou]

Look I hate Pats as much as anyone. This crap is so over blown. Regardless of alligations the Patriots are a damn good football team. Stop crying about how they cheated. It doesn't change what they'e accomplished if they go undefeated. They will be remembered as the best ever. If you keep bringing up stupid crap it just makes you look a sore loser.

[Breed]

Originally Posted by chuckaloo

wow, i can't believe they weren't banned from the playoffs this year. the patriots are to the nfl what steroids are to mlb.

It's bigger than that. I'd bet atleast 25% of MLB players take steriods, I doubt that 25% of the NFL cheats like the Patriots do.

Another thing I have to get off my chest, I hear so much about how the Patriots Dynasty may be the most impressive because they did so in the FA era. There's no way the Patriots would've gone undefeated had they not signed all those quality free agents.

Adalius Thomas was without a doubt the top FA in the '07 FA class, maybe even the top FA going back a couple of years.

Donte Stallworth was the top FA WR on the market.

Wes Welker was the top slot WR on the market on the FA market (RFA).

And was there really no other team that was willing to give a 4th round pick for Randy Moss?

This had to be the biggest offseason splash in the history of all sports, I can't think of a single offseason when the Yankees went all out like this.

[popularwar]

Originally Posted by Captain Lou

Look I hate Pats as much as anyone. This crap is so over blown. Regardless of alligations the Patriots are a damn good football team. Stop crying about how they cheated. It doesn't change what they'e accomplished if they go undefeated. They will be remembered as the best ever. If you keep bringing up stupid crap it just makes you look a sore loser.

With the team they had this season it's hard not to say they're one of the best of all time. What this does is put into question everything as far back as the first super bowl win (which the articles talks about) and ending as late as week 1 this season.
Everything in between could be tainted including... oh, I don't know, three super bowl victories? If this keeps growing it could keep Brady and Belichick out of the hall of fame. It might even cost Belichick his job. Hell, Robert Kraft could get a lot of **** for this too.

[alen1]

Originally Posted by Breed

It's bigger than that. I'd bet atleast 25% of MLB players take steriods, I doubt that 25% of the NFL cheats like the Patriots do.

Another thing I have to get off my chest, I hear so much about how the Patriots Dynasty may be the most impressive because they did so in the FA era. There's no way the Patriots would've gone undefeated had they not signed all those quality free agents.

Adalius Thomas was without a doubt the top FA in the '07 FA class, maybe even the top FA going back a couple of years.

Donte Stallworth was the top FA WR on the market.

Wes Welker was the top slot WR on the market on the FA market (RFA).

And was there really no other team that was willing to give a 4th round pick for Randy Moss?


This had to be the biggest offseason splash in the history of all sports, I can't think of a single offseason when the Yankees went all out like this.

you dont think other coaches do that too? I believe it was parcells that said u have to be stupid if u think no one is taping your signals.

[Bonedoc7777]

no other NFL teams do this, the pats were warned by the league multiple times because the other teams were complaining about it, you cannot respect anything they do or have accomplished now as this cheating scandal widens, god brady may have had every play the defense was running before he snapped the ball in his early years, that can build confidence and make him a better QB now

[jtown777]

I've been saying that they should have been banned from post-season participation (yeah-yeah I know, MONEY/REVENUE). BB should have been suspended, just as a player would if they'd been caught "cheating". Kraft should have been fined in the millions. The Jets game should have been forfieted. Goodell is digging himself a hole by NOT doing the right things and trying to help cover this up. Hell, he has one of the most coveted jobs in the world, and I'd be damned if I was him, to take the heat and become PART of the scandal.
Wait! I hear the Pats fans coming to their rescue with ALL the spin moves! The Pats are a bunch of cheaters in denial. Good players all around, but even good/great teams get beat on an even playing field. From the "TUCK" rule, to questionable injury time-outs to flat out blatant video cheating. I would be embarrassed to call myself a fan of theirs. I am happy that this has resurfaced right now. In fact, I love it! I had been wondering when someone would have the cajones to exploit this once again. Look at Marion Jones. She was going to get exposed and she HAD to admit to cheating. Guess what? They stripped her of ALL her olympic accomplishments. What happens to a college when they get caught cheating/tampering? They get BANNED from bowl contention for years! The same, if not worse, should apply here! If the Dolphins NEVER win another SB in my time, the next best thing for me would be to see the Patriots completely stripped of all their acheivements in this era. They should be prosecuted for FRAUD!!! Top to bottom! I want them to lose this weekend but at the same time I want them to win, go 19-0, and see them go down in flames soon thereafter when EVERYTHING gets exposed! Yeah we know, EVERY team does it, right? Well a lot of people drink and drive too. It's the ones who get CAUGHT that have to pay the price!