04/23/24
December 13, 2006
Do You Hear What I Hear?: The NFL takes no action against the Miami Dolphins in "Tapegate." After the Dolphins blasted New England 21-0 on Sunday, several Miami players referred to "purchased" tapes they used to help decipher Patriots QB Tom Brady's audibles and line-blocking calls.
Why would they? Even the wronged party, the Pats, is shrugging and basically saying, Well, you got us.
posted by chicobangs at 04:49 PM on December 13, 2006
I agree with you, ps. If they Miami was able to do it, more power to them. Perhaps New England should have been able to make an adjustment at the half, but they didn't. Being unable to adjust your calls could be symptomatic of an offense that might be a little too complicated.
posted by Howard_T at 04:49 PM on December 13, 2006
posted by yerfatma at 04:53 PM on December 13, 2006
The incident spawned considerable attention on Tuesday... Attention from whom? Nobody is bitching about it except the media, so drop it. If the 'Phins did 'purchase' or procure a tape, good for them. It's how the game is played. Game tape has always been studied to find out an opponents' tendencies and weaknesses.
posted by wingnut4life at 05:02 PM on December 13, 2006
This has probably been going on for years, but since NE was the victim, there is a big fuss about it. I like NE, but Miami did what it took, but who knows if that even made a difference because Brady and the Patriots haven't had much success against Miami in recent years. If anything its gonna help NE and they are gonna be real tough come late December-early January
posted by Clevelander32 at 05:11 PM on December 13, 2006
If a pitcher is tipping his pitches, I'm going to use that to my advantage every time. It's not cheating, it's smart.
posted by Bill Lumbergh at 05:19 PM on December 13, 2006
I'm pretty sure that, by the end of his career, everyone knew Marino's signals and calls. I even remember [a Pats linebacker], possibly McGinest, saying as much. A more interesting story to me from the watching parts of the game would be did the Dolphins really play a 3-3-4 defence with Jason Taylor allowed to do what he liked, within reason? He seemed to be lining up wherever he wanted and just playing off the cuff.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 05:23 PM on December 13, 2006
i am a patriots fan and who cares if they had these tapes. Like wingnut said, It's how the game is played. If the game was 21-20, I might be somewhat upset about these tapes but face it, the pats played like shit, end of story
posted by lucky23pjq at 06:56 PM on December 13, 2006
Spot on. Doesn't seem like an edge would have been the difference.
posted by yerfatma at 07:20 PM on December 13, 2006
If you don't want people to know your calls, stop yelling them. Use sign language. Send an SMS. Sock puppetry, whatever. Speaking kinda gives it away.
posted by diastematic at 07:50 PM on December 13, 2006
there is a big fuss about it No there isn't.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:46 PM on December 13, 2006
With all of the cameras and a/v equipment available, there is nothing wrong with it. Coaches know cameras are on, which is why they put a "call sheet" or clipboard over their mouths when sending in plays, so they are not IMMEDIATELTY AVAILABLE. Other than that it is fair game, no matter how unfair it seems. Dolphin players were just admitting the obvious. Dan Snyder (Redskin owner) charged the public money to view their entire training camp. When scouts from other teams showed up, they were "public" people and could not legally be forbidden to enter. As a result that year a ton of scouts went to their training camp and got to see what they would play during the season. The Redskins are so paranoid about it now that they have over 200 pages in their playbook. The plays they run during the preseason and preseason practices are not the ones they use during the season. As a result they have no continuity on plays and LOSE games. Paranoia loses the team precious practice reps. In a nutshell, if you do what you do well, and have some variety, you should be able to make changes during games. If you do it well, no one should be able to stop you anyway. And big kudos to the Pats for not making it an issue and make excuses.
posted by urall cloolis at 10:03 PM on December 13, 2006
"I’d love to see evidence of that; that they could know exactly what our line calls are. Our defense knows what our line calls are and it doesn’t matter. They could say that, but I think that’s a big crock of you know what. I think it’s a matter of how we played. I’m sure if you asked them, it probably sounds good for them to say they have it all figured out, but they’re 6-7 and we’re 9-4, so go tell me who probably has it more figured out." Brady sounded a little catty.
posted by bperk at 09:31 AM on December 14, 2006
Hey, Jesus got snippy a few times in the Gospels too. People still worship Him. In one of the non-Synoptic Gospels, Thomas asks to see the Superbowl rings on His fingers. It got cut in post-production.
posted by yerfatma at 09:53 AM on December 14, 2006
Brady sounded a little catty. Not to mention his comment didn't make sense. He says "but they’re 6-7 and we’re 9-4, so go tell me who probably has it more figured out." They're talking about Patriots versus Dolphins, not Pats/Dolphins vs NFL . The implication is that the DOLPHINS had TOM/Pats figured out. And based on the fact that Brady's 4 worst performances have come against the Dolphins, including Sundays shutout, it's a valid question. That doesn't mean that the Bills have the Pats figured out, so what difference does the team record matter in this discussion? :-)
posted by bdaddy at 12:33 PM on December 14, 2006
Hey, Jesus got snippy a few times in the Gospels too. People still worship Him. In one of the non-Synoptic Gospels, Thomas asks to see the Superbowl rings on His fingers. It got cut in post-production. [1 favorite]
posted by tron7 at 01:22 PM on December 14, 2006
That doesn't mean that the Bills have the Pats figured out, so what difference does the team record matter in this discussion? :-) You are completely right, but I still loved the comment in the same vein I loved Patrick Roy's gag about not being able to hear with his rings in his ears.
posted by yerfatma at 01:36 PM on December 14, 2006
And based on the fact that Brady's 4 worst performances have come against the Dolphins, including Sundays shutout Okay, you've got Sundays[sic] shutout. Care to provide a cite on the other three "worst performances"? I'm genuinely curious, here.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:04 PM on December 14, 2006
Well, the 4 pick loss last year. They wouldn't stop talking about it during the game last week (and in the media before and after) that he's got a .750 overall winning % but is like .500 against the Dolphins.
posted by yerfatma at 02:23 PM on December 14, 2006
If the Dolphins having tape of Brady's line calls really made that much of a difference, do you think the Dolphins would be bragging about it? When a team looks for (and possibly finds) an advantage, do you really think they're going to tell the media? If it did make a difference, don't you think now that the Pats & Brady know they're going to, oh, I don't know, maybe change their calls? Why would you give away a (perceived) advantage like that?
posted by Jeffwa at 02:34 PM on December 14, 2006
Hey, Jesus got snippy a few times in the Gospels too. People still worship Him. In one of the non-Synoptic Gospels, Thomas asks to see the Superbowl rings on His fingers. It got cut in post-production. Thank you for turning a non-thread about a non-story into my laugh of the day.
posted by smithers at 02:37 PM on December 14, 2006
Care to provide a cite on the other three "worst performances"? I can't find a link on the net...but I did see that the other day on ESPN too. His worst 4 games have been against the dolphins ans his numbers were almost identical in all 4.
posted by louisville_slugger at 03:51 PM on December 14, 2006
Brady against Miami :
---------------------------------------------------------------- | WK OPP | CMP ATT PYD TD INT | RSH YD TD | YEAR ---------------------------------------------------------------- | 14 mia | 12 25 78 0 0 | 0 0 0 | [2006] | 5 mia | 16 29 140 2 0 | 4 -3 0 | [2006] | 17 mia | 3 8 37 1 1 | 1 2 0 | [2005] | 10 mia | 21 36 275 2 2 | 1 -1 0 | [2005] | 15 mia | 18 29 171 3 4 | 2 -2 0 | [2004] | 5 mia | 7 19 76 2 1 | 4 -1 0 | [2004] | 14 mia | 16 31 163 0 0 | 2 -2 0 | [2003] | 7 mia | 24 34 283 2 0 | 3 10 0 | [2003] | 17 mia | 25 44 221 1 1 | 4 8 0 | [2002] | 5 mia | 17 31 240 2 2 | 1 0 0 | [2002] | 15 mia | 11 19 108 1 0 | 3 -5 0 | [2001] | 4 mia | 12 24 86 0 0 | 2 9 0 | [2001]182 of 329, for 1878 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 picks. Passer rating 74.25. He's hardly setting the world alight against my Phish, but I'm sure he doesn't cry himself to sleep too hard, what with his rings to keep him company.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 04:25 PM on December 14, 2006
He's hardly setting the world alight against my Phish, but I'm sure he doesn't cry himself to sleep too hard, what with his rings to keep him company. Well, yeah, but if anyone does come up with a specific cite about which four games, I'd be curious as to which they were. It's not to knock the Dolphins, but Brady's been roughed up by other teams, and it seems unlikely that the four worst would have all been against the them.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:17 PM on December 14, 2006
Brady and the Pats simply got out played in Sundays shutout loss.Doesn't matter about audio tapes or anything else.It's a proven fact that New Endland always have had problems down in South Floridas.As a matter of fact,Miami gave N.E. all they could handle up here in Foxboro this year.So you can throw out the bull about the audio tape being bought.The Pats and management don't seem to have a problem with the whole thing.The media as usually is making more out of this the N.E. Case closed.We've got Houston to worry about this week. But there defense(Miami's) were coming off the ball seeming to know exactly what was going to happen.I think maybe it was perhaps that Miami's defense are playing realgood at the right time of year. The Pats have had more than their share of injuries this year.But as far as last Sundays game goes, its over last Sunday s game goes,its over.The Pats simply got there asses handed to them.No excuses.And I'm a die hard Patriots fan.Always have,always will.
posted by Ghastly1 at 10:43 PM on December 14, 2006
Now don't everyone jump on my ass for the above mistakes about the grammar and the sonnet bull,as it was a simple mistake that I couldn't fix in time.
posted by Ghastly1 at 10:52 PM on December 14, 2006
I haven't got the stats in front of me,but it is true that Brady has played his worse 4 games against Miami,no matter where they were playing.I'm going to look for somethingthat can justify the above. I've read that and the stats in the Boston Herald if I remember right.
posted by Ghastly1 at 11:06 PM on December 14, 2006
C'mon LBB, I gave you the ammunition. Don't make me shoot these fuckers too.
---------------------------------------------------------------- | WK OPP | CMP ATT PYD TD INT | RSH YD TD | RATE ---------------------------------------------------------------- | 1 buf | 14 28 123 0 4 | 0 0 0 | 22.47 [2003]There. I can come up with games against Denver, (57.12), Green Bay, (44.03), Kansas, (42.50) and Indianapolis, (34.04), but that 2003 debacle against the Bills should pop anyone's "four worst" against Miami bubble.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:26 AM on December 15, 2006
Dolphins pounded the Pats. Pats are in the playoffs, Dolphins, barring a miracle, aren't. As a Dolphins fan, I will relish this victory for some time. Under Wannstadt, they couldn't finish the season, and now, under Saban, they can't seem to get their shit together until week 7 or 8. If they could just put a whole season together, they'd be one of the elite teams in the AFC (which, given the pathetic state of the NFC, would make them one of the elite teams in the NFL, period.). Also, I never in a million years thought I would say this, but that Joey Harrington signing doesn't look too bad right now. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the Daunte Culpepper signing.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 07:38 AM on December 15, 2006
Maybe we need time-share coaching. We'll have Wanny back for the start of the season and Saban for the end. It's a flawless plan.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:41 AM on December 15, 2006
alight against my Phish Yeah, let's light one up and listen to some Phish! Oh....never mind.
posted by Venicemenace at 09:11 AM on December 15, 2006
I've always thought that with another team (aka not the Lions) Harrington would be able to be a decent quarterback. It is just so wonderful that I'm right. Watching Joey tear up the Lions on Thanksgiving was such a pleasant sight.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:38 PM on December 15, 2006
Yeah, that was fun. Good times...good times.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 08:41 PM on December 15, 2006
Signal stealing (which this may or may not be) is almost as old as the game itself. I think the league's response is pretty much right on. This is much ado about nothing.