Auburn

I'm actually going to steal from my blog for the Tuscaloosa News http://walsh.tuscaloosanews.com/default.asp?item=677573 for part of this:

A lot of people have been asking me for my opinion about New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick being fined $500,000 for violating league policy on the use of equipment to videotape an opposing team’s offensive or defensive signals, in addition to team penalties (their own first-round draft choice in 2008 if they reach the playoffs, or their own second-round and third-round picks if they do not qualify for the playoffs, and a $250,000 fine).

FYI, in case you didn’t know, I covered the NFL for seven seasons (Packers, Cardinals and Buccaneers) before Alabama.

Here it is: I’m not surprised by the penalty, but I am about the hoopla.

That requires a little explaining.

The reason why I’m not surprised about the penalty is because the Patriots were specifically warned about this violation, and knew the consequences.

Ok, that’s out of the way. Now the tricky part.

Yes, it’s true that every team in the NFL tries to steal signals. There are players who actually have reputations for being able to figure out signals during games. It’s also true in other sports, and there’s a team very close to here that is extremely good at deciphering the signals of opponents. It’s part of the game.

However, what makes this all a little over the top for me is the actual rule being violated.
It states 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” and that all video shooting locations for club coaching purposes “must be enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead.”

In other words, a team can film an opposing coach from upstairs or on the roof, where every team films every game, with a zoom lens, but not on the field.

Because that distinction is so small, it’s probably why Commissioner Roger Goodell didn’t feel like he could justify suspending Belichick. Meanwhile, the coach and the Patriots, who were my preseason pick to win the Super Bowl, will take it out on the rest of the league.

As for the photo, Bo Jackson had an immediate impact with Auburn, and went on to record a school-record 1,786 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior in 1985 to win the Heisman Trophy. Courtesy of the Paul W. Bryant Museum.