Shutdown Corner - NFL

Shutdown Corner

Wed May 14, 2008 10:15 am EDT

We can forget about that Rams walkthrough tape, too

By MJD

As seemingly the whole football world was waiting for them to do, the Boston Herald has officially apologized for reporting that a tape of the Rams walkthrough prior to Super Bowl XXXVI ever existed. They even made a handsome little "Sorry, Pats" graphic to go along with it. It's only missing a text frowny face and a sad kitten. =(

The Herald even took it one step further and said they know that the report they got was false, "and that no tape of the walkthrough ever existed." As far as apologies go, it's pretty thorough.

Prior to the publication of its Feb. 2, 2008, article, the Boston Herald neither possessed nor viewed a tape of the Rams’ walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI, nor did we speak to anyone who had. We should not have published the allegation in the absence of firmer verification.

Since the apology comes when it did, it certainly looks like Matt Walsh or someone close to him was the 'source' for the information about a Rams walkthrough, even though he was never mentioned in the apology or the original accusation. And since Walsh had his opportunity to provide the walkthrough information yesterday, and he didn't, that made it "uh-oh" time for the Herald.

The apology offers no specific mention of John Tomase, who originally issued the report. While a lot of Partiots fans and Herald readers still want his pants stolen, Wade Boggs-style, by the gang at Cheers, if Tomase's guilty, so are a lot of people at the Herald, including anyone who okayed the story.

The updated scorecard on the Spygate situation:

Walsh meets with Goodell: Check. No further damage done to the Pats.
Rumors of a Rams walkthrough tape: Buried. No further damage done to the Pats.
Walsh meets with Specter: Pending.
Walsh speaks with the press himself: Pending.

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17 Comments

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  1. PATS FAN
    1. Posted by PATS FAN Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    It's about time this whole thing came to an end - it's gone on far too long
  2. L.
    2. Posted by L. Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:33 pm EDT

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    The Patriots never cheated.
    Belichick is a football savant.
    The media and the league overreacted.
  3. Burninator
    3. Posted by Burninator Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    The fact that we are waiting for "Pending" information just illuminates all this as a Witch hunt. As long as people can throw stuff at a wall, the "media" will report on it until it sticks/doesn't stick. Why not? It genrates web site hits, sells newspapers, captivates TV audiences. It can't hurt them (well, except for the Harald) as long as they are reporting on (false) info/rumors and not creating them while perpetuating the hate and illogical accusations with no substantiated, knowledgable info to back it up. Only the Patriots (and soon the NFL if Specter has his way) need to be on the defensive. I have a problem with the direction our "information age" is heading in.
  4. sam spade
    4. Posted by sam spade Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

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    I don't know. If they have tape from2003 and they were busted in 2007. Why do you want me to believe that they didn't tape the Rams and everyone else? They did have tape of the Steelers in the AFC Championship game. Helped them win. Why would they not do it in the Super Bowl, when they had done it to the Steelers in the AFC Championship game? I guess I should believe that you can be a drunk all year but not drink on New Year's Eve.
    If you're a hater and we are legion, nothing has changed our preception of the Patriots and Bill Belichek as cheaters.
  5. Burninator
    5. Posted by Burninator Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    Sam,
    I would agree with you on this point only... They DID break a rule/cheat after that rule was clearly defined and got Harshly punished. But now you want to open the book on them or worse, speculate that they (and ONLY them) did something knowingly wrong over past years. If you open the book on them you better open the book on every team. I bet Arlen Specter wants to do this to the entire NFL. The funny thing is, this is football not National Security. Every team has been and is (or should be) looking for an edge (the Broncos, Falcons, 49ers from my recent memory have been accused and/or punished for violations) and are, surprise, interpreting rules in their own way to gain advantages. If they're not, they're probably at the bottom of the standings. Also, if they commit a violation, by your accusations, you might as well throw them out of the league because "once a cheater always a cheater". So then, as I said before, the Broncos, 49ers, etc... should be tossed too? Should we throw every criminal in jail forever? Should we ban anyone fired from ever getting a job? Wake up to the real world.
  6. Burninator
    6. Posted by Burninator Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    Sam
    Also, if a newspaper reported that the moon was made of Swiss cheese and the next day appologized for the false report, would you go on continuing to believe it WAS made of cheese until someone proved to you it wasn't? I don't even have to call you a mindless lemming. Your text "speaks" for itself.
  7. Grinch
    7. Posted by Grinch Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:35 pm EDT

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    Boston Herald should be sued. Arlen Specter should be worried about the country. This is his way of punishing the NFL for the whole comcast cable deal. What a jerk!
  8. sam spade
    8. Posted by sam spade Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

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    You opinion of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens please? I like the everyone is doing it defense. everyone was on steroids. Nothing has been proved on Barry or Roger. Just like the Patriots, nothing will ever be proven. It's just what you want to believe. Right!? Barry Bonds is the greatest of all time. So is Roger Clemens and Bill Belichek and the Patriots. Do you agree? and if you don't re-read you post to understand what the impact the media run amok.
  9. Turtle
    9. Posted by Turtle Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:25 pm EDT

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    The Patriots org. will not sue because they know they cheated and it would only bring up more instances / witnesses / tapes in court, dragging their name and the NFL thru the mud.
    Now the 3 points or less super bowl wins* are even less impressive.
    How are those 19 - 0 t-shirt sales going?
  10. Burninator
    10. Posted by Burninator Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    here's my opinion. Get ready to investigate further ALL the teams for rules violations just like the MLB did for all the players' steroid involvements. After Bonds came 80+ other players including Clemens. You can't single out one team for "cheating" if you don't understand how league wide the "problem" is. To say I'm using an "everyone is doing it defense" is a lazy label. Maybe I'm not using it as a DEFENSE. Maybe I'm ACCUSING every team of "cheating" but I don't have the power of a senator to ask for an investigation. The 49ers just got caught and punished for tampering with a player (Lance Briggs) under contract. Why is there no call for further investigation into them? I guess I should ask you if your "preception of the Patriots and Bill Belichek as cheaters" is limited to only them. There are several other teams (possibly all) who have violated rules and have been punished for it. Are they cheaters in your eyes too? If you agree then you agree with me except I accept the punishments and don't need to speculate any further - and I don't call it cheating but that's just splitting hairs I guess.
  11. Your name here
    11. Posted by Your name here Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:31 pm EDT

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    It's too late,That Pats have been exposed for what they are,underhanded cheaters!! Thay will never live that down.EVER,I amglad all you pats fans got served,You deserve what you got...owned!
    No matter what the pats do from now on,they are a poor role models for our kids and the the world alike.Thay ncan take there place next too mike jackson and OJ and chuck manson,a disgrace too the human race.
  12. lbraiderfan
    12. Posted by lbraiderfan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:57 pm EDT

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    I am by no way shape or form a Patriots fan. I am a life long Raider fan, who's team was beat in the 2001 snow bowl (TUCK RULE). I don't remember any Senator whining about that call, but the idea that a video of a teams signals could impact a game is ridiculous. I played semi-pro football as a Quarterback and I will tell you this...Our signals could change during a game. We could walk to the line of scrimmage, tell you exactly what we were going to run, and then run it right in your face because you have to execute in football. That is the bottom line. Think about it like this, in practice you know what offense and defense has been called. The better unit is the one that makes a play. This is why you don't here any current players saying anything about this, because as a player at the end of the day it is about execution. I believe the media is ruining the sports world. You ever notice after anything possitive that happens in this world in sports, entertainment, etc.. the media has to dive into anything negative about those feats. Barry Bonds(BALCO), Mark McGwire(CREATINE), Sammy Sosa (CORKED BAT), Tony Romo (JESSICA), Pats Undefeated Streak (SPY-GATE). Why is it that the Sportscenter, NFL Network, Fox Sports find it necessary to report NEWS not Sports News. WE HAVE THE CNN, NBS, CBS NEWS. We need sports info related issues only on these stations. Not why Tony Romo ate at this resteraunt with Jessica bla bla bla... Save it for Entertainment Tonight and give me Sports on Sports channels.
  13. lbraiderfan
    13. Posted by lbraiderfan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:57 pm EDT

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    Sorry to keep on this, but why is a Senator worrying about the NFL. Can't he make suggestions about what to do about the Economy or Gas Prices in this country or even in his own State. We have spent millions of dollars tying up govornment officials worrying as to whether or not Roger Clemens lied about steroids, or did the Pats cheat, or is Barry Bonds a steroid freak? Is this really what we are paying these folks for. How about taking my tax money and fixing our economic issues and stop worrying about what millionare ball players have been doing. Each sports organization has a players union. The NBA, NFL, and MLB. Let the owners and players association work this stuff out and let the fans decide what they will and won;t deal with. We pay for these salaries anyways. If you are a government official, worry about the people who matter the most and that would be the people in the state you represent. Fix the countries real problems first, and stop worrying about issues that don't pertain to the job you were elected for. That is why you have David Stern, Roger Goodell, etc...They were elected to represent those organizations.
  14. shmookienuts
    14. Posted by shmookienuts Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:20 pm EDT

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    Walsh was in it for the possibility of making a lot of money, The Hearald ran a false story right before the superbowl to sell news papers, and Spector wants the pats investigated because he still all but hurt about loosing money betting on a football game, and the whole comcast deal. not to mention the publicity that he is now recieving. The whole thing needs to be dropped and lets get back to playing football. Gas is $4 dollars a gallon and hes woried about the pats cheating. please get the man out of office
  15. akfjhak
    15. Posted by akfjhak Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm EDT

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    Stupid a$$ newspaper. My boyz down in Boston would never cheat Bullsht. go New York Giants baby
    Hey way to go patriots getting a perfect cheating season NOT. ha ha. just fukin wit yall tha PAtriots are mad dope. they got some guys that no how to play the game.
    My Boy Laurence malony and WESS WELKER ARE STill Tipiin baby/
  16. THE RAGE
    16. Posted by THE RAGE Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:52 pm EDT

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    Specter is a punk. I don't care if he's a Senator. He works for us the tax payers and I'm sick of him pissing away our money. He's just trying to put his name out there. I hope he's enjoying his face time. This is an NFL issue and we don't need goverment assistance. Yo Specter it's being handled so try going to work.
  17. brian b
    17. Posted by brian b Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:03 pm EDT

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    Why did Matt Walsh (the filmer) go to the Rams walk through then. That's like Clinton saying I smoked but did not inhale.

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