NFL, Walsh Eye Deal for Spygate Material

[Gepetto 989]

NFL, Walsh Eye Deal for Spygate Material

By Dave Goldberg

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Walsh, the former New England Patriots employee said to have tapes of illegal spying by the team, is close to an agreement to turn over information to the NFL.

 

The NFL said in a statement Sunday night that in the last week, lawyers for Walsh and the league have made "substantial progress toward an agreement that will allow Mr. Walsh to be interviewed."

 

"Both sides are optimistic that any remaining issues can be addressed successfully and they are committed to reaching a full agreement as promptly as possible," the statement added.

 

Walsh, a golf pro in Hawaii, has been seeking protection from lawsuits and other legal action, whether by the Patriots or other parties. The two sides have been negotiating for almost a month after reports surfaced just before the Super Bowl that Walsh videotaped a walkthrough practice of the St. Louis Rams before the 2002 title game. It was won by the Patriots 20-17 over the Rams, who were favored by more than two touchdowns.

 

Walsh's lawyer, Michael N. Levy of the Washington firm of McKee Nelson, confirmed Sunday night that an agreement was near.

 

"I have consistently asked the NFL to provide appropriate legal protections for Mr. Walsh," Levy said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

 

"In recent discussions I have had with the league's lawyer, we have made substantial progress toward this end, and I am hopeful that we will be able to craft an agreement with the necessary legal protections so Mr. Walsh can come forward with the truth."

 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said Walsh was not interviewed as part of the league's investigation into "Spygate," which involved the league confiscating tapes from a Patriots employee who recorded the New York Jets' defensive signals from the sideline during the opening game of the 2007 season.

 

Six confiscated tapes and other documents pertaining to the Patriots' taping were subsequently destroyed by the league. Goodell has defended the destruction of the tapes.

 

As a result of that investigation, New England coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and the team was fined $250,000 and forfeited its 2008 first-round draft choice. That pick would have been 31st overall, but New England still has the seventh overall pick, obtained in a trade with San Francisco last year.

 

Goodell has also met with Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who asked pointed questions about taping of both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots beat the Eagles in the 2005 Super Bowl and the Steelers in two AFC championship games.

 

"As commissioner Goodell has repeatedly emphasized, `Nobody wants to hear from Matt Walsh more than the National Football League,' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday night.

 

In addition to the negotiations over Walsh's testimony, Willie Gary, who played in that game for the Rams, filed suit in New Orleans last month accusing the Patriots of fraud, unfair trade practices and engaging in a "pattern of racketeering." Three fans joined in the suit.

 

Specter subsequently said that his interest might be covered by that suit.

 

"I think now that the lawsuits have been started, that I got the ball rolling, and the plaintiffs' lawyers are picking it up," he said.

 

AP

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Based on this article, I think that the Patriots might want to have this exposed and move on as well.

[redtodd 7]

Based on this article, I think that the Patriots might want to have this exposed and move on as well.

 

But fatboy, that article does not make Walsh look reliable. It cannot be true.

[Dan 59]

But fatboy, that article does not make Walsh look reliable. It cannot be true.

 

Having read that, let me ask you this: How does that make him look "unreliable"? Bitter, yes. Unreliable? I think only in the slant that the reporter is trying to create. His having a vengeful motive does not make him unreliable. Now, if he has trash that he has decided to twist himself . . . then, you have a point. But if the stuff he hands over is genuine and incriminating, then no one is going to care about Matt Walsh's motivation in handing it over.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Having read that, let me ask you this: How does that make him look "unreliable"? Bitter, yes. Unreliable? I think only in the slant that the reporter is trying to create. His having a vengeful motive does not make him unreliable. Now, if he has trash that he has decided to twist himself . . . then, you have a point. But if the stuff he hands over is genuine and incriminating, then no one is going to care about Matt Walsh's motivation in handing it over.

 

Did you read the whole article?

 

In addition to identifying reasons why he could not have used the team's equipment, they identified how he could not have shown anyone the tape within the organization and they identified several other situations where he has lied.

[Dan 59]

Did you read the whole article?

 

In addition to identifying reasons why he could not have used the team's equipment, they identified how he could not have shown anyone the tape within the organization and they identified several other situations where he has lied.

 

I will read it again.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

I will read it again.

 

Sorry, but it is long (6 pages online).

[Dan 59]

Read it again. I think I missed a couple pages the first time.

 

Fair point, then, regarding him. That article certainly opens up questions about his character, although a lot of what is said comes directly from Patriots' employees, who also stand to gain by his being defamed. The friend from college speaks more to his character, I think.

 

If these things are true, then they bring him into question. The material point, though, would still be any tapes that he possesses. Regardless of Walsh's character, those tapes would be damaging to the Patriots. I'm not sure the "unauthorized videotaping" argument will work in the court of Roger Goodell, given that they are already under the gun, but who knows. This is officially as muddy as you ever want it to get.

[DankNuggs 305]

The sensationalism is caused by reports he taped the Rams superbowl.... there is strong evidence that this was both impossible, and that an eye witness stated that Walsh had said he 'wished' he had taped it...

 

This guy is a glory seeker, whose biggest impact would be to surface material the league already has and disposed of.

 

This is just fallout.

[duece2626 0]

Gotta love the Pats fans still in denial......

[MTSkiBum 1,597]

How come the teams the coaches and players that the patriots "cheated" arent complaining.

 

 

 

BECAUSE THEY CHEATED TOO

[CheeseCake 0]

How come the teams the coaches and players that the patriots "cheated" arent complaining.

BECAUSE THEY CHEATED TOO

 

That's not the point.

 

The point is that I dislike Belichick, Brady and Moss so I want that organization to go up in flames.

[cowboyz 2]

Based on this article, I think that the Patriots might want to have this exposed and move on as well.

 

To some, a vindictive videotaper

Patriots ex-aide and accuser Walsh portrayed as calculating, bitter

 

lol what a joke. that must've been co-authored by roger 'patsfan' goodell

[bno70_1 0]

Quite a smear campaign.

Hopefully Goodell doesn't destroy the tapes before letting people know what was on them again.

[bushy 0]

How come the teams the coaches and players that the patriots "cheated" arent complaining.

 

Mangini complained. They got caught.

 

Martz has also been pretty vocal about getting this investigated.

[NewbieJr 540]

The material point, though, would still be any tapes that he possesses. Regardless of Walsh's character, those tapes would be damaging to the Patriots. I'm not sure the "unauthorized videotaping" argument will work in the court of Roger Goodell, given that they are already under the gun, but who knows.

When you are caught red-handed and have no way out of the physical evidence, there's nothing else to do but to try to show the producer-of-said-evidence to be unreliable and untrustworthy.

 

This is all playing out as any similar case would. Lawyers all react teh same way when they're backed into a corner. This is textbook.

[bno70_1 0]

When you are caught red-handed and have no way out of the physical evidence, there's nothing else to do but to try to show the producer-of-said-evidence to be unreliable and untrustworthy.

 

This is all playing out as any similar case would. Lawyers all react teh same way when they're backed into a corner. This is textbook.

Bingo.

In the face of incriminating evidence, you attack the character of the evidence presenter.

See: Roger Clemens.

[parrot 789]

When you are caught red-handed and have no way out of the physical evidence, there's nothing else to do but to try to show the producer-of-said-evidence to be unreliable and untrustworthy.

 

This is all playing out as any similar case would. Lawyers all react teh same way when they're backed into a corner. This is textbook.

 

Yeah, great point, other than the fact that there is ZERO physical evidence having to do with Matt Walsh at this point.

[cblue 0]

*

[NewbieJr 540]

Yeah, great point, other than the fact that there is ZERO physical evidence having to do with Matt Walsh at this point.

Stick around. The Pats aren't berating Walsh for nothing.

[parrot 789]

Stick around. The Pats aren't berating Walsh for nothing.

 

Right, I forgot, he has the smoking gun, but we have to wait for these complex legal issues to play themselves out.

[Me_2006 14]

Discredit him all you want, and he may very well be lying.

 

 

BUT

 

 

Does the fact that McNamee is a slimeball mean Clemens is clean?

[The Moz 69]

If the glove don't fit must you acquit ?

[murf74 461]

Discredit him all you want, and he may very well be lying.

BUT

Does the fact that McNamee is a slimeball mean Clemens is clean?

[jaxjag 43]

To some, a vindictive videotaper

Patriots ex-aide and accuser Walsh portrayed as calculating, bitter

 

lol what a joke. that must've been co-authored by roger 'patsfan' goodell

 

 

As a Cowboy fan, I hope you know that Jimmy Johnson admitted to using video of defensive signals but didn't see much benefit from it.

[wienerpop 0]

hmm, so mangini didnt mind benefiting from taping when he was on the team but if he has to face them twice in the division then he needs all the help he can get. think mangini would have said anything had he went to the nfc and only had the prospect of playing them once, maybe?

[three out of four 0]

Discredit him all you want, and he may very well be lying.

BUT

Does the fact that McNamee is a slimeball mean Clemens is clean?

 

 

McNamee didn't feel the need to ask for complete immunity for telling his story.

[Gepetto 989]

McNamee didn't feel the need to ask for complete immunity for telling his story.

 

Injecting someone with Anabolic Steroids without a prescription is a little different than taping an opponent at the instruction of your employer. I can't blame Walsh for not wanting to get sued. The only reason he could get sued is because the court system is so screwed up in this country that anyone can sue anyone for practically anything for any amount.

[three out of four 0]

Injecting someone with Anabolic Steroids without a prescription is a little different than taping an opponent at the instruction of your employer. I can't blame Walsh for not wanting to get sued. The only reason he could get sued is because the court system is so screwed up in this country that anyone can sue anyone for practically anything for any amount.

 

Are you referring to that ridiculous class-action lawsuit against the Pats that just died?

[bushy 0]

McNamee didn't feel the need to ask for complete immunity for telling his story.

 

He should have because he's now paying thousands in legal bills.

[bushy 0]

Are you referring to that ridiculous class-action lawsuit against the Pats that just died?

 

The case is not dead. All parties still have the option to refile the case. It is merely being withdrawn until the lawyers get a chance to hear from Walsh.

[three out of four 0]

He should have because he's now paying thousands in legal bills.

 

Now? He was paying legal fees before for getting caught up in the Radomski mess. Immunity would have protected him against a lawsuit but no one has sued him yet anyways. Besides, this guy is a scumbag so who cares.

[three out of four 0]

The case is not dead. All parties still have the option to refile the case. It is merely being withdrawn until the lawyers get a chance to hear from Walsh.

 

Are you really that naive? If so, I have some land in Florida I've been trying to unload, I mean sell.

[IGotWorms 3,339]

If there isn't anything to the Spygate scandal, why did the Pats feel the need to throw the Superbowl? That's what I wanna know.

[parrot 789]

The case is not dead. All parties still have the option to refile the case. It is merely being withdrawn until the lawyers get a chance to hear from Walsh.

 

Which just points out how ridiculous this lawsuit was. The Globe reported an uncorroborated story from an anonymous source that the Pats had filmed the Rams walkthrough. Lawyers made the leap that Walsh was the source and ran with a lawsuit. Now they say they're dropping the lawsuit because they believe Walsh will plead the fifth, even though lawyers for both sides are supposedly working on a deal for him to tell his story. And, plead the focking fifth? For what? Misdemeanor theft that has likely already passed its statute of limitations anyway? What a load of bullsh!t. They're dropping the lawsuit because they had no grounds for a lawsuit in the first place.

[bushy 0]

Now? He was paying legal fees before for getting caught up in the Radomski mess. Immunity would have protected him against a lawsuit but no one has sued him yet anyways. Besides, this guy is a scumbag so who cares.

 

If he was a part of the Pats cheating ways, he will be a party to a potential lawsuit, not to mention that he'd need counsel should have to testify at any time.

 

He's a scumbag because he said something derogatory about the Pats, right??

 

BTW, where in Florida is your land...I've been looking.

[Snoopy1 0]

Did you read the whole article?

 

In addition to identifying reasons why he could not have used the team's equipment, they identified how he could not have shown anyone the tape within the organization and they identified several other situations where he has lied.

 

 

Are you talking about this?

 

A league source said NFL investigators found two practical reasons why the Patriots could not have used their video equipment to tape the Rams the day before the Super Bowl. First, the team's video crew did not take any battery packs to the Superdome because they planned only to set up the equipment, not to use it.

 

 

Having worked in video production for nearly 10 years now, I find this statement very hard to believe.

[NewbieJr 540]

A league source said NFL investigators found two practical reasons why the Patriots could not have used their video equipment to tape the Rams the day before the Super Bowl. First, the team's video crew did not take any battery packs to the Superdome because they planned only to set up the equipment, not to use it.

 

[three out of four 0]

If he was a part of the Pats cheating ways, he will be a party to a potential lawsuit, not to mention that he'd need counsel should have to testify at any time.

 

He's a scumbag because he said something derogatory about the Pats, right??

 

BTW, where in Florida is your land...I've been looking.

 

We were talking about McNamee - Walsh wasn't part of the Radomski mess. I was calling McNamee a scumbag.

[ROCKET 0]

What exacly is Walsh asking for in terms of immunity? The Pats have already stated that Walsh has no confidentiality agreement with the team. He has nothing to worry about, just testify and get it over with. Me thinks he likes dragging out his day in the sun. Too bad he will be cast back into obscurity after he milks this out.