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Thoughts on Spygate, John Tomase, Future
Now that Matt Walsh has said he will turn over eight stolen tapes to the NFL which show the Patriots filming the defensive signals of opposing coaches during the 2001 season, what is going to happen to Bill Belichick and the Pats? Here are some thoughts:
- It seems the Pats have avoided the H-bomb which would have been a tape of the Rams walk-through before Super Bowl XXXVI. Walsh’s lawyer said the former video assistant was not the source for JOHN TOMASE’S article just days before the super bowl (link is here but you can only read the first few lines because the Herald charges for archived items, smart move). As a journalist I can see how Tomase may have thought he was breaking the big story and didn’t want to sit on it until after the Super Bowl. But with the possibility of vindication from an unnamed source comes the consequence when it turns out to be false. BTW, here’s good article talking about the situation between the Pats and the Boston Herald.
- Tomase will say, “I trusted my source, made a judgment call and it turned out to be wrong.” The question should be asked whether or not he had more than one source, otherwise it seems like very shoddy reporting from a so called top echelon journalist.
- It’s interesting to note that the New York Times first broke the story of these new tapes to be handed over by Walsh, yet at the time I write this post there isn’t a mention of it on the New York Post sports homepage, a paper which ripped the Patriots for the possibility of a Rams tape.
- Most importantly, what happens to the Pats now? Did the NFL knew these tapes existed? It seems so as an NFL spokesman released this statement last night through email to Boston.com: “This is consistent with what the Patriots had admitted they had been doing, consistent with what we already knew,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an e-mail last night.” Thanks to the Globe for the quote.
- If the Pats had already disclosed the taping of these games from ‘01 and ‘02, then nothing should happen to Belichick and the Pats. However, if they didn’t disclose these, I could see a one year suspension for Bill and after that it would be tough for owner Bob Kraft to keep Belichick as the coach.
- Here’s my question which I’m sure will be asked: What happened between 2002 and 2006 where apparently the Pats didn’t tape anyone. Why did they tape in ‘01, ‘02, ‘06 and ‘07 but the not the years in between? The plot continues to thicken…
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Belichick has already admitted to taping since 2000 including ‘03, ‘04 and ‘05. I beleive the confusion is that he said that he had not kept any of the tapes prior to 2006. The only ones that seem to exist are the ones the washed up golf pro Walsh has.
From ESPN:
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement:
“There are tapes of five opponents in six games between the 2000 and 2002 seasons,” the statement said. “The tapes are consistent with the findings of our prior investigation. There are no tapes of any opponent walk-throughs, no Super Bowl tapes, none of that.
“So, again, these are tapes of opponents’ coaching signals. It’s what we already knew and, as [ESPN] reported back in September, Belichick admitted to the commissioner [Roger Goodell] that he had engaged in this practice dating back to 2000.”
There is nothing that Walsh claims to have to warrant any further punishment. This looks like a done deal !
It’s about time.
Specifically, what happens to Tomase? Can he be fired? And can the Pat’s not allow him or the Herald access? Is that possible?
I don’t think he’ll be fired, mostly because he’ll stick to his source (and we’ll probably never know who that was). At most, he can write a correction note IF he feels he was in the wrong.
Again, if he went on one source’s word and that person was not Matt Walsh, then he should be held accountable.
As far as the Herald goes, they can deny the media credential if they want, but probably won’t. The organization should and will take the high ground and not punish the Herald as a whole, but best of luck to “Big John” getting an exclusive with anyone on the team next season.
John Tomase should be fired, period!! His false story was a distraction to Patriot team officials and coach Belichick and may have influenced Super Bowl preparations. He bears responsibility for the team’s lack of focus and eventual loss. Fire him, fire him, fire him!