Article: Goodell would give indemnification to Walsh for materials from Pats' days

[LittleBoyBlue]

Yep...

If it wasn't destroyed, they really wouldn't NEED him to corroborate it, but he definitely could.

If ALL of the evidence was destroyed, then that is when his testimony would become more important. I doubt if all the evidence was destroyed, but if it was then he's about as strong of a witness as you can get.

Wouldnt they NEED him to corroborate it to try and determine the benefit or the competitive advantage gained?

 

[peplaw06]

Wouldnt they NEED him to corroborate it to try and determine the benefit or the competitive advantage gained?

I think the people who can tell us the advantage gained by their cheating would be the players. I guess Walsh can tell us what specifically Belichick wanted him to film, i.e. make sure you get the formations, etc. Or after doing it so many times, did he learn to film specific things... stuff like that.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think the people who can tell us the advantage gained by their cheating would be the players.

I guess Walsh can tell us what specifically Belichick wanted him to film, i.e. make sure you get the formations, etc.

Or after doing it so many times, did he learn to film specific things... stuff like that.

So the destroying of the evidence becomes more of an issue if this guy is for real with his story....

 

[tyke1doe]

Peplaw, here is the story on which I based my position that Goodell would continue to look into this case.

If Pats don't comply with Goodell's order, more sanctions likely coming
By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com

Updated: September 16, 2007, 11:11 AM ET

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has ordered the New England Patriots to turn over all videotape, files and notes relating to all their activity that resulted in the disciplinary action of coach Bill Belichick and the franchise, according to sources familiar with the details of Goodell's private communication with the team, ESPN's Chris Mortensen has learned.


If the Patriots are not compliant, the commissioner is prepared to impose even greater sanctions, the sources said.

Goodell alluded to the league's position when he made his decision public to discipline the Patriots when he stated that the NFL would "review" and "monitor" the team's videotaping procedures, effective immediately. Privately, the commissioner was more specific in his demands and expectations with Patriots owner Robert Kraft when the two men spoke Thursday, sources said.

The action is being taken because Belichick all but conceded to the commissioner that his interpretation of the rules allowed him to use videotape of opposing team hand signals for future games but not on game day, sources said. The commissioner rejected that interpretation and was aware that there had been other incidents involving the Patriots in recent years.

If Goodell discovers that Belichick and the team has copied the files without disclosure to the NFL, the consequences will be significant, sources said.

Chris Mortensen covers the NFL for ESPN.

 

[tyke1doe]

Destruction of evidence material to an "ongoing" investigation is always going to raise scrutiny. No "but"s about it. And rightfully so.

Did Goodell ever explain it like this? I thought he said that he destroyed them because he didn't want them leaked??

I don't know if he said it just like that. But I think it can be inferred from his explanation I put in bold in the information following.
The "leaked" argument was the more prominent one, though.

PHOENIX (AP) - In the face of congressional pressure over destroying evidence from the Spygate scandal, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defended his actions Friday.
Goodell also said he'd be willing to meet with Sen. Arlen Specter, who sent a letter to the commissioner the previous day asking why tapes shot by the New England Patriots in the cheating scandal were destroyed.

"The reason I destroyed the tapes is they were totally consistent with what the team told me," Goodell said during his State of the NFL speech. "It was the appropriate thing to do and I think it sent a message.

"The actual effectiveness of taping and taking of signals from opponents—it is something done widely in many sports. I think it probably had limited, if any effect, on the outcome of games.

"That doesn't change my perspectve on violating rules and the need to be punished."

NFL security confiscated a video camera and tape from a Patriots employee during New England's 38-14 victory over the New York Jets in the season opener. The employee was accused of aiming his camera at the Jets' defensive coaches as they signaled to players on the field.

Goodell fined Belichick $500,000 and docked the team $250,000 and a first-round draft pick. It was the biggest fine ever for a coach and the first time in NFL history a first-round draft pick has been confiscated as a penalty.

Goodell said there were six tapes, some from 2007 preseason games and the rest from 2006. Another reason he destroyed them was one tape was leaked to the media just after the Patriots-Jets game.

"We wanted to take and destroy that information," he said. "They may have collected it within the rules, but we couldn't determine that. So we felt that it should be destroyed."