ESPN - Wait: The allegations against Mickey Loomis make no sense? How on earth is that? How is the notion of no value that Loomis, the GM of the New Orleans Saints, had electronic access to the real-time, in-game conversations of rival coaching staffs? Ask the NFL why it has rules to prevent that kind of stuff in the first place. It is because such access would be of incredible value. How is it that so many rush forward so quickly to explain that Loomis wouldn't understand the lexicon of coaching well enough to help the Saints gain an edge in a game? The Saints play their divisional opponents twice a season, every season. Every scrap of information is critical. The edge is so obvious, you'd have to be willfully ignorant not to see it. Of course the Saints would benefit from such a system. Of course it's against the rules...As to what Loomis could or could not decipher from among another team's complex set of play calls and jargon, it's almost entirely irrelevant. It pales next to the idea that if you can eavesdrop on something, you can record it. If you can record it, you can review it. You can decode the jargon. You can store information for the games to come.
Holy shit, someone at ESPN gets it! HALLELUJAH! Look, ESPN should be embarrassed, nay, that's not strong enough, EMBARRASSED for Schlereth and Polians initial stance on this matter (in fact, I'm pretty sure they are, since I couldn't find that clip anywhere on their site after it was front page yesterday).
How is it that so many rush forward so quickly to explain that Loomis wouldn't understand the lexicon of coaching well enough to help the Saints gain an edge in a game?
My thoughts exactly, Mark Kreidler
Polian, firstly, is the last person who should be giving unbiased opinions on anything related to front office issues...the guy is like 4 months removed from his own front office job. To say he might be partial towards certain teams and individuals is an understatement.
And Schlereth? To directly compare this to stealing hand signals (so talking about the Patriots and Spygate, without actually talking about the Patriots and spygate), and say this is less of an offense, is the SINGLE MOST LAUGHABLE EVENT ON TELEVISED ESPN HISTORY.
Yes Schlereth, that minimum wage intern recording hand signals from the stands went back during the 20 minute halftime, decoded them, and brought his dossier of intel to the coaching staff...That's more likely than a guy listening in on opposing coaches mic's while sitting right next to the coaching staff in their booth, gaining an advantage? Or, I don't know, recording those conversations and using them in the future? This right here, sums it up:
Of course the Saints would benefit from such a system. Of course it's against the rules...As to what Loomis could or could not decipher from among another team's complex set of play calls and jargon, it's almost entirely irrelevant. It pales next to the idea that if you can eavesdrop on something, you can record it. If you can record it, you can review it. You can decode the jargon. You can store information for the games to come.
Sports media watching types are going to have a field day in the coming weeks trying to keep track of all the people who ripped the Patriots for spygate, and seeing how they react to the Saints own, technologically advanced method. And the same goes for Goodell and the front office. If this is confirmed through reliable sources he has to act. It doesn't matter that you just imposed some pretty hefty sanctions not even a month ago for their previous scandal. You have to act. More fines, more lost draft choices, and maybe, longer suspensions (for Loomis in this case).
