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Specter may call congressional hearing to Pats spygate
By Scary Barry February 7, 2008 |
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HONOLULU--Senator Arlen Specter (R- Penn) and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet next week to discuss allegations of spying by the New England Patriots and their video taping of the New York Jets defensive coaches as they signaled players previous to the September 9th opener. Specter also wants to find out more from former videographer Matt Walsh if he may have evidence into the Pats spying on the St. Louis Rams walk through previous to Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002. Walsh and NFL attorneys discussed the evidence packages on Thursday on what Walsh had on the video tapes concerning the Rams walk through video. Goodell has also dismissed this case but said he's keeping the investigation open in the event some new evidence comes up. "My guess is that they probably taped over those. That's what they usually do in tape departments and video departments,” said Goodell. “There were notes to reflect that they usually have done that. We asked for anything that could have been done in consistent with our policy with respect to taping. They certified that's what they gave us." Specter was not satisfied as to the Commissioner's response and dismissal of spy gate and has said that the Patriots games maybe tainted and that the public and football fans at large may have duped into thinking that the Patriots have been playing a clean game all along. "Who knows," said Specter, there might be more games tainted and spoiled due to spying and Specter has hinted at questioning not only Goodell and Walsh under oath but now is considering bringing in members of the New England Patriots including and not limited to quarterback Tom Brady, Randy Moss and others if necessary as to what they knew about video taping and spying on other teams. Specter has also considered interviewing the defensive staff of the New York Jets and the 2002 St. Louis Rams and there might be more teams coming concerning what they know about spy gate. San Francisco 49ers newest offensive coordinator Mike Martz who coached that 2002 Rams Super Bowl team has only said that until he's called by the Commissioner or Specter, he's not commenting on what he knows about the Patriots spying on his team. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick says he won't talk about it and as far as he's concerned the commissioner and the NFL have dismissed the case. The big issue now is that Specter wants to ask Goodell why he ordered the six video tapes concerning spying on the Jets by the Patriots destroyed. Goodell after finding out that one of the six video tapes were leaked to the press he then ordered all tapes destroyed and notes relating to spy gate on the Jets being video taped. Belichick was fined $500,000 and the Pats $250,000 for spying and after he meted out the punishments Goodell said the case was closed. Specter said the commissioner should have saved the video tapes and notes pertaining to the Jets for the NFL's records. Specter has said that it is possible that there maybe a larger cover up to the Patriots spying and the evidence was destroyed and the public duped. Specter may call other Patriots players under oath and not limited to players like Tom Brady and Randy Moss a NFL source disclosed. If Patriot players are called and it becomes evident that they cheated and duped the public at large by spying Specter may put others under oath and question the defensive members of the New York Jets, and the 2002 St. Louis Rams as to what they might know about their teams being spied on. While Belichick has admitted to spying the Patriots have said that those were the only time against the Jets. Specter is trying to find out if there were more teams. Members of the New England Patriots who are at the Pro Bowl this week here in Honolulu have refused to discuss spy gate at all. Scary Barry is covering the 2008 Pro Bowl and is covering his fourth Pro Bowl of his broadcast career. |
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