General

[Listessa]

Nope. I just don't understand the football obsession. I know. Leaves are falling, there's a chill in the air, pumpkins are coming out, and football is getting all big again.

I'm glad I'm away from a lot of the super fans.

[JeremyW]

I'm a pretty hardcore fan, and its because watching the sport is SO damn entertaining. i hardly watched any games as of like 4 years ago until i moved in with my sister and her boyfriend. Her boyfriend would watch any and all football games(from the smallest colleges to the big NFL monday night rivalries).

Well i noticed myself watching more football because of it being the ONLY thing on our TV, and he would have his buddies over and we would drink beer and argue about it. It just grew on me like crazy.

In the coarse of a few seasons i went from watching maybe 2 games a year, to never missing a Ravens game in 3 years(i had to listen to one on the radio because i was in Deleware at a pumpkin-shooting festival, oddly enough there were Ravens fans tailgating next to us blasting it), owning the sunday ticket(coverage of every game), i now play in multiple Fantasy-football leagues, and will argue tooth and nail with a steelers fan - even if its a hot blonde one.

It's fun being apart of something bigger than yourself and getting pumped up on a brisk Sunday with a 12 pack of beer and a couple of Brat's on the grill. =)

[Listessa]

Fair enough. I just can't get into football. It stops way too much.

Hockey starts very very shortly tho.

[ringer706]

Originally Posted by El Gringo

YouTube - Appalachian State University is HOT HOT HOT
New Appalachian State University theme song

Thanks. As if I haven't gotten that enough

[c6quad]

Originally Posted by pb_stud

my Wolverines lose to Appalachan St. from Podunk, Iowa .

hey...easy now... App. St. are National Champs and not unheard of.

[jhyan]

Originally Posted by Listessa

I don't understand how everyone always gets their panties in a twist over football teams.

Yes it's just football teams... it's also a million, perhaps billion dollar industry. These "teams" are just businesses in direct competition with other businesses. If one corporation spied on others secrets and used it to thier advantage, those people would be fined and perhaps in jail... it should be no different in the world of pro sports.

[custar]

Originally Posted by Listessa

I don't understand how everyone always gets their panties in a twist over football teams.

Come to Oklahoma and we can show you. People from "football states" are surprised how closely fans here follow our football. The National Letter of Intent signing day is nearly a half-day state holiday because not much is done until the recruiting class is dissected and analyzed.

I do agree about there being too much stop and go in football. Now futbol isn't life and death; it's much more important than those.

custar

[d4rksabre]

Originally Posted by Listessa

Fair enough. I just can't get into football. It stops way too much.

Hockey starts very very shortly tho.

Wooo hockey! I've been dying since the last game of the finals. Need....hockey....nowww....

[Schmitti]

Back on topic... how was this a violation?

Were they taping for immediate play back and use? The article was not specific on why the taping was against the rules.

As far as I know, games have been taped and watched by teams as part of their training since the sport was first filmed.

E

[JeremyW]

To my understanding it was illegal because its a ''competive integrity'' issue - You can study film of the other team's PLAYS all day - in fact thats what you are sapposed to do.

However, when you have an assistant coach in your organization thats taping the defensive coordinator signalling his defense - it's a whole nother' ball game.

I mean all these guys are linked up VIA head set, so if you have a guy up in your booth thats disecting which signal represents which defensive coverage you are going to look at, well by half-time you have a pretty damn big advantage in the sense that you can; See the signal, interpret that it means 'safety blitz from the strong side' and re-form your offensive line to counter that, get an idea of whos going to be open, etc.

Basically all you need is about a quarter and you can know what the defense is going to do before they do it 80% of the time.

And with the Patriots already having this super-bowl won on paper with the amount of talent in their players and head-coaching, you could see how it would create a monster if this went unnoticed.

I think all teams do SOMETHING shady to gain and edge, but if they get caught for it they deserve whatever they get, and this is one of the bigger edges you can get yourself.

Not to mention this same team and assistant were caught and warned for the same type of thing agains the Packers not too long ago.

My girlfriend and her family are all huge Patriots fans, and they realize that the fine(peanuts when it comes to your average NFL franchise) and draft picks aren't going to hurt as much as the embarassment and the 'ammunition' it gives your apposing teams when you play away games.

I can't wait to see the signs and props fans bring to NE's next away game.