Cowher dismisses impact of 'Spygate'

[Shoes]

PITTSBURGH -- Bill Cowher has a message for Pittsburgh Steeler fans who think their team was cheated out of a trip to the Super Bowl 10 years ago: Get over it.


http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/4294/cowher-dismisses-impact-of-spygate

[Godfather]

He's probably right. Ben was a rookie and hadn't had a break in over a year (the offseason was spent on Pro Day. the combine, all-star games, minicamp, etc.) His arm was a noodle by the AFCCG.

[fansince'76]

Sure, Bill. There was nothing to it. That's why they lost a first round draft pick, the coach got fined a half a mil, the owner got fined a quarter of a mil, and the commissioner DESTROYED THE EVIDENCE.

:coffee:

[Shoes]

Sure, Bill. There was nothing to it. That's why they lost a first round draft pick, the coach got fined a half a mil, the owner got fined a quarter of a mil, and the commissioner DESTROYED THE EVIDENCE.

:coffee:


:chuckle:

[Dwinsgames]

what is he supposed to say about a " fraternity brother " ?

if he had said it probably did effect the outcome the entire " free" world would have said Cowher is crying about 10 years ago or he has a case of sour grapes blah blah blah ....

problem is these sort of questions can not be answered honestly by anyone closely associated with the game or ulterior motives are suggested , and nobody else can answer it with enough insight to make a story people will click on

[fansince'76]

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/Pulling-No-Punches/June-2011/Roger-Goodell-Thinks-We-Are-All-Idiots/Comical-Ali-Goodell.jpg

"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."

[Seven]

the commissioner DESTROYED THE EVIDENCE.

I've never understood destroying evidence in any situation. Unless it's cause for some logistical issue, getting rid of evidence in the realm of football or something more serious, is rather stupid. Who knows when it might be valuable to revisit. I've had my hands on material of evidentiary value before and have never, not once, even years after it was useful, said "yeah, might as well just go ahead and destroy that." It makes absolutely no sense.

That's what has always bothered me about Goodell destroying those tapes. What the hell was on there? Surely he must have realized at the time that destroying them would be even more damning than releasing them, right? I mean, as long as what we've been told was on there was actually the case. Goodell seems sort of aloof but he's not dumb. Just by default, you almost have to believe the offences committed by the Patriots were worse than we were told. Otherwise, why the hell would you destroy the evidence?

If we've been told the truth, I really don't care all that much about "spygate." But it was an interesting part of football history. Those tapes should be in Canton, not burnt and buried.

[Shoes]

I wonder when Bill got over it?

[NCSteeler]

what is he supposed to say about a " fraternity brother " ?

if he had said it probably did effect the outcome the entire " free" world would have said Cowher is crying about 10 years ago or he has a case of sour grapes blah blah blah ....

problem is these sort of questions can not be answered honestly by anyone closely associated with the game or ulterior motives are suggested , and nobody else can answer it with enough insight to make a story people will click on

Exactly what is he supposed to say. He is now essentially paid by the league, works day in and day out with the league and coaches. If he lambastes him , he gets no love from a lot of coaches and he sounds whiny. Did all teams try and steal signals? well no shit, of course they did, but did all teams use illegal video equipment? NO Did all teams have a guy on staff just to steal signals or tape video? NOt likely Were all teams so Fing arrogant to continue after many warnings? No

All we need to know is our players(Hines) thought the Pats stole our signals , LONG before Spygate was a word. Hines knew in postgame interviews that something wasn't right. Hopefully someday an X cheating Pat will need the money enough to write a book and only then will we know the depth of it.

[T&B fan]

Hopefully someday an X cheating Pat will need the money enough to write a book and only then will we know the depth of it.

oh please let it be soon

[Steelerette]

I'm not convinced they're not still doing it. Every year they have a few games where they get hammered in the first half but just have a miraculous second half.

When they Patriots play a team that plays a very conservative first half and opens up their playbook in the second half, that's when they get beat.

Or when they play a team that actually hits them. They can't handle that well.

It's very consistent. In the past 5 years, any Patriots Loss, the last time the team that beat them scored more than 17 first half points was the 2009 Saints (24 points). And since then 17 only happened 3 times. 2010 Browns, 2011 Steelers, 2012 49ers. Those were certainly teams that "hit" the Patriots. All the Patriots other losses the team that beat them scored very few first half points. i.e. there was not good stuff for Belichick to spy on.

This season, 2013 season including playoffs:

When the Pats are ahead at the half:
1st half points: 173
2nd half points: 136*
Record: 8-2 (Losses: NYJ OT, Miami)
*in the Steelers game the Steelers tied it at 24-all mid 3rd quarter. The Pats responded with 31 more points.

When the Pats are tied at the half:
1st half points: 13
2nd half points: 23
Record: 1-1 (Loss: Cincinnati)

When the Pats are trailing at the half:
1st half points: 16 (3, 3, 0, 7, 0, 3)
2nd half points: 139 (24, 17, 31, 27, 27, 13)
Record: 4-2 (losses: Carolina, AFC Championship)

Not until the AFC Championship did any team that beat the Patriots in 2013 score more than 10 first half points.

As Bugs Bunny once said, somethin' screwy's going on around here...

[plenewken]

Being fined is not the proof that spying gave the Patriots an advantage. Lots of coaches and players switch teams also, does that constitute an illegal advantage when they explain their former team's playbook and signals?
I don't like the Pats but I never thought "spygate" was a such big deal.

By the way, the Pats went to the SB before and AFTER "Spygate", just sayin.........

[fansince'76]

Being fined is not the proof that spying gave the Patriots an advantage. Lots of coaches and players switch teams also, does that constitute an illegal advantage when they explain their former team's playbook and signals?
I don't like the Pats but I never thought "spygate" was a such big deal.

By the way, the Pats went to the SB before and AFTER "Spygate", just sayin.........

If there was absolutely no benefit from it, why'd they risk the discipline they finally did wind up getting for seven years?

[plenewken]

If there was absolutely no benefit from it, why'd they risk the discipline they finally did wind up getting for seven years?

Cowher also said that every team pretty much did the same. The Pats got fined because they were the dominant team back then. IMO, "Spygate" was another BS idea of Herr Goodell.

[Bluecoat96]

I respectfully disagree. Cowher did say that every team tries to steal signals. I think there's a huge difference between just watching signals and trying to decipher them and actually videotaping signals to study them for advantage. Of course, we'll never know what was on the tapes, since Heir Goodhell had the evidence destroyed.

[Bluecoat96]

Can't usually stand T.O., but I loved this celebration. I thought it was appropriate given the present topic.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/20/hytuhy9a.jpg

[T&B fan]

If there was absolutely no benefit from it, why'd they risk the discipline they finally did wind up getting for seven years?

and then add , when some of the other coaches at NE at time left to go other teams . they tried to do the same thing at their new teams ? if it gave you no benefit you would not try to do it or other things like it .

as was stated on this thread already I IMO think NE is still doing something agents the rules . the big dummy from Cleveland some how became the genius in NE ,over night .