The Boston Globe's Mike Reiss got his hands on part of the transcript of Bill Belichick's interview with CBS Evening News, and he kindly posted it on his blog. Here's what Belichick told interviewer Armen Keteyian when asked about Matt Walsh: "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS AGENDA IS, AGAIN, HE WAS FIRED FOR POOR JOB PERFORMANCE AND FOR AUDIO TAPING HIS SUPERIOR. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CREDIBILITY. YOU KNOW HE'S TRIED TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE WE'RE BUDDIES, AND BELONG TO THE SAME BOOK CLUB AND ALL. THAT'S REALLY A LONG, LONG STRETCH."(I'm not sure if CBS distributes all transcripts in all caps, or if Belichick was yelling. I'm going with the latter, but it's probably worth watching the telecast for verification.)
"FOR HIM TO TALK ABOUT GAME PLANNING AND STATEGY [sic] AND PLAY CALLING AND HOW HE ADVISED COORDINATORS, IT'S EMBARRASING [sic], IT'S ABSURD. HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF FOOTBALL. HE WAS OUR THIRD VIDEO ASSISTANT.'
I can't really blame Belichick for sounding angry -- he's had his good name sullied these past few months -- but I do think it's a bit much to start questioning other people's credibility since, you know, Roger Goodell did fine him $500,000 for cheating.
To Belichick's credit, when questioned about videotaping signals after the NFL's 2006 memo, he offered this response: "I made a mistake. I was wrong. I was wrong." Now all that's left if for senator Arlen Specter to hold a press conference to make sure we don't forget that he's busy attending to the people's business. And by "people" I mean "Comcast", of course.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Fines in pro sports are basically a joke. There's way too much cash at stake for Belly or Kraft to worry about Goodell's fines. Those were likely a drop in the bucket compared to the increased revenue from the playoff games. Goodell din not go far enough re draft choices, suspensions or taking away the titles.
Posted at 7:51PM on May 16th 2008 by don
2. I'm starting to question Matt Walsh's credibility. In one interview he said he was wearing Patriots gear while in the stadium during the Rams walk through. Then I read some where else that during his interview with Roger Goodell, he said he was not in Patriots gear. I'm beginning to think he wasn't even there to begin with. Besides, if he didn't like all the cheating that was going on, he could have quit instead of waiting to get fired. He could have come out with this a long time ago, even after he got fired. Matt Walsh is not wrapped too tight.
Posted at 9:04PM on May 16th 2008 by Tyhesha
3. Ryan,
IT'S REPORTERS LIKE YOU THAT KEEP ALL THIS CRAP JUST GOING AND GOING AND GOING. BELICHICK DID NOT GET FINED $500,000.00 FOR "CHEATING". HE GOT FINED FOE A RULE VIOLATION.
ISN'T PRINTING FALSE, INACCURATE INFORMATION BY A REPORTER A RULE VIOLATION???
AND YES, I AM YELLING!
Posted at 10:36PM on May 16th 2008 by carl
4. I love these Boston people. Its not cheating, it's merely an intentional rule violation. I don't have a copy of the official Boston dictionary, but good old Websters says that when you dishonestly violate rules, you are cheating.
Posted at 11:06PM on May 16th 2008 by Martin
5. Bill Belicheck apologzied for his rule violation and Matt Walsh has his tail between his legs. Arlen Specter better take of the people's business or they will be paybacks during the next election season.
Posted at 12:35AM on May 17th 2008 by George B Vieto
6. I always ask myself why the football experts call Bill (the cheater) Belicheck a great coach. He was the coach of the Cleveland Browns and didn't win anything there. He goes to patriots win a couple superbowls. Better players,along with the cheating,huh no wonder he won games. He has the nerve to say he didn't no he was breaking any rules,come on a coach that been in the the league as long as he has.Without the cheating and players whom are old as dirt you are a average coach.
Posted at 7:45AM on May 17th 2008 by jeff
7. Sorry Pats, your days as super bowl winners are done. Moss doesnt have but 2 years left before going downhill. Your LB's are old as hell. Your top 2 DB's left. This year every team is going to blitz until the cows come home. Brady wont make it the whole year without getting his face smashed in.
Posted at 9:19AM on May 17th 2008 by aaorn W
8. Beli-cheat calling Walsh not credible is like "the pot calling the kettle black"! lol Would love to see him testify in a Judiciary Committee hearing!!!
Have a great day,
Brenda
Posted at 10:22AM on May 17th 2008 by brenda mcconnell
9. There is a little town out west, maybe you've heard of it, it's called Las Vegas. And just in case you were born yesterday, I have to tell you that in Vegas over the course of the last seven years billions of dollars have been wagered on NFL football games. When you add up all the collective betting on football on a global scale it is hundreds of billions of dollars. A lot of people lost a lot of money because of the Pats cheating.
Now,in the gambling world, its called "fixing a game" when organized cheating occurs within a sports franchise. When this happens you leave the rhelm of sports and enter the sleazy world of crime.
Regardless of what Rodger would have us believe, Specter knows that the Pats had a huge advantage from cheating. So would people betting on the game if they knew about the fix. And lots of people knew about the cheating, probably the whole team. So, how many of them were betting on the games? It's not a stretch to think at some point over seven years organized crime might have gotten wind of it. When a horse race or a boxing match is fixed, they don't loose a draft pick, someone goes to jail. I hope Specter gets to ask questions to some people under oath. A LOT OF PEOPLE LOST A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE OF THE PATS CHEATING. you have to realize that cheating in pro sports is something bigger than the sport itself. With the amount of money that goes through gambling transactions, any type of cheating has to be investigated.
Posted at 1:56PM on May 17th 2008 by screenplay
10. There is a little town out west, maybe you've heard of it, it's called Las Vegas. And just in case you were born yesterday, I have to tell you that in Vegas over the course of the last seven years billions of dollars have been wagered on NFL football games. When you add up all the collective betting on football on a global scale it is hundreds of billions of dollars. A lot of people lost a lot of money because of the Pats cheating.
Now,in the gambling world, its called "fixing a game" when organized cheating occurs within a sports franchise. When this happens you leave the rhelm of sports and enter the sleazy world of crime.
Regardless of what Rodger would have us believe, Specter knows that the Pats had a huge advantage from cheating. So would people betting on the game if they knew about the fix. And lots of people knew about the cheating, probably the whole team. So, how many of them were betting on the games? It's not a stretch to think at some point over seven years organized crime might have gotten wind of it. When a horse race or a boxing match is fixed, they don't loose a draft pick, someone goes to jail. I hope Specter gets to ask questions to some people under oath. A LOT OF PEOPLE LOST A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE OF THE PATS CHEATING. you have to realize that cheating in pro sports is something bigger than the sport itself. With the amount of money that goes through gambling transactions, any type of cheating has to be investigated.
Posted at 1:57PM on May 17th 2008 by screenplay
11. Screen play, if you are trying to make a movie, I'm sure it will be a bust.
Do you know anything about vegas? Guess what! I just left there and my family lives there so I know a little bit.
Let's give you a lesson. When you bet on a team you have a 50/50 chance of winning. Vegas posts odds to who the FAVORITE is. In the past 7 years, 90% of the time the pat's were picked as favorites over their opponents. So, you have a choice..you pick the favorite or not. Since the majority of times the favorite does win the odds would dictate that more people lost money when the Pats lost, not won. The odds are determined by how many are picking that team or horse as you put it. So in essence when the pat's were picked 3.5 to 1 to win the Superbowl, that means that 3 1/2 x as many people lost money with or without the points.
If you really need to bring organized crime into this, please apply further posts to the Refs. You will find the real crime there my friend.
P.S. taping signals in plain view with all the opposing teams aware of it for the past 8 years is NOT cheating. Refs purposely not making calls or making bogus calls is. Who do you think could influence the out come of a game more? Think man!
Posted at 11:03PM on May 17th 2008 by carl
12. Martin
I have the Webster's dictionary in my hand and thats not what it says at all.
Perhaps you should re-read it and while you are at it, look up the words biased and fabrication.
Oh by the way, it does make refrence to being dishonest... so I guess that would make you a cheater since you were dishonest about the definition. Also, I live in Texas and don't own a Boston dictionary.
Posted at 11:50PM on May 17th 2008 by carl
13. carl: perhaps you need help using a dictionary. This is from Merriam-Webster's online dictionary. Note that 1b states "to violate rules dishonestly" I look forward to receiving your apology.
Main Entry: 1cheat
Pronunciation: \ˈchēt\
Function: verb
Etymology: 2cheat
Date: 1590
transitive verb
1: to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud
2: to influence or lead by deceit, trick, or artifice
3: to elude or thwart by or as if by outwitting
intransitive verb
1 a: to practice fraud or trickery b: to violate rules dishonestly
2: to be sexually unfaithful —usually used with on
3: to position oneself defensively near a particular area in anticipation of a play in that area
— cheat·er noun
Posted at 9:59AM on May 18th 2008 by Martin