Exclusive: Belichick Talks On Spy-Gate

CBS News: New England Patriots Coach Breaks Silence On Videotape Scandal

(CBS)  It was one of the biggest sports stories of the year: the New England Patriots, caught video-taping a rival team's coaches as they sent signals to their players. This week, a former employee said the Patriots had been doing it for years. Now, the team's head coach is answering back, in an exclusive interview with CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian.

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In the latest episode of the NFL's "Spy-gate," a defiant Bill Belichick decided to break his silence today to challenge the charges and motives of former Patriot's video operator Matt Walsh.

"There was no deception," Belichick said.

It was Walsh who shot video during Belichick's first two seasons in New England in 2000 and 2001. He went public this week, calling the coach "arrogant." Walsh claims Belichick's contention that he just "misinterpreted" the rules was false and that the taping was actually a deliberate, illicit scheme by the Patriots to cheat their way to victory.

Today, in an exclusive interview with CBS News, Belichick fired back at Walsh's.

"I don't know what his agenda is, and again, he was fired for poor job performance," Belichick said. "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. And that's really a long, long stretch."

Belichick says Walsh was in no position to know.

"For him to talk about game-planning and strategy and play-calling and how he advised co-ordinators, is - it's embarrassing; it's absurd," Belichick said. "He didn't have any knowledge of football. He was our third video assistant."

During Walsh's entire time with the team, Belichick said he operated under the belief that the NFL's bible - its constitution and bylaws - allowed taping as long as it wasn't used to aid a team during the playing of a game.

He says Walsh was instructed to shoot the game, including hand signals, in plain sight, wearing Patriots gear. And he provided the video to the league - and CBS News - as evidence.

"Why would Matt Walsh say he was told by his superiors to avoid detection, not wear Patriots clothing, and to lie about what he was shooting?" Keteyian asked Belichick.

"I never told anybody to do that," Belichick said. "All I can tell you is what the facts are. You look at the tape. You see him filming the game. You tell me how discreet it is."

Belichick acknowledged when the rule was clarified by the league in September, 2006 - outlawing "videotaping of any type" during a game, he stepped over the line.

"Bill, you got the memo," Keteyian said. "I mean, you couldn't be any more clear than…"

"I made a mistake," Belichick said. "I was wrong. I was wrong."

In the end, "spy-gate" will not likely be remembered for illegal tapes or even Matt Walsh, but for its impact on the legacy of a three-time Super Bowl champion coach and how his team achieved greatness.

"People have said you flat-out cheated," Keteyian said. "What do you say to those people?"

"What I've said to you," Belichick said. "I told you the truth."

[Emme94]

I watched the interview. It must be great to be Mr Walsh right now. He can say ANYTHING he wants about the Patriots and they can''t do a thing about it. No law suits for slander, liable...NOTHING. Yea, shoot your mouth off bud...someone will get you (in a legal sense). And to the Rams coach... thank you very much for your statement. It was very classy.

[kansas1946]

The only thing I can''t believe about this is that congress thinks they need to be involved in it. With all of the problems we have in this country, health care, the war, fuel prices, a recession, etc., I can not belive that congress would waste five minutes on someone vidio-taping signals for a football game. It is insane.

[khdesign]

Does he think people are stupid?

As a third video assistant, you would assume that he was more likely than not to do as he was told, videotape the opposing teams hand signals, etc., without question. The fact that he was a third video assistant makes it even more likely that he was highly supervised. A more experienced video staffer probably would have questioned it. The fact that he did it in plain sight gave the Patriots their out in case they were caught, and could plead ignorance.

So you tell me that Walsh just went around videotaping, and nobody really noticed what he was doing? You tell me that the video he shot was never viewed by the coaching staff? If if they did, in all the numerous times it was viewed, nobody said, this is wrong?

Coach Belichick certainly is arrogant.

[taylor2124]

Just-a-mom, I get your point, but think about this harder.
There are always consequences for shooting off your mouth in public such as Walsh did. I mean, what team or company would now be crazy enough to offer Walsh a job, now that he has done this? Public disloyalty and whistleblowing does NOT make you someone that people want to hire. He will pay for this a long time.

[khdesign]

I don''t envy the wistleblower. If what your are saying is false, it certainly makes no sense to do such a thing, since it could negatively affect your life. But remember those whistleblowers, who everyone thought - why would they take that risk? Enron, Major League Baseball and Steroids. It was the right thing to do. I don''t think personal gain was their motivation.

[fldodreams1]

To KHDesign: When did Belichick ever deny the staff knew what he was doing. He''s readily admitted that according to their interpretation, it was ok to video signals so long as they were not used to gain advantage, as it stated in the league rules, IN THAT GAME! He admitted it. They studied the tendencies. Its part of coaching! 70,000 people in a given stadium are privvy to the same signals. This is not a case of hijacking the frequency used to send in signals. Its a coach, who has a history of being a relentless studier of tendencies. Just as a batter studies a pitcher''s tendencies, to know that he throws a breaking ball 75% of the time after a 1st pitch fastball strike. Why do you think that the many coaches, many retired HOF''ers, have shrugged this off as "no big deal"? Because everyone is doing it in one sense or another. But Belichick stepped over the gray (hoodie) area and the team paid dearly.

[sgtrds-e4]

kansas1946

I agree. To them this is important? It should even be taken as a serious news story, let alone require any congressional attention. Kick this "story" back to the sports section where it belongs.

[georgew1956]

whart are you george a sports writer they seem to get
orgasums when talking trash it makes good reading and pays the bills well anybody can see the patriots had the talent and coach bill didn''t need a cheet sheet or anything else. sports writers are the scum. bahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

[cdfoxtrot]

So..... in the entire world, this is the #1 story right now, says the (tabloid) editors of CBS.

[dennisjr6]

It doesn''t surprise that this behaviour happens....

[kyanna1]

go bill! we love you here in new england!all the teams video tape,you just got caught! so what!you are the best coach in the nfl!

[wogerwabbit]

All''s fair in love and war... and if anything symbolizes war, it''s football. Don''t you just love it!?

I can''t believe this trival poop is on the front page. This is not news, this is media hype hoping for the next big scandle. I wish the media would just report the news instead of selling it.

[gristlelips]

Really. This is front page news?!? With earthquakes, elections, cyclones, a WAR!!??

Really who gives a furry, flying f*ck?

[gristlelips]

Here''s real news --- Mariah Carrey got married!!

[haoli25]

The Patriots would never have cheated if Bush-Cheney had not been in office. It''s not Bill''s fault.

[harp1963]

Everyday it becomes more and more obvious why the Food Channel is my favorite form of entertainment. It''s real and honest. Either you cook well or you don''t and 99.9% seem to be in the business of food because they love to make others happy. It''s not about fame and fortune, world domination, taking advantage of the least of our brother, or cheating.

[jerrysohorni]

HTML

[duckjobking]

18-1* *caught cheating. When they tried to win it the right way, they lost. Maybe Tom Brady should just stick to having *** children, he seems to be MVP of that

[duckjobking]

* illegitimate children

[fstop100]

Cheaters and liars should be punished. Set an example for our children!

[jmtrops]

Why is it we are only focused on Belichek for cheating and all the other cheaters get a free pass? Isn''t taking steroids cheating also? Those players get a huge competitive edge for a long time even after they have stopped taking them. So every game they play they are cheating. How many super bowls were afected by roiding players? Why does nobody care about this cheating?

[zenda2]

Walsh is a jaded employee who wants everyone to believe he was more important than he really was. He was a flunky who got fired and is laying out the payback. Why is his credibility put at such a high level? There are all sorts of recording devices all over the field including 70,000 pairs of eyes.

As a hardcore football fan I would be more worried about investigating the Colts pumping in sound. What about players who are cut from teams that still possess playbooks? Not much is or can be hidden on a PUBLIC football field!

[mecury69]

The NFL has one (if not the) toughest drug and substance abuse policies in sports. You have seen NFL players suspended for years for abuse.

To question past Super Bowls as ''tainted'' somehow is non-nonsensical. There has never evidence that steroids became a ''wide spread'' problem. While some players no doubt abused, do not confuse that with the disaster Baseball has had to deal with (just wait for the shoe to drop on pot smoking in the NBA).

In the NFL, the owners and management run the league as it should be, unlike Baseball and the NBA where the players hold the cards.

[libsblow]

Yo

[crater7]

fstop100 at 07:31; wrote; Cheaters and lairs should be punished. Set an example for our children!


GREAT STATEMENT. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. THE PROBLEM IS, IF WE PUNISH ALL THE LIARS AND CHEATERS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY POLITICAL CANDIDATES TO BASH DURNING ELECTION YEAR. BUT HEY, WE HAVE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE. GOOD LUCK.

GOD "BLESS" AMERICA. NOT "G D" AMERICA.

[walker1209]

Why is it that the Commish comes down with both feet on players (and he should) - but this creep basically gets a pass? This is a wealthy man as is the owner of this team. What amounts to a financial slap on the wrist and a future draft choice is not enough for this fan. His Smugness should suffer the humiliation of being set down for at least six games in the coming season. I bet that would have some deterence on those who cheat!

[nonayabiness]

Am I getting this right? A person filmed games where signals were given in public view, and there is something wrong with this? Or, was this someone working for both sides who shot inside footage of one team to deliver it to the other, being paid by both? This, I see as a conflict.

[nonayabiness]

Cheaters and liars should be punished. Set an example for our children!


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Posted by fstop100 at 07:31 AM : May 17, 2008

-Yes, fstop100 I agree. I have a 5 and a half month old son, first child. I want him to have compassion and treat all people fairly and be a great example of humanity and leadership. That''s what I want for his future, to instill good values.

However, society doesn''t always reward good values, so while I will teach him how to treat others respectfully, I will also teach him how to watch his back. Unfortunately, that''s the way it is in this day and time. We would hope just being a wonderful human being would be enough, but unfortunately, we also have to be on guard from others who care not about good, solid values.

[nonayabiness]

Let''s bring some positive light to this discussion.

Let''s not forget the softball tournament recently where the one team in the field carried the other team''s home run hitter around the bases after she hurt herself and could not run after slamming it over the wall.

This was the epitome of sportsmanship. I nearly cry every time I see the video on You Tube. Just beautiful.

Turned out this was the only over the fence home run the hitter had ever hit, and being her senior year, in a tournament, it was so very special for her. Her own team was unable to help her because of the rules. So the other team came in and gave her what she rightfully earned.

Both teams are winners in my book. There CAN be something to be said for moral victories.

[cdfoxtrot]

This is news???

[jamestowncbs]

The Giants Win the Super Bowl
The Giants Won the Super Bowl
"It''s gotta hurt, Tom Brady, the Patriots fans, Coach
Belichick going into the Super Bowl undefeated and unable to beat the New York Giants. I think the Super Bowl was the best Super Bowl of all time, and the best win in that no team had ever come into the game undefeated, and the way the Giants won that game it exceeded Joe Montanas comeback against the Bengals in the 80''s. Your comparing the Bengals to the Patriots: Super Bowl 42 was the Giants Game, and "it''s gotta hurt all Patriots fans, players, and especially coaches. www.jamestowncalif.com

[excoachken]

Bellicheat uses the Bushy defensive strategy, lies to cover up cheating. It didn''t work for the Cowardly Cowboy and it won''t work for the Crooked Coach Bill.

[mediabrat60]

So what?!

[docadams3]

I agree! So what!

Isn''t there something more important, like Britney Spears parking a car or Lindsay Lohan passing gas?