redseat
Well-Known Member
They didn't.
The rule read exactly the same before 2007 as it did after 2007.
The NFL got wind that some teams were taping signals because of the wording, "...for use on game day" and felt that taping was fine as long as you didn't use said tape in the same game.
This was incorrect and the memo was sent out to clarify that.
Of all the teams in the NFL that were taping, everyone but BB stopped. He thought himself above the law. He was arrogant and it cost him.
You can blame the NFL, the memo, or the rule if you want but at the end of the day it's your HC that did this to you.
This is like steroids in baseball... The league just looked the other way until they couldn't look anymore. Now I am not saying the Patriots didn't cheat because they DID but since the rule was the same why is it that only the Patriots got "caught?" The league most likely knew about what was going on but this story just got a lot of play and the league finally decided to enforce said rule.
No one is denying BB screwed the Patriots