NFL Espionage?

[RichardCranium]

Bills Say Patriots Signed Ex-Buffalo Receiver Just to Pick His Brain


The life of a marginal, practice-squad quality football player isn't easy. You're working just as hard as your teammates but often getting paid as little as 1 percent of their salaries. When you meet someone in a social situation and tell them you're a professional football player, you usually hear, "Really? I've never heard of you." And, if what the Buffalo Bills are alleging is true, you can be signed to a team, asked to give up trade secrets about your previous team, then released as soon as you've given up your information.

That's what the Bills claim happened with receiver Jonathan Smith. The New England Patriots signed Smith away from the Bills last Sunday, then cut him before yesterday's game between the two teams. Some of Smith's former Bills teammates are saying the Patriots never really wanted Smith, and that they simply brought him along to pump him for information about the Bills' playbook.

If this actually happened, it's dishonest, unethical, and the NFL ought to investigate. The league's eight-man practice squads exist to enhance player development, but they'll quickly turn into little more than espionage units if everyone is allowed to join another roster just long enough to give information about an opponent. In the business world there are clauses in contracts that prohibit giving trade secrets to competitors, and it should be the same in sports. No player should do this and no coach should allow it within his organization.

The Boston Herald also floats the idea that Smith could have been a double agent, actually helping the Bills during the week he was on the Patriots' roster. If that's true, this incident is more intriguing than that Brady Bunch episode where Marcia's boyfriend, who plays for a rival school, tries to steal Greg's playbook, leading Greg to create a phony playbook, allow him to steal it, and score an easy victory for his team when the opponents are ill-prepared. In any event, the Bills say the information Smith has about their offense definitely could have helped Bill Belichick's game-planning.


"No doubt," [Bills wide receiver Lee] Evans said. "He's been with the (Bills) organization for the last few years. He's been through three training camps. He knew what we were doing over here. I'm not saying he gave up everything, but I'm sure they tried to get some questions answered out of him. That's just the way the game goes."

[Sean of the Thread]

http://ochremedia.com/blog/media/mindHat.gif

[TheEschaton]

I like it! It makes swallowing the defeat easier.

-TheE-

[Nullset]

Dominated the Bills for sometime now, they are sub par team at best. Cant really see the Pats waisting there time on something like this. Did the bills even do any major overhauls during the off season? I think they fired 5 or so assistant coaches and hired 81 Mark Levy as the GM. LAWL

[TheEschaton]

Marv LEvy is a God amongst men. Do not blaspheme against him.

-TheE-

[Nullset]

In his prime he wasnt to shabby, Hes to old and to out of date it was a mistake to bring him back.

[TheEschaton]

Marv Levy is perhaps more virile than you at your current age. His mind is sharper than George Bush's, and we allow Bushie to have access to the big red button.

-TheE-

[Sean of the Thread]

We allowed Wild Billiam Clinton access to the big red button but he was too much of a pussy to use it.

We allowed Marv Levy access to the machine gun Kelly and the rest was history!.

[DeV]

We allowed Wild Billiam Clinton access to the big red button but he was too much of a pussy to use it.
He was too busy getting pussy to use it.

[Sean of the Thread]

He was too busy TAKING pussy to use it.

Fixed that for ya.

[DeV]

Fixed that for ya.
Either way...

This was Bill, "I was gettin' some..."

[Wezas]

If someone hasn't already done a flash of that song with Bill Clinton's head singing it, it should really be done.

[Nullset]

Other than bushes inability to get his point across clearly and his poor public speaking I really dont mind him being in charge. Hes done a far better job then Clintons administration whos at a much larger fault than Bush for 9-11. On top of that Bush actually did something when we where attacked, Clinton continued to allow these terrorists bomb our embassies not doing shit about it. Id rather have a "war monger" than a do nothing coward in office.

Also since we are talking football, Im tired of these newbs predicting that the Cowboys and Miami are great teams. Cowboys aint going anywhere with fucking Bledsoe and Romo, and Miami is still Miami though they got rid of one of the worst head coaches Ive seen in sometime wich will help. If you want to pick a dark horse pick the Ravens they have potentential to suprise alot of people now that they have a Qb.

[Anebriated]

Other than bushes inability to get his point across clearly and his poor public speaking I really dont mind him being in charge. Hes done a far better job then Clintons administration whos at a much larger fault than Bush for 9-11. On top of that Bush actually did something when we where attacked, Clinton continued to allow these terrorists bomb our embassies not doing shit about it. Id rather have a "war monger" than a do nothing coward in office.

Are you blind or just retarded? OMG WE ARE SO MUCH SAFER NOW BECAUSE WE HAVENT BEEN ATTACKED IN 5 YEARS. We werent attacked in the 8 clinton was president, and this all happened at the end of his tenure. Not to mention before Bush took over our national debt was the lowest its been in 20+ years and I dont have the numbers in front of me but I recall employment was up too, neither of which still holds true. There is enough crap that our own country needs to be worried about shit overseas IMHO. But we got a chance to see how well Bush did under pressure... Katrina anyone?


Also since we are talking football, Im tired of these newbs predicting that the Cowboys and Miami are great teams. Cowboys aint going anywhere with fucking Bledsoe and Romo, and Miami is still Miami though they got rid of one of the worst head coaches Ive seen in sometime wich will help. If you want to pick a dark horse pick the Ravens they have potentential to suprise alot of people now that they have a Qb.

As much as I want the cowboys to lose every game they play ever they arent a team thats going nowhere. Miami too has taken some big steps this year, although I dont think culpepper is their saving grace hes still better than Gus Ferotte or AJ Feely. As far as the Ravens go they have been "on the edge" of a breakout season for the last couple years, but sure we can call them a dark horse...

[Hulkein]

I love how NFL espionage threads can turn into Clinton vs. Bush in 12 replies.

[Hulkein]

We werent attacked in the 8 clinton was president,

You're either an idiot or just forgetful.

[Anebriated]

Neither, I just didnt clearify my statements enough. On our own soil.

[Hulkein]

You're still wrong.

[Anebriated]

Hes done a far better job then Clintons administration whos at a much larger fault than Bush for 9-11.

Just thought this was funny since Bush got elected 10 months or so before it happened while clinton had 8 years to be blamed.

[Anebriated]

You're still wrong.

I only care enough for the +1

[Anebriated]

Im bored and work is almost out so I googled a bit.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/20/us.strikes.02/

And since Bush took over embassies stopped getting bombed...

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/05/01/clinton.debt/

[Skirmisher]

It's the Bills, who cares?

[Sean of the Thread]

It's the Bills, who cares?



Sean1 will cut you for that.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I love how NFL espionage threads can turn into Clinton vs. Bush in 12 replies.

I had to read Nullset's post a few times to realize he hadn't mistakenly posted in the wrong topic.

[crazymage]

The only reason he was cut was because he had not assimilated the offense enough (Bam Childress who was on team since training camp opened was elevated pre-game from practice squad). Smith was re-signed today. Plus if you watched the Bills offense(ve) performance you'd realize you dont need to pick anyones brain other than marv levys and thats just to pull the lint out.

[Nullset]

Well never be safe from terroism so I dont understand why you even mentioned that. Obviously you seem to struggle if you cant accept the fact countless embassies where attacked on Clintons watch. Id advise you read the book Breakdown by Bill Gertz opened my eyes to how Clinton was really asleep at the wheel.
Lawl Funny you should mention Katrina and not mention the gross incompetence of the people who received said funds. Ill just pretend you forgot to include that :D
Cowboys with Drew Bledsoe a washed up Qb and Romo who is unproven are going nowhere period. They dont do anything incredible well, and without a qb to get the ball to Owens hes going to cause problems like he always does.
I wouldnt really say the ravens where poised for a breakout season either, they needed a top teir qb because of there lack of offensive capabilities. Very lucky they landed Mcnair qb's like that dont come around to often. I still think Miami needs a few more years before they will be actually able to really compete with the top teir teams.

Id also perfer Elrodin youd stop making assumptions and putting words in my mouth. But if thats how you got to keep up its alright :D

[TheEschaton]

And I'd suggest you'd read the Clinton Wars by Sidney Blumenthal if you want a good refutation of that.

-TheE-

By the way - Marv Levy is my personal deity. Don't make me shake n' bake on your ass.

[Alfster]

Im bored and work is almost out so I googled a bit.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/20/us.strikes.02/

And since Bush took over embassies stopped getting bombed...

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/05/01/clinton.debt/


WTF does any of this shit have to do with football?

[Apathy]

WTF does any of this shit have to do with football?

If you continue to drive SUV's the Buffalo Bills will win...

[Back]

Hiring someone from another team to pick their brains seems like a legitimate tactic to me, unless there is some disclosure agreement involved. Hard to prove none the less.

If you take a page out of Sun Tzu’s book and apply it to football I would not be surprised if there were teams who paid off “agents” from other teams to get their plays. Or even “double-agents” who get paid off but give false info.

Considering how much like war the game is... again, not surprising.

I am surprised this thread got derailed like it did.

IT WASN"T ME SHM!@!!!

[IorakeWarhammer]

http://magiccards.info/scans/en/rav/167.jpg