ESPN

[UConn James]

In casual conversation, sure. The difference is that (allegedly) Favre took the initiative to call the Lions with the intent of providing "secrets". To me, that's worthy of an investigation.

 

In something that was in an article a few months ago, Jim McNally, while he was in Buffalo, got a call from a coach who'd been fired the week we played them (I want to say Arizona in the last go-'round). We won that game pretty soundly.

 

Does it violate the gentlemanly nature of the game and how it should be in a better world, sure. But, if you don't want people dishing on you as revenge, a) don't run them out of town and piss them off, at least during the season, and 2) change up at least some of your play-calling or formations game-to-game. And, then again, I find it a little dubious that so much could be gleaned that the coaches couldn't see and gameplan for themselves.

 

There's nothing to investigate. Sharing information isn't against the rules. That said, Favre does come out of this looking like a world-class peckerwood.

[Lori]

In something that was in an article a few months ago, Jim McNally, while he was in Buffalo, got a call from a coach who'd been fired the week we played them (I want to say Arizona in the last go-'round). We won that game pretty soundly.

 

Does it violate the gentlemanly nature of the game and how it should be in a better world, sure. But, if you don't want people dishing on you as revenge, a) don't run them out of town and piss them off, at least during the season, and 2) change up at least some of your play-calling or formations game-to-game. And, then again, I find it a little dubious that so much could be gleaned that the coaches couldn't see and gameplan for themselves.

 

There's nothing to investigate. Sharing information isn't against the rules. That said, Favre does come out of this looking like a world-class peckerwood.

Agreed. Remember Rob Johnson yelling out Jacksonville's formations to Flutie during the '98 game?

[MRW]

Agreed. Remember Rob Johnson yelling out Jacksonville's formations to Flutie during the '98 game?

The classic example to my mind is the Tampa/Oakland Super Bowl.

[scribo]

He didn't do anything against the rules.

Two games, damn it.

[BuffaloWings]

The classic example to my mind is the Tampa/Oakland Super Bowl.

Right, but that wasn't someone calling Gruden to tell him what the Raiders were doing. Bill Callahan NEVER changed a thing from Gruden's offense and Gruden was able to figure that out for himself.

 

Doing stuff like this (like RJ calling out Jacksonville's formations) during a game is harmless to me. It's like stealing signs in baseball....if you're able to do it with the naked eye, then more power to you. Every team in every sport these days should be able to change stuff like signs, play calls, formation names, etc. before they play their next opponent. It's part of the strategy these days to prevent the opponent from figuring out your signals.

 

After thinking about it, I'll retract the investigation comment. Even if it was true and even if it did violate some league rule, who would you punish and how? If you suspend Favre, why should the Jets pay for it (not that I'd mind)? If you suspend/fine Marinelli, why should he have to be punished?

 

In the end, it really just makes Favre look like a pr*ck.