NFL hasn't closed book on Spygate
by MARK CANNIZZARO , New York Post
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Matt Walsh handed over 8 tapes to the NFL, now what? Jay Glazer dishes on what the latest Spygate development means. Click here.
Specter has been critical of the NFL throughout the "Spygate" saga, accusing the Commissioner Roger Goodell of throwing away evidence in an effort to make the matter go away.
Specter issued a strong statement on Thursday ripping the league, which is scheduled to meet with him, Walsh and Walsh's attorney, Michael Levy, on Tuesday morning.
"I think it is very unfortunate that the NFL has already started its 'nothing new' spin before watching the tapes or finding out what Matt Walsh has to say," Specter said. "Let's see where the evidence leads."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello stated on Thursday -- based on the registered letter Levy sent to the league stating what tapes were going to be turned over and the general content of what was on them -- that those things appeared to be "consistent" with what the league already knew Bill Belichick had done during his career as the Patriots' head coach.
Aiello, though, made those statements based on what the league had been told was on the tapes, something he reiterated yesterday to The New York Post.
"My comments were in response to the list of tapes that were going to be provided," Aiello said yesterday. "We had not seen the tapes yet. Those comments were simply a reaction to the list that we had been provided by Michael Levy. The list of tapes (and the content) were consistent with what we already knew -- the taping of (opposing) coaching signals (by the Patriots)."
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Aiello also said that, though Goodell has begun looking at the tapes as of yesterday, "He has not made any determination or conclusions about anything, because we have not spoken to Matt Walsh yet."
"We're not going to have any further comments until Tuesday, when the commissioner will report on the meeting (with Walsh)," Aiello said. "(Thursday) afternoon our people started reviewing the tapes, but we're not issuing any statements or will have reached any conclusions until we'll talk to Matt Walsh."
When reached yesterday by The Post, Levy said he and Walsh will fly to Washington to meet Specter immediately after the gathering with Goodell.
One thing a league source made clear to The Post is that, while some people have made a big deal of the fact that one of the eight tapes included taping of some Dolphins' offensive coaches making signals, the league rule that Belichick was caught violating in the first place when he taped the Jets defensive coaches last September includes taping of both offensive and defensive coaches.
"The Patriots violated the rule that says you cannot videotape offensive or defensive coaches," the source said. "The rule is that you can't do either."
Another issue that, according to a league source, is "being talked about" is making one or more of the eight tapes public on Tuesday, when Goodell meets with reporters after his meeting with Walsh.
"That hasn't been determined yet," the source said.
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