Marshall Faulk: Belichick, Patriots cheated us out of a Super Bowl

[Playoffs]

Marshall Faulk: 'I'll never be over being cheated out of Super Bowl'

NEW ORLEANS -- The Super Bowl is back in New Orleans for the first time since February 2002, when the Patriots upset the mighty St. Louis Rams.
...
"Am I over the loss? Yeah, I'm over the loss. But I'll never be over being cheated out of the Super Bowl. That's a different story. I can understand losing a Super Bowl, that's fine . . . But how things happened and what took place. Obviously, the commissioner gets to handle things how he wants to handle them but if they wanted us to shut up about what happened, show us the tapes. Don't burn 'em."

Faulk was referring to tapes the Patriots had of opposing coaches sending in defensive signals. It's a story from another epoch, to be sure, but as Faulk spoke, it became obvious the scab is still there. And with just a scratch to the surface, Faulk was soon rolling downhill in accusing the Patriots of having taped the Rams' walkthrough prior to Super Bowl XXXVI.
...
"I understand Bill (Belichick) is a great coach," said Faulk. "But No. 13 (Kurt Warner) will tell you. Mike Martz will tell you. We had some plays in the red zone that we hadn't ran. I think we got to fourth down -- we ran three plays that we hadn't ran, that Mike drew up for that game -- Bill's a helluva coach . . . we hadn't ran them the whole year (and the Patriots were ready for them)."

Faulk said the only time those plays were practiced were at the walkthrough.

"I know, in that game, in the red zone, the plays we ran, most of them we hadn't ran most of those plays that year," Faulk noted. "And a couple of plays on third down that we walked through also . . . Any time that I was offset, I was always stationary. And we had creating motioning in the backfield at the same depth on the other side of the field. And they created a check for it. It's just little things like that. It's either the best coaching in the world when you come up with situations that you had never seen before. Or you'd seen it and knew what to do."
...
In April of 2008, Goodell explained his findings and decision to destroy the tapes he'd confiscated.

"The reason I destroyed the tapes is they were totally consistent with what the team[] told me," Goodell said during his State of the NFL speech at the NFL OwnerPatriotss Meetings. "It was the appropriate thing to do and I think it sent a message.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by Playoffs

Marshall Faulk: 'I'll never be over being cheated out of Super Bowl'

Originally Posted by Roger Goodell

"The reason I destroyed the tapes is they were totally consistent with what the team[] told me," Goodell said during his State of the NFL speech at the NFL OwnerPatriotss Meetings. "It was the appropriate thing to do and I think it sent a message.

Yeah, it sent a message. "Don't worry about what I saw, it's none of your business. Move along, nothing to see here. Family entertainment entirely on the up and up."

[HoustonFrog]

Another reason I can't stand Goodell. I actually respect what the Pats have done for all of these years but overall that was just straight out cheating. For Goodell to just say "move along" is consistent with his preaching safety while doing the complete opposite regarding more games, etc.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Article

Faulk was referring to tapes the Patriots had of opposing coaches sending in defensive signals.

I'm confused. The Pats were caught filming DEFENSIVE signals. How does that impact Faulk and the offense?

[Playoffs]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

I'm confused. The Pats were caught filming DEFENSIVE signals. How does that impact Faulk and the offense?

I think Faulk is contending they did more than that. I mean, if you're taping the defense you're not going to swing the camera over to the offensive side, too?

The tapes were destroyed, but were those all the tapes? Anything get erased?

[playa465]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

I'm confused. The Pats were caught filming DEFENSIVE signals. How does that impact Faulk and the offense?

I'm just guessing, but maybe Faulk is insinuating that there could have been other taping in which the Pats were not caught and admitted to Goodell...and rather than feed the fire, Goodell burned the tapes. The makings of a good movie?

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Playoffs

I think Faulk is contending they did more than that. I mean, if you're taping the defense you're not going to swing the camera over to the offensive side, too?

The tapes were destroyed, but were those all the tapes? Anything get erased?

Yeah, I guess, but without any kind of evidence, he comes off as a little whiny and borders on the Tim Brown / Bill Callahan deep end.

There is nothing illegal about sending scouts to watch the opposing team, and they could have easily picked up on those calls that Faulk is speaking about. They were pretty arrogant about being the "greatest show in turf" back then and thought they were invincible. It would not surprise me if they were less than thorough about checking out whoever was watching those walkthroughs.

I have never heard that the Pats were filming offenses. Not saying it never happened, but at this time, there is absolutely nothing to substantiate the accusations.

[dream_team]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

I'm confused. The Pats were caught filming DEFENSIVE signals. How does that impact Faulk and the offense?

It seems like Faulk was also accusing Bellicheck of taping the Rams' practice & walkthroughs.