Here's something from the Irony Department -- now the Patriots are accusing someone else of cheating.
The Pats complained to NFL officials that the Colts piped in crowd noise when New England was on offense on Sunday as an added distraction. Such a tactic would indeed be against NFL rules. According to Yahoo's Jason Cole, Indy has been accused of this before but there has never been anything to substantiate the charges.
Well, now there just might be. Awful Announcing has a clip from the CBS broadcast from early in the fourth quarter, with ProFootballTalk posting just the audio for those who can't use YouTube at work.
The play in question is a completed pass from Tom Brady to Randy Moss on the first play of the fourth quarter. Shortly after Moss catches the ball, what had been a roar of the crowd is replaced for several seconds by an odd reverb sound, kind of a stuttering "wah-wah-wah."
One way to read the evidence is that the Colts were busted when the CD they use to pipe in crowd noise suddenly skipped, exposing them as frauds. I must say, I find the case intriguing but not compelling. If this were a court of law, I'd probably sit around for six months and declare a mistrial.
Just kidding. Still, I'm not sold at all. Isn't it more likely that CBS's broadcast just had a brief technical glitch? One could argue that Jim Nantz's voice is unaffected, which would presumably point the finger away from CBS and toward the Colts. But isn't it possible that whatever mechanism CBS uses to record ambient sound went on the fritz briefly while the announcers' mikes still worked just fine?
Even presuming for a moment that the Colts do pipe in crowd noise, am I also to buy that the actual fans in the stadium were making no sound at all? Because all one hears for the few seconds in question is this weird electronic feedback, not feedback interlaced with actual crowd noise. And wouldn't observers actually at the game notice if the stadium was suddenly blasted with several seconds of a loud, odd, clearly manmade sound?
Of course, I also believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, so what do I know.
(UPDATE: The NFL and the Colts say that CBS is taking the blame for a technical glitch, calling it "the result of tape feedback in the CBS production truck." Then again, it's the very fact that members of the establishment cover for each other that makes conspiracies so tough to unravel, right?)
Tatiana Golovin
Taylor Walker
Manny Being Manny
Venus vs. Serena Grand Slam Finals
Comments (55) Add A Comment
I'm curious to see what comes of it. I wouldn't be surprised to see that nothing comes of it, even if there is substance. And not because there is some grand conspiracy against the Patriots or for the Colts.
The NFL was quick to try and sweep "spygate" under the rug. I don't think they're anxious for another scandal involving another highly regarded team.
Nikolai
Total Comments (491)
The BALTIMORE Colts never needed to pipe in crowd noise. Never.
Rickapolis
Annapolis , MD
Total Comments (6131)
Another "pro" sports team is accused of cheating and the whole world cries with one loud voice "What did you expect?"
Capital - King of No…
Forest Lake , MN
Total Comments (744)
I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition, Capital, but nobody ever does.
The 10 Spot
Total Comments (6586)
I bet it was osama bin laden.
Nickel_Pumpers
Total Comments (105)
Possible "feedback" sources:
Electronic interference from Patriot's surveilance equipment
Background noise from Peyton Manning commercials playing on TVs in concession stand walkways
Actually sound of women being impregnated simply through a combination Brady's boyish good looks and cavalier attitude
Super-sensitive mikes picked up groans from Al Davis' Oakland hot-tub as he contemplates letting go a "washed up" Randy Moss
Mark G
Richmond , VA
Total Comments (6222)
I bet they didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition!
Brian from Jenver
Total Comments (1391)
On THAT, Rickapolis, I'll agree!! (Of course, who needed to pipe in noise?? The fights in the stands were probably MORE entertaining--sometimes--than the actual game[s] could be!!)
But yeah, THIS is ironic...you win the game, and yet YOU'RE complaining about crowd noise?? Pot, meet kettle...
DC Sports Nut: Nats,…
Total Comments (2684)
To answer your headline Pete of whether or not the Colts are the new Pats, I'd have to say "no". The reason being when the Pats cheat at least they win!
Capital - King of No…
Forest Lake , MN
Total Comments (744)
Jeez Pete....leave some come-backs for us rookies!
Brian from Jenver
Total Comments (1391)
I admit it. It was my fault. The pants made me do it.
"The pants command me!!!!"
DJ C - Pete 3:16
Total Comments (11361)
Could Tom Brady be posing as a 10 Spot reader Cdb?
Capital - King of No…
Forest Lake , MN
Total Comments (744)
Capital - Perhaps, but it would be pretty hard. It's hard to read the 10 Spot when you're focusing on how to beat your opponents...and the kids...
Not to mention his hot girlfriend. If you were dating her, would you be reading the 10 Spot? I sure as hell wouldn't....
DJ C - Pete 3:16
Total Comments (11361)
I've always wondered why there are so many "Let's Go Johnny U!" chants coming from the Colts crowd.
Christian Thoma
Total Comments (662)
Are the Patsa sure it wasn't the sound of former wunderkind Charlie "The Big Flounder" Weiss's ego deflating down the road in South Bend?
Mark G
Richmond , VA
Total Comments (6222)
Rock - I hope you're not insinuating that Peyton's not actually calling his own plays, because I have to draw the line right there.
DJ C - Pete 3:16
Total Comments (11361)
I have to agree with Rock on Peyton not calling out his own plays, I think that he's reminding his offense to watch the Manning Broadcast Network, and to stay tuned for his latest endeavor as he invades Broadway in "Fiddler on the Field"
Capital - King of No…
Forest Lake , MN
Total Comments (744)
Piping in noise inside a sold-out Dome? That's crazy-talk.
KS Elwood
Merriam, KS
Total Comments (3484)
"I don't know how you measure levels of being deaf, but we couldn't hear anything out there," Brady said
Quote from the Jason Cole piece
Tom Brady..... pure genius!
Capital - King of No…
Forest Lake , MN
Total Comments (744)
Comment
Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.