Mangini videotaping article AWFUL

zoogs · December 12, 2007

Long story short, it comes out that last year the Patriots found the Jets taping a game in their stadium and made them stop and threw out the tape. Mangini says he was taping the game, not signals, which is certainly different from what transpired in New York early this season.

But here's the story:

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- The spy games between the New York Jets and New England Patriots began last season.

The Jets were caught videotaping at Gillette Stadium last season and the Patriots had that New York employee removed from the area, according to published reports Wednesday. Jets coach Eric Mangini said his team received permission to film behind both end zones during the playoff game in January.

"We taped the game, is what we taped, and we taped end-zone copy of the game, and we tape a double end zone, which is standard operating procedure for us," Mangini said Wednesday. "We request that every single road game, and it's usually granted if physically it's possible. And when people request it from us, we do the same thing: We grant it."

Mangini maintained the Jets did nothing wrong, and had filmed at New England during the regular season without incident. It was nothing like what the Patriots did earlier this season, when a New England employee was caught taping New York's defensive signals and the team was punished by the league.

"We do it every time we go on the road," Mangini repeated. "We ask for permission to do it. It's within the league rules, and when people ask us to do it, we grant it, as well."

When asked why the Patriots stopped the Jets if they had already given them permission, Mangini just shrugged.

"I don't know," he said. "Really, it just was what it was. We had asked for permission, it was granted and then that changed, and we respect their decision. It's their stadium."

Mangini was also asked if the Jets were, at all, taping the Patriots' defensive signals.

"No," Mangini said smugly.

He was then asked if the Patriots requested similar permission to have someone taping at various angles or end-zone angles. Again, Mangini replied simply: "No."

SMUGLY? I've never seen interpreted emotions written into a respectable article. Then again, I wasn't there. Maybe he really overdid it or something. But this comes off to me as a journalistic no-no. Maybe I'm overreacting. Any journalists out there want to reel me back to reality, or is this just a horrible line?