Quote:
Originally Posted by tomahawk247
So each NFL team has to police themselves? How will this stop people cheating?
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If people want to cheat, they're going to cheat. I don't think policing themselves is going to do much, but I do think the rule acts as a deterrent. The following is not my argument that it's a good plan, .... it's just meant to address your inquiry of 'how is it going to stop anyone from cheating.'
It says certify... as in, affadavit and declaration. Now, if the league finds out they didn't comply, then the team can't throw out the Belichik-esque excuses of "oh we didn't know", or "an underling named Walsh did it on his own without the FO's authorization", or my favorite, "I had a different interpretation of the rule than the NFL did."
Reminds me of the legal rule of 'respondeat superior' (vicarious liability) which is the rule that an employer is expressly responsible for the acts of its employees. If the employer (team) is going to certify they did everything right, then it's their duty to police their organization and check the accuracy of that statement before giving that certification. That way, if there ever is cheating found, it won't matter what excuses the team's puss of a coach can contrive. The whole organization will get hammered, period.
Seems to me, they're just narrowing the free rein teams had before by putting the entire credibility of each organization on the line. If each organization has to expressly certify they followed certain rules and procedures, it's a good bet fewer of them are going to break them or take a risk 'bending' them.
The cynical side of me also makes me think "deniability." Millions of dollars are at risk if some camera guy films at the wrong time. The owners probably made the rule this way and will now restructure certain clauses in the contracts for these camera guys that they can only film certain things. Then, that way if someone does do wrong, the team can show it was done without their knowledge, and in express violation of that person's contract. (it's similar to the whole CIA 'get caught as an operative in a clandestine operation and we'll deny we know you' type of deniability).