Mangini gets asked about “spy-gate”
Dec 10th, 2007 by Bill Burt
Here are some of the today’s questions asked by the media which follow the New York Jets to head coach Eric Mangini about the “spy-gate” issue surrounding this game:
Q. What kind of atmosphere do you expect up there? Everything that transpired with the Spy Game thing. Do you feel there’s going to be a different level of intensity up there, the surrounding atmosphere?
COACH MANGINI: Obviously the Patriots are going to be what they are. I’m sure it will be as warm as it always is for us when we head up there. You know, they have passionate fans. We encounter a lot of hostile environments. Whenever you go on the road, you get that. I’m sure we’ll appreciate their passion.
Q. Do you find the perception that the Patriots, the unbeaten streak, in any way relates to what happened at the beginning of the year, that you guys sort of helped create this monster?
COACH MANGINI: I think that New England is an extremely well-coached team with a lot of talented players that play well together, do a good job of focusing on the next opponent and the next game. Their success is based off that.
Q. Knowing what you know about the people in that room, Rodney Harrison, Bill Belichick, would it surprise you to hear they’ve used that Spy Game thing as sort of a rallying cry throughout the year?
COACH MANGINI: Knowing Rodney and Bill and all the different people there, what they’re focused on is the next opponent and what they have to do to prepare for that opponent. I appreciate that. That’s the important thing to always do, is to figure out what you have to do to get ready for that next game. That’s I’m sure what they’re focusing on.
Q. What kind of reception do you think you would get? Whether it’s accurate or not, the perception up there is you were the one who blew the whistle on them for the Spy Game. What kind of hostility do you think you might encounter?
COACH MANGINI: I haven’t really analyzed that. Been kind of cleaning up Cleveland, getting that stuff taken care of. Really it’s going to be a function of how we play; not any of the external factors.
Q. What are your thoughts on the perception, if you will, that you were the one who blew the whistle on Bill?
COACH MANGINI: Well, with that whole matter, it’s a matter that’s handled by the league. It’s a league issue. I really said all that I can say on that.
I understand there’s a lot of interest on it, but it’s no different than what we talked about the first time.
Q. I don’t think the game was 10 minutes old yesterday and questions started about the Patriots. Are you worried at all about what your guys are going to deal with this week in terms of media as opposed to just worrying about the game?
COACH MANGINI: You know, being in the New York market, a lot of our guys have been exposed to a lot of different media outlets. I think this game is really no different than other games.
Q. Are you disappointed at all that you and Bill haven’t been able to kind of work this thing out; you’re still not seeing eye-to-eye, so to speak? Does that disappoint you after all you guys have been through?
COACH MANGINI: You know, I’ve said how I felt about Bill many times. And really it hasn’t changed from the first time that we played each other. I have a lot of respect for him, and he did a lot of things for me and has helped me significantly throughout my career to develop. That hasn’t changed one bit for me.
Q. Do you feel those feelings are reciprocated from his end?
COACH MANGINI: You’ll have to talk to Bill.
Q. Have you talked to him since last game?
COACH MANGINI: No.
Q. To your knowledge, has anyone in the organization talked to him?
COACH MANGINI: I wouldn’t know.
Q. Whatever the whole Spy Game scandal, controversy is, how do you think that affected your relationship?
COACH MANGINI: It hasn’t affected anything that I’ve said or felt. Nothing has changed for me, and it won’t change.
Q. A lot of people have speculated that scandal tarnished the three Super Bowl championships. You were part of those. Do you feel that in any way?
COACH MANGINI: I know that New England is an excellent team and I know that the players in that locker room, the coaches, work extremely hard, do everything they possibly can do to be successful. They’ve won and continue to win with good, sound execution, good, sound preparation. That’s the way that they prepare each game and for each opponent.
Q. There is a lot of talk about how the Patriots felt with the videotape allegations about that game. How did you and your team feel about somebody was videotaping you guys against the rules?
COACH MANGINI: I understand why you have to ask the question, but it’s a league matter. That’s really where it is. I’ve said all that I can say on it.
2 reader comments to “Mangini gets asked about “spy-gate””
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1Mike Daly said:
Nothing to surprise anyone from Mangini’s remarks. Privately, though, one has to wonder if he’s dreading this coming game the way the Bills were dreading the last game of 2003 when they came to Foxboro and had their team buses idling ready to drive home from the start of the game onward.
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2Heidi said:
I am a teacher and if I was caught feeding answers to my students on a standardized test, I would lose my job. I guess ethics and integrity don’t count or even matter in professional football. Shame on you, Bill Belichick and anyone else in professional sports who feels they have to cheat to win.
