Tuesday is National Media Report on Patriots Day apparently. Not long after a lengthy expose from ESPN's Outside the Lines dropped, another report emerged in which it was reported that multiple NFL teams called the Seahawks prior to this past year's Super Bowl.
Those teams, Sports Illustrated reported Tuesday, called "unsolicited" to offer "advice on how to secure the team’s practices for the Super Bowl."
Their message was clear: You’re not playing John Fox’s Broncos again. You’re facing Bill Belichick and the Patriots. You never know who might be watching.
SI detailed some of what the Seahawks and Pete Carroll did to protect against the Patriots potentially monitoring Seattle's practices, calling it an "unusual, Secret Service-like level of activity."
- Extra guards were hired and told to patrol the surrounding areas
- Areas with "a vantage point of the field" were scanned
- "'A' Mountain," the large 1,400-foot hill behind Sun Devil Stadium, was monitored by secuirty
- Parking garages and parking lots near Sun Devil Stadium were "combed"
Basically the Seahawks sent out a slew of security personnel to ensure there wasn't anyone attempting to monitor their practices.
SI also detailed ways in which teams have prepared for the Patriots over the years.
- Cleaning out trash cans from hotels while playing in New England
- Running fake plays at Saturday's walkthrough in Gillette
- Leaving Gillette to practice elsewhere
- Barracading the vistors' locker room with equipment
- "At least five teams have swept their hotels, locker rooms or coaches’ booths in New England for listening devices"
- Refusing to let the Patriots unload equipment at Gilette
The Patriots already responded in a manner indicating their lack of appreciation for the OTL report. You can guess they'll have a similar response to SI's scathing article as well.
