WEEK 1 NFL GAME THREAD - Other Games

[Zool]

Hear on the radio this morning, the Steelers are saying that everytime the NFL official would go over and ask the Patriots to take their headsets off to equalize the teams resources, the problem with the Steelers headsets would go away. Then it would start again a couple minutes later.

[smuggler]

Belichick and Brady doubling down on the 'gamesmanship'. Well played.

[pbmax]

Does this kind of crap happen in other stadiums or only in NE?

Has happened a lot, everywhere. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ittsburgh-too/

[sharpe1027]

It would not be difficult for the NFL to release an statement to explain the technical problem that occurred and clear the air. That is assuming it was merely an unintentional problem. Yet, they are not doing so.

[sharpe1027]

Has happened a lot, everywhere. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ittsburgh-too/

Yeah, but cutting out of communications is different that somehow getting a completely unrelated feed. The headsets are encrypted, so it would be interesting to hear the explanation for how the broadcast feed got into the channel and was still understandable.

[pbmax]

Yeah, but cutting out of communications is different that somehow getting a completely unrelated feed. The headsets are encrypted, so it would be interesting to hear the explanation for how the broadcast feed got into the channel and was still understandable.

Cross talk has happened forever. Not sure how encryption enters into that. http://articles.latimes.com/2003/oct...sp-nflfeature5

NFL did release a statement: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...mlin/72049514/

Stadim infrastructure. Patriots also saying they got radio signal.

[pbmax]

Andrew Perloff @andrewperloff 7m7 minutes ago
Tony Dungy says he never had headset issues in NE. But it is common in the NFL. "It happens in a lot of stadiums. It happens all the time."

[sharpe1027]

stadium power infrastructure issue, which was exacerbated by the inclement weather

I would love to hear the technical explanation for how the stadium power infrastructure and inclement weather can cause this to happen. I guess somehow the stadium power infrastructure is acting as an antenna for the radio broadcast and the weather plays a role too? Then, the NFL's communications are such that they convert the unencrypted radio broadcast into audio that is transmitted to the headsets?

They must be using technology based off of the novelty crystal radio sets from the 60s.

[sharpe1027]

SiriusXM NFL Radio @SiriusXMNFL
Patriots do not control the headsets. The NFL does. I once had a woman from the concession stand in my headsets at Fed EX field. - Mills

In fact, the NFL’s own Gameday Policy Manual states:
Home clubs are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the coaching staff communications infrastructure.

http://deadspin.com/what-exactly-hap...ets-1730005682

The plot thickens! Dom, Dom, Dom!

Reports emerged while the game was still ongoing that pointed to a “grounding issue.” That makes sense when considering the NFL’s “power infrastructure” statement, but it doesn’t make sense given what we know about the NFL’s wireless communication technology.

We’re not sure how to reconcile the NFL’s explanation with their own requirements, unless the Patriots specifically have a noncompliant visitors’ coaching booth.

[Bossman641]

I was always under the impression that the home team supplied the headsets. The NFL supplies them instead?

[pbmax]

I was always under the impression that the home team supplied the headsets. The NFL supplies them instead?

Yes. It used to be the job of the home team but that was switched because of complaints about this exact kind of malfunction.

However, we have seen how well the NFL oversees sections of its operations.

So how much of a handle they have over the infrastructure is probably an open question. Remember the Saints were thought to have piped the opposing teams' wireless into the Owner's box for Mickey Loomis to listen too. They investigated it (for some reason the police or Feds were involved I seem to remember) but didn't find anything. But no one thought it was technically impossible.

Its likely that the NFL has rules about how it inspects and operates on Game Day. The Patriots (and everyone else knows this) so its possible for teams to hack it. Problem here is that if the visiting team has a malfunction, they should just turn it off for both teams that half. If possible (and its not the 2nd half) fix it and turn back on after halftime.

Either it all works or its off. If the Steelers are to be believed (I do not take that for granted at all) then the League puts itself in the position of getting played like Klink versus Hogan.

[Guiness]

The plot thickens! Dom, Dom, Dom!

What does the Packer's DC have to do with headsets at the Patriot's stadium??? nyuk nyuk nyuk

Pretty sure Deadspin is correct, you don't get cross-talk in an all-digital system. Transmission interference, but not cross-talk. Remember the old first gen 800Mhz cordless phones? They were analog, unplug your base set, and listen to the neighbors. Sometimes even if your base set was powered you could hear them if their transmitter was better and overpowered yours. New digital spread spectrum phones can't accidentally piece together all the parts of a different broadcast.

Deadspin is being a little over-dramatic with their comment that improper grounding of a wireless system is putting people at danger from a power surge or lightning strike though.

So I'm guessing what the NFL really mean is the system is 'mostly digital'. Not surprising, they have no reason do divulge what they're doing, and being misleading is what they do. PB is so right when he says the NFL is like a bunch of kindergartners running a billion dollar show.

[sharpe1027]

I was always under the impression that the home team supplied the headsets. The NFL supplies them instead?

The home clubs are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the coaching staff communications infrastructure. In other words, the home team controls all the stuff that allows the headsets to communicate. This is just as important as the headsets, probably more important from a security/integrity standpoint.

[sharpe1027]

Problem here is that if the visiting team has a malfunction, they should just turn it off for both teams that half. If possible (and its not the 2nd half) fix it and turn back on after halftime.

Either it all works or its off. If the Steelers are to be believed (I do not take that for granted at all) then the League puts itself in the position of getting played like Klink versus Hogan.

Sure, but that can still be an advantage if the home team has a loud crowd, or if (conspiracy!) they had had been preparing all week for not using headsets in anticipation of there being a problem...

[mraynrand]

W Remember the old first gen 800Mhz cordless phones? They were analog, unplug your base set, and listen to the neighbors. Sometimes even if your base set was powered you could hear them if their transmitter was better and overpowered yours.

This probably explains why my engineer neighbor hated me. Well, hated me even more.