Loomis Denies Allegations And Threatens Legal Action

[Who Dat Pat]

For all those that were so quick to jump the gun with judgment in absence of proof!

Article:

UPDATED APR 23, 2012 6:50 PM ET     

 

New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis had the ability to eavesdrop on the gameday communications of opposing coaches from 2002 to 2004, ESPN reported Monday. But the Saints swiftly denied the allegations and even threatened legal action against the network for the report.

"This report on ESPN is absolutely false," Loomis wrote in an email. "I have a monitor in front of me in my booth that provides the league-issued stats for the game. I have a small TV with the network broadcast and I have an earpiece to listen to the WWL-AM radio (flagship broadcaster) game broadcast.

"To think I am sitting in there listening and actually and/or doing something with the offensive and defensive play calls of the opposing teams makes this story and the unnamed sources that provided the false information that much less credible. It just didn’t happen."

Loomis’ claim was backed by team-released statements from other members of the Saints organization.

“This report is 1000 percent false,” said Greg Bensel, the Saints vice president of communications. “Completely inaccurate. We asked ESPN to provide us evidence to support their allegations and they refused. The team and Mickey are seeking all legal recourse regarding these false allegations.”

The report from "Outside the Lines" stated the US Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana learned of the alleged listening device Friday.

The federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), passed in 1986, makes it a crime for anyone to intercept communications with an electronic or mechanical device.

However, ESPN said it could not definitively determine whether Loomis actually used the device. The NFL said Monday it was not aware of the allegations.

"Outside the Lines" reported the device was installed in the owner's suite in the Superdome in 2000, when Rick Mueller was general manager, and was used at that time to hear the headset communications of Saints' coaches during the game.

A source claimed Loomis had the listening device re-wired before the 2002 season to allow him to instead listen to opposing coaches. The device was reportedly removed in September 2005, after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city and heavily damaged the stadium.

“The NFL has a frequency coordinator in every stadium at every game and every line and frequency, especially the signals used by each team’s coaches are heavily secured and monitored, and who and where it goes,” Bensel said. “This is a virtual impossibility."

[KillerKat]

Of course he would douche bag

[Who Dat Pat]

Article:

The instinct here is that New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis will survive this latest accusation of foul play:  an ESPN report accusing him of eavesdropping on opponents inside the Superdome from 2002-2004. The evidence is just a little too thin, the denials a little too strong, the news a little too old to suspect that this latest scandal will lead to anything like the type of NFL sanctions that have rocked the franchise during the league's bounty investigation.

View full sizeTimes-Picayune archive

By all accounts, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson's loyalty to his general manager, Mickey Loomis, left, is as strong as it has ever been.

And for now, at least, the most important judge -- Saints owner Tom Benson -- has decided to rule in Loomis' favor.

Although it would be fair to suspect that Loomis has been under some sort of double-secret probation after allowing Benson's franchise to be so badly damaged by the bounty scandal, nothing could be further from the truth.

By all accounts, Benson's loyalty to Loomis is as strong as it has ever been. He continued to stand behind Loomis on Monday, just as he has throughout the NFL bounty investigation that has threatened to tarnish his franchise's reputation and its chances to compete for another Super Bowl.

A source said Benson was so adamant to defend Loomis and his organization Monday that he instructed a team of attorneys to pursue a lawsuit against ESPN.

And several Saints officials past and present were united in their passionate denials of these latest accusations. A team statement described the ESPN report as "1,000 percent false" and "1,000 percent inaccurate."

Why not just 100 percent?

Because that's how much the stakes have been raised these days for Loomis and the Saints.

Simply put, they can't afford for a story like this to be true.

In the wake of the bounty investigation, another scandal would decimate Loomis' job security. And losing Loomis would devastate the Saints.

Benson holds Loomis in the highest regard, and he has awarded him a tremendous amount of faith, trust and leadership.

As one of the most hands-off owners in the league when it comes to daily football operations, Benson has given Loomis about as much leeway as any executive in the NFL. And Loomis has earned that leeway through some outstanding work over the past decade, both in his football decisions and his leadership of the franchise, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

During his tenure, Loomis has been promoted to the rank of executive vice president and serves as one of seven members on the franchise's board of directors. He and executive vice president/chief financial officer Dennis Lauscha are seen as the two most influential caretakers of the organization.

Unfortunately, Benson's loyalty to Loomis has also been proven through a series of scandalous accusations now.

First was the lawsuit brought against the Saints by former security director Geoff Santini in 2010, when he accused Loomis of lying to Benson and the NFL while covering up the theft and abuse of prescription pain killers. That lawsuit was ultimately settled out of court with a privacy clause attached, and the Saints never faced any punishment from the league or criminal charges.

[Who Dat Pat]

Of course he would douche bag

Actually, when people are guilty, they usually don't make broad claims and threaten legal action before even waiting to see if there is evidence, they usually try to say as little as possible and wait for evidence or lack of evidence to show up before speaking, remember Cam Newton!? Don't remember him saying "my dad did what behind my back? I 1000% deny shopping my services to school and will sue the network for bringing up such a ridiculous story!?" Was that Cam's response or was it a bunch of "No comment, no comment, no comment"?

[Crixtala]

[run1stdownrun2nddown]

Actually, when people are guilty, they usually don't make broad claims and threaten legal action before even waiting to see if there is evidence, they usually try to say as little as possible and wait for evidence or lack of evidence to show up before speaking, remember Cam Newton!? Don't remember him saying "my dad did what behind my back? I 1000% deny shopping my services to school and will sue the network for bringing up such a ridiculous story!?" Was that Cam's response or was it a bunch of "No comment, no comment, no comment"?

See its funny b/c Cam was cleared of any wrongdoing. Meanwhile the Saints were caught red-handed. Keep trying.

[Darth Biscuit]

Yeah there's no truth to this just like that damn bounty scandal... We all know that the NFL is just out to get the poor innocent Saints**.

[Jase]

he's going to win his court battle right after drew brees signs next week.

[CatofWar]

It's Tuesday, has Brees signed?

[Wyank]

Actually, when people are guilty, they usually don't make broad claims and threaten legal action before even waiting to see if there is evidence, they usually try to say as little as possible and wait for evidence or lack of evidence to show up before speaking, remember Saints Bountygate problems!? Saints front office knew they were fuged on that one. The players kept their mouths shut as well in the beginning. Than the screaming for evidence by Brees. The old we know we are fuged but lets see how much they can actually prove so we can squirm away with only a slap on wrist slime ball style approach.

It's funny how that actually fits a lot better.

[Wyank]

Remember when Saints fans used to come here and preach how classy of an organization the Saints run? Good times.

[mav1234]

Honestly... I had my doubts about this story. I'm no Saints lover, but I'm reserving judgment for a bit more. Listening to coaches or not, that team was dirty. I don't need to hear more evidence to know it.

Obviously if more evidence comes out, it'll influence my take, but I just have a hard time thinking this guy was dumb enough to actually do what he is accused of... I dunno, I guess stranger things have happened. I mean, this is the club that didn't realize it would be bad to put hits out on other players, so who knows.

[panthers55]

Loomis is squealing because he knows he is on safer ground here. In bountygate he had 50,000 pages of documents and a full blown investigation. He knew the practice continued right up to the Playoff games this year. He had been warned to stop and kept doing it.

This time it is something alleged to happen 8 or 10 years ago and there is likely no recent documentation. There is no ongoing investigation and it is likely he said-she said evidence. Jumping out early with threats of legal action simply increase the likelihood that the other side doesn't pursue it. Not because it is true or not true simply that it may not be worth several lawsuits. ESPN will likely move on to avoid possible liability. Plenty of other fish in the sea to catch. As they say, the best defense is a good offense.

Obviously there is something there. ESPN might not be great but they aren't the national enquirer.

[Panthro]