Largo football learn tactics from Patriots?

The Packers are caught taping a game without permission, an FHSAA violation.

By BRANDON WRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
Published September 21, 2007

It's a good thing Roger Goodell hasn't caught wind of this.

The heavy-handed NFL commissioner likely would be none too pleased at recent developments surrounding Largo High's football program. On the heels of the NFL slapping the New England Patriots with hefty fines and docking the team future draft picks, Largo finds itself thigh-pad deep in its own videotaping scandal.

Pardon the pun, but let's rewind to Sept. 14. During St. Petersburg's game at Countryside, Green Devils coach Joe Fabrizio looked into the visitors stands and noticed Largo players and coaches. Uh, they were the small circle of guys dressed in blue and white in a tiny crowd sporting mostly green.

Largo had the week off, so it didn't immediately raise any flags considering the Packers and Green Devils opened the district schedule against each other the next week. Nothing going on here, just old-fashioned hard work and scouting.

Except for the video camera.

Fabrizio alerted school officials, who alerted Countryside officials, who confronted the person shooting the film - a violation of FHSAA rules.

The FHSAA football manual states that visiting teams can only "photograph, film or videotape a contestant's performance ... when permission is secured from and arrangements are made with the host school principal." Same goes for a representative of a school not participating in a contest.

According to a formal complaint that Countryside filed with the FHSAA on Thursday, the man admitted to shooting video of St. Petersburg and turned the tape over to Countryside's officials but denied any association with Largo's football program.

Here's where the fun really starts.

The letter from Countryside to the FHSAA states: "When we asked him his name the first time he said his name was Jose Smith, only to find out after requesting identification that his name was Jose Rodriguez."

Jose Smith? That was the best he could come up with? And as for identification, how about I Left My Wallet in El Segundo? Check Jose Smith off the phone-a-friend list in a pinch.

The not-so-quick-on-the-feet response was just the first in a string of fibs. Largo assistant principal Greg Zornes confirmed Tuesday that Jose was in fact Largo coach Rick Rodriguez's brother. As for his association with the program, turns out he regularly films Largo home football games. When contacted Wednesday, Rick Rodriguez said he "knew nothing" about the incident. Except he was sitting with his brother when it happened, which he confirmed Thursday.

As for the tape, it's in Fabrizio's possession. Because of the investigation, Fabrizio didn't want to get into details of the video other than to say it was "mostly game film but had some clear shots of our sidelines."

And that game between St. Petersburg and Largo on Thursday night? The host Packers won 28-0 to improve to 3-0.

[Last modified September 21, 2007, 00:51:02]