I agree that if you pick them up during a game, more power to you. I used to pick up the other teams signals coaching baseball, just by looking at the opposing coaches.Its part of the game. Stealing signals would be sending a spy to the opponents practices and knowing the signals before the game. Seeing the signals during the game and reading them is part of the game..
You would almost have to have a "cryptologists" to figure out anything other than basic signals. The coaches and players have too much on their plate to figure these things out. Now, certain formations can imply certain play types but actually figuring out what and where the other team is going can't be done without some concerted effort.Picking up on signals is one thing. If they have people dedicated to deciphering codes on the sidelines, that's a whole different animal. Almost any code can be broken, if you notice the formation and play when the team gives a certain signal , that is good awareness. If you employ a team of cryptologists to decipher signals, then that's unsportsmanlike .
The barn and their silly signs. I made a comment about them using silly signs last night and without missing a beat, my wife (a gator grad) says, "Honey, that's because the barn players can't readThat's funny. I would say that any woman who would make that joke without missing a beat is a keeper.
This is why some teams have 3 or 4 back up qb's signaling in plays. They can choose any one before the series or you look at a certain guy for all first downs, another one for secon downs, and so on. The reason that the uptempo teams can not run in players with the call or stand the players over at the sideline is it hurts the pace for them and allows defenses to sub.I've often wondered to myself when watching games when a team signal in plays, that eventually during the game, the other team should be watching the signals being called, and know what play is about to happen..How can you combat teams that's stealing your plays like that when you signal them in???..Can you have WR's rotate in & out each play..And have them stand by the OC(if he's on the sideline like Kiffin is this year) or stand by whoever signals in the plays..And tell the WR that's rotating in what the play is & allow him to run the play in each time..Then there's no way the D would have a clue as to what play is coming in..