The Cheaters (Patriots) Don’t Deserve an * if they Run the Table
Coming off a solid win against the defending Super Bowl champs this past weekend and staying unbeaten through the first 9 games of the season, the New England Patriots are primed to contend for the holiest of all NFL records…finish the regular season 16-0. Although they still must face some viable opponents (Steelers and Giants) in order to preserve the winning streak, the Pats are as capable as any team in recent history to remain unbeaten leading into the playoffs. However, there is much debate as to validity of such an achievement since they were caught cheating in the second week of the season against the Jets. Many people are saying that if they do go undefeated there needs to be an asterisk attached to their record.
Although I believe the Patriots did gain an unfair advantage over their opponents before they were caught and they may have won games in the past they should have lost if they weren’t stealing signs, I DO NOT believe they deserve an asterisk next to their name if they do run the table through the season. My reasoning lies within these factors.
1- The Patriot got caught cheating in the second week of the season. I think it is clear that if they had gained an unfair advantage in the first two games of the season that really has nothing to do with their ability to win seven more games against some real quality opponents.
2- The Patriots were punished and embarrassed by the commissioner when they were caught. Belechick and the Owner Kraft got a literal tongue lashing by the Commissioner when they were caught earlier this season. Many of their fans were embarrassed and several NFL owners expressed anger towards the Pats in violating those rules. Although they lost some trust from the fans and other teams in the league, I believe there is still a deep respect for the Patriot franchise and the way they win games.
3- The Patriots risk “banishment” from the league if they end up getting caught again. I think it is safe to say they ceased to continue their cheating ways. If they didn’t and have devised new ways to break the rules, they risk astronomical fines, suspensions and post season play. I truly think that if they were to get caught again they would face sever sanctions that could risk the integrity of the game itself. To me that is too much to risk just to gain a slight advantage against an opponent.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:08 am
You over look a couple of facts. Merely because they were caught “once” doesn’t mean their organization didn’t benefit from it. Thanks for being one of the few to indicate they most likely benefited from it in the past. If they turned over a library (7 years worth) of footage to Goodell & the NFL, then clearly this was a habitual practice they used to improve their ability to compete.
So they got caught once. Everyone wants to believe it was an isolated incident. We all know it wasn’t now, after the fact. But what no one knows (because the NFL destroyed the evidence vs. pouring through it and launching an investigation as well they should have - a travesty and subject for discussion on a cover-up to protect the business that is the NFL…) is what was done with the tapes. The NFL kindly asked the Patriots to turn over all video tapes and associated files from the previous 7 years. They did it.
What does that mean? Did the NFL go and collect the items at Foxboro? Did the NFL know what to ask for that should have been turned over? My point is this…we don’t know how they converted tapes into usable intelligence. Maybe it was all converted to video tape that wasn’t sent back to the NFL. Maybe it was converted to a book - Every NFL Coordinator’s Signals 101 - and that wasn’t sent back. Maybe it was converted to audio. Know one knows what was done with the intel. We just know the practice was valuable enough to have warranted walking an untheical line at the risk of getting caught. It led to some reward that was worth the risk. The benefit of that reward we’ll never know about because the NFL didn’t investigate, but instead covered it up.
We know Bellichick is a cheat in his personal life (major adulterer), and now a professional cheat. Do we really believe that on his Scout’s honor all of a sudden he’s squeaky clean and turned it all over? He has an unthecial history. Who knows what was turned over, and who knows what remains in the library at Foxboro. The NFL accepted a shipment of tapes/documents, a note from “Epstein’s mother”, destroyed the evidence and said it is done. There’s no evidence that was all of it. 7 years of tapes can lead to a lot of intelligence, output in who knows how many different formats that can be reused some believe for years. Who knows.
And that is the catch…who does know?? Sports Illustrated reported the claims that headsets go out in Foxboro a lot. Happened to the Lions, the Bengals, and most recently the Skins. Those are just the teams who voiced the concern. Also reported the issues of defenders wearing microphones under their uniforms…Patriots personnel running through opponents’ locker rooms looking for their playbooks. This is also the team that the NFL said itself last year was at the TOP of suspected cheating list. They got the first visit from Goodell and were told “don’t do these things” and did it ANYWAY. IF they are that arrogant to do something mere months after Goodell slapped their wrist, what makes one believe they are now Nuns & Saints & walking a fine line? Because of the fines? Those fines equal a speeding ticket to you and me. I’m sorry, but where there’s smoke their is fire. Too many teams call them out on the “suspect list”. They’ve officially been caught doing it. And I don’t think it’s “over”.
I truly believe anyone who believes this was a one time thing, and that it stopped right there is being very myopic. Unfortunately we have no evidence on any more..and the NFL won’t investigate it. It will take another whistle blowing ref or a very good, snoopy reporter to find more.
Official or not, they will always have an * as I consider them. This is the general feeling outside NE too. Bill did succeed in polarizing the rest of the world.