OT: Patriots get slammed for Cameragate

[NYWarrior]

Bellichicken was fined $500Gs.  The team was tagged with a $250G fine........and lost a first round pick in 2008 (2nd and 3rd if they don't make the playoffs).

Well done, Mr. Goodell

[Nukem2]

Hopefully, the Pats go downhill from here.  Belicheck is a cheater obviously.  Kinda wonder what else.  So much for that squeaky clean franchise.......

[muguru]

Not good enough IMO. First of all, no Belicheck suspension combined with these things is a joke. Second, why make it a 1st round pick only if they make the playoffs?? Make it a 1st no matter what. Besides, the Pats have two first round picks next year anyway.

Belicheck should have been suspended a MINIMUM of 4 games as well. 

[NYWarrior]

Belicheck should have been suspended a MINIMUM of 4 games as well. 

suspension is a tough call......ultimately that can hurt other teams in the league - ie, if Belichicken is not around to coach his team for a month, the teams the Pats play have an unfair advantage relative to other teams in the league. That kinda compounds the lack of fairness.  Agreed on the draft pick though - -shoulda been more now that I've thought about it more.

[MUMac]

An interesting article, with comments by the Eagles from the Superbowl loss to the Pats.  You have to wonder how long, and what advantage Bellicheck got.  Was Belicheck made solely by technology? 

You have to wonder how this was kept under wraps by players and coaches who have left.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FBN_EAGLES_NFL_SPYING?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=SPORTS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Goodell comments on why no suspension:  http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3018338

"Goodell said he had considered suspending Belichick but didn't "largely because I believe that the discipline I am imposing of a maximum fine and forfeiture of a first-round draft choice, or multiple draft choices, is in fact more significant and long-lasting, and therefore more effective, than a suspension."'

John Clayton reacts negatively to the suspension - too light:  http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?id=3018407

[Schoolyard]

You have to wonder how long, and what advantage Bellicheck got.  Was Belicheck made solely by technology? 

My sources tell me he was not cheating in Cleveland

[augoman]

certainly, loss of 1st round draft, and INELIGIBLE for the playoffs..., at a minimum.  (what value can you put on a superbowl-$750k is chickenfeed).

[jutaw22mu]

i think this is a pretty good punishment for starters.  i hope goodell continues to investigate past games for any further evidence of cheating and punish accordingly.

my only problem is that they should be banned from the playoffs.  at the very least if they make the playoffs they should lose homefield advantage throughout and should they make the superbowl, less tickets should be made available for patriots fans.

finally the loss of the first round pick should be unconditional.  they should lose at least their first and second picks. 


i dont know if anyone remembers but a cheating incident happened in italy last year involving ac milan, inter and one other team.  the punishment for ac milan was that they were automatically relagated to the league below (not serie A) and i think they started the season with -90 points.  meaning they would have to stay in the lower division for at least two years.  this is the best way to reward a cheater since they had to play weaker competition and were inelligible to play in the champions league.  certainly they have lost quality players because they do not want to play in the lower leagues, they want to be on the biggest stage possible.

[murocky01]

I thought it was pretty cowardly of Bellichicken to not even address what occurred.  Earlier in the week he dodged questions about what had transpired saying that he would refrain from commenting until the league completed its investigation.  Then today he said that he didn't want to talk about it because it was behind him.  Obviously he doesn't want to talk about the situation because he knows he's guilty of cheating and has been for a long time.  If I were a fan of the Patriots I would be extremely disappointed in the organization for allowing this to occur.  Bellichicken should have been suspended for at least half of the season, IMO.

[Thomas' Danish Delight]

Wow, just what the NFL needs...more bad publicity.

IMHO, however, this is more detrimental to the league than Michael Vick's dogfighting.  Don't get me wrong, I love dogs, and Vick and all others that participate in dogfighting and animal abuse are nothing short of heinous. 

Nonetheless, Vick's dogfighting didn't tell him when a blitz was coming...it didn't boost his already outstanding football talents...

What the Patriots did was outright cheating.  Cowardly.  Highly immoral.  I'm not putting cheating and dogfighting in the same category, because while Vick's acts may have harmed his image and the Falcon's offense, the Patriots flat out stole games from other teams.

750 Gs and a lost draft pick is a mere slap on the rest.

[tower912]

I don't understand the big deal.   Coaches in all sports have been trying to steal signs and signals from other teams forever.   Coach Bill just took it high tech, made films to study, and quantified other teams signals and calls.   What I find most interesting is that is his former protege, now Jets coach who 'caught' him.   I am guessing this means this has been going on for years.   Still feels like a tempest in a teapot.   Slap their wrists and move on.

[spartan3186]

Apparently this team is actually good even without cheating cause they sure took it to the Chargers last night. 

[muwarrior87]

I don't understand the big deal.   Coaches in all sports have been trying to steal signs and signals from other teams forever.   Coach Bill just took it high tech, made films to study, and quantified other teams signals and calls.   What I find most interesting is that is his former protege, now Jets coach who 'caught' him.   I am guessing this means this has been going on for years.   Still feels like a tempest in a teapot.   Slap their wrists and move on.

If i recall correctly, it says nothing about looking or using binoculars or lip readers to try and steal signs...but hi-tech vid equipment is not allowed. black and white rule and i'm glad it's being enforced.

[spiral97]

Apparently this team is actually good even without cheating cause they sure took it to the Chargers last night. 

assumption is that they didn't cheat again.

If i recall correctly, it says nothing about looking or using binoculars or lip readers to try and steal signs...but hi-tech vid equipment is not allowed. black and white rule and i'm glad it's being enforced.

if true, then tell me how they would prevent use of this type of gadget:
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/336/C10531/

[ChicosBailBonds]

I don't understand the big deal.   Coaches in all sports have been trying to steal signs and signals from other teams forever.   Coach Bill just took it high tech, made films to study, and quantified other teams signals and calls.   What I find most interesting is that is his former protege, now Jets coach who 'caught' him.   I am guessing this means this has been going on for years.   Still feels like a tempest in a teapot.   Slap their wrists and move on.

The big deal is Commissionere Goodell sent all teams a memo two weeks before the season started explicitly saying don't do it.  The Patriots decided they didn't need to listen to the Commissioner.

Thus, it's a big deal.

[muwarrior87]

Apparently this team is actually good even without cheating cause they sure took it to the Chargers last night. 

assumption is that they didn't cheat again.

If i recall correctly, it says nothing about looking or using binoculars or lip readers to try and steal signs...but hi-tech vid equipment is not allowed. black and white rule and i'm glad it's being enforced.

if true, then tell me how they would prevent use of this type of gadget:
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/336/C10531/

i'm just saying what the rule is, i'm not saying anything about how to enforce it or prevent hi-tech binoculars being used.