mdhprime

It seems that everyone - fans, media, some players who are talking to the media, are really missing the point. This is in a small way about breaking the rules. The bigger issue is the culture in the NFL when it comes to competitive advantage. Teams have been stealing signs and committing other infractions for years and years and from reports I've read over that last few years, just about every team is involved in some kind of rules breaking or going "outside the lines" to gain an advantage. Examples: 1.) A few years ago the Broncos brought their white jerseys to San Diego even though San Diego, being the home team, determined that they themselves were going to wear their white jerseys. In the SoCal heat, this is a big pretty big deal. 2.) Miami purchased recordings of Brady's snap counts and cadence last year and were able to use them to their advantage on defense. 3.) Denver teaches their offensive lineman to cut block, an illegal and dangeous practice, but they do it and their running game benefits. These are just three examples, but if you listen to what long time players and former coaches have to say, these kind of tactics are commonplace and have been for a long time. Sign stealing has become an art and everyone does it their own way. As far as the acceptability of it, that is for the league to decide, but when you know your opponent is doing something against the rules in order to gain an advantage, will you as a team do nothing do gain your own advantage. It reminds me of a quote from a few years from Belichick when he was asked about Patriots corners bumping Colts receivers; he said something like, "You play the game the way the game is played." I took that to mean if that is what is commonplace and accepted, then by all means play that way. I look at the sign stealing and other tactics in a similar way. Now if the league wants to eliminate these practices, great. If they want to use the Patriots as an example and punish them for violating the rules by taking away a draft pick, fine. They broke the rules and should be punished. However, the commisioner needs to know that their are many other teams (if not all) in the league who are violating the rules to gain an advantage and they need to be watched and discplined as well if he wants to achieve his goal of modifiying the way the game is played. This will be difficult when certain team executives and coaches occupy places of influence within the league...particularly the competition committee. This committee has attempted to legislate their way to success against the Patriots before (Ty Law rule emphasis), and while this particular situation is of the Patriots doing, not theirs, it should not be seen as an opening for attempting further unreasonable checks on a successful team. Are the Patriots tainted? In my opinion, they are in a small way because they got caught breaking a rule...but the bigger picture is that all teams are doing this or something like it in their own way and if that is going to get fixed, then the league needs to be equitable in their investigation and disciplinary actions.

true_patriot

Well written. It is imperative to understand that the issue here is violation of a rule, instead of cheating (as all the media hacks continue to remind us). I know Pats and BB were hated outside of NE, but I did not know, they were hated THIS MUCH!

JR4

mdhprime, point the finger and others is not owning up to what
you did wrong ... rather what our head coach has done wrong.
pointing fingers doesn't cut it with me.

Every one breaks the speed limit but when you get caught speeding do you
think the judge is going to care if you use that as your defense????

mdhprime

If you bothered to read the entire post, you'd realize I was defending nothing. I speaking about an overall philosophy or practice within the league that has existed for a long time. I even stated that the Patriots should be punished if found to be breaking the rules, however that punishment needs to be tempered by the fact all teams need to be held accountable for their actions, not just the most successful team of the decade so far.

mdhprime

Success breeds contempt, especially in professional sports. Yankees anyone?

PonyExpress

The Pats did not break any legal or moral rule. What occurred is called GAMESMANSHIP. In any contest where wins and losses really count, gamesmanship is an accepted reality. There is a long history of stealing signs in the NFL. Shanahan hired lip readers, beginning the process of coaches covering their mouths. Shanahan bent the injury reports, forcing the injury reports to become more stringent. Schottenheimer used scouts to steal signs during games going back to his Cleveland days. Mangini himself engaged in this practice. The difference is that in the past these issues were accepted by league members and kept in house. Coaches took countermeasures and dealt with the Gamesmanship. Only Mangini and the current competition committee, acting on a vendetta with BB, have done differently, breaking the code of silence in order to humilate our coach and team. Wake up.

mdhprime

I couldn't agree more. I wish this point of view sold papers and ad space because if the media reported this, a lot of fans would get a much needed education.

Cannon Arm

Violation of a rule for the purpose of gaining a competitive advantage (videotape has a perfect memory, unlike humans) doesn't equal cheating to you? What dictionary do you use?

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"He said he was bringing something for Rodney Harrison. I don't know. Maybe it was the two dropped passes."

PonyExpress

The same one as your slap-di(k GM, Polian, who has used "gamesmanship" to his advantage with obvious results. He moved his team to a pathetic division of expansion teams and vagabonds to escape the AFC East and benefit his QB; he has been called the worst "thief" related to sign stealing in the NFL by the Ravens' D coordinator; he manipulated the competition committee to benefit his pass happy offense; He pumps up the volume in his stadium; he issues false and misleading injury reports. If you inspect your high horse you will observe it is a jack@$$.

Patriotic Fervor

No.

But when the judge does not administer punishment equitably for the same offense (it's called "equal protection under the law"), then both the law and the judge become more than a little suspect.

I think that's the point.

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....and that's the way I see it!