DougGabriel2007

I've gone back and forth on it, with the hole "everyone probably does stuff like that", which is true. And I'm sure it did not help us out a whole lot, however, perception becomes reality and if people start to believe we cheated then we're going to be labeled that. Its unfortunate because we got so many great players and people on this team.

I feel like I've spent so much time rooting for this team, watching the games, reading about the team, being proud of them and now we gotta deal with this, which is about the worst possible thing besides performance enhancing drug use that we could be exposed for.

Whether this gave us a big edge or not, none of us will really EVER know and thats what is the tough part. We can pretend to rationalize it, we can pretend we know, but we really will never know if we got a leg up on teams like the Eagles, Steelers and Colts by doing this.

I've never enjoyed rooting for a team, group of players and organization more than the 2001-current New England Patriots and I'm not sure what to think. I think going forward we'll be fine and continue to win but it is the NFL and it will be tough. We could easily fall off within 2-3 years and people start saying "oh look they felloff within 2 years of cameragate", when it was just coincidental and the odds were of that happening.

This is a major rambling, however, I really believe a lot of people on this board will be able to relate to what I'm saying, I think most of my feelings towards the situation are similar to others. Some of us are trying to say we're gonna just focus on the next game and all that, but this is something thats going to linger for a while and it just sucks.

All I can think of for now,

(Added note: I'm pretty sure we're going to beat the Chargers. You got a situation where a bunch of people who are champions, future hall of famers are having their pride, credentials and manhood questioned for something they had no role in and know nothing about. Teams in the NFL always rally around the no respect card and this is the ultimate no respect card)

PatsWorldChamps

it is a total non-incident except we lost a #1.
period.

__________________
"If you didn't know better, you'd think the Jets sent Bill Belichick north
to destroy the Patriots from within. (When) they could have had
impact players David Terrell or Koren Robinson or the second-best tackle in
the draft in Kenyatta Walker, they took Georgia defensive tackle Richard
Seymour, (who is) too tall to play tackle at 6-6 and too slow to play defensive end." - Xerox Borges, April 2001

MoLewisrocks

Ultimately it is what it is. Do most of us wish it never happened? Sure. But the media made or tried to make way more out of this than it ever was.

What Denver did via salary cap violations was much worse. They got to keep an aging and expensive HOF QB without giving up any other talent, so in effect they got to outspend the rest of the league for two seasons. For that they got docked a 3rd round choice, twice. Do you hear it come up ever when the mediots are ballwashing Shannahan - who has never won since? Half the Steel Curtain was on steroids, and their team doc in the one for the thumb season just got fired because his name was tied to the internet pharmacy in the Albany DA's sting. Did you hear anyone in the media questioning their dynasty as they won their 5th ring in 2006? Nope.

This too shall pass, and faster that you think. The media has a very short attention span.

DougGabriel2007

Theres just been so many great moments over the past 6-7 years with this team that nobody is going to want to acknowledge now. BBs heartfelt speech to the team before the steelers game in 04, coming onto the field as one in 01, tom bradys great 03 performance and now people just look at everything skeptically.

I really wish this would just blow over and everyone would be like "oh it was nothing" but I think at the very least people will look at it like they look at the Broncos and 9ers for cheating the cap or the Steelers for their steroid issue....

Deus Irae

There are some terrible things about this:


1.) Goodell's ruling was terrible, expecially the sliding draft pick. That was asinine. This man has been a terrible commissioner so far, and shows no real sign of improving any time soon.

2.) The media behaved terribly and, once again, showed its preference for gossip over fact.

3.) The hypocrisy of some players and coaches was terrible.

4.) The loss of a first round pick over something this bloody stupid is terrible, especially in a year when the team really needed to draft a linebacker and either a left tackle or a cornerback in the first round


However, the "woe is me" and "I feel betrayed" crap being moaned about by the fans is also terrible. I expect crying like this from girls and young boys, not men. Bills fans have reason to bemoan their team's situation. Trailblazers fans have reason for woe. New England fans have the best team in football to cheer for. They need to quit crying, sack it up and move on.

DougGabriel2007

Ugh, quit the spin Deus. Nobody is crying, but obviously this is a terrible situation. The commish acted fine, he needed to set a precedent and did. The players who made excuses on other teams was a bit much, but c'mon, you can't honestly feel like oh this is nothing. Our legacy has possibly been tainted forever and for someone who really enjoyed rooting for a team who had so much pride and did so many good things, its a little tough to swallow that we're going to be labeled as otherwise by many.

I never said I feel betrayed. The team doesn't owe me anything, but it definitely sucks we'll never know if we won those games fair and square. Atleast thats how I feel right now...

Deus Irae

If I'd aimed my comments directly at you, I'd have quoted you first. However, you're a perfect example of someone crying for no reason:

This is life and nobody gets away clean. Steelers and Steroids. Cowboys and Criminality. Broncos and salary cap cheating. 49ers and a criminal owner. Raiders and.... well, pretty much everything you can imagine. If you let fans of other teams influence your self-worth or happiness, you deserve everything they call you. This was nothing more than the Minnesota Wolves getting shafted by the NBA for doing what every other team in the league was either doing or trying to do, but taking it one step further and actually putting the agreements down on paper. That decision was also a terrible one, and was made by a much better commissioner than the NFL currently has.

Teams and fans were already crying about the Patriots. Rams and Colts fans sobbed because New England beat up their receivers. Raiders fans are too stupid to watch film and so can't grasp the tuck rule. Steelers fans and players were already whining that the better team didn't win. The only thing of any significance that has changed is that New England has lost a first or second round draft pick.

Ok, maybe there is another change. A whole lot of Patriots fans have seemingly turned into weepy children overnight. Reading some of these threads has been like being forced to watch "Terms of Endearment" in a theater with an all-woman crowd.

DonBlackmon55

The commish wants to throw his weight around with Gustapo type tactics to show how strong he is.

Fun will start at the next CBA. Watch this fool get steamrolled.

DisgruntledTunaFan

Yeah-the Pats got caught and are paying the consequences, but...

I find it kind of funny how IF this was really a BIG deal, then why aren't there much, much harsher punishments? And why aren't the likes of Bill Polian and Jeff Fisher staying quiet?

To me-the NFL just wants to keep their clean image, so they're doing everything to keep everyting under a rug at the same time.

DougGabriel2007

I think the reason you pretty much see no coaches coming out and chiding the pats for it is because they know how prevalent it is within the game and know how much gamesmanship there is...

Deus, I thought you were talking about me specifically, so sorry. However, I do think I made a lot of good points and didn't comeoff as crying. What other fans think doesn't influence my happiness, however, its definitely frusterating to know this great team you rooted for is now going to be dogged with questions like this, pretty much forever...