Funktopus

It just amazes me that:

1) the Media don't do thier homework when it comes to explaining the rule and how it was broken.
2) Goodell and the NFL didn't explain exactly how the rule was broken and how the penalty fits the infraction.

Each just assumes that camera = cheating, but I like a little more explanation. Additionally surprised that I can't find one Media member that wants to tackle this issue. (please point me to it if you have a link) I guess they think its just too dry for thier jughead readers? They must have such a low opinion of us.

Worse, or more surprizing is that the NFL hands out a penalty that leaves room for speculating about how you can interpret a rule. BB admits that his interpretation of the rule was wrong. If the NFL truly wants to prevent this from happening again, they should let everyone know what BB's eroneous "interpretation" was and how it was wrong. That would actually be preventative.

Gwedd

I couldn't agree more. Look back to when we lost to Denver, where Watson ran the length of the field to knock the ball out of the Denver CB's hand and into the end zone. That WAS a touchback, and we should have had the ball back on the 20, but it wasn't ruled that way. Everyone who saw that play knew what an outstanding effort Watson made, and how he clearly knocked the ball over the pylon and into the end zone. Yet the refs refused to rule it that way.

jct

Just 1 mans opinion but I would have rather seen BB suspended for 1-4 games and a 3rd round pick instead of the 1st rounder.
Hell BB could have gone to Notre Dame and CW came back for those games.

Bella*chick

Did you guys read the espn story today? Sources say we have to turn over all previous videotapes because we can't use anything on them for any reason at all. Not during the game, not after the game.

Our video procedures are obviously going to be monitored now as well.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3022773

We don't comply, we get more sanctions.

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OSKIE

First time poster here. I'm a Broncos fan and do most of my posting at the Orangemane.

First, I think the video taping of hand signals is pretty chicken****. I can see standing over on the other side of the field with binoculars and trying to steal signs. Just as I can see a baserunner standing on 2nd base trying to steal a catcher's signs. Video taping though and using the material to make halftime adjustments isn't right though. I won't say it's worthy of 3/4's of a million $$$ in fines or giving up a 2nd and 3rd round pick (when you don't make the playoffs ), but it does tarnish your "dynasty" that's been going for several years.

The worst part has yet to come to light though. I somehow wonder if Goodell didn't do the Pats a favor by making the penalty a little stiffer than necessary so that in the future he can say the team has already been penalized and has 'learned their lesson'. There are players with proof of the Pats recording cadence, line calls, QB audibles, etc. Evidently Tim Brown received a tape after the "tuck game" when the Pats went on to win their first SB. Supposedly that tape is being sent to Goodell and that could cause a lot more commotion than the video taping incident. Your team also has to account for the loss of communication at important times when teams are playing at Gilette. There's a whole lot of reports circulating around right now. Honestly, most fans that I've talked to think this is a bigger deal than the whole Michael Vick incident. Mainly b/c it's cheating on the field and not screwing up off the field.

As a Bronco fan I know full well what it's like to get accused of cheating. Cut blocks, the Elway deferred payment that cost us a 3rd round pick a few years back, stuff like that is normal and it's b/c the franchise has been successful. So, I take a lot of the complaints from people as "penis envy" b/c the Pats have done so well... but I will say, if these reports are proved true. Your dynasty is as tainted as Barry Bonds Home Run Record!

OSKIE

btw, I hope your boys pound the crap out of the Chargers tonight. You can allow 100 yards and a pair of TD's to LT though... I had the first pick in our FF draft! :P

dante828

I see many of you blaming the media for this and rightfully so, the media does deserve a good part of the blame. But the problem is with th league and how they define their "rules." The NFL has not clearly defined the rules for sign stealing, and worse, they never defined their rules for punishment. Even if Belichick knew that what he was doing was against the rules (and no one has proved that that he did), how was he ever supposed to guess what the penalty would be? Had the league clearly defined rules on the issue, perhaps this never comes up at all. Now the rules are defined by how pissed off the fans and the media are at your actions. If your on Miami and steal signs through audio recordings, and no one cares, you can keep doing it. If your the Pats, and everyone wants to string you up, the NFL will be much obliged to do so. Thats the problem of undefined rules, and that responsibility falls on the NFL and the people in charge, most specifically Goodell.

How other fans aren't fearful of a similar reaction from the league with regards to their team is beyond me. After this fiasco, my great hope for the season is for the Pats to win the Super Bowl, so Goodell will have to hand the trophy to Kraft, who I hope lets Belichick take it, just for the big F*** Y**!

dante828

First, so, your ok with cheating when its just not done well, is that it. So its ok to look at the others guy test, but wrong to viedotape it.....good logic, I hope that works out well for you.

Second, no one has proved that the Pats used the videotape for halftime adjustments, and definitely did not in the Jets game. Thats where Belichick claimed his misinterpretation came from. Maybe he is lying, but unless the NFL can prove otherwise, its all just speculation. Hey, if your ok with stringing a team up on speculation, thats your business, I tend to like proof of infractions before I punish someone. I tend to think that is the whole basis of our legal system, but maybe I am mistaken.

Third, you may be right about them investigatinbg the Pats further, though it would be entirely unfair to drag out every dirty piece of Pats laundry into the sun, and don't do anything about some of the supposed speculation from other teams. Why don't we investigate the Colts for pumping noise into the RCA dome, or the Dolphins for audio recording audibles for the Pats. The reason is arbitrary, its because everyone hates the Pats and wants to bring them down, this rule infraction has given them that chance, and it shows the level of their hatred.

I doubt very highly that this will be proven, and as far as Bonds goes, nothing has been proven about him either....regardless of what speculation says. If people choose to view the Pats Super bowls as tainted, that's their business, regardless of anything the Pats did, all three teams had chances to win, and failed to make those plays. I don't see those Super Bowls as tainted at all, just like I doubt you see those Broncoes Super Bowls as tainted (I don't either, those were great teams, and I always like Elway, so I am glad the Broncos broke the rules to keep him and give him a chance to win one in Denver before he retired).

Funktopus

Amen Dante! And what's worse, if the NFL fesses up that thier rules are specified inadequately with any re-writes, the Kraft and BB should demand the penalty be reversed.