Peter king continues on the videogate

[SVN]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/09/30/mmqb/5.html

2. I think that was a good Tuesday Morning Quarterback column on ESPN.com last week, Gregg Easterbrook. And your premise is absolutely right: We should all know what the league found out in its investigation of the Patriots, if only because the public trust in the game was put into question. Silence will not make this go away. What did the league confiscate? How many years did the video spying go back? Why sweep everything under the rug? Were the three Super Bowl wins compromised in any way?

The only thing the Patriots' and league's silence does, even if there was absolutely nothing untoward in the Patriot video findings, is prompt speculation about what was found and tarnish what the Patriots accomplished since Bill Belichick took over as coach in 2000. Suppose no details are ever unearthed about the espionage. Do you think history will forget it? No. History will always wonder, How much video stealing did Belichick do, and how much did it factor into games? And when we look at the Patriots 10, 20 years from now, that question will still pop up.

At least for me, it won't take away the fact that I believe the Patriots of this decade are one of the best teams of all time, because whatever benefit a team derives from stealing defensive signals is a small one and had very little to do with New England's run of greatness. It's may be one piece in a 500-piece jigsaw.

But all the secrecy around this, and the lightning-fast termination of the investigation, only deepens the suspicion of the media, and as extension, the public. What I think the league found was a small cache of tapes but a larger stack of notes explaining exactly what the tapes taught the team. That's what I think, but we'll never know, will we?

 

[patsox23]

"What I think the league found was a small cache of tapes but a larger stack of notes explaining exactly what the tapes taught the team. That's what I
think, but we'll never know, will we?"

Well gosh, PK - what responsible journalism.

 

[PonyExpress]

King is about access. He sides with those who give it to him, and hates those who don't. The Patriots have cut him off. Cut him off entirely. None of them are speaking to him. He wants their "side" of the story. He's not getting it, and it's burning him up. That's why he's keeping the fire lit.

 

[PatriotsReign]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/09/30/mmqb/5.html

As a Pats fan, I have lost all respect for the sports media on this issue. And I have no respect for any Pats fan who posts such articles because he/she believes the Patriots should have acted in a different manner than they have.

I commend Robert Kraft and coach Belichick for remaining quiet on videogate despite the fact that this whole thing has been a virtual witch-hunt against them. They "could have" made the NFL initiate a league-wide investigation into this practice and revealed other rule breakers, but they took the high-road.

I'm damn proud of Mr. Kraft & coach Belichick for their class & integrity!

 

[SVN]

King is about access. He sides with those who give it to him, and hates those who don't. The Patriots have cut him off. Cut him off entirely. None of them are speaking to him. He wants their "side" of the story. He's not getting it, and it's burning him up. That's why he's keeping the fire lit.

actually he talks a lot with brady..i know he had a quote from brady last week about the eagles players saying that the pats knew all the signals in the SB. Brady said that "of course they ran screens because they blitz on every play"..or something of that sort.

 

[SVN]

And I have no respect for any Pats fan who posts such articles because he/she believes the Patriots should have acted in a different manner than they have.

FYI iam not believing pats shouldve acted differently...just posted what i read.

 

[Ring 6]

This is the height of stupidity. The league said they found nothing further.
What are they supposed to do? Give out daily press releases saying that for 30 straight days to keep up with the conspiracy theorists?

 

[thomas144]

I think the comments are fair.

I think the league made a huge mistake by making this into a huge deal, like videotaping the opposing coaches is a major infraction that somehow damages the integrity of the game the way blackmailing an official would.

But I also think the league made a mistake by destroying the evidence as quickly as they did. I think they realized that they had overreacted and wanted the controversy to go away, but having created the firestorm they should have let it burn out. If there's not a lot to see, why destroy the evidence? It just seems nuts.

 

[thomas144]

This is the height of stupidity. The league said they found nothing further.
What are they supposed to do? Give out daily press releases saying that for 30 straight days to keep up with the conspiracy theorists?

They could have simply released all the material. Why not?

 

[fair catch fryar]

King is about access. He sides with those who give it to him, and hates those who don't. The Patriots have cut him off. Cut him off entirely. None of them are speaking to him. He wants their "side" of the story. He's not getting it, and it's burning him up. That's why he's keeping the fire lit.

King and the rest of the media will continue to bring this up until the next "big" scandal or story comes along. I foresee another knucklehead stepping forward in the near future or at least until Vick's sentencing hearing.

 

[PonyExpress]

But I also think the league made a mistake by destroying the evidence as quickly as they did. I think they realized that they had overreacted and wanted the controversy to go away, but having created the firestorm they should have let it burn out. If there's not a lot to see, why destroy the evidence? It just seems nuts.

:blahblah: :blahblah: :bricks:

 

[Oswlek]

I think the comments are fair.

I think the league made a huge mistake by making this into a huge deal, like videotaping the opposing coaches is a major infraction that somehow damages the integrity of the game the way blackmailing an official would.

But I also think the league made a mistake by destroying the evidence as quickly as they did. I think they realized that they had overreacted and wanted the controversy to go away, but having created the firestorm they should have let it burn out. If there's not a lot to see, why destroy the evidence? It just seems nuts.

Several reasons

1) We already know what is on there. Nobody has hidden the fact that NE had been taping the D calls for years now.

2) Because the league already had issues with tapes leaking to the media.

3) Because no matter what, even if they released every tape to the media, morons like TMQ would be clamoring that they hid the "juicy" stuff.

It doesn't benefit anyone to *not* destroy the tapes.

 

[Ring 6]

They could have simply released all the material. Why not?

Why?
What would the point be?
Doing that would PROLONG the life of the episode.

 

[He Ban Me]

I think the comments are fair.

I think the league made a huge mistake by making this into a huge deal, like videotaping the opposing coaches is a major infraction that somehow damages the integrity of the game the way blackmailing an official would.

But I also think the league made a mistake by destroying the evidence as quickly as they did. I think they realized that they had overreacted and wanted the controversy to go away, but having created the firestorm they should have let it burn out. If there's not a lot to see, why destroy the evidence? It just seems nuts.

AhHA! So again, I am not the ONLY one who thinks this way! Regardless of CONTENTS, it was certainly an oddball way to end things, and it will ALWAYS leave questions.


Wasn't PK LAUDED last week for his article stating video was a minor piece. Now that he questions the destruction, some Pats fans are again OFF his bandwagon. Don't you see how obvious your homerism goes??

Who's the guy that applauds BB and Kraft for NOT COMMENTING?? Are you serious??? They are the good guys because YOU THINK they had the power to tell the LEAGUE to launch an all out investigation?? HAHA. The reason they were silent is because that way their stories stay straight. Nothing to say, because it could not have possibly reflected good on the team. WTF would they speak in detail about any infraction??

Anyway, it's over, now, how many fantasy points is Brady going to score for me tonight??

 

[PATSNUTme]

They could have simply released all the material. Why not?

Why Thomas, why? Just to keep the pot boiling?

If nothing was found, then that should be the end of it. You know damn well if they released the information the vultures would have swarmed al over it. They would take the smallest ant hill and make a volcanic mountain over it.

That's why not.

 

[Beavis]

KING: At least for me, it won't take away the fact that I believe the Patriots of this decade are one of the best teams of all time, because whatever benefit a team derives from stealing defensive signals is a small one and had very little to do with New England's run of greatness. It's may be one piece in a 500-piece jigsaw.

Then shut the F up already!!!

 

[PonyExpress]

AhHA! So again, I am not the ONLY one who thinks this way! Regardless of CONTENTS, it was certainly an oddball way to end things, and it will ALWAYS leave questions.


Wasn't PK LAUDED last week for his article stating video was a minor piece. Now that he questions the destruction, some Pats fans are again OFF his bandwagon. Don't you see how obvious your homerism goes??

Who's the guy that applauds BB and Kraft for NOT COMMENTING?? Are you serious??? They are the good guys because YOU THINK they had the power to tell the LEAGUE to launch an all out investigation?? HAHA. The reason they were silent is because that way their stories stay straight. Nothing to say, because it could not have possibly reflected good on the team. WTF would they speak in detail about any infraction??

Anyway, it's over, now, how many fantasy points is Brady going to score for me tonight??

:blahblah: :blahblah: :bricks:

 

[thomas144]

Several reasons

1) We already know what is on there. Nobody has hidden the fact that NE had been taping the D calls for years now.

We, as Patriots fans, think we know, and don't really care anyway, but by destroying whatever it was they destroyed (actually, I really have no idea what they destroyed and I don't think any of us do), they allow people to keep talking about the "imagined" destroyed evidence. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

2) Because the league already had issues with tapes leaking to the media.

There wouldn't be any problem with leaks if the "evidence" (whatever it was) was released.

3) Because no matter what, even if they released every tape to the media, morons like TMQ would be clamoring that they hid the "juicy" stuff.

Maybe, but now they claim that they destroyed the "juicy" stuff.

I don't even understand how the league office had time to review the stuff they destroyed it so quickly.

It doesn't benefit anyone to *not* destroy the tapes.

I'm having trouble parsing the meaning of that sentence.

 

[upstater1]

To answer King's questions, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. The Patriots have been stealing for years. They compromised the opposing staff in the Super Bowls. That aided their victories.

So what? Maybe those lazy coaches should get off their bums and do some advanced scouting once in a while. Peter King wants to reward the lazy bums who like their 10 hours of sleep over the 8 coaches in the league who will leave no stone unturned.

 

[Amazon4]

I'm curious, did the commissioner ever come out and say "no further infractions were discovered, there are no additional fines to impose, case closed" ??

If he didn't, he should.