PHINALLY!!! Philly's Main Paper Takes on Specter

[shmessy]

I was wondering exactly HOW powerful Comcast was in it's hometown in squashing the Philadelphia Inquirer from taking on Specter and mentioning his "Comcastic Connection" in an official editorial.

Answer: About 6 days.
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http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20080209_Editorial__Sen__Specter_and_the_Patriot_Tapes.html

........Surely, Specter's outrage has nothing to do with his backing of the cable industry, and his big donors at Comcast, who are in a fight with the football league concerning the NFL Network.

Or perhaps the NFL didn't get Specter's chief of staff good enough seats to the Super Bowl. Specter says he wasn't aware of the request and that the staffer would pay for the seats, which cost $700 each.

That's fine. But what does it say about arrogance and influence-peddling that a Senate staffer would even pick up the phone and request a couple of Super Bowl tickets? Perhaps, Specter should start a hotline so constituents can call him next time they need tickets to a big game or concert.

Specter is a smart, distinguished senator. If he wants to play games, he should stick to his beloved squash courts.

 

[MassPats38]

Good to see a Philly paper dumping on Specter. This stuff has been out there in other articles, but it may sting a little bit more coming from his home state (although Rooney's comment on Specter, "I didn't vote for him", may question the love for him in that state).

It will be interesting to see, given his relationship with Comcast, if he takes a job there after his term ends and how much he gets paid. That will likely prove how much he really cares about this issue.

Regrettably, even if this power play is for less than noble motives, nothing stops unless Congress calls it a sufficiently ridiculous investigation to bring it to an end. Other members of the committee need to feel their future is at stake if they pursue this inquiry. Given the number of times many Senators and Reps fail to vote on laws, the "waste of time" concern may not carry much weight.

 

[shmessy]

It will be interesting to see, given his relationship with Comcast, if he takes a job there after his term ends and how much he gets paid.

Yeah, it would be interesting ideed.

Corporate criminal.

 

[shmessy]

More new HOME STATE editorials against the Senior Senator:


http://www.ldnews.com/editorials/ci_8210352

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_551450.html

Just as I said last week, this is going to boomerang on him and Comcast right on their own home turf.

 

[bigjunk1]

I am torn when I read these little editorial type pieces.

On the one hand it's nice that people are seeing (finally) what a foul, miserable, money hungry, paid-off politician that this guy is.

On the other hand, I would love to see Time or Newsweek do a real smash job on this guy. What he is doing is an offense to the American political system.

The problem with any big write up on this guy would be that it would get more people poking into the NFL's business. And with so many jealous Pat haters out there, that wouldn't be a good thing either.
Because if one thing has become painfully clear over the past few months it's this: YOU CAN ACCUSE THE PATRIOTS OF ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING - WITHOUT ONE SHREAD OF ACTUAL EVIDENCE - AND PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE IT!

 

[shmessy]

I am torn when I read these little editorial type pieces.

On the one hand it's nice that people are seeing (finally) what a foul, miserable, money hungry, paid-off politician that this guy is.

On the other hand, I would love to see Time or Newsweek do a real smash job on this guy. What he is doing is an offense to the American political system.

The problem with any big write up on this guy would be that it would get more people poking into the NFL's business. And with so many jealous Pat haters out there, that wouldn't be a good thing either.
Because if one thing has become painfully clear over the past few months it's this: YOU CAN ACCUSE THE PATRIOTS OF ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING - WITHOUT ONE SHREAD OF ACTUAL EVIDENCE - AND PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE IT!

I see your point, but it's ALREADY happened. The Patriots have already gotten their national image hit. What more can possibly taint them in the eyes of the lazy, Easterbrook believing public?

Further discussion puts the Patriots at far LESS risk than it does for the OTHER TEAMS......and, for that matter, the further this goes, the more the press is beginning to take on Specter and Comcast.

 

[SoCal Bong]

Did he even meet with Goodell on Tuesday morning as he demanded? Or maybe he conveniently dropped the whole thing just because the Pats lost?

 

[shmessy]

Did he even meet with Goodell on Tuesday morning as he demanded? Or maybe he conveniently dropped the whole thing just because the Pats lost?

No. He's full steam ahead......towards the iceberg.

He went on WFAN Thursday and WEEI yesterday saying that he will be meeting with Goodell in his Senate office this week, and perhaps with Walsh.

 

[fgssand]

How much longer do we have to wait to be vindicated?

Surely, NE was not the only team that broke a rule whilst stealing signals? We know from the other coaches, players & NFL people that NE is not alone with some of the tactics used to gain an edge. It is not cheating - if it were, we would be facing a much harsher reality with penalties & punishments that would make $500/M & 250/M with a draft choice seem like nothing.

I am more than ready to see somebody come forward and bring these other teams down already.

I am surprised that we continue to have to face all of this music for the good of the NFL.

Enough already.....

 

[pats1yes]

For me the answer is clear as a bell.

What 2-3 days before the SB this comes up. Hey, did you have a few months to do this before???

Yes.

So, if you think, this just stinks about as bad as it gets.

 

[PromisedLand]

"It is often said that the appearance of a conflict of interest is as damaging as an actual conflict. In this case, the appearance is that Sen. Specter is working for Comcast. "

I don't understand the compulsion some posters have to deny that what the Patriots did was cheating. It is cheating, but is the kind of cheating that most teams do all the time. It is the kind of cheating that every driver does when he or she rolls his car across the stop line at an intersection before coming to a full stop. It is the kind of cheating that does NOT rise to the level of a federal offense. Despite that, the Patriots have already been investigated and have paid an unprecedented price, both in terms of money, the draft pick and most importantly, their reputation.

There's an old saying that refers to this kind of minor transgression: "Don't make a Federal case out of it." Senator Specter would be wise to heed that advice.

 

[QuinielaBox]

Impeach Specter.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

"Cheating" is where this goes far beyond reality. Look at the thread on this board showing the Giants lineman holding onto Seymour's facemask.

Now it's fairly well known that grabbing facemasks is against the rules. If he did something against the rules, he "cheated". THE GIANTS PLAYER BROKE THE RULES. If you use your logic, the Giants "cheated" by "breaking the rules", therefore they should be stipped of the title and the title given to the Pats.

Face it, that "cheating" had alot more bearing on the game than any taping ever did.

Are the Giants cheaters by breaking the rules for an unfair advantage?

 

[DarrylS]

It would seem that Spectre and the rest of the Senate has better things to do than pursue this witch hunt..

 

[IcyPatriot]

Did he even meet with Goodell on Tuesday morning as he demanded? Or maybe he conveniently dropped the whole thing just because the Pats lost?

I think that's it ... the Patriot loss killed him and the story was
doomed to go nowhere from Sunday on ... what a tool Specter is.

 

[Bella*chick]

"It is often said that the appearance of a conflict of interest is as damaging as an actual conflict. In this case, the appearance is that Sen. Specter is working for Comcast. "

I don't understand the compulsion some posters have to deny that what the Patriots did was cheating. It is cheating, but is the kind of cheating that most teams do all the time. It is the kind of cheating that every driver does when he or she rolls his car across the stop line at an intersection before coming to a full stop. It is the kind of cheating that does NOT rise to the level of a federal offense. Despite that, the Patriots have already been investigated and have paid an unprecedented price, both in terms of money, the draft pick and most importantly, their reputation.

There's an old saying that refers to this kind of minor transgression: "Don't make a Federal case out of it." Senator Specter would be wise to heed that advice.

I think the problem is the word cheating is a really strong word that makes one (at least me) think of looking over someone's shoulder on a test or something. The implication being that you would not had won otherwise.

Trying to argue the different levels of cheating just goes right over most people's heads. For the average football fan, if you say the Patriots cheated, they immediately feel they didn't deserve to win those games. I prefer the rule infraction approach because it is much more tempered language. It puts everything into perspective a lot better.

Now use of the word cheating coupled with the enormous punishment and it really looks like the Patriots did something awful. No wonder so many were perplexed when Goodell was talking about how much a part of the game it was at his State of league presser.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

No. He's full steam ahead......towards the iceberg.

He went on WFAN Thursday and WEEI yesterday saying that he will be meeting with Goodell in his Senate office this week, and perhaps with Walsh.

The good news, though, is that Sen. Leahy thinks this is all teh cr*p, and isn't going to help Specter. Most importantly, that means--at the moment--no subpoenas for Specter.

 

[Bella*chick]

The good news, though, is that Sen. Leahy thinks this is all teh cr*p, and isn't going to help Specter. Most importantly, that means--at the moment--no subpoenas for Specter.

Well, I also imagine that Specter WOULD say things like "Full steam ahead" so as not to look like a completely transparent jackass after the Superbowl.

 

[PromisedLand]

I think the problem is the word cheating is a really strong word that makes one (at least me) think of looking over someone's shoulder on a test or something. The implication being that you would not had won otherwise.

Trying to argue the different levels of cheating just goes right over most people's heads. For the average football fan, if you say the Patriots cheated, they immediately feel they didn't deserve to win those games. I prefer the rule infraction approach because it is much more tempered language. It puts everything into perspective a lot better.

Now use of the word cheating coupled with the enormous punishment and it really looks like the Patriots did something awful. No wonder so many were perplexed when Goodell was talking about how much a part of the game it was at his State of league presser.

Well said, and a good point. It is about semantics.

I guess what I react to is when people overreact to other's use of the word, saying we didn't cheat, as if we didn't do anything wrong at all. We did - but as I said, it shouldn't be considered a federal offense. Literally and figuratively. It might not be the best choice of words.

You are right, Bella. To the average fan (or non-fan, for that matter), all they hear is "the Patriots cheated". And that is as far as their analytical thought process goes. They assume that what happened went far beyond the pale, the ordinary gamesmanship that goes on as a matter of business-as-usual in every professional sport. For that matter, you can't really say that the media has done a good job of putting things in perspective. They are only interested in flashy headlines. What irks me the most is that some former players whose teams actually did cheat on the salary cap to win Super Bowls (in my view a much more serious level of cheating) are the same individuals who have been most holier-than-thou when it comes to Spygate. I am referring in particular to Steve Young and Terrell Davis, both of whom received under-the-table payments from their teams in order to circumvent the cap, during their Super Bowl winning years.

 

[shmessy]

Well, I also imagine that Specter WOULD say things like "Full steam ahead" so as not to look like a completely transparent jackass after the Superbowl.

Yeah, but the fool is not saying those things in RESONSE to the media.

He is CHASING the media to say those things. He went on WFAN on Thursday and WEEI on Friday to say those things.

He is definitely continuing to push this story in the press. I can't agree with you that he is merely saying these things in defense - - he is on the offensive......and I hope he keeps it up because he is, maybe, headed for a huge fall on this.