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POSTED 1:14 p.m. EST, February 26, 2008
JETS TAMPERING WITH SAMUEL?
Hey, kids . . . interested in a little irony? How about this one: The team that sparked all of this Spygate hoo-ha by nailing the Patriots for doing something to the Jets that, as Jimmy Johnson tells it, plenty of teams have been doing for a long time is now apparently doing something to the Pats that virtually every team does.
Specifically, the Jets apparently are tampering with Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel. Consider this gem from Newsday:
"I just spoke with Samuel's agent who (predictably) said that interest is mutual and high from both the Jets and Samuel. How high? 'The interest level is where it needs to be for them to either a) make a run at him or b) get him.'"
But how does Samuel's agent know that the interest is mutual or high or both? The Jets aren't allowed to say or do anything that would demonstrate any interest while Samuel is still the property of the Patriots. And Samuel is still the property of the Patriots until midnight on February 29.
Yeah, we know. Everyone tampers. But doesn't breaking the rules to secure dibs on a desired player potentially create a competitive advantage, just like taping defensive coaching signals does? If tampering wasn't useful, would the Jets or any other team do it?
There's no dispute that the Patriots were stoopid and arrogant for continuing to engage in a practice that violated the rules at a time when it was clear that other teams were trying to nail them. Still, the failure of the league to do anything to address the issue of widespread tampering is creating the impression to the trained eye of a double standard.
We're not saying the Patriots should get off the hook. We're only saying that those who might be tempted to pontificate about the Pats should think a little more broadly about the issue of compliance with the rules before doing so.