Yes, I do believe we will be the last to let go of this.
Why?
The rule infraction, while of debatable egregiousness, wasn't unprecedented. The subsequent judgment, while of dubious materiality, most assuredly was unprecedented.
From a fan's point of view, the problem this conundrum holds for us (prior experience vs an uncertain future, enforcement-wise) is that, until we are shown by experience otherwise, we will always wonder if we were not victimized by the very forces that were designed to protect us, in that the pompous pontifications of "the integrity of the game being at stake", to ostensibly promote a "level playing field" and enhance the public's perception of an ethical approach to a violent game, has merely been a cover to corrupt the efforts of one organization by fiat, when other methods, including, but not limited to, besting this organization on the field itself, have not sufficed.
In other words, a "level playing field" should be just that - which requires that any and all like infractions of this game's rules see a like enforcement of sanctions that befit the degree of lumber that was places on the Patriots for their percieved misdeeds.
In another time, such actions would doubtless have spawned innumerable conspiracy theories on how the league (i.e., every other team out there) has sought to bring down a successful team by means more foul than fair. But in this case, it is merely the machinations of one man, driven by Lord knows what kind of impudent doppelganger, that has roused the Calvinist fears that surely lies deep in the hearts of all New Englanders.
The point of all this mindless rambling (I admit that what it is!) is that the angst we feel in the wake of this episode is not simply the proper response we should hold, it is the only response we should hold.
To paraphrase the coach we all hold dear to us, we are who we are, and we offer no apologies for that!
