The league has a serious problem and the Pats are at the center of it

ReverendMaynard said:

Almost? It did carry the day! The only thing they didn't get was the suspension. They got the picks and everybody outside New England (and at least 50% of the people in New England) are convinced that the balls were tampered with. He's still in charge. And, he has every incentive to carry on smearing and framing us at every opportunity.

If you want to look at how Framegate turned out and use that to decide whether it could happen again, I'd have to say it's much more likely to happen again now that they did get away with it.

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If this website had a "reluctantly agree" button, I would be pressing that right now.

What happened to all those they enter the field as a team stories ...

The `disagrees` are hilarious.

Keep crying about the lunatic conspiracy theories of whining cry baby rivals and see what it wins you.

It'll win you more lunatic conspiracy theories and "Brady is a game manager" trolling.

I'm going to begin blaming the "woe is us" crowd for the continued trolling we get because they know how much it bothers you for some inexplicable reason. Sack the hell up.

karguy85 said:

I fear for Patriots fans going to Patriots games in visiting stadiums. I live in NYC (and have for the past 7 years) and have gone to 3 Patriots-Jets games at the Meadowlands over the years. Last year was definitely the worst experience I had. I actually feared for my safety (and my girlfriend's). Additionally, the vitriol that was spewed was sickening. I expect it to be much worse this year. I will not be going to the Jets-Pats at Metlife this year...

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Since it's the Jets field and the instigators are all former Jets of some kind, then I think you're safe. If someone tries to shoot you they'll definitely miss.

Sounds like the league needs more cowbell...

PATS16N0 said:

Who cares? It's funny listening to people cry and make excuses and come up with lunatic fringe conspiracy theories.

I wouldn't worry too much about road games. You can't confuse PFT comment trolls for players on the field. It's not like so and so is going to dive at Tom's knees because PeytonManning18 posts on Coltsfans.com 50 times a day calling us cheaters.

I honestly love the hysteria and stupidity now. The tears are amazing and taste great.

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Lol that Colts poster is a complete lunatic

Can anyone name another time in NFL history where this type of garbage was going on after a season opener? We've hit the Reality TV part of the NFL.

Goodell and his NY Jet henchman have caused this and they need to be gone

JarOfMayo51 said:

Lol that Colts poster is a complete lunatic

Can anyone name another time in NFL history where this type of garbage was going on after a season opener? We've hit the Reality TV part of the NFL.

Goodell and his NY Jet henchman have caused this and they need to be gone

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I do think we're inching ever closer to the "hogs get slaughtered" part of Mark Cuban's prediction. NFL productions are becoming less about the game and more about the drama surrounding the game. Once you alienate the people who actually watch football for football, you're left with a bunch of fickle outrage enthusiasts who will be all too eager to leave and chase the next great travesty once it's sufficiently clear that they've ruined football like they ruin everything else they touch.

But you can see how this is draining the team. You can only fight for so long.

Two points:

- First, as I said in another thread: This is Goodell's fault. He decided to act like he was some sort of Judge Kenesaw Landis cleaning up a corrupt league and restoring faith when no such crisis existed. He created this crisis. The fans' lack of faith in the integrity of the games now is directly Goodell's fault. Fans do not trust the league.

- Let's not underrate the role of gamesmanship in other teams' newfound "freedom" (as Breer said) to let innuendo and accusations fly. They still cannot beat the Patriots on the field so they are trying this route — cheap shots, whining. Kinda like how a coach will tell refs "keep an eye out for when they do this, don't let them get away with it" — magnified 1,000 times. Look at this whole radio thing: SOMEONE from the Steelers whined to NBC early in the game, with an obvious agenda. Collinsworth and Michaels voiced their indignation to millions of fans. Tomlin cried about it afterward. But after all that — nope, not going to file an official complaint. Mission accomplished. Classic eighth-grade mean girl social strategy.

PATS16N0 said:

Who cares? It's funny listening to people cry and make excuses and come up with lunatic fringe conspiracy theories.

I wouldn't worry too much about road games. You can't confuse PFT comment trolls for players on the field. It's not like so and so is going to dive at Tom's knees because PeytonManning18 posts on Coltsfans.com 50 times a day calling us cheaters.

I honestly love the hysteria and stupidity now. The tears are amazing and taste great.

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I agree but the point is there is nothing good about one NFL franchise being subject to a deranged frenzy in the media and fans..and the league implicitly egging them on. It is really toxic right now. Look at the reaction to the BS last night. And the blame for this goes to the top. A real commissioner who is a leader would not let this happen. There is a total leadership vacuum in the NFL right now.

It is really bad for the league's "integrity" to have cheating accusations flying every time a team wins a game. And for the fans to talk about "cover ups" and not trusting the league's word about anything. Again...symptoms of a complete failure at the top.

Goodell must go.

Besides the utter ineptitude of the NFL front office, I would add that an overdose of social media has basically been kerosene on a fire. Never have unfounded BS and innuendo been able to spread so far, so fast and have such a long shelf life.

sb1 said:

Not to mention that I'm starting to worry about Brady's and the team's safety in road games. That is how much the haters are frothing at the mouth...and there has been talk about fans "doing something about them" on other boards from other teams fans.

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This. If the NFL and its shills in the media stopped the vendetta against the Pats the hatred would probably dissipate. But if it doesn't there may be blood, which is an awful but realistic thought.

That's what happens when you have a front office run by failed Jets executives and other assorted fools.

When confronted with one of these "Patriots always cheat" muppets, just accuse the best player on their team of molesting a child or something. We have as much proof of that as we do of the Pats cheating.

sb1 said:

....... There is a total leadership vacuum in the NFL right now..................symptoms of a complete failure at the top.

Goodell must go.

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This is clearly the elephant in the room. And I can't see Goodell having any idea how to fix it.