Mike Lynch: Belichick to be fined $500k, Pats to be docked 2 "high picks"

The penalties might be the suggestions of Polian...I can't imagine the commish leaking his decision.

Think Belichick will shake Roger's hand if they win the Super Bowl. More like he and the players will give the rest of the league the finger...

And God let me be around when this happens...

Halifax_Pats_Fan said:

Think Belichick will shake Roger's hand if they win the Super Bowl. More like he and the players will give the rest of the league the finger...

And God let me be around when this happens...

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That would so be worth it.

I have a feeling it is going to be a first and third since we have extra picks in those rounds. Goodell is just telling us -- now it's an even playing field for everyone.

BadMoFo said:

I have a feeling it is going to be a first and third since we have extra picks in those rounds. Goodell is just telling us -- now it's an even playing field for everyone.

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I was thinking the same thing. The joke is on them though. I'm sure the Raiders' third and 9ers' first will be higher than those of the Patriots.

BadMoFo said:

I have a feeling it is going to be a first and third since we have extra picks in those rounds. Goodell is just telling us -- now it's an even playing field for everyone.

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It sucks. And IMO is unfair. But at the end of it all we still have a full draft.

BadMoFo said:

I have a feeling it is going to be a first and third since we have extra picks in those rounds. Goodell is just telling us -- now it's an even playing field for everyone.

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Last I remember, they got those picks fair and square. It was an even playing field, and it has been; the Patriots are just a better team and organization than most others. But in an effort to bring about "parity," they'll kick the Patriots in the teeth.

The league's had it out for this team for awhile. The interference (non-)calls, rule changes, and so on. Now the league has it's big prize; BB and the Flying Elvis on a silver platter, ready for the kill.

moosekill said:

What's going on is that someone, who has already been wrong on this story, had his source, who once again was wrong at least once before, slip him some information. The reporter than "broke" the story, with no way to double check his information. This was quickly followed by another reporter, who didn't want to be left out, reporting what he was told by a less credible informant.

Could this be right, sure, could it be wrong, sure. Add to that the fact that its all tempered by it could be as high as, and an inside source tells me, and it all is just a way for a reporter to get his moment in the sun, with no penalty Whatsoever for being incorrect.

I have no idea at all why the league would leak something like this out before they make an official statement. It doesn't make any sense, which leads me back to not putting too much faith in this reporter.

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Well, it quotes "sources." If you're positing that the reporter made it up, I don't believe it. If you're positing that his sources could be wrong, that's certainly possible. If you're positing that the source didn't say "first and third," but just said something general and the reporter made up first and third, that would strike me as unusual.

But the bottom line is that the report seems pretty unequivocal about the dollar amount of the fine and the caveat the BB must pay it personally. This is not some flighty internet "news" source. The headline banner is not speculative -- it says the fine will be 500k with BB paying it personally.

Just assume that's correct for a second. That would tend to suggest to me that the league has concluded that some serious misconduct occurred and that Belichick was personally involved. If so, first and third doesn't sound too off to me. Punish the coach; punish the team.

Could the whole story be wrong coming from a mischeivious or stupid source? Well, sure. But that's some pretty serious wishful thinking, guys. It's a pretty specific story citing sources. I would think that after the gaffes earlier this week, the editorial staff would be pretty hard on the reporter before posting to the web.

Nordy said:

You'll gladly give up a 1st and a 3rd? That would just be an INSANE punishment and if they did that I would like to see Kraft and Belichick declare war.

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Yes. I would.

Make it hurt so we can move on from this without people still clamoring that we get all the breaks.

Even playing field? There are other teams with first the Cowboys come to mind,
It's not as though we won those picks out of a hat we passed on more talented players to take what we believed was a slight drop off to make use of those subsequent picks the next year.
Him taking those picks really is a big FU to Pioli and co who worked so hard to build up over the last few seasons.
It's disgusting to think about this and I will forever be a Penguin hater if we lost a 1st of BB is suspended.
I can't believe this is the guy I saw as the heir to BB's throne boy was I wrong.

I refuse to believe they're actually considering taking a 1st and a 3rd. The NFL would become a complete joke to me if that happened.

Crazyeechrispats1 said:

Him taking those picks really is a big FU to Pioli and co who worked so hard to build up over the last few seasons.

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It's an even bigger FU to the fans. If they want to punish Belichick, punish Belichick. Don't punish the team; the players didn't do this. Don't punish Kraft, he didn't do this. Don't punish the fans, we didn't do this.

Suspending Belichick for 4 games would keep him away from doing what he lives for. That and a hefty fine would be punishment enough.

But the league wants parity, and the Patriots be damned.

Nordy said:

I refuse to believe they're actually considering taking a 1st and a 3rd. The NFL would become a complete joke to me if that happened.

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They can't take a first, the union would raise hell over that. It would leave 31 players eligible for first-round money instead of 32. As long as we keep our two first-rounders they can take the rest of the draft from us as far as I'm concerned.

If the Patriots get a faine that big, two day one pics taken away and BB suspended for these two conference games, this just shows either Goodell is a stupid **** that lets the public form his actions, or the league has it against the Pats. UNLESS, we learn something new, there is NO reason for such a steep penalty.

IF, the Pats just had a camera thats a ****** joke. Don't give me any "making an example" excuse. If this league let the Broncos get away with salary cap problems with jsut a 3rd rounder, we damn sure better get off lighter then this.

I just can't ****** believe the penalty can be that high, I know this is just speculation but if this is true...mother $#%#$$#$#@ :[

Nordy said:

I refuse to believe they're actually considering taking a 1st and a 3rd. The NFL would become a complete joke to me if that happened.

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This is all due to the witch hunt mob media that has been calling for the hanging of Bill Belichick.........Goodell had no choice other than to "be a man" and crucify BB and the Pats.....this is a sad, SAD day for the NFL........and it sets in motion alot of events........THe Pats will be gunning for anyone that is even remotely cheating........What a pathetic world we live in......to bring this kind of penalty,....for something that every other team has been doing for years and years.....

PatsFaninAZ said:

Well, it quotes "sources." If you're positing that the reporter made it up, I don't believe it. If you're positing that his sources could be wrong, that's certainly possible. If you're positing that the source didn't say "first and third," but just said something general and the reporter made up first and third, that would strike me as unusual.

But the bottom line is that the report seems pretty unequivocal about the dollar amount of the fine and the caveat the BB must pay it personally. This is not some flighty internet "news" source. The headline banner is not speculative -- it says the fine will be 500k with BB paying it personally.

Just assume that's correct for a second. That would tend to suggest to me that the league has concluded that some serious misconduct occurred and that Belichick was personally involved. If so, first and third doesn't sound too off to me. Punish the coach; punish the team.

Could the whole story be wrong coming from a mischeivious or stupid source? Well, sure. But that's some pretty serious wishful thinking, guys. It's a pretty specific story citing sources. I would think that after the gaffes earlier this week, the editorial staff would be pretty hard on the reporter before posting to the web.

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I guess you must put more reliability into unnamed sources than I do. I am not saying any reporter made this up, but really and truthfully, there is no penalty for using very questionable sources. I would imagine, however, that the commissioner would be very careful with whom he shared information like this with, and therefore I wouldn't put much faith in any source. Once the truth comes out we will know, maybe tomorrow, if the unnamed sources are correct.

nowayback said:

The penalties might be the suggestions of Polian...I can't imagine the commish leaking his decision.

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I agree. Does anybody remember if this commissioner does this kind of thing? Where all the "sources" correct during pac-man, Tank, Vick, etc?

primetime said:

It's an even bigger FU to the fans. If they want to punish Belichick, punish Belichick. Don't punish the team; the players didn't do this. Don't punish Kraft, he didn't do this. Don't punish the fans, we didn't do this.

Suspending Belichick for 4 games would keep him away from doing what he lives for. That and a hefty fine would be punishment enough.

But the league wants parity, and the Patriots be damned.

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Agree....what a f'n pathetic world the NFL has become.....

what Nordy said in his exact words

yeah... who knows if this is even accurate.

they could just be bored and decided to make a bunch of crap up.

When i'm bored sometimes i make up stuff and tell people for fun.