The time has come...
 

...to bring this "spygate" issue to a deffinitive END.

When I first heard about Shula's whine about the Pat's potential undefeated season needing an asterisk, my first reaction to pass it off as just a "grumpy old man" (sorta like myself) trying to protect the uniqueness of a record he has held so long. However as the news spread to the national media and was being reported on, I changed my mind.

On PTI, both Wilbon and Kornheiser both gave it a "double WOW". Then Kornheiser, who is sort of the "everyman" kind of columnist, stated that he had now changed his mind about the importance of "spygate" as an issue, and because it was coming from such an eminent sourse as Don Shula, it carried much more weight. So if HE is feeling that way, I believe a lot of "middle america" is feeling the SAME way.

Well that did it for me. Rather than whithering on the vine like it should have this story keep on getting legs, and its time for it to STOP. And the only way it will stop is if the real truth comes out. Tom Curran (in a great column, btw) called the infraction tantamount to aggrevated jaywalking, or in other words being caught for a procedural infraction. (which is what it was).

Now it is time for the truth to come out. Tom Brady has stated on several occassion when asked about comments by the "haters", that "in this lockerroom WE KNOW THE TRUTH, and that's enough for us" (Paraphrase).

Well Tom the time has come to share the "truth" with the rest of us. It is time to let the haters know what you know, that makes you so comfortable with this situation.

Roger Goodell has seemed to have proven that he could teach George Bush a few things about *****ing up a good thing with his handling of this whole thing. His overreacting with the Pats punishment, and his allowing rank speculation and inuendo to go unanswered has not only hurt the Patriots, but its hurt the entire league (as Curran so aptly points out).

I think its becoming clearer every day that Goodel must have some unreported beef with the Pats that goes back a long way. He has left them twisting in the wind, despite his initial pronouncement that none of what the Pats recorded led to the Pats gaining an unfair advantage in a game.

Goodell needs to come out with a definitive statement that lets people know what the Pats taped, how the tapes were used by the Pats, and why if the tapes DIDN'T give the Pats a competitive edge, why the punishment was so heavy handed, and why he destroyed them. (though I think I know why he did). If he doesn't the spygate will be followed by Audiogate, capgate, druggate, etc....all of which just hurts the credibility of the league in general.

BTW- in the "oh boy the irony of it all" column. I couln't believe hearing well known Pats hater Mark Schleith (sp) on Mike and Mike telling people that one of the reasons Denver used the chop blocking technique was inorder to tire out DLmen over the course of a game. The irony of it? Well here was a memeber of the Denver Broncos who violated the Cap inorder to win 2 superbowls telling the world he used an illegal technique to get an unfair advantage over the opposition....the day after he questioned the integrity of the Patriots....AGAIN... because of "spygate". That is why his picture is featured next to the definition of HYPOCRACY in the dictionary.

FInally Wretch has put together a must read collection of articles in a post titled "Fed up with the Hypocracy". Read the acticles, desseminated the information, and keep bumping it up. And BTW the Curran article is not to be missed either

Re: The time has come....
 

Let's face it. The Patriots have taken most of the drama out of the NFL season.

I know this is going to sound extremely homerish, but facts are facts.

Other than Indy, does it really matter who else makes the playoffs in either conference?

The season has taken on a very much pre-determined course. The media needs to keep things interesting. The spygate thing will continue to have legs because people will keep propping it up.

Although we rightfully want to put it to rest because it bears no significance to the Pats current perfomance, the MEDIA, not our competitors want the controversey to have legs.

Re: The time has come....
 

This is not going to come out into the open. I'm telling you. I've already heard enough from Gooddell about his motives. he knows this is a bogus issue. What will hurt the NFL more than the whole Spygate thing is for the commissioner to admit he's a boob, and that's the only way that the truth will come out.

Go back to the Costas interview before the San Diego game.

Costas: "With all the high-tech gadgetry out there, binoculars with digital recording, how do you plan to legislate against people recording signals from elsewhere in the stadium?"

Gooddell: "This wasn't high-tech and it was being done in the open on the sidelines."

The NFL fined the Patriots for doing it out in the supposed open. That's it. This is not about cheating. It's about appearances, and Gooddell in his petulant a-holeness decided to come down hard on the Patriots for violating his memo and for taking liberties with the "appearance of the league."

Now, do you really expect Gooddell to go out there and say, look, I only fined them for violating my memo. The NFL can't police this sort of thing. I made a mountain out of a molehill.

I don't.

Re: The time has come....
 

"Spygate" is far from over. Think its annoying now, just wait until the two week period before the Super Bowl.

I don't see Belichick or the Patriots addressing it in any way while the season is in progress. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if they did something after the season is over.

I would like them to put together a video segment that shows how they used the footage. I believe they used it to cross reference with the game tape to document, catalog, and file the reactionary adjustments that opposing defensive coaches make when the Patriots show them certain looks or formations on offense.

Ex: What adjustments does the defense do when the offense shifts from a pro set to an empty backfield.

Re: The time has come....
 

Not the kind of guy to say 'I told you so,' but. . .

I agree, and said much the same as the story lingered after the initial report. The Patriots have lost control of the message to the media and, as a result, have allowed their brand to be devalued. Just very poor public relations work in an organization that has one of the best business and marketing operations in the league. Surprising.

Re: The time has come....
 

EXACTLY, Pyper. Now how do you get that message to the media who would MUCH rather hype the "good vs evil" agenda?

Re: The time has come....
 

[QUOTE=patfanken;611529.
BTW- in the "oh boy the irony of it all" column. I couln't believe hearing well known Pats hater Mark Schleith (sp) on Mike and Mike telling people that one of the reasons Denver used the chop blocking technique was inorder to tire out DLmen over the course of a game. The irony of it? Well here was a memeber of the Denver Broncos who violated the Cap inorder to win 2 superbowls telling the world he used an illegal technique to get an unfair advantage over the opposition....the day after he questioned the integrity of the Patriots....AGAIN... because of "spygate". That is why his picture is featured next to the definition of HYPOCRACY in the dictionary.
[/QUOTE] Is this not the same Schlereth who kept saying during spygaye that the fact that the Pats KNEW what the plays were that that was totally unfair and TOTALLY wrong?? The same one who kept making that point so much?? The same one who plated for the Broncos who as their coach said ALWAYS had the signals figured out by halftime??? Hmmmmmm TES HYPOCRITE should be his middle name...

Re: The time has come....
 

The irony of ironies is that Gregg Easterbrook had a hint of foresight with his over-the-top shenanigans.

Re: The time has come....
 

I disagree with the premise of this thread, that Shula speaking out is some sort of turning point. Regardless of what Kornheiser said (he's a clown) my sense is that it's a tipping point the other way. I posted on another thread that Michael Kay, the yankees broadcaster/new york radio homer, blasted Shula yesterday for this, saying basically he sounds like a bitter old man trying to hold onto his glory. People get sick of the same story, and it will turn, outside of anyone who's set on hating the Pats.

As for the Pats managing the message, this bs was going to run its course regardless of what the Pats did. Anything they said/say would just be oxygen for the fire.

Re: The time has come....
 

Agreed, this was no turning point. 80% of the responses blasted Shula.

Thinking that anything Tony Kornheiser says is meaningful is off the mark. He is a dip*****.