King was leading the charge against BB and the Pats from the beginning. He lent his industry credibility to the story, using his platforms on SI, HBO and NBC to fan the flames of scandal throughout the country. Never once did he question the motives of the members of the competition committee, or validate the frequency with which signal-taping or other technological gamesmanship has occured in the league, or question whether a green commissioner with a PR background was railroaded into a hasty decision by political pressures from the Players Association, or wonder whether the media firestorm had been orchestrated by the Jets for unscrupulous reasons. King never based his decision on right or wrong, only on how he could advance his own position in the NFL Halls of Power. He decided to throw his lot in with last season's victors, carrying Polian's water, currying favor with the new Commish, acquiescing to the ridiculous demands of the PA, arguing that the same draconian measures leveled against criminals like Pac Man should be meted out against BB.
Now the tide has turned. The firestorm has all but burned out, but for a few embers fanned by backroom cynics. Reason, and logic are starting to assert themselves, and more importantly for King, the Pats are on the verge of becoming the single greatest story in the history of the NFL. Who will tell that story? Will it be the folks at Fox, who have stood by BB throughout? Or ESPN, where Keyshawn has defended his old friend from the beginning? Or SI, where King knifed his long time subjects in the back?
King is trying to cover his tracks now, but I hope at least the members of this board have long memories. I know BB does, and he will remember every disgraceful thing King said prior to his latest cynical turnaround. I hope BB gives him the old "Tom Jackson" when the time is right.
