I am incidentally annoyed that all threads somehow related to this story (one of the biggest stories in Patriots' history) have been merged into one thread, so I'll try to address various topics here:
1. Maybe it's just me, but I don't care if other teams videotaped opposing coaches.
2. It seems to me that many if not most fans around the league think that the Patriots were fined for stealing signals, not for videotaping. I think Chris Collinsworth managed to support this erroneous view on Inside the NFL last week.
3. I have to think Belichick thought this was just another dumb NFL rule, like the injury report. I don't think he ever thought he would lose half a million of his own money and a first-round draft choice over it.
4. I think Belichick probably thought he could reasonably argue that as long as he (or anyone on the team) wasn't using (i.e. viewing) the tapes during the game it was within the rules. That being the case, one could wonder why he didn't ask for clarification on that. I think it's beyond comprehension that he didn't get the memo. I think he probably thought that it's easier to beg for forgiveness than to get permission.
5. The rule is artificial and silly. Why allow teams to have video crews? Why allow teams to take and use Polaroid photographs during the game? Is this the last market for Polaroid cameras?
6. I believe Goodell was unduly influenced by the New York media. I really think if this had happened in Detroit the commissioner wouldn't have penalized the Patriots so severely.
7. I hope Patriots fans who profess to wanting to "move on" from this are not also continuing to purchase NFL merchandise. I personally was planning to spend the extra money to get the NFL channel on Comcast (now that the weekly replay stuff is not available free on Demand, last I checked) but will not be spending any money on NFL crap (like NFL TV) if I can avoid it.
8. Sorry if I missed some of the points buried in this thread.