Semi-OT: Another one for the "your team cheats" file - Bills

[QuantumMechanic]

Nice article (from August) with a former Bills head coach. (Though the article doesn't mention it, that self-righteous azzwipe Bill Polian was with the Bills back then):

Vilona: Kay Stephenson furious at NFL ruling

 

[oldrover]

Nice article (from August) with a former Bills head coach. (Though the article doesn't mention it, that self-righteous azzwipe Bill Polian was with the Bills back then):

Vilona: Kay Stephenson furious at NFL ruling

Quote: Stephenson can’t believe it has reached this kind of stage.

“I don’t care what you think of the guy personally,” he said. “But you have one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game and there are a lot of people who watch the game only because Tom Brady is playing (to root for or against him).

“They watch the Patriots and won’t do so otherwise. To impune (Brady’s) integrity and put a black mark on his legacy is criminal on the part of the NFL.” End quote

 

[upstater1]

“We had all the information and I would have some high school coaches come in ... pay them ... and I would have them look at film,” he said. “And they would listen to the tape and when you got things repetitive then you knew the signal.

“I put an equipment guy in the end zone with a towel in hand. He would start waving the towel and that told the quarterback (opposing defense) was coming with a blitz.”

 

[bresna]

“We had all the information and I would have some high school coaches come in ... pay them ... and I would have them look at film,” he said. “And they would listen to the tape and when you got things repetitive then you knew the signal.

“I put an equipment guy in the end zone with a towel in hand. He would start waving the towel and that told the quarterback (opposing defense) was coming with a blitz.”

And most importantly: during this time, the Bills were 12-36, including back to back 2-14 seasons. So much for "They knew the other team's defense! That's why they won!"

 

[Koma]

And most importantly: during this time, the Bills were 12-36, including back to back 2-14 seasons. So much for "They knew the other team's defense! That's why they won!"

"If it didn't help, why were they doing it?" - Oh, they won 12 games in 3 years? Maybe it doesn't help that much.

If we hadn't sat through several different "-gates" over the last 8 years (and were just able to enjoy football) and this story came out about the Chiefs, Vikings, or Texans, I really wouldn't care.

The QB scuffed up the ball? Lineman put vaseline on their jerseys? The coach had a system for stealing signals? So what? That's gamesmanship that most teams employ to some degree. None of that rises to the level of real cheating. No one was bribing officials or shaving points or intentionally injuring opposing players. That kind of stuff should be handled with a fine for the team, a "don't do it again" warning, and the guys on Sportscenter having a laugh about it.

The fact that the coach of a mediocre to bad team was doing all of that stuff and no one cared underscores how badly things have been blown out of proportion with the Patriots. The other silver lining to this story is that Polian was working for the Bills (he started in 1984) while all of this "cheating" was going on.

 

[Gumby]

And most importantly: during this time, the Bills were 12-36, including back to back 2-14 seasons. So much for "They knew the other team's defense! That's why they won!"

A bit understated, Stephensons record was 10-26.

You included the 2-10 portion of the teams record that occurred After Stephenson was fired after first month of season.

 

[Gwedd]

That's a neat find. Thanks for posting that link!

 

[Tony2046]

Even the author of the article underestimated the arrogance of the NFL. (

The last line reads: (Written prior to Berman's ruling.)

"A court ruling may soon make it go away."

Enjoyed the article.

 

[Froob]

Cheaters never win, *0-4 in Super Bowls.