First time poster here. I'm a Broncos fan and do most of my posting at the Orangemane.
First, I think the video taping of hand signals is pretty chicken****. I can see standing over on the other side of the field with binoculars and trying to steal signs. Just as I can see a baserunner standing on 2nd base trying to steal a catcher's signs. Video taping though and using the material to make halftime adjustments isn't right though. I won't say it's worthy of 3/4's of a million $$$ in fines or giving up a 2nd and 3rd round pick (when you don't make the playoffs ), but it does tarnish your "dynasty" that's been going for several years.
The worst part has yet to come to light though. I somehow wonder if Goodell didn't do the Pats a favor by making the penalty a little stiffer than necessary so that in the future he can say the team has already been penalized and has 'learned their lesson'. There are players with proof of the Pats recording cadence, line calls, QB audibles, etc. Evidently Tim Brown received a tape after the "tuck game" when the Pats went on to win their first SB. Supposedly that tape is being sent to Goodell and that could cause a lot more commotion than the video taping incident. Your team also has to account for the loss of communication at important times when teams are playing at Gilette. There's a whole lot of reports circulating around right now. Honestly, most fans that I've talked to think this is a bigger deal than the whole Michael Vick incident. Mainly b/c it's cheating on the field and not screwing up off the field.
As a Bronco fan I know full well what it's like to get accused of cheating. Cut blocks, the Elway deferred payment that cost us a 3rd round pick a few years back, stuff like that is normal and it's b/c the franchise has been successful. So, I take a lot of the complaints from people as "penis envy" b/c the Pats have done so well... but I will say, if these reports are proved true. Your dynasty is as tainted as Barry Bonds Home Run Record!
First, so, your ok with cheating when its just not done well, is that it. So its ok to look at the others guy test, but wrong to viedotape it.....good logic, I hope that works out well for you.
Second, no one has proved that the Pats used the videotape for halftime adjustments, and definitely did not in the Jets game. Thats where Belichick claimed his misinterpretation came from. Maybe he is lying, but unless the NFL can prove otherwise, its all just speculation. Hey, if your ok with stringing a team up on speculation, thats your business, I tend to like proof of infractions before I punish someone. I tend to think that is the whole basis of our legal system, but maybe I am mistaken.
Third, you may be right about them investigatinbg the Pats further, though it would be entirely unfair to drag out every dirty piece of Pats laundry into the sun, and don't do anything about some of the supposed speculation from other teams. Why don't we investigate the Colts for pumping noise into the RCA dome, or the Dolphins for audio recording audibles for the Pats. The reason is arbitrary, its because everyone hates the Pats and wants to bring them down, this rule infraction has given them that chance, and it shows the level of their hatred.
I doubt very highly that this will be proven, and as far as Bonds goes, nothing has been proven about him either....regardless of what speculation says. If people choose to view the Pats Super bowls as tainted, that's their business, regardless of anything the Pats did, all three teams had chances to win, and failed to make those plays. I don't see those Super Bowls as tainted at all, just like I doubt you see those Broncoes Super Bowls as tainted (I don't either, those were great teams, and I always like Elway, so I am glad the Broncos broke the rules to keep him and give him a chance to win one in Denver before he retired).
