SB Nation's coverage of "Spygate" stinks

by BigBlueShoe on Feb 21, 2008 11:45 AM EST in Bad Journalism Comment 10 comments

One of the revelations with "Spygate" is just how pathetic the established media has been at reporting on the issue and placing it in its proper context. For all the crowing we heard from blowhard idiots like Tom Curran, Sean Salisbury, and Peter King all throughout the season regarding the Pats' "greatness", we've seen next to nothing written about these latest allegations of cheating brought to light by Senator Arlen Specter. The people who have been writing up a storm about this, and have approached it from all possible angles, are... drum roll please... bloggers.

I've taken my shots at folks like Michael David Smith, Gregggggg Easterbrook, and Mike Florio, but on the Patriots' latest perils these guys have done a great job covering this story and articulating clearly what is at stake. What I haven't read (and yes, I am about to take a shot at my very own network) is much from our own SB Nation writers. Yes, I know the #1 obligation of every writer is to cover their team. I also realize there is a "wait and see" attitude from many, and perhaps my disappointment is there has been so much revealed that the whole "wait and see" stance doesn't cut it for me. These new allegations of cheating, dating back to 2000, affect the entire NFL, and every single team in it. Yet, I've seen very little from the SB Nation community written about this, and that is disappointing. Talented writers like TheSportsGuru, ChrisPokorny, Blitzburgh, Kirkendall, WCG, David Halprin, Skins Patrol, and Jimmy (just to name a few) have not covered this story with the same seriousness the story demands. I've done my best to write about it often because it is something I do not want to see go away. Even future HoFer Marshall Faulk thinks the NFL wants to bury this story, and that is something I absolutely refuse to accept.

I want to know who cheated. I wanted to know when, and how often. Then, when we know, I want them all punished harshly; this includes Roger Goodell if indeed he tried to cover something up.

Sadly, because I am a Colts blogger, the perception created is I just want to destroy the Patriots, the hated rivals of the Colts. It's a perception born out of the notion that I'm the one harping on this consistently, and since I'm the only one, I'm just a Colts fan wanting to see Belichick strung up and beaten with wooden sticks. Not true. If Belichick didn't do anything against the rules, I want to know that so I can rest assured that the 2003 and 2004 playoff losses were a result of the Patriots being better than the Colts and not a result of the Patriots cheating. I would think the Steelers fans would want the same, seeing as it has now been established that the Pats taped the Steelers in both the regular season game and the playoff game during the 2004 season.

Hopefully, more gets written about this by others in SB Nation. I don't like the idea that AOL Fanhouse has been all over this story while the rest of us have been, essentially, asleep on the job.

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well

The way I see it, until it's proven othwerise Belichick and the Patriots did cheat in every game from 2000-2007.

by KingRichard on Feb 21, 2008 12:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think the NFL wants to cover this up

because in his intial investigation I'll bet Godell discovered that other teams might have also done this, and the last thing he needs is a league wide scandal.

by Terry on Feb 21, 2008 1:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

BBS, apparently your boy Polian

disagrees with you and thinks the whole spygate thing is behind us and a non issue now. Further proof that the league doesn't want to open Pandora's box.

Here's what Polian said about the matter.

"The briefing took place this morning," Polian said, referencing a Spygate-related huddle. "The briefing was thorough, it was detailed, the process of arriving at the discipline was explained to us. That process was fair, detailed, efficient, and what was on the tapes was explained to us and what was in the notes was explained to us. And the reason why that information was done away with was explained to us.

"From my perspective, I can only speak for myself, that a thorough, fair, efficient process with lots of integrity. And they arrived at a disciplinary action that the commissioner thought was appropriate and that met with precedent, which oftentimes the commissioner is guided by. I think it's fair to say we're satisfied with the explanation, satisfied with what was done. At least, I am, anyway. And it's behind us."

by Terry on Feb 21, 2008 1:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

right...

How about providing a link so we know you aren't pulling this out of your butt first off. Secondly, I wouldn't be surprised if that quote was taken back in 07 when this initially came out.

by KingRichard on Feb 21, 2008 1:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

okay King Dick

I'll provide the link, but this quote was taken today at the combine in Indy.

link

the title of the post is "all for one!"

by Terry on Feb 21, 2008 3:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

pwned!

A moment of silence for King Richard, please ... okay, resume squabbling.

by djnyc on Feb 21, 2008 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

What Polian and the Competition Committee were briefed on was the initial investigation back in September 2007, not this current around of allegations. At least, that is what Reiss at Boston.com is talking about:

"This morning, we spent a lot of time on the issue of the New England tape situation, just getting a briefing, an understanding of the procedures and everything that went into it," McKay said. "They took us through the investigation, what they did, and what transpired and what they found. They asked our opinion on the penalty, and if there were any suggestions we had that we needed to do from a rules perspective to address it."

Again, if the Committee were talking about the current allegations, I'd dismiss them anyway. Even Polian. FANS WANT TO KNOW, and if Belichick has been doing this since 2000, fans wants him punished. That simple.

Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by BigBlueShoe on Feb 21, 2008 3:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

BBS

I think that nobody wants to follow that story too much, because of the financial clout of the New England Patriots and well for fear of having egg on their face if another instance of it is hushed up by the NFL. Boston is a big market and it's a shame that if Indy had been caught doing this, there would've have been a full fledged witch-hunt (See the allegations of Colts piped noise).

The mentality is "Do we really want to take away the marketability of team which previously was so bad?"

Of course Pats fans still respond to the question of cheating by saying one word: Jealousy. Unbelievable!!

"Winning is not everything;the desire to win is" - Vince Lombardi

by rangerover76 on Feb 21, 2008 2:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well..

Maybe if Charlie Weis knew the play call of the opposing defense at Notre Dame, he'd look a little more like the offensive genius he is supposed to be.

by the21eraser on Feb 21, 2008 3:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs