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NY Times article on Belichick cheating

The NY times has finally come out and written an article on the potential scandal sending waves through the NFL. One of the interesting points of the article, and a point lost to PFT's Mike Florio, is the Times is calling these latest revelations "New Claims of Cheating," which is exactly what they ware. Some people, like Florio, seem to think this is incorrect:

But this really isn't "new." It has been established that Pats coach Bill Belichick began the practice when he joined the team in 2000.  Belichick contends that he interpreted the rules to permit the practice.

So that's it.  Those are the "new cheating charges."

Ah yes, but back in September 2007, when "Spygate" broke and Commissioner Goodell handed down his punishment, it was assumed by the media and fans that Belichick was punished for taping only the Jets season opener. No one knew (though many suspected) that Belichick had been doing this since 2000.

Goodell knew, but did not share that information with fans until Arlen Specter MADE HIM.

Therefore, since none of us knew Billy Boy was doing this since the Bill Clinton Administration, these are indeed "new" allegations. And I guarantee that if fans and media knew back in September the Belichick was doing this since 2000, they would have screamed bloody murder that Bill got off with only a fine and a lost pick.

Everyone would have screamed for suspension, and rightly so.

So, I applaud the Times for doing what many aren't: These allegations are new. They might not be new to Roger Goodell, but they are to us because Goodell hid them from us. We (the fans) didn't know about them until a US Senator forced the NFL Commissioner to tell us. And while people in the NFL, like the Competition Committee, are happily satisfied with the punishment and want to "move on," the people who pay to watch this league are not.

If Belichick cheated from Sept. 2000-Sept. 2007, the punishment he and the Patriots received from Commissioner Goodell was so Mickey Mouse it isn't even funny.

The other thing to come out of the Times article is how moronic the argument is that taping doesn't affect the game, a position shared by the Rooneys in Pittsburgh. Folks, when people say this, they are simply carrying water for someone. Of course it helps! Mike Martz, current OC of the 49ers and one-time HC of the St. Louis Rams, and Lovie Smith (current HC of the Bears and one-time DC for the Rams) said this about illegal taping:

[Martz] took exception to the theory that the Patriots could not have gleaned much information from taping the walkthrough. He said indeed they could, but added that was not the point.

"For somebody to say that, it's kind of disgusting," Martz said. "The whole point is if they really cheated. To say he took some steroids and it did help or it didn't help, that's never the point. The point is, to all these high school coaches and high school kids and college kids, that if they did cheat, that's the point."

Martz said he assumed the walkthrough report was false. A similar sentiment was voiced by Chicago Bears Coach Lovie Smith, the Rams' defensive coordinator that season.

"It's just hard for me to fathom anyone would do anything like that," Smith said. "I'm sure, if there's something to it, No. 1, it will come out later. Time has a way of taking care of all things."

Martz was asked if he wanted the N.F.L. to continue investigating the walkthrough. "Of course," he said. "I was involved in that. I was responsible for a lot of people in that game."

So, if I hear one more damn time an excuse from someone saying "Well, I want to hear football people tell me this is a competitive advantage," I'm going to beat them over the head with these quotes... and then with a baseball bat.

0 recs  |  Comment 17 comments

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Martz is right
How much if any some benefitted from cheating is irrelevant.  By cheating they TRIED to gain an unfair advantage.  And in a game that was decided by a late, long field goal, even enough information to turn one or two plays could have been the difference in that game...

by bluegirl on Feb 22, 2008 11:41 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

here's a great article explaining why
the spygate story is dead from a legal standpoint. It explains why Matt Walsh will never tell his story of the Pats cheating

You non lawyers might have a hard time comprehending this, but its a great read as to why it will never happen.

by Terry on Feb 22, 2008 2:55 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

ghaigha
LOL  No freakin way you read that.  I bet by the time you got through the first paragraph you thought about shooting yourself.

Besides, it can and will happen.  Want to know why?  Well I've got two words for you: Arlen Specter. k thx bye

by KingRichard on Feb 22, 2008 3:27 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I read it very easily
considering I'm in that business King Dick. Now you on the other hand, I'm not so sure.

What power does Spector have to make Walsh talk?? Try none.

by Terry on Feb 22, 2008 4:34 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

If Walsh didn't want to talk
he would have kept his mouth shut like he had been doing since they fired him.
my blog <http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com>

by shake n bake on Feb 22, 2008 5:01 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Yes, but . . .
What about the class action suit that has been filed?  My thought is that the attorneys in that suit could get anything Walsh has through third party discovery, and, basically being under a court order, he wouldn't be exposed to any liability.
The Shogun of Harlem

by shonuff on Feb 22, 2008 5:35 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

get over it already
I'm a Colts fan but man I am so sick of reading about the Patriots and the belly aching by some that just can't get over the fact that they have more super bowls plain and simple.  Fine, they cheated, well ya know what get over it.  Let's pat ourselves on the back for being good boys and get over it already.  I think the best quote out of the whole article comes from someone any Colts fan can know and respect.  

Bill Polian, the president of the Indianapolis Colts, said: "It's behind us. It's time to move forward."

Please, take his advice.

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Feb 22, 2008 3:57 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

gijgiajg
I think I'm going to nominate you for The Most Ridiculous Statement Of The Year.

by KingRichard on Feb 22, 2008 6:35 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

please explain . . .
Because I'd rather read about my favorite team than have every other article focus on the Patriots and this ridiculous scandal?  I don't see how that's so ridiculous.  
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Feb 22, 2008 7:26 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

if you've read the rest of the blog
then that's about all there is to read on the Colts as of right now. If you're a Colts fan you should know very little is going on. We can only talk so much about Dallas Clark, money and the draft. This is news in the world of sports, maybe some of us would like to hear about that as well.

by bleedingblue on Feb 22, 2008 8:25 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

gjasijgaijg
Well here's any idea, if you think there is so much news flying out of base camp then why don't you help reporting on it?  This is the hot topic at the moment, and fyi, it's a pretty damn big deal.  We're talking about the past SEVEN SEASONS have been corrupted by some pos named Bill Belichick and his pathetic attempt at being good at something in his life.  You can have your opinion on the matter, but it's fairly obvious you don't know the real details about it otherwise you wouldn't be flying solo right now.

by KingRichard on Feb 22, 2008 8:30 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Ok, fine, you win, be that way
You're absolutely right the only news out there is about the Patriots.  Except one thing,  I went to EVERY single other SB nation football blog and couldn't find ONE article on the main page about spygate, belicheat, etc.  I think the biggest problem is that colts fans, at least many of the ones on this site are bitter because they think we would have been a dynasty and won more super bowls if the Patriots hadn't cheated.  I understand that to a certain extent.  My main point was that this whole thing is getting overblown and over covered IMO.  

By writing more  and more about this we're just contributing to the over coverage of the Patriots that the national networks give them and that so many people bitch about on here.  

Also I was never directing my statements at either of you two but rather at the staff for the site that are supposed to be writing about the Colts but have chosen the lower road of whining about the Patriots.  If I were anywhere near Indianapolis or even Indiana I might try to find some better information.  Better yet I would visit blogs by other teams and get some ideas about what they do to come up with articles about the home team when not much new news is coming out.  

Either way, most here are content to sit and stew about this so I'll just have to find good Colts content elsewhere which is sad because I love the Colts and I love the SB nation blog format with diaries and links to other teams blogs.  So sorry to disagree with the popular feelings.

P.S. homers

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Feb 23, 2008 12:12 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

dbgjiabjijag
"You're absolutely right the only news out there is about the Patriots.  Except one thing,  I went to EVERY single other SB nation football blog and couldn't find ONE article on the main page about spygate, belicheat, etc.  I think the biggest problem is that colts fans, at least many of the ones on this site are bitter because they think we would have been a dynasty and won more super bowls if the Patriots hadn't cheated.  I understand that to a certain extent.  My main point was that this whole thing is getting overblown and over covered IMO."

I didn't say that the Patriots cheating allegations was the only news out there.  You can only talk about the combine, free agents, mock drafts, stats, and whatever else so much before it resembles marriage in the sense that you run out of stuff to talk about.  As for you going to every other SB Nation blog...so what?  I agree with BBS, it's pretty sad that no one else is even covering this.  Whether or not you like it, or want to believe it, this is a HUGE deal and is something that has shaped the NFL as we know it today.  I mean, have you even attempted to comprehend how screwed up it is that the Patriots literally could have cheated their way to 3 Super Bowl titles?  Have you really considered it?  Personally, I don't think you have.  Am I bitter?  No.  You want to know why?  Because I have nothing to be bitter about.  If I knew for a fact that the Patriots cheated when they played the Colts, I might consider it.  But to be honest, I'd be more pissed off than bitter.  I mean, you don't see a problem with the idea that the Colts might have been screwed out of another championship beacuse of some piece of shit coach who couldn't win resorted to cheating?  Put yourself in that situation.  Put yourself in Peyton Manning's shoes for just two goddamn seconds.  Football are these players lives.  I bet if someone was messing with your life you'd be pretty pissed too.  Is this being "overblown and over covered?"  I don't think so, and I think you reasoning for believing so is pretty weak.

"By writing more  and more about this we're just contributing to the over coverage of the Patriots that the national networks give them and that so many people bitch about on here."

hahaha What?  Are you freakin serious?  It's not even the same thing.  We aren't sucking the Patriots off every two seconds or stating they are teh greatist team evarrrr.  I mean, did you even read some of the stuff posted, or did you just look at the title of it and just get pissed?

"Also I was never directing my statements at either of you two but rather at the staff for the site that are supposed to be writing about the Colts but have chosen the lower road of whining about the Patriots.  If I were anywhere near Indianapolis or even Indiana I might try to find some better information.  Better yet I would visit blogs by other teams and get some ideas about what they do to come up with articles about the home team when not much new news is coming out."

I don't care who you were directing your statements at.  Like I said earlier, your opinion is pretty weak and if anyone is whining it's you my friend.  There has been plenty of material written about the Colts, it just so happens that "spygate" is coming to fruition right now too.  GET OVER IT.  Have you ever thought of just ignoring the posts you may not like and just read the Colts oriented posts?  Yeah, it's a pretty ingenius idea, I know.  But you could try it, and save alot of us the headache of your babbling.  Like I said earlier, if there is so much information out there, why don't you try contributing via diary.  You are allowed to do that.

"Either way, most here are content to sit and stew about this so I'll just have to find good Colts content elsewhere which is sad because I love the Colts and I love the SB nation blog format with diaries and links to other teams blogs.  So sorry to disagree with the popular feelings."

Ok...you aren't necessarily disagreeing with popular opinion so much as common sense.  But if you think you need to leave, more power to ya.  I certainly won't miss this incessant whining about stuff you aren't being forced to read.

by KingRichard on Feb 23, 2008 12:35 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

whoa doggy
I have made 3 posts that's hardly incessant whining.  I'm sorry I ever voiced a dissenting opinion on this blog.  I meant to make one comment and now it's gotten ridiculous, well at least to you it has.

I'm done fighting over such a stupid topic when I meant to make one statement but have since been attacked by kingrichard and decided to defend myself.  Sorry dude, I'm sure you'll have to get the last word in now.  Have at it.

"It's behind us. It's time to move forward." -Bill Polian in reference to spygate

by halfchest on Feb 23, 2008 6:40 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

off topic
Since the diary on it is long dead, I'll put it here

Hey Terry, what was that you said about Zach Thomas again?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3260529&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

my blog <http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com>

by shake n bake on Feb 23, 2008 3:51 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

I'm shocked and don't like it
Thomas might have been a stud and tackling machine is his prime but now he's an over the hill, undersized, concussion prone LB not worth the money Jerry Jones is paying him.

The only positive I see from this is that he will provide very much needed leadership on defense and in the locker roon.

by Terry on Feb 23, 2008 5:28 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

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