• 09:11 PM ET  09.13
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    The accusation of the patriots cheating during the regular season game has opened up numerous conversations about how long they have been doing it. The Eagles thought the Pats cheated against them in a 24-21 victory, with no evidence other than what they believe was "always knowing their plays" and “They threw an unbelievable amount of screen passes that game.  The Pittsburg Steelers accused the Patriots of cheating against them in two of their AFC title games with no evidence at all. Simply stating they went in at half time and came out and seemed to know all our plays. How about you lost the game because the Patriots played better the entire game, and chose not to play one half football like many teams out there.      Why I think this is ridiculous is because it takes a team to beat a team. Yes having an advantage can help dictate how a team does during the game but it won’t ultimately determine who wins and how loses. The fact that all these team are now coming out and using the recent situation with the patriots as a scapegoat for their past loses is not only stupid but its just pointless.  There’s no way of proving anything, you got beat, plain and simple.  This type of cheating has been around in the NFL for a long time, the Patriots are the ones to get caught and will get penalized just fully so. But for other teams to tarnish the Pats previous Super Bowl victories is just unfair.  A team has a QB to disguise counts and plays and can even change plays at the line if he thinks the Defense is on to them. The Defense has a defensive captain who is in charge of the same thing.  So to blame a bunch of past loses on the fact that another team may have had an edge during those games, just makes those players and team look stupid.            The Patriots were fined 750 thousand dollars and draft picks to be determined which is fine, but to tarnish their record of the past with no conclusive evidence is the same as accusing Bonds of Steroid use. The Patriots are probably laughing at the fine and the draft pick situation. The Patriots over the years can make a last pick look great and even have players they can trade away for other draft picks if need be.  They can make what seems like a crappy situation look like an amazing one.
September 13, 2007  09:27 PM ET

Eagles never accused anyone. The quote from one player says he wonders. One minor player said jokingly that he deserved a Super Bowl ring. Reid said he didn't'accuse the Patriots of stealing signs during the Super Bowl.

September 13, 2007  09:34 PM ET

There is pretty conclusive evidence, since this was the same guy as before in locations that conveniently pick up opposing coach's signals.

The punishment was appropriate though. It sends a message, because nobody likes losing a first rounder, but anything more would be to make an example and those tend to be over the top. Pats will be fine, and teams will be more careful about cheating...but they will all do it if they can. Life in the NFL goes on.

September 13, 2007  09:36 PM ET

"The Patriots were fined 750 thousand dollars and draft picks to be determined which is fine, but to tarnish their record of the past with no conclusive evidence is the same as accusing Bonds of Steroid use."

Two things:
1) Bonds hasn't been busted for his steriod use outright. But if it quacks like a duck...The Patriots on the other hand were found guilty by the commissioner so your analogy does not hold water.

2) It's not a 750k total to the team. Belichick has to pay $500k out of his own pocket.

Sure the penalty is a joke to the Patriots. Draft pick losses and fines in the thousands is chump change to coaches and the team. But it's the harshest levied by the league to date. This is more of a deterrent to other teams who might have had ideas to copycat.

September 13, 2007  09:39 PM ET

Also, it's not Goodell who's tarnishing the Pats record or legacy. Misinterpretation of the rules or not, if you are involved in grey areas of ethics, you tarnish it yourself.

September 13, 2007  09:46 PM ET

No one accused anything of anyone, Mr. Defensive. The Pittsburgh (spell it right) Steelers organization did not accuse anyone of anything. One player on the team (Hines Ward) said he felt like something was going on.

Here's my thing, I'm not playing up a conspiracy or anything...but Patriots fans, at this point, why should anyone be inclined to believe your team? You just had a captain and defensive leader suspended for HGH and a coach who sent an assistant to film the opposing team's signals. In what way does this make you think the multiple teams (more than just the Eagles and the Steelers) that are coming out with unique stories are all wrong? What credibility do you now have?

And don't bring up wins and losses like a typical Bostonian when facing accusations that your teams do not, in fact, rule the sports world.

 
September 14, 2007  12:47 AM ET

Teams have video taped before and will do so in the future even with this fine to the Patriots. It is unfortunate that the Pats were the ones to be caught but out of everything the fine the whole situation, the worsdt thing to come out of this was not the loss of draft picks and the hefty fines. But the stigma it gives people about New England in general, The Patriots of the 20th century will now be known as cheaters when there is one incident which didnt even record an enitre quarter which will always be in the minds of NFL fans when they say the New England Patriots. Jokes will be cast about a team which has accomplished so much, but yet b/c of one moment, an entire dynasty if you would call it that is questioned along with the integrity of the team. Thats what im defensive about, its not fair, to the team or to New England.

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