May 16th, 2008

That’s what Senator Arlen Specter calls NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s assertion that the Patriot’s taping of defensive and, now it is known, offensive signals had not “affected the outcome of any games.” And while I will forever revile the Senator from Pennsylvania for giving us the Magic Bullet theory, I could not agree with him more about this.

The following is opinion. If you don’t like it, start your own blog, or leave a comment.

The Patriots are the biggest cheaters professional sports have seen since the Black Sox scandal.

The NFL is obviously desperate to kill this story, issuing ludicrous statement after ludicrous statement, and continuing to claim that the matter is closed when it so clearly is not.

Finally, I point to one passage from the New York Times article linked above:

Mr. Specter said Mr. Walsh told him the player met with Mr. Belichick, his longtime assistant Ernie Adams and the assistant Charlie Weis, now the head coach at Notre Dame, to discuss how the team would make use of the signals. Mr. Specter said Mr. Walsh said the player told him this helped the Patriots anticipate 75 percent of the plays called by the opposing team.

The inclusion of Ernie Adams in that trifecta of deceit makes me think that I was right.

4 Responses to “Further Spygate Thoughts”

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I could not agree more. This is a bunch of crap. We were sold a bill of goods - a dynasty for the modern era. I think they should toss Belichick out of the league for life. What is $500,000 to a guy who makes 4-5 million a year.

Joe said in May 19th, 2008 at 4:48 pm

Conversely, the skeptic in me tends to think that a lot of franchises engage in similar subterfuge. I’d offer the fact that so few team reps spoke out against the videotaping scandal, and that so many reps seem willing to let it go.

(Lest we think that “our” teams are beyond reproach, I was disappointed but not shocked that the Badgers and Packers had a relationship in the ’90s with Tony Fitton, the so-called “Godfather of Steroids.” SI 3/17/08)

Now, I realize that the anti-trust exemptions give Congress an interest in professional sports, but I do question the zeal with which Arlen Specter is approaching this “investigation” and his reluctance in letting it go.

You know, what with the war and recession.

3000 said in May 20th, 2008 at 3:08 pm

3000,

I’ve had similar thoughts, and yes, it’s naive to think this doesn’t happen to some extent throughout the league. But as far as Congress getting involved, I don’t mind for the reasons Greg Easterbrook laid out during the week of the Super Bowl.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....ortCat=nfl

“Most NFL teams play in publicly subsidized stadiums, and NFL games are aired over public airwaves controlled by federal licenses. The licenses, among other things, prohibit any pre-arrangement or artifice in what is presented as live competition. If a Super Bowl were affected by cheating, that would be a legitimate matter of concern to Congress.”

packeraaron said in May 20th, 2008 at 3:29 pm

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