New England Patriots

[leftygolfer 7]

Discuss.

[Flushgarden 0]

no...well maybe, but its not important. Videotaping signals is hardly a crime. In baseball you're allowed to steal signs. I admire their competitiveness, and I seriously doubt they're the only team in the NFL that has done this. People just want to try to use any little reason to tear down the best team in sports.

[CaneBrain 95]

no...well maybe, but its not important. Videotaping signals is hardly a crime. In baseball you're allowed to steal signs. I admire their competitiveness, and I seriously doubt they're the only team in the NFL that has done this. People just want to try to use any little reason to tear down the best team in sports.

Wow paranoid fan much? If they were the best team in sports, why would they have to resort to this? Oh and when the commissioner is talking about taking away multiple draft picks, it is kinda important. Especially since the key to the Patriots sustained greatness has been an ability to somehow have two first round picks every year and do something positive with them.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

Videotaping signals is hardly a crime.

No, it's not a crime, but it is against NFL rules. You know, the one that says you are not allowed to videotape the opposing team's signals. Mangini was aware of the Patriots use of this because he used to coach under Belichick, so the Jets were on the lookout for it.

[fryer98 30]

no...well maybe, but its not important. Videotaping signals is hardly a crime.

FSRT!They did something that the league has said they remind teams every year is against the rules. So yes, it IS important.

[Yoda 1]

The sad thing is, they probably would have won anyway - but they had to be pathetic cheating bastards and take anyway the competitiveness of the game.

[zsta2k6 0]

Somebody set us up the camera!All your picks are belong to me!!For Great Justice!!!

[leftygolfer 7]

No, it's not a crime, but it is against NFL rules. You know, the one that says you are not allowed to videotape the opposing team's signals.

Someone once told me that "rules were made to be broken."Goodell should take at least a 2nd round pick, especially if they had already been warned.

[Yoda 1]

Goodell should take a 1st round pick, especially since they have already been caught once doing the same thing.

[David_Nicoson 1]

In baseball you're allowed to steal signs.

There aren't any rules in baseball with respect to signs on the playing field. That seems like a sensible situation to me, but the NFL is a different situation because they did make rules.

[loogie 115]

The Patriots are a bunch of cheating cheaters that cheat to win games.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

The Patriots are a bunch of cheating cheaters that cheat to win games.

And they cheat!

[SuitedAces21 2,723]

I wish the Chiefs would try this. Maybe they could score more than 3 points against the Texans.

[Loismustdie 0]

There aren't any rules in baseball with respect to signs on the playing field. That seems like a sensible situation to me, but the NFL is a different situation because they did make rules.

By the Pats fans logic it's cool that Barry was on the juice because everyone else was. Geez... it's this simple. Don't videotape what the opposing team is doing to get there plays across. Why not just listen in on the feed to the QB's helmet? The thing is... this is what winners do in this world. They find a way to get a leg up. When you get caught, you pay the price. I doubt Belichek even winks at this. He makes a brief statement and goes on with life. The league will come down hard, though,because this is the 2nd time they have been caught.

[CaneBrain 95]

interesting article from CNNSI.com (Don Banks) on why Bill Belichek is a huge a$$faceNFL coaches, bless their controlling, obsessive, conniving, secretive little hearts, are not, as a rule, the most well-adjusted individuals you'll ever meet. The season is only one week old and already we've just about had our fill of their self-important personalities -- the way they address the media as if they're describing Operation Desert Storm instead of a third-down screen play, the way they refuse to reveal which mediocre quarterback they've chosen to start the next game as if they were protecting nuclear launch codes. Generally speaking, they're just weird guys, which is why it takes some truly abnormal behavior for an NFL coach to set himself apart from his peers.That brings us to Bill Belichick. Surely you've heard about the latest apparent indiscretion from Belichick, New England's brilliant but bizarre coach: videotaping and attempting to steal the defensive signals of the opposing team. During the Pats' 38-14 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, a member of the New England staff had his video camera confiscated by NFL security. The league examined the videotape for evidence of signal stealing, which is expressly against NFL rules.Reportedly league officials have determined that the Patriots were indeed trying to steal signs, the second time in two years that the team has been suspected of this violation. If found guilty, a fine and/or the revocation of draft choices could be the Pats' punishment. Maybe Belichick, the ruler of all he surveys in Patriot-land, isn't the mastermind of this little bit of espionage. And maybe Tom Brady has trouble getting a date.Belichick's apologists counter that even if the allegations are true, the New England coach isn't the only head man who goes to such lengths to gain an edge, and that besides, if you're not cheating, you're not trying. (We'd pay good money to avoid having to hear that hackneyed piece of philosophy ever again.) Maybe if this were the first example of odd, rather classless behavior from Belichick, it would be easier to dismiss. But in addition to his three Super Bowl titles, Belichick has a fairly extensive history of behavior that makes observers wonder why a coach of his stature would stoop so low. He may be part genius, but he's also part jerk.There was his inexplicably negative reaction to his protégé, Eric Mangini, leaving the New England staff to take over the Jets' head coaching job two years ago. Unlike most head coaches, who would never stand in the way of one of their assistants getting a head job, Belichick acted as if he'd been betrayed. During the Jets' courting of Mangini, Belichick had the locks changed at Patriots' headquarters, and the first time the two teams met last season, Belichick brushed off Mangini's attempt at a post-game handshake as if his ex-assistant had the plague.He treated Colts quarterback Peyton Manning much the same way after Manning finally beat the Pats in the AFC championship game last year. No one is saying Belichick has to be Miss Manners, but would it kill him to be gracious, just for a moment or two? Maybe most damning was the allegation by former Patriot linebacker Ted Johnson that Belichick pressured him to play and subjected him to full contact in practice while Johnson was still suffering the effects of a concussion. Belichick has denied the accusation.It's a disturbingly long list of behavior that paints Belichick as paranoid, unsportsmanlike, classless and, if Johnson's claims are true, even abusive. Taken separately, none of his actions may seem so objectionable, but together, they're troubling. It's doubtful that NFL commissioner Roger Goddell will go as far as suspending Belichick for his spying tactics last Sunday, but a short, enforced vacation might be the best thing for him. It might force him to realize that his behavior just isn't normal, even for an NFL coach.

[MapleLeafs 142]

[Janfor99 0]

Somebody set us up the camera!All your picks are belong to me!!For Great Justice!!!

LOL ZBut the Jets still suck !

[loogie 115]

[Yoda 1]

LOL ZBut the Jets still suck !

I have two responses1) Shutup cheater!2) I still beat you in fantasy football. Boo yaaaaa!

[Flushgarden 0]

By the Pats fans logic it's cool that Barry was on the juice because everyone else was. Geez... it's this simple. Don't videotape what the opposing team is doing to get there plays across. Why not just listen in on the feed to the QB's helmet? The thing is... this is what winners do in this world. They find a way to get a leg up. When you get caught, you pay the price. I doubt Belichek even winks at this. He makes a brief statement and goes on with life. The league will come down hard, though,because this is the 2nd time they have been caught.

No its not cool that Barry was on juice and I think its horrible that he got away with it. I'd feel sorry for you if you couldn't see the difference between taking steriods and videotaping signals. However I'm quite sure you realize how silly that comparison is.The fact that some of you desperately hate the Partiots so much will make it even sweeter for me when they win the Superbowl...thank you for that.Also, this thread isn't necessary as we already have a Patriots thread.

[Jadaki 0]

Also, this thread isn't necessary as we already have a Patriots thread.

But this is a patriots are cheaters thread, totally different.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

No its not cool that Barry was on juice and I think its horrible that he got away with it. I'd feel sorry for you if you couldn't see the difference between taking steriods and videotaping signals. However I'm quite sure you realize how silly that comparison is.

Which do you think would help Bonds more:Being strongerorKnowing which pitch is coming?Why do you think steroid/HGH use is horrible (hi there Rodney Harrison), but videotaping signals isn't even a bad thing?

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

Guys come on, you might seriously hurt flushgardens feelings.

[TRB05 1]

I just saw on the NFL network that the Pats will lose their 1st round pick if they make the playoffs or their 2nd and 3rd round picks if they don't make the playoffs. Pretty severe penalty IMO but appropriate.

[Flushgarden 0]

Which do you think would help Bonds more:Being strongerorKnowing which pitch is coming?

Being stronger could potentially hurt him more...even kill him.

Why do you think steroid/HGH use is horrible (hi there Rodney Harrison), but videotaping signals isn't even a bad thing?

Not gonna defend Rodney, it was pretty dumb but he's serving his punnishment right now.btw...Belichick has been fined 500k. Pats don't lose any draft picks. Big fine. Issue over.