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Wow, first he's a MILF Hunter, now he's a voyeur. Belicheck has turned into quite the fetish enthusiast.
Why were they even cheating anyway? They'd wipe the floor with the Jets whether they knew what the defensive scheme was or not.
Expect Goodell to treat this seriously
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
According to league sources, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has determined that the New England Patriots violated league rules when it videotaped defensive signals by New York Jets coaches during the Patriots' 38-14 win Sunday. There will be a hearing with the Patriots -- mostly likely by phone by the end of the week -- and then a ruling by the commissioner that could cost New England draft picks. Here are some questions and answers on the incident:
What is the commissioner's stance?
Such spying is a serious infraction. It's cheating and could affect the outcome of games. Goodell established a strict player conduct policy, and he wants coaches and team employees to also live up to a high standard.
What rules did the Patriots allegedly violate?
The "Game Operations Manual" states that "no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game." The manual states that "all video shooting locations must be enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead." NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from a New England video assistant on the Patriots' sideline when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Taping any signals is prohibited. The toughest part usually is finding evidence to support an allegation.
What could the punishment be?
Goodell must come down hard on this one because he clearly has evidence. ESPN has reported that Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks." That could mean a combination of a second-rounder and something else, maybe a fifth-rounder. The commissioner could push the penalty over two years, but he can't treat this lightly by just taking away a second-day draft choice. The Patriots are good. They had only two draft choices -- a first- and a second-round pick -- make the team this season. Fining them just a fourth-round choice wouldn't hurt them much.
What advantage could a coach get by stealing defensive signals?
Any good coach with knowledge of the defensive play calls from the sideline can adjust his blocking schemes and come up with the appropriate counter measures. You've seen quarterbacks and coaches study photos of defensive alignments after each possession. If there is a way to pick up defensive signals, a quarterback can make the right audibles and get out of a bad play. Knowledge is everything.
Belichick is the best in the business at taking information and turning it into strategy. He's the best coach in football at knowing the strength and the weakness of a player and putting him in a position to succeed. Give him a signal or two and he will know how to burn a team with a big play at the right time. A coach that smart is always looking for an edge.
Why will owners be upset about this?
First, many owners may feel Belichick beat them by cheating. That may be hard to take, but that's life. What is going to upset them even more is this incident could cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. This incident will probably lead to having a defensive player on the field with a radio helmet to receive defensive signals from the sideline. Using hand signals to relay defensive calls is an outdated concept. The offense can use modern technology. Why can't defenders? It's going to cost money to equip defenders. Thanks to this incident, owners may have to start paying for that advancement next year.
What will be Belichick's defense?
That's hard to say because there won't be an open hearing. In fact, the hearing is supposed to be done by phone as early as late this week. The commissioner doesn't have to supply details of the Patriots' position. He just has to render a decision. Bringing Belichick to New York would be a circus. There is no reason to have a circus involving this one. The video either says the Patriots were spying or not. Goodell will listen to Belichick's defense and then deliver his penalty.
What will be the longterm effect on Belichick and the Patriots?
Although this is embarrassing, you can't take away what this franchise can do. They may have the best team in football. Robert Kraft is one of the league's best owners. The team has three Super Bowl rings and a great chance to get a fourth. Other great organizations have paid penalties for violating league rules. The Broncos lost a draft choice for violating the salary cap with John Elway. The Steelers once had to forfeit a third-round draft choice for working out in shoulder pads in the offseason. The Patriots may lose a draft choice or two. And whether or not the Patriots videotaped the Jets' defensive signals, Belichick won't be any less of a coach.
Wow, first he's a MILF Hunter, now he's a voyeur. Belicheck has turned into quite the fetish enthusiast.
Why were they even cheating anyway? They'd wipe the floor with the Jets whether they knew what the defensive scheme was or not.
Cant stand the Patsies. If they are such a good team, why did they have to cheat??
They are a damn good team and they're one of the top three in the League. I think the cheating is Belicheck figuring he can do whatever he damn well pleases since he has three super bowl rings.
Belicheck....hahahahahaha
wtf was the point of that press conference? To go up there and not even say anything?
evidently Mangini was the one who ratted on them.
He's setting a dangerous precedent....if other teams are gonna start ratting out every violation every other team is committing.....
Belicheck=genius, no Belicheck=cheater......they have probably done this for a long time, and Mangino outed him.
BTW, Belichick apologized and is going to man up and accept whatever the punishment is.
Kind of like what Shawne Merriman did.
So Chargers fans can STFU now.
Mangino is the fat, TPark-esque coach at Kansas.
Draft choices? That doesn't hurt a team like the Patriots much at this point. They already are stacked at many positions. Now if it cost them 30 mil off the salary cap for the next couple of seasons that would be something. Or, what Goddell could do is not render a decision for the first 8 games of the Patriot's season. Let them play it out not knowing what will come, and when the 1st 8 games are done make them lose each win in the 1st 8. Don't change the other team's records that they played, but take the Pats wins away and make them 0-8. That would get people's attention.
Yeah multiple draft picks isn't a fair punishment.
Let's just drop a nuke on Gillette Stadium, give Bob Kraft life without parole, then how about we publicly execute Belichick (i'm thinking beheading) and chop off some of Brady's fingers, then castrate the rest of the team for doing something that every other team is doing.
It's hilarious to see how much people hate the Patriots.
If this was the Colts, this story would have been forgotten a day ago and there would be no punishment whatsoever.
And if it was the Vikings, we never would have heard anything in the first place. The story would have been off of ESPN's front page in about 10 minutes.
If it was the Colts then I would have said the first 10 games.
The fact is this commissioner has suspended an assistant coach and fined him $100,000 for taking a performance enhancing substance for his impotence. A guy who doesn't play gets nailed in one of the relatively harshest punishments in NFL history for taking a performance enhancer. If you're going to do that then you have to come down hard on something like this.
You say every team does it, and if that's the case then Goddell needs to drop the death bomb on them to make it clear that it won't be tolerated. That sends the message to teams that they can cheat, but if they get caught the punishment will be very severe. It won't stop everyone, but it will make teams think before doing things like this.
Seriously, the 8 game scenario is an exaggeration, but they should be given a loss for the Jets game. If they get caught again then I'd make it half a season, and have that fact drilled into their heads this week.
Past this season no way in will the Pats be able to keep this entire roster. Sooner or later the cap is going to them in the ass and those lack of draft picks will ruin their plan b of replacing the guys they will lose this season and next.
I like Terrell Davis' suggestion. He thinks they should be put on probation like a college program that gets caught cheating. By probation he means no post season and docking them some draft choices.
Now that's harsh.
Seeing as in the offseason this was addressed at the owners meetings because EVERYONE was doing it, I'd say
1. ripping the patriots for it is funny
2. The Patriots are pretty stupid for attempting it after this past offseason.
Because two wrongs make a right? If the Patriots are stupid enough to be caught doing this twice then they should be punished. Same goes for any other team doing this. Suspending Bellicked for a significant period of time is how you get the message across.
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