ESPN REPORTS: Patriots HUGE cheaters and Goodell covered

[SnoCoHawk]

The fact that other teams called the Seahawks 7 months ago (not 7 years ago) to warn them about securing their practice tells me that no one believes the cheating has stopped. It's got be so aggravating to have a chronic cheater in your conference, watching them benefit year after year and knowing nothing's going to be done about it. It really does taint the whole sport.

 

[HawkAroundTheClock]

Pete Carroll is the anti-Belicheat. Everyone who knows Pete says he is the same guy all the time. Behind the scenes, at home, in the locker room, on the practice field, on the sideline, in the streets of gang-riddled LA, he is consistently the exact same person.

Belicheat is an entirely different person in press conferences, on the sideline, off camera. The word for that is duplicitous. Bill is two-faced because he always has wrongdoing to hide.

BAN BELICHEAT FOR LIFE.

 

[50yrpatsfan]

Nice piece of investigative journalism by ESPN, and I think this is a good counter-example to the general belief that they're too hopelessly in bed with the NFL to actually by critical of it.

As for the substance of the piece itself, I think it basically confirms what many people have suspected for awhile now: Spygate was a much bigger problem that was mostly swept under the rug, and Deflategate is mostly trumped up silliness that makes up for the errors in dealing with Spygate.

But the reality is this: Spygate was a much SMALLER issue than it should have been, magnified by Goodell into an insanely bigger one. And what you saw by the league with Deflategate is exactly what happened with Spygate - a small issue that Tags would have dealt with in 5 minutes, transformed into a year long crisis fed by the ESPN trolls.

Even if you think Brady deflated footballs, you almost all agree that wasn't a huge crime in and of itself, and Goodell's leaking, lying, overstating, and over-punishing was over the top (I don't agree that the crime even happened, but I'll grant it to you for the moment).

Well, Spygate was exactly the same. The 1st round draft choice and huge fine don't indicate the severity of the offense, just that Goodell was equally clueless. Throw BountyGate in there against New Orleans, and you have a trifecta of Goodell's hysterical over-punishments.

 

[Tech Worlds]

Over punishment? That's rich

 

[nanomoz]

Now we know why Kraft was really so pissed off. Goodell had swept his skeletons into the closet for years.

 

[CodeWarrior]

It's really too bad that everything the Patriots have done has been completely discredited. A hollow franchise.

 

[50yrpatsfan]

Nobody in NE is gonna lose any sleep over this garbage, bring it on.

You lost enough sleep to make your late night other team forum rounds in order to defend your team............again.

This is what cracks me up about Patriot fans, they can even admit to 1% of wrong doing. It's just deflect, blame, disregard, rinse and repeat.

If you were to drop an alien down in the middle of the country and show him all the nonsense the Patriots have been doing in the Belichick era, and then ask him if any funny business has been going on, what do you think he'd say?

They are indeed guilty of 1% of what they get accused of: they continued filming defensive signals from the sidelines (i.e., wide out in the open) into 2007, after a 2006 league email called for all teams to stop doing it. The Jets had just done the same filming to the Patriots in 2006, and the Dolphins a similar thing with audio, and those little border wars dictated that NE keep doing it. Belichick also felt he was on solid footing because the wording of that rule had a loophole in it.

So they did it at the Jets in early 2007, the Jets called league security to get them to stop, Spygate was born, NE paid their penance and stopped doing it, never lying or withholding anything, full cooperation cause they thought they were right. Afterwards they instituted new internal procedures to ensure compliance with all league memos, and now always err on the side of caution with respect to gray areas. They have run the cleanest ship in the NFL since 2007.

Belichick to be honest re-evaluated his attitudes at that time and came out of Spygate a changed man. He'd been raised in the dog-eat-dog world of the 1970's in the NFL, and when he came close to being suspended from the game he loves and knows more than anyone, he changed. Kraft helped him see that.

 

[CodeWarrior]

They have run the cleanest ship in the NFL since 2007.

Just lol.

 

[SnoCoHawk]

But the reality is this: Spygate was a much SMALLER issue than it should have been, magnified by Goodell into an insanely bigger one. And what you saw by the league with Deflategate is exactly what happened with Spygate - a small issue that Tags would have dealt with in 5 minutes, transformed into a year long crisis fed by the ESPN trolls.

Even if you think Brady deflated footballs, you almost all agree that wasn't a huge crime in and of itself, and Goodell's leaking, lying, overstating, and over-punishing was over the top (I don't agree that the crime even happened, but I'll grant it to you for the moment).

Well, Spygate was exactly the same. The 1st round draft choice and huge fine don't indicate the severity of the offense, just that Goodell was equally clueless. Throw BountyGate in there against New Orleans, and you have a trifecta of Goodell's hysterical over-punishments.

You truly think that sending employees into opponents' locker rooms and hotels to steal plays is no big deal? Ditto with using illegally manipulated equipment, or paying bonuses to inflict potentially career-ending injuries on other players?

 

[50yrpatsfan]

But the reality is this: Spygate was a much SMALLER issue than it should have been, magnified by Goodell into an insanely bigger one. And what you saw by the league with Deflategate is exactly what happened with Spygate - a small issue that Tags would have dealt with in 5 minutes, transformed into a year long crisis fed by the ESPN trolls.

Even if you think Brady deflated footballs, you almost all agree that wasn't a huge crime in and of itself, and Goodell's leaking, lying, overstating, and over-punishing was over the top (I don't agree that the crime even happened, but I'll grant it to you for the moment).

Well, Spygate was exactly the same. The 1st round draft choice and huge fine don't indicate the severity of the offense, just that Goodell was equally clueless. Throw BountyGate in there against New Orleans, and you have a trifecta of Goodell's hysterical over-punishments.

You truly think that sending employees into opponents' locker rooms and hotels to steal plays is no big deal? Ditto with using illegally manipulated equipment, or paying bonuses to inflict potentially career-ending injuries on other players?

No I don't. And if any of that had actually happened, I'd be outraged.

 

[ringless]

But the reality is this: Spygate was a much SMALLER issue than it should have been, magnified by Goodell into an insanely bigger one. And what you saw by the league with Deflategate is exactly what happened with Spygate - a small issue that Tags would have dealt with in 5 minutes, transformed into a year long crisis fed by the ESPN trolls.

Even if you think Brady deflated footballs, you almost all agree that wasn't a huge crime in and of itself, and Goodell's leaking, lying, overstating, and over-punishing was over the top (I don't agree that the crime even happened, but I'll grant it to you for the moment).

Well, Spygate was exactly the same. The 1st round draft choice and huge fine don't indicate the severity of the offense, just that Goodell was equally clueless. Throw BountyGate in there against New Orleans, and you have a trifecta of Goodell's hysterical over-punishments.

You truly think that sending employees into opponents' locker rooms and hotels to steal plays is no big deal? Ditto with using illegally manipulated equipment, or paying bonuses to inflict potentially career-ending injuries on other players?

No I don't. And if any of that had actually happened, I'd be outraged.

The Patriots have not run the cleanest ship.

Despite all that is being reported which has substance to it whether you believe it or not and I know what you choose to believe.

There are other minor abuses. The phony injury reports just to name one.The whole OL lined up as WR last year while technically not breaking the rules. They exploited the referees which shouldn't have happened. There have been several complaints about the headset issues in Foxboro for several years and several instances. Sure some of those are smaller, but NE does not run a clean ship by any stretch of the imagination.

The FO proceeds to make up excuses that a child would make like Deflating = Fat loss that the fans buy into like an abused spouse because they refuse to see reality.

NE Robs, steals, and murders childhood dreams of players and fans alike. Players that have played the game since 5 years old dreaming of the day they can score a game winning touchdown. While a dishonest team steals the glory because of small advantages that got them there. Whether its stealing signals, stealing playbook, messing with communications, deflating balls, exploiting refs the list continues. There is no integrity of that team. The ones I truly feel for are those that sacrificied their blood, sweat and tears that just might have won had an honest game been played. In a 16 game season winning one game is a big deal. And I am sure the Patriots have played in games they shouldn't have been in due to an extra win here and there.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

So they did it at the Jets in early 2007, the Jets called league security to get them to stop, Spygate was born, NE paid their penance and stopped doing it, never lying or withholding anything, full cooperation cause they thought they were right. Afterwards they instituted new internal procedures to ensure compliance with all league memos, and now always err on the side of caution with respect to gray areas. They have run the cleanest ship in the NFL since 2007.

No I don't. And if any of that had actually happened, I'd be outraged.

So in other words, you still haven't read the article yet?

 

[50yrpatsfan]

But the reality is this: Spygate was a much SMALLER issue than it should have been, magnified by Goodell into an insanely bigger one. And what you saw by the league with Deflategate is exactly what happened with Spygate - a small issue that Tags would have dealt with in 5 minutes, transformed into a year long crisis fed by the ESPN trolls.

Even if you think Brady deflated footballs, you almost all agree that wasn't a huge crime in and of itself, and Goodell's leaking, lying, overstating, and over-punishing was over the top (I don't agree that the crime even happened, but I'll grant it to you for the moment).

Well, Spygate was exactly the same. The 1st round draft choice and huge fine don't indicate the severity of the offense, just that Goodell was equally clueless. Throw BountyGate in there against New Orleans, and you have a trifecta of Goodell's hysterical over-punishments.

You truly think that sending employees into opponents' locker rooms and hotels to steal plays is no big deal? Ditto with using illegally manipulated equipment, or paying bonuses to inflict potentially career-ending injuries on other players?

No I don't. And if any of that had actually happened, I'd be outraged.

The Patriots have not run the cleanest ship.

Despite all that is being reported which has substance to it whether you believe it or not and I know what you choose to believe.

There are other minor abuses. The phony injury reports just to name one.The whole OL lined up as WR last year while technically not breaking the rules. They exploited the referees which shouldn't have happened. There have been several complaints about the headset issues in Foxboro for several years and several instances. Sure some of those are smaller, but NE does not run a clean ship by any stretch of the imagination.

The FO proceeds to make up excuses that a child would make like Deflating = Fat loss that the fans buy into like an abused spouse because they refuse to see reality.

NE Robs, steals, and murders childhood dreams of players and fans alike. Players that have played the game since 5 years old dreaming of the day they can score a game winning touchdown. While a dishonest team steals the glory because of small advantages that got them there. Whether its stealing signals, stealing playbook, messing with communications, deflating balls, exploiting refs the list continues. There is no integrity of that team. The ones I truly feel for are those that sacrificied their blood, sweat and tears that just might have won had an honest game been played. In a 16 game season winning one game is a big deal. And I am sure the Patriots have played in games they shouldn't have been in due to an extra win here and there.

Since the NFL changed the injury report format a few years ago, BB has complied fully. Prior to that, he felt that being specific about where an injury is located gave opponents something to target.

The unbalanced line they sprung on Baltimore was 100% valid, not against the rules at all. Every coach wishes he'd thought of it.

Headset issues were rumors or just bad luck. At least twice I can recall, the Patriots coaches have had trouble on the road with headsets. I don't think any org in the NFL is messing with headsets.

Whether deflator means weight loss or whatever, it means nothing because the footballs were not manually deflated by anyone, it was all natural pressure loss due to cold. Without a crime there are no criminals.

Stealing signals is as old as football and is not illegal.

There is no evidence whatsoever of stealing playbooks, play sheets, or trash.

Now as far as the robbing, stealing, and murdering, you may be onto something. We used to have a triple murderer on the roster.

 

[ctrcat]

Fwiw...

Josh Thomas was the CB Kearse burned in the 2013 opener, signed with the Hawks in 2014, then, what do you know, signed with the Jets.

After a victory over the Titans on Dec. 14, 2014, Thomas returned home to New Jersey with the team where he placed his belongings in the trunk of his car. That afternoon he discovered that the Jets team tablet (including the playbook) had been stolen from his luggage. He was released a day later from the team.

Guess who the Jets next opponent was?

Someone targeted the tablet and searched for it in his luggage. Airport thieves take the entire piece of luggage and dump what they do not want at a separate location.

Coincidence? How much else is unknown?



​

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Belichick to be honest re-evaluated his attitudes at that time and came out of Spygate a changed man. He'd been raised in the dog-eat-dog world of the 1970's in the NFL, and when he came close to being suspended from the game he loves and knows more than anyone, he changed. Kraft helped him see that.

It's good that you admit the Pats at least were in the wrong for Spygate...........thus why both Belichick and Kraft profusely apologizing to the owners afterwards.

But that was only the beginning for me, IMO Belichick continues to this day to push the envelope of skirting the rules to help the Pats win........thus deflating footballs and the ESPN story about Mickey Mouse crap like interfering with headsets during key drives and plays.

I have ZERO doubt Belichick and the entire organization was aware of all this garbage, and in fact encouraged it.

Which is fine, there are many people involved in pro sports, including fans that believe if you're not cheating you're not trying to win. All I want is for the Patriots and their fans to admit it, and stop with the "everyone's jealous, we're innocent" tired refrain.

 

[Sports Hernia]

So they did it at the Jets in early 2007, the Jets called league security to get them to stop, Spygate was born, NE paid their penance and stopped doing it, never lying or withholding anything, full cooperation cause they thought they were right. Afterwards they instituted new internal procedures to ensure compliance with all league memos, and now always err on the side of caution with respect to gray areas. They have run the cleanest ship in the NFL since 2007.

No I don't. And if any of that had actually happened, I'd be outraged.

So in other words, you still haven't read the article yet?

Pretty much!

 

[seahawk12thman]

It must suck knowing the only people who credit New England are people who have no ethics or morals. If the Hawks did this crap I would disown them. What is the point of winning when everything you do is tainted? Nobody is going to give this franchise an ounce of respect. Belicheat and Kraft should be thrown out of the league and every super bowl forfeited. Nothing of theirs is legitimate.

 

[ringless]

Yes kick Bill and Brady out, and lay the finishing smackdown of an entire forfeited draft.

Brady and Bill should be made ineligible for HOF considerations.

It is harsh yes. But so are the lost dreams of those who could have won a SB. That moment can never be given back or had.

 

[Laloosh]

Yes kick Bill and Brady out, and lay the finishing smackdown of an entire forfeited draft.

Brady and Bill should be made ineligible for HOF considerations.

It is harsh yes. But so are the lost dreams of those who could have won a SB. That moment can never be given back or had.

And who should hand down said punishment? The guy that helped cover it up?

Just saying...

 

[seahawk12thman]

Yes kick Bill and Brady out, and lay the finishing smackdown of an entire forfeited draft.

Brady and Bill should be made ineligible for HOF considerations.

It is harsh yes. But so are the lost dreams of those who could have won a SB. That moment can never be given back or had.

And who should hand down said punishment? The guy that helped cover it up?

Just saying...

The Owners