Arlen Specter - You da man. (Cheatriots)

[coogrfan]

You don't like Specter, no doubt for some bull**** political reason. Lovely. I really don't care how you feel about him.

If you want to know why I'm skeptical about this, just google "Arlen Specter grandstanding". You'll be reading for a long time.

 

[THUMPER]

Wait a second-losing a first round draft pick is nothing? Do you really believe that?

Do you really believe that it will make that much of a difference to the Patriots? They will be losing the last pick in the 1st round but they have the 7th pick from the 49ERs anyway so what's the big deal.

This was a minor annoyance to the Pats and Belichick and will not in any way send a message to other teams, or even to them, not to cheat.

 

[theebs]

Now you are being absurd and you know it. What Jimmy did was PRIOR to the ban on taping was instituted. Lots of coaches did it back in the day but found that it didn't help that much unless it was against a division rival that you would face twice each season.

Mangini wasn't caught, Belichick was.

It was not the franchise that cheated but the head coach. If you can prove complicity by Bob Kraft then by all means he should be punished as well but that would be very difficult to do.

The fact is that Belichick knowingly and intentionally cheated and should not have been allowed to continue as an NFL employee.

If I were caught cheating at work they would fire me, that's the bottom line.

It is an over the top statement I made, and that was its intent.

never compare a normal persons job to a professional athletes job or coaches. You cant do it. THe rules are not the same and we all know it.

You arent responsible for a billion dollar franchise's future. Then again maybe you are, and if you are congrats that is fantastic.

 

[tyke1doe]

he should have been suspended at least 1 game I think also. Losing the first rounder was more damning to the franchise though. It just so happens that the pats are so well run, they had two 1st rounders. What are you going to do?

I can accept that argument that Belichick should have been suspended for one game. That probably should have been a part of the penalty, but this was new waters, so to speak, for Godell and the NFL.

 

[tyke1doe]

It is an over the top statement I made, and that was its intent.

never compare a normal persons job to a professional athletes job or coaches. You cant do it. THe rules are not the same and we all know it.

You arent responsible for a billion dollar franchise's future. Then again maybe you are, and if you are congrats that is fantastic.

And I guarantee that if a boss is as successful as Belichick, he wouldn't get fired either. I don't care what company he works for.

Only average people get fired for such indiscretions. Belichick aint an average coach.

 

[superpunk]

Then why didn't you use the appropriate word?

Nice edit, grammar-****.

 

[coogrfan]

Do you really believe that it will make that much of a difference to the Patriots? They will be losing the last pick in the 1st round but they have the 7th pick from the 49ERs anyway so what's the big deal.

This was a minor annoyance to the Pats and Belichick and will not in any way send a message to other teams, or even to them, not to cheat.

Expect, of course, that those "other teams" generally don't have multiple 1st round picks to fall back on. I have to believe most teams do view losing a 1st rounder as big deal.

 

[tyke1doe]

Do you really believe that it will make that much of a difference to the Patriots? They will be losing the last pick in the 1st round but they have the 7th pick from the 49ERs anyway so what's the big deal.

This was a minor annoyance to the Pats and Belichick and will not in any way send a message to other teams, or even to them, not to cheat.

Yes, it will.

Other teams can't afford to lose a first round pick like the Patriots can.

Second, what makes you think the penalty would be the same if another team got caught cheating in a similar fashion? One could argue that an even harsher penalty would be assessed because we have precedence in both violation and penalty.

Third, suspending Belichick for good would be similar to executing a man for cheating. It's just too excessive a punishment, and I doubt most reasonable people would even agree with such a punishment.

 

[theebs]

Do you really believe that it will make that much of a difference to the Patriots? They will be losing the last pick in the 1st round but they have the 7th pick from the 49ERs anyway so what's the big deal.

This was a minor annoyance to the Pats and Belichick and will not in any way send a message to other teams, or even to them, not to cheat.

so now the pats have to be punished for making a good trade last year?

When does it end? Like I said, some people are so upset at how good the pats are they wouldnt be happy unless the pats were removed from the league or something.

Think about how many teams have players who break laws in society everyday, kill people, rape women etc.... they deserve more critics on there case than the pats do.

I mean who is a worse person? Leonard little or Bill Belichick? Or howbout that scumbag in kansas city Jared Allen who is working on his 4th dwi or whatever but is an all pro type player so its A-OK.

Is it a bad thing that the pats did this yep. Were they alone in doing it, I seriously doubt it and we know the jets did it too.

And what would turning over every tape to the public have done? As long as every other owner was informed and saw some then I think it is a non issue.

If the feds want to be tough, crack down on illegal steroids and the known criminals in this league.

 

[tyke1doe]

Nice edit, grammar-****.

Well, when I spot errors, I try to correct them, even in my own posts. Heil!

 

[Maikeru-sama]

What a waste of taxpayer's money .

 

[jimmy40]

Say word, son. This be serious bidness.

Specter: Mr. Goodell, why were the tapes destroyed?

Goodell: I felt this was the best way to end all this foolishness.

Specter: Mr. Goodell, did you have any evidence other teams were still filming coaches in this manner?

Goodell: Yes.

Specter: How many?

Goodell: 31

Specter: Mr. Goodell, what did you do with this evidence?

Goodell: It was destroyed.

Specter: Mr. Goodell, why was this evidence destroyed?

Goodell: I believe I've already addressed this issue.

Specter: Mr. Goodell, why did you take a first round pick away from the Patriots if this was just foolishness?

Goodell: Because they had two.

Specter: And if they only had one?

Goodell: Then we would have taken a 2nd round pick at the most.

Specter: Mr. Goodell, how much of an advantage did the Patriots gain by filming the defensive coach of the Jets for 5 plays this season?

Goodell: None, zip, nada.

Specter: What do you say to the NFL fans that believe the Patriots success is due to cheating?

Goodell: They are jealous idiots that have their head up their collective arses.

Specter: Thank you Mr. Goodell, we also just wanted to clear this foolishness up. Mr. Goodell, any last thoughts before we adjourn?

Goodell: Yes, why don't you guys do something about the rising cost of gas and health care?

Specter: Sorry Mr. Goodell, this is not the forum for those issues to be addressed, we are here for serious bidness.

 

[THUMPER]

First, aren't steroids, outside of prescription and proper distribution, illegal? I can see why Congress would be involved in that case.

Second, taping signals is not illegal in a prosecutorial sense. It is only illegal within the framework of the NFL's policy.

Two totally different issues.

Brilliant rebuttal counselor but your objection is still over ruled on a number of points:

1. Most of the steroids being distributed to MLB players were prescribed by licensed physicians and only in a few cases were they given by someone not licensed to prescribe them. The fact that they should NOT have been prescribed is why congress was involved in the first place. For criminal prosecution they are not going after the players but those people distributing them. The issue being discussed in the hearings is not that they were illegal but that they were used to influence the outcome of games.

Also, steroids and HGH are not specifically illegal but are "controlled substances" meaning they can only be distributed by someone licensed to prescribe them. My doctor can prescribe them to me and nothing would be said about it but because they are specifically "illegal" for most athletes is the issue here because they are considered "performance enhancing" and therefore constitute cheating.

2. If I thought that what Belichick did was illegal from a criminal statute then I would have recommended jail time, not banning from the league.

3. Professional sports is treated as a special case by the federal government and therefore the rules that govern most businesses do not necessarily apply to them, the NFL in particular. Because of this, the federal government can and frequently does get involved in anything that seems fishy among the professional sports leagues.

Next...

 

[THUMPER]

It is an over the top statement I made, and that was its intent.

never compare a normal persons job to a professional athletes job or coaches. You cant do it. THe rules are not the same and we all know it.

You arent responsible for a billion dollar franchise's future. Then again maybe you are, and if you are congrats that is fantastic.

That's exactly why Belichick should have been banned for life. He is responsible for a franchise worth a billion dollars and he cheated. He should be held to a much higher standard than the average person should be, not a lesser one.

The guy cheated, plain and simple, and the punishment handed down will in no way deter him, or anyone else, from doing it in the future.

 

[SultanOfSix]

Bellicheat's minimal punishment should have been a forfeiture of the first game. Then we wouldn't even be talking about an undefeated season. It's irrelevant whether they could have won without the tapes, i.e. the cheating material.

When you go into an exam and are caught cheating, what happens to you score? Is it still recorded, or do you fail it, and is it considered null and void?

 

[superpunk]

blah blah blah

I understand what you're saying, but I think it's just flawed. You don't have to solve the rest of the world's problems before you take a look at something more trivial. The fact that cancer is still out there doesn't stop pharmaceuticals from treating allergies, you know?

 

[theebs]

That's exactly why Belichick should have been banned for life. He is responsible for a franchise worth a billion dollars and he cheated. He should be held to a much higher standard than the average person should be, not a lesser one.

The guy cheated, plain and simple, and the punishment handed down will in no way deter him, or anyone else, from doing it in the future.

I am all for that, but we both know that is not the case in pro sports or college sports.

If belichick were denny green he would have probably lost his job at the end of the year because he probably would have won 9 games with this team and not made the playoffs.

Bill Belichick is the Best coach in any professional sport in the world. He is one of the greatest coaches ever in the history of pro football. He isnt going anywhere, he cost his organization a first round draft pick and himself 500,000. Expecting goodell or kraft to fire or suspend him for life is silly.

 

[Fletch]

Who cares! Bottom line is that the Pats got caught cheating. Caught red-handed nonetheless.

On top of that, they are being hailed by many as the best team ever.

Personally, I'm glad someone has called more attention to it. Whether it's considered "grandstanding" or not, they are being called out. GOOD!!!

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Bellicheat's minimal punishment should have been a forfeiture of the first game. Then we wouldn't even be talking about an undefeated season. It's irrelevant whether they could have won without the tapes, i.e. the cheating material.

When you go into an exam and are caught cheating, what happens to you score? Is it still recorded, or do you fail it, and is it considered null and void?

Exactly. That's why so many don't seem to understand.

Maybe Bonds would have hit just as many home runs without steroids. Maybe that race car driver would have won anyway withouth that illegal modification. Maybe that student would have made an A+ on his test without cheating.

It doesn't matter. It's still against the rules and is still cheating. And a tiny little slap on the wrist is an insult to everyone who does things the right way.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I just wish someone could beat the Patriots on the football field just so people didn't have to resort to internet messageboard wars and political grandstanding by slimey politicians for their consolation prizes.