More Patriots bending of rules...?

[Nightman]

You don't know this. You're basing your opinion on facts that haven't been proven yet.

But you know what? I'll play along. I'll say sure, they are guilty and did it on purpose. So please let me ask you the same question that everyone refuses to answer: First offense for this infraction is a letter of warning. What should the 2nd offense be?
Well in this country, reasonable doubt means not guilty.

This isn't a court of law, this is a court of public opinion. We'll never have access to all the info. We have to rely on what we read on the web or hear on TV. And I find them guilty. All I want is for someone to admit it. It's not that serious, it's akin to throwing a spitball or using a corked bat, but it's against the rules.

To me their punishment is the Scarlet Letter of Cheaters or an Asterisk, which ever you prefer. The League can fine them or take a draft pick but that's irrelevant. The real punishment is knowing they got caught and are tainted, just like Spygate.

 

[TX_Yid]

That's because no one gives a turd about other teams.

The Vikings tamper with the football during a game by heating it (which is blatantly illegal) and no one cares.
The Browns text messages from the upstairs to the sidelines during games (which is blatantly illegal) and no one cares.
The Commanders tamper with players under contract for other teams (which is blatantly illegal) and no one cares.
The Broncos win 2 Super Bowls while deliberately violating salary cap rules and no one cares
The Jets owner tampers with a player under contract for another team and no one cares.

Then the Patriots have deflated footballs with no real evidence of any wrong doing and it literally makes national headlines.

I care about all of these. If any team is caught doing those things, including the Cowboys, I want them punished. If the team gained a competitive playing advantage because of it then they should forfeit the result of the game, either during or as soon as possible after it.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

The NFL has nothing and the Patriots know it.

The NFL has a pattern of the team cheating under B&B. Don't get me wrong I think this particular incident is completely overblown.
Such is life in the media age. They cheated and when Brady was called out about it ( the ball pressure) he slowed his roll.

Well in this country, reasonable doubt means not guilty.

Reasonable doubt does not mean not guilty. It means there is not enough evidence to convict.
Think about that last point and get back to me.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

This part sours me a smidge. (Asterisk)

Why are the Cowboys and Commanders punished for nothing ?
No precedence, no rule in place, it was a scam.
I really don't think anyone can convince me that both teams were not screwed over that year.

 

[Rogah]

Reasonable doubt does not mean not guilty. It means there is not enough evidence to convict.

I was using the phrase "not guilty" in the legal context of the term. Reasonable doubt means you are found not guilty. I agree it does not prove someone is innocent.

We live in a society where you cannot convict and punish someone on evidence that does not extend to the threshold of proof beyond any reasonable doubt. I realize the NFL is not beholden to that standard, but they would at least need a preponderance of evidence in order to act. Thus far, bo such preponderance of evidence exists.

 

[Rogah]

This part sours me a smidge. (Asterisk)

Why are the Cowboys and Commanders punished for nothing ?
No precedence, no rule in place, it was a scam.
I really don't think anyone can convince me that both teams were not screwed over that year.

Absolutely, positively both teams were screwed over that year. What the league did was criminal. THAT is the story that should have dominated headlines for a week (if not longer).

 

[SkinsandTerps]

I was using the phrase "not guilty" in the legal context of the term. Reasonable doubt means you are found not guilty. I agree it does not prove someone is innocent.

We live in a society where you cannot convict and punish someone on evidence that does not extend to the threshold of proof beyond any reasonable doubt. I realize the NFL is not beholden to that standard, but they would at least need a preponderance of evidence in order to act. Thus far, bo such preponderance of evidence exists.

The entire world knows that OJ was somehow involved. I certainly understand the legal context.
The prosecutors screwed up, but I blame more of that on the investigation screw ups.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Absolutely, positively both teams were screwed over that year. What the league did was criminal. THAT is the story that should have dominated headlines for a week (if not longer).

That's a money thing man.

Teams do not want to spend that money and fail, plus risk everything.

 

[Idgit]

It doesn't bother me that they are 'breaking rules' in this instance, but lets call it what it is. It is cheating.

The Patriots are operating on a very thin line. It is not only spygate. It is also the injury reports, the deflated balls, taking advantage of the substitution system in the NFL to confuse opponents.

What else are they doing? Where does it stop?

The link below examines the Patriots 'fumbling' issues or lack there of.
http://webcache.***BROKEN***/search?q=cache:http://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/blog/?p=2932

Individual moments of pushing the envelope to gain an advantage I can understand, but wholesale squandering of the integrity of the game?

Oh, they're cheaters all right. I"m not saying they're not. But in this specific instance, they're just toeing a line. Not even really toeing it in my opinion, honestly. This is just creative offense. There are plenty of other examples of the cheating, though.

 

[Rogah]

To me their punishment is the Scarlet Letter of Cheaters or an Asterisk, which ever you prefer. The League can fine them or take a draft pick but that's irrelevant. The real punishment is knowing they got caught and are tainted, just like Spygate.

I got some bad news for you: It's only tainted in the minds of the haters like yourself.

Nobody is missing out on the Hall of Fame over this. Nobody is taking any of those Lombardi's away. And anyone with an iota of football knowledge considers Belichick and Brady among the best ever at the respective positions/jobs.

 

[Nightman]

I got some bad news for you: It's only tainted in the minds of the haters like yourself.

Nobody is missing out on the Hall of Fame over this. Nobody is taking any of those Lombardi's away. And anyone with an iota of football knowledge considers Belichick and Brady among the best ever at the respective positions/jobs.

You are obsessed man. You asked what I wanted for the punishment. I said it wasn't a big deal and you still can't even deal with an invisible asterisk.

They are cheaters in my mind and a lot of people feel the same way. There is nothing you can ever do to stop people from thinking and saying it.