Perception Of The Patriots & Suggested Punishment?

[JDEaston]

To me, they are easily the dirtiest team in the NFL. Caught with deflated balls to gain an advantage. Caught filming the other team's signals to gain an advantage. Alleged to have taped an opponent's walk-thru before the Super Bowl and the stink of that story, which I don't think they're entirely innocent in, still being attached to them.

 

The question now is how you feel the Patriots should be punished (if they are punished at all)?

 

Where there is smoke there is fire..

 

I have been soured on pro sports for a while now, this one would be a new precedend. The NFL is basically acknowledging that cheating is ok, as long as you have a little extra cash and dont care to lose a draft pick..

 

Guess what... Most good franchises have a little extra cash and don't need that draft pick to sustain themselves. So basically the NFL is telling teams that can, to go ahead and cheat, because the punishment will be little to none.

[John Anthony]

Belichick strikes again.

Edited January 21, 2015 by PurplePride92
Improper name used

[mcpapa]

[JokersWild24]

Can't just be a fine has to be a significant punishment. It's organzational approval of cheating.

 

Obviously the Pats beat the Colts regardless. But rumor was the Ravens tipped the Colts off. Did they do it during the Ravens game and if so did it affect that outcome.

 

Repeat offenders. Something has to go down.

 

That's where I'm at with this.

 

It's like coaches had suggested when schools kept blatantly and repeatedly committing secondary recruiting violations and only getting small slaps on the wrist, you have to draw a line in the sand and say that enough is enough at some point.

 

From a standpoint of integrity of the game, the Patriots seem to be flaunting a pretty fair amount of disregard for the rules. The fact that it's the same staff in place from the previous violations should make it worse, at least in my book.

 

Whatever the penalty for Spygate was, there needs to be a significantly stiffer penalty this time around, because the penalties obviously didn't discourage them the first time. The fact that this is a playoff game should magnify it as well.

 

The outcome of the Colts game probably wasn't effected at all, but you can't really say the same if what you're saying about the Ravens is true.

[JokersWild24]

Here were the punishments last go round (2007):

 

"Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000 for spying on an opponent's defensive signals.

 

Commissioner Roger Goodell also ordered the team to give up its first-round draft choice next year if it reaches the playoffs this season, or its second- and third-round picks if it misses the postseason."

Belichick draws $500,000 fine, but avoids suspension - NFL - ESPN

[GreyFox]

1 year suspension at least. The precedent was already set with the type of punishment a coach can recieve when Sean Payton was suspended a year for something not as bad as purposely cheating.

[stickymitts]

Perception - They will do anything to win, right or wrong.

 

Punishment - Might be up to 6 games as a repeat offender. Then again, the Commish was chumming it up with Kraft Saturday night so I doubt he'll come down too hard on them.

[MJAlltheWay24]

The NFL would never do it, but ban them from next year's postseason.

 

I'm so torn on who to cheer for in the Super Bowl. It was going to be the Patriots because I like Tom Brady and after Doug Baldwin's impression of Richard Sherman, I was ready for the Seahawks to lose. Now, I really just don't know.

[GreyFox]

The whole story is coming out now.

 

Here is what took place and what led up to the testing of the footballs.

 

1. Each team supplies 12 footballs that will be used by their offense. This means, unlike what some have said in the past, each team did not use the same footballs. The Patriots used the balls they supplied when they were on offense and the Colts used the balls they supplied when they were on offense.

 

2. All 24 footballs used by both offenses were tested. 11 of the 12 footballs the Patriots used were deflated by at least 2 pounds. All 12 footballs the Colts used were tested also and found to be inflated to the proper size.

 

3. The question of the legality of the footballs being used came into affect when a Colts defender intercepted a Brady pass. The defender brought the ball to the sidelines, as many do to keep the ball as a souvenir per say. That is when some people on the Colts sidelines who have handled the ball mentioned it felt like it was under inflated. Then is when it was brought to the NFL's attention and started the scenerio rolling that ultimately led to the confiscation of all the balls used and tested.

[UKMustangFan]

It'll be fines and potentially a loss of draft picks and maybe a suspension for Bill.

 

One thing that will definitely work in the Patriots favor in all this is that everyone knows it had zero impact on the game.

 

At the end of the day, if the league doesn't want people/teams to try to circumvent the rules, they need to have stiffer punishments. As a fan, I'll gladly give up draft picks and get fined if it means the success the Pats have had.

 

I'm sure many will say that I'm biased, and maybe I am, but my opinion has been consistent across the board. I've said for as long as I can remember, I had no issue with the steroid/PED use in baseball, and I don't think those who used should be punished.

[stickymitts]

It'll be fines and potentially a loss of draft picks and maybe a suspension for Bill.

 

One thing that will definitely work in the Patriots favor in all this is that everyone knows it had zero impact on the game.

 

At the end of the day, if the league doesn't want people/teams to try to circumvent the rules, they need to have stiffer punishments. As a fan, I'll gladly give up draft picks and get fined if it means the success the Pats have had.

 

I'm sure many will say that I'm biased, and maybe I am, but my opinion has been consistent across the board. I've said for as long as I can remember, I had no issue with the steroid/PED use in baseball, and I don't think those who used should be punished.

 

There's a difference. At that time using PED's wasn't against the rules, regardless if it was legal or not. Manipulating the footballs, filming other teams signal callers, filming walk through (allegedly)...etc. are against the rules.

[GreyFox]

It'll be fines and potentially a loss of draft picks and maybe a suspension for Bill.

 

One thing that will definitely work in the Patriots favor in all this is that everyone knows it had zero impact on the game.

 

At the end of the day, if the league doesn't want people/teams to try to circumvent the rules, they need to have stiffer punishments. As a fan, I'll gladly give up draft picks and get fined if it means the success the Pats have had.

 

I'm sure many will say that I'm biased, and maybe I am, but my opinion has been consistent across the board. I've said for as long as I can remember, I had no issue with the steroid/PED use in baseball, and I don't think those who used should be punished.

Does it matter if it didn't have an affect in the final score?

 

Cheating is cheating. Just because the score was so lopsided doesn't mean it's ok to cheat.

[UKMustangFan]

There's a difference. At that time using PED's wasn't against the rules, regardless if it was legal or not. Manipulating the footballs, filming other teams signal callers, filming walk through (allegedly)...etc. are against the rules.

 

Correct. However, I'd have no issue with a player using them today.

[spindoc]

They'll get a fine. Bout it. Until a group of owners throw a fit, nothing will happen.

[UKMustangFan]

They'll get a fine. Bout it. Until a group of owners throw a fit, nothing will happen.

 

Pretty much.

 

It helps when your owner is very close with the dictator of the league too.