Montana said in an interview with Andrew Siciliano on NFL Network that cheating is part of the game of football, and that finding any edge is what makes players and teams great.

 

“They always say, ‘If you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying.’ So they’re trying hard,” Montana said.

 

“You know, everybody does everything they can to possibly get a little bit of an edge. I mean, back then it wasn’t illegal but it was illegal, like our guys used to spray — and everybody did it at the time — silicone on their jerseys, the linemen, so that the defensive linemen couldn’t get a hold of them. And the defensive linemen did it so the offensive linemen couldn’t hold them,” Montana said. “It’s a game. Everybody wants to win, so you do whatever you can to make it happen.”

 

Joe Montana: If you ain?t cheating, you ain?t trying, so the Patriots are trying hard | ProFootballTalk

Also from the article which sums it all up:

 

Attitudes toward cheating in the NFL have shifted in recent years. What once was viewed as gamesmanship is now viewed as worthy of a lengthy investigation and a significant suspension. Montana still has the old-school mentality that cheating is part of the game.

I wonder if he or SF did anything to cheat in Super Bowl XXIII against the Bengals? If they did, then it very likely determined the SB winner that year, given how close the game was.

 

IMO, Montana is crazy to be saying things like this now. He is probably right about how people view knowlingly violating the rules now compared to a few decades ago, but by admitting such things now he stands to lose a lot of credibility in many people's eyes.

^ He gains in mine.

Also from the article which sums it all up:

 

Attitudes toward cheating in the NFL have shifted in recent years. What once was viewed as gamesmanship is now viewed as worthy of a lengthy investigation and a significant suspension. Montana still has the old-school mentality that cheating is part of the game.

 

Goes along with the wussification of America.

I wonder if he or SF did anything to cheat in Super Bowl XXIII against the Bengals? If they did, then it very likely determined the SB winner that year, given how close the game was.

 

IMO, Montana is crazy to be saying things like this now. He is probably right about how people view knowlingly violating the rules now compared to a few decades ago, but by admitting such things now he stands to lose a lot of credibility in many people's eyes.

 

I would guess they did and I would guess the Bengals did also. San Francisco just cheated better.

I would guess they did and I would guess the Bengals did also. San Francisco just cheated better.

Actually, it's been well-documented that the Bengals cheated in the freezer bowl to get to the '82 Super Bowl...

When San Diego had the football, the doors on the field level in the end zones were opened to allow more cold air to blow through the lower level of the stadium... When the Bengals had the ball, the doors were closed...

I've heard many Bengal players from that team admit it happened and was planned.

 

Not that it was an easy day to throw anyway... But it gave Cincy a mental edge nonetheless... Good ole home field advantage.

I agree if you aren't cheating you aren't trying. But if you get caught you should get punished.

 

The " Everyone else is doing it" doesn't fly.

I agree if you aren't cheating you aren't trying. But if you get caught you should get punished.

 

The " Everyone else is doing it" doesn't fly.

 

Agree, but with the NFL knowing most things that went on through the years singling the Patriots out certainly wasn't the right course of action.

Agree, but with the NFL knowing most things that went on through the years singling the Patriots out certainly wasn't the right course of action.

 

Disagree. The were the best team to make example of in my mind.

 

Also as a former police officer should we use this mentality when enforcing laws ?

Disagree. The were the best team to make example of in my mind.

 

Also as a former police officer should we use this mentality when enforcing laws ?

 

These aren't laws and as a former police officer I believe in fair treatment for all and I don't believe this was fair.

So lineman used to spray their jerseys......now that is 'illegal" ......so every jersey is tapered and sewn to the exact body shape of each lineman.

 

Stickum is illegal now so every player has body skin gloves.

 

"Spying" is illegal now so every team has I-Pads on the sidelines and HUDL software.

 

So what has really changed?

These aren't laws and as a former police officer I believe in fair treatment for all and I don't believe this was fair.

 

Fair is such a funny word. Life isn't fair.

 

The only question I have is was a rule broken. I don't care if others get away with it.

Fair is such a funny word. Life isn't fair.

 

The only question I have is was a rule broken. I don't care if others get away with it.

 

Funny you bring that up, I was here eating my mega salad thinking I don't think fair is the best word to use in this case.

 

How about this, I don't think such severe action was the right thing to do by the NFL. I think they should have fined them only (assuming they could even prove their case which according to the first real objective party that looked at it the NFL couldn't). Furthermore, the NFL needed to change the procedure for the footballs (and any other rules teams have been "bending") and tell all of them from this point forward everything gets enforced every time. And discipline against teams should be progressive, just like it is for players.

 

Does that sound fair LB?

Funny you bring that up, I was here eating my mega salad thinking I don't think fair is the best word to use in this case.

 

How about this, I don't think such severe action was the right thing to do by the NFL. I think they should have fined them only (assuming they could even prove their case which according to the first real objective party that looked at it the NFL couldn't). Furthermore, the NFL needed to change the procedure for the footballs (and any other rules teams have been "bending") and tell all of them from this point forward everything gets enforced every time. And discipline against teams should be progressive, just like it is for players.

 

Does that sound fair LB?

 

If your asking me if the NFL messed it up we are in agreement. I just have no problem with the NFL singling them out or having a sting operation.

 

But I'm sorry about the salad . I ran 3 miles today so I could eat my Bison burger.