by Dan Snapp
dan@patriotsdaily.com
What the hell is going on?
The Patriots did play Sunday, right? Because suddenly I’m not so sure. Is it even September? Did they even start the season?
We should have been three days into a post-blowout celebration, but we’ve been cheated of that. The rumors that the Patriots are guilty of illegally recording Jets defensive signals, and the mass media fallout that’s resulted, have left us all feeling a little hazy.
It’s still early, and there’s only smoke so far (lots and lots and lots of smoke), but that’s not stopping people from yelling “Fire!” Some are way out ahead of themselves, like Terrell Davis on the NFL Network suggesting a two-year playoff ban. Mike Florio ponders whether Coach Bill Belichick will be fired or merely suspended. And LaDainian Tomlinson, already on record last winter as calling Belichick “classless”, is shooting his mouth off again.
“I think the Patriots actually live by the saying, ‘If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying,'” opined Tomlinson, sharing the results of his exhaustive investigation. You know LaDainian, he’s classy. Just ask him.
There’s still nothing definitive from the league yet, only reports from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that Commissioner Roger Goodell has already determined the Patriots guilty. Mike Reiss, and Shalise Manza Young , however, have league spokesman Greg Aiello saying no decision has yet been rendered. And Mortensen’s sources have left him dangling recently on stories about Michael Vick and Eli Manning.
Nonetheless, Patriots fans should brace for the worst. Goodell’s the gunfighter hired to clean up Dodge, and neither the team’s reputation nor Robert Kraft’s influence will stop Goodell from making an example of them. Plus, they might just be guilty.
The damage already done to the Patriots reputation may be worse than anything Goodell could mete out.
There was an old novel, “The Good Soldier”, in which two couples enjoy the best of friendships over a nine-year period. The narrator comes to learn his wife’s been cheating on him with his best friend over that same span. He wrestles with the question of whether this news negates all the good times enjoyed, since every memory has now been corrupted.
This is what Patriots fans have in store for them, whether they themselves will be rehashing the authenticity of the Super Bowl wins, or whether it’s being zealously done for them by pundits and opposing fans alike. It took the 2003 and 2004 wins to quell the “tuck rule” clarion calls, but now there’s gristle for the masses to call those into question as well.
Yeah, we’re never going to hear the end of this.
So are the Patriots victims of some breach of unwritten NFL etiquette? Everybody steals signals, everybody knows about it, but nobody says anything until some maverick whistle-blower decides he wants to take down the league’s elite? That sort of thing?
Even if there’s truth to the “Everybody does it” argument, it doesn’t wash here. The Patriots were so amazingly, arrogantly brazen with this, it’s almost as if they were trying to get caught.
We never thought we’d ever be saying this about Belichick, but how stupid can he get? The same assistant videographer got nabbed in Green Bay, they’ve been warned by the league about the practice, and oh yeah, his old assistant coach – a guy who knows how the operation runs – is on the other sideline. Ya think they might be looking for it?
The punishment is going to leave somebody unsatisfied. Execs like Bill Polian and Bob Harlan smell blood in the air, and are going for the jugular. Will the loss of a second- and fifth-round pick (The speculation from Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks) appease them? Or will the sway of public opinion force more forfeitures of picks, a forfeiture of the game, or like Florio predicts, a suspension for Belichick?
The events of the last few days have also revealed the league-wide contempt for the Patriots. Remember the days of the Cowboys with the “America’s Team” crap, and how reviled they were for it? That’s the Patriots now.
Whatever Goodell’s decision, the Patriots should follow Rodney Harrison’s lead, cooperating with the league, accepting the punishment and moving on as best they can. We should have little doubt the first thing we hear out of Belichick’s mouth is, “I’m just concentrating on the next game.”
Here we thought it might actually be easy this season. Big free agent signings, huge trades for premier players, and nary a storm on the horizon, save for Asante Samuel’s contract talks.
We should have known better. The Patriots are at their best when facing adversity. Here’s hoping they’re at their best now.
Adversity’s here.
Patriots Daily 
A hi-tech lynching that would make Justice Thomas blush.
LikeLike
Not Dan’s column – the other stuff.
Just wanted to make that clear.
LikeLike
Who’s the big winner so far? Click the link to find out.
LikeLike
Bravo Dan. People are sick of the Patriots (just as we were once sick of the Steelers, Cowboys, Niners, etc). Like it or not, this gives them more ammunition to denigrate Belichick and “the way they do things down there.” I have already heard talk about “tainting” the 3 Super Bowls and Belichick’s reputation as someone who “respects the game.” If the allegations turn out to be true, it will have been a monumental, clearly avoidable mistake. Belichick may not care, but I’m sure Bob Kraft cares about how the franchise is viewed.
LikeLike
A poster on patsfans says that, FWIW, the Barbers were on their weekly Sirius show last night and said that everybody does it, and everybody knows it (team employees dedicated to stealing signs). The unknown from their POV was that whether everyone used cameras to do it. Can anyone substantiate that these comments were in fact made? Thanks.
LikeLike
Seems curious that Mangini would be so eager to expose this practice. He has emulated everything else about his mentor, you know he’s got to have some way of gathering intelligence on the other teams. By doing this, he’s putting everyone under closer scrutiny. Did he upset the apple cart here?
LikeLike
Ron Borges is the biggest loser here. He’s waited his whole career for the world to turn on BB. If only he hadn’t cheated himself, he be strutting like a peacock, doing the moonwalk, and separating his shoulder trying to pat himself on the back.
LikeLike
I don’t know any reason for him to do that, unless its . Its one thing to lose two of three as a rookie head coach, but with a whole off-season to close the gap, the honeymoon could have well come to an abrupt close with an embarrassing opening day loss. No need to worry about that now, though. He’s the Toast of the Town, and apparently, wasn’t too particular about letting Rich Cimini know who blew the whistle.
LikeLike
Which leads to, you guessed it, a hi-tech lynching.
LikeLike
Where are all the contrarians in the media when you need them?
LikeLike
Busy patting each other on the back for being “right all along”.
LikeLike
Yeah, notice how much ‘arrogance’ and ‘I’m above the rules’ is being ascribed to this situation already.
LikeLike
It’s everywhere. This has become a lynching in 24 hours caused primarily by leaks emanating from NY. From there, Mort got a hold of it and now it is everywhere. If I am Goodell I can’t be happy about how this has become so public without the league having issued any definitive statement about it.
I am hopeful that the Patriots have been preparing their case and will get a chance to dampen the flames of hysetria that’s been created before the weekend. I just read the popular mjd over at AOL Fanhouse compare it to Pac-Man Jones putting some poor soul in a wheelchair in the off-season.
LikeLike
Doesn’t the situation reek of arrogance and “I’m above the rules”? They’ve been busted before, the NFL apparently made a point of warning all teams in the offseason and they were videotaping a former assistant who knows intimately “how they do things”.
LikeLike
I suppose if one believes that Belichick feels he is arrogant and above the rules, then they will easily find evidence to support that based the coverage that has come forth so far. It remains to be seen, however, how reflective of the truth this coverage will prove to be. I think its fair to say that in the past, the coverage has not always proven to be reflective of the truth. True, or no?
LikeLike
Yes, Box, I suspect Commissioner Goodell is a little flustered by the loose lips of people like Bill Polian, for example, who have already made their impartial ‘findings’ in this matter. We’ll see if the ‘league sources’ continue to sing like they did yesterday, or if they suddenly go quiet until the league is ready to speak for itself. I would think that development bears watching, and may indicate to what extent the ‘league sources’ actually speak for Goodell.
LikeLike
It’s amazing to me that a guy lying on his back in Buffalo may be able to actually be a whole person again after the initial prognosis was so dire, but instead of that garnering sports headlines, we get the hi-tech lynching of evil Bill.
For what? Let’s assume the worst for a moment: Evil Bill had a guy video taping some Jet coaches. If so, he violated a league rule, but how in hell did that impact the game on Sunday? IOW, they didn’t “cheat” to win that particular game. How is this lost on the media?
The simple answer is it doesn’t matter. It’s far more important to beat the next internet site with some bombastic noise than to actually report a story. I’ve pretty much had it with any “legitimate” news source; this is what it has become.
Belichick must really piss off these clowns by his lack of obeisance. I hope this whole thing makes BB even more ornery.
LikeLike
Based on Belichick’s statement just read on WEEI, I think he’s going to get at least a first day draft pick taken away. It’s not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things. But in the context of Roger Goodell trying to show consistency in his punishments and not trying to be partial to Krafty Bob, I think the punishment will be severe.
LikeLike
I don’t know if I’m experiencing the “stages of grief” thing attributed to, I think, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, but my denial, has turned to anger, then to sadness. Now, instead of acceptance, I’m left with curiosity. It’s already been established that Polian is a crybaby, so I pretty much dismiss anything he says. Now, though, I am truly curious about 1. What the major offense is, really, in “stealing signs” and 2. How “seriously” the NFL really takes this. If they issued warnings about it in the off-season — and it’s widely reported that they did — I didn’t hear anything about it until now (though I admit that, in the off-season, my attention is focused only on the Patriots themselves, and their enemies like Peyton Manning (whom I actually respect) and the Jets (from whom I definitely have lost whatever modicum of respect — and it wasn’t much — I ever had).
LikeLike
The arugment that Goodell needs to be harsher on Kraft and the Patriots because of his relationship with Kraft does not hold water. Goodell has to mete out a judgment and punishment that is fair and just based on the precedents the league has set. Otherwise, where does the retribution and harshness to gird Goodell’s reputation stop, when Jerry Jones’s franchise is caught cheating, when the Colts are caught spying? The only way to actually run the NFL with any credibility is to render a judgment based on all of the facts of the case, not based on who the participants are (and of course all of the facts includes any prior taping incidents the Patriots have been cited for).
LikeLike
Completely agree Scott. Coverage of Belichick has not always been based in complete fact. I am making the assumption that the accusations are true and that the team was busted for the same in Green Bay last year. BTW, I changed my moniker from Chief to differentiate myself from the “other” Chief who commented at 10:40
LikeLike
Too many Chief’s, not enough Indians!
LikeLike
Too many chiefs in the kitchen!
LikeLike
this is Chief2. I’ve changed my name as well. The Commish has to show consistency because he’s mister tough guy as it relates to player off-field misconduct.
LikeLike
Click the link for this beauty:
“But recent revelations about the way that Patriots do things could lead to the genius title being stripped”
Fine us, suspend the coach, forfeit the game, take away our draft picks, but for the love of God, don’t take the “genius” title!
At long last, have you left no sense of decency?
LikeLike
Another FWIW; Pro Football Talk this morning:
WERE PATS STUNG BY COMPETITION COMMITTEE?
There’s a theory making the rounds in league circles that the Sunday confiscation of Matt Estrella’s camera was the result of a specific effort by the NFL’s Competition Committee to nail the Patriots.
It was, some believe, a sting operation.
Rumors also are swirling that Jets coach Eric Mangini, who was with the Pats through the 2005 season, began to spread the word to other teams in 2006 regarding the tactics that Bill Belichick employs. But even after a close call last year in Green Bay, the Patriots kept doing it.
The thinking in some circles is that the Competition Committee, which has endorsed the use of a radio receiver in the helmet of one defensive player, wants to use the Patriots’ situation as the impetus for getting the additional two votes necessary to pass the rule.
In March 2007, 22 of the 24 teams needed to push the measure through voted in favor of it.
Though such a rule will not be perfect given the extent of the substitutions made on defense, it would eliminate the temptation to steal defensive signals, because it would eliminate the defensive signals.
And, in our view, it’s a no-brainer that this rule will be passed come March 2008.
LikeLike
Makes you think about Mort’s ‘sources’, don’t it?
By the way, they still singing today? Or have the ‘league sources’ suddenly gone quiet?
LikeLike
Another thing about this that has stuck out to me is that apparently all of these practices were common knowledge. We’re hearing out of San Diego, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Green Bay, etc that the Patriots had a reputation for this sort of thing. Why wasn’t this addressed prior to the season or this game? Could that PFT item that there was a “sting” set up possibly be true? Why was the Man-genius the one who exposed this?
Cue Lawrence Taylor – “I was set up like a mother^)^%”
I think for Patriots/Jets at Gillette that BB doesn’t even cross the field after the game, instead heading straight for the locker room.
LikeLike
Wait, are we doubting the veracity of the story now, or just questioning the motivation of the sources?
If it’s the latter, the motivation doesn’t really matter does it? The Pats appear to have been caught in the act.
LikeLike
Who’s “we”?
LikeLike
I am absolutely doubting the veracity of the story as it has been presented to date by Chris Mortensen, Adam Schefter, Don Banks and their ‘league sources’. Yes, I am doing that, just to be crystal clear. And the motivation of those ‘league sources’ has EVERYTHING to do with whether Mortensen’s reporting is an accurate reflection of what happened, and what is about to happen. So again, YES, I am doubting the veracity of the stories that have led to the common belief that the Pats “have been caught in the act.”
LikeLike
And if I’m wrong, I’ll say I’m wrong. If there’s been no ‘sting’, no get-even ‘hi-tech lynching’ set in motion by rivals, and aided by their media friends (and golf partners), and stoked by people like Mike Tomlin and LaDanian Tomlinson, then I’ll say that too. I don’t have a problem with that. For now, though, I’ll continue to operate on the theory that Mortensen and Polian/McKay/Fisher/et.al. spent a lot of time on the phone this week.
LikeLike
I think that’s the right approach Scott since the league (other than the Aiello statements) hasn’t actually said anything yet.
However, I think it’s fair to say that something happened, as Belichick’s statement indicated that he spoke with the commissioner about this very issue. It may not have gone down the way it has been reported, but this entire story isn’t being made up.
LikeLike
I’m not sure I get the sting angle though. If it comes out to be true that this was an organized effort AND the Patriots were caught in the act, does it really matter as to their culpability?
It reflects poorly on those who organized the sting perhaps, but I don’t think it makes the potentially guilty party any less guilty.
LikeLike
I can’t wait for December 16th
LikeLike
No, and I agree that something happened on Sunday. A Patriots employee was stopped before entering the NE locker room before halftime, his camera and the tape within was confiscated, apprarently by NFL security as they intervened in a dispute between Jets and Patriots personnel. That much seems to be factual. I completely acknowledge that this occurred.
It is entirely within the realm of possibility, though, that everything else that has been ‘reported’ since is a load of bullshit from some guy (or guys) with a considerable dog in this hunt.
LikeLike
Brad, I certainly don’t look at the Patriots as “less” guilty for what they done. But this other stuff does alter my perception of the whole incident and what is really at work behind the scenes. It’s not reflecting well on anyone…Belichick, The Patriots, The NFL, The competition committee, the Commissioner, the media, anyone…
LikeLike
“Thats a nice little team ya got there, Belichick. Be a shame if something happened to it”.
Eric Mangini–Exit 16W.
LikeLike
That’s the point I was trying to get across, lowercase bruce.
LikeLike
I think if these covert actions are another of the league’s ‘dirty little secrets’, and one team is being fingered (through an organized effort) for political and/or competitive reasons, then yeah, I think that makes them less guilty. If stealing signals is wrong, what’s a coordinated lynching by divisional and conference rivals (and fueled by popular opinion) that have been stealing signals themselves, and who stand to gain the most from a distracted and even disabled New England team? What does THAT do for competitive balance?
LikeLike
I dunno Scott. The Patriots themselves complained about the Dolphins situation last year. I have no problem with opponents being active in trying to disrupt or call into question the legality of their opponents’ actions. I’d expect nothing less from a good organization.
If the league is involved, that’s potentially a different story in terms of singling out individual teams.
LikeLike
And by ‘league’ you would be referring to the Competition Committee, and not the league executives like Goodell. I’m not saying those people were involved at all. I’m talking about the committee.
Which brings us back to Chris Mortensen, whose ‘league sources’ seem to have quieted down considerably today after a full day yesterday. I wonder why that is…..
LikeLike
Gotcha. I don’t really consider them the league though, since they’re all affiliated with other teams.
I don’t have any more reason to believe that PFT story than Mort’s or anyone else’s, but if it’s true that the Committee is using this to push a new rule, that’s pretty ridiculous.
I don’t have a problem with the part about Mangini spreading word around the league that this was going on though. That’s a good move by him if true.
LikeLike
Scott, just curious, but what more would you be looking for the source to add at this point?
LikeLike
Bruce – hasn’t it been established that the league, or maybe it was the competition committee, did in fact speak to every team about this during the offseason? I thought it was.
LikeLike
You mean Polian, Lebron? I wouldn’t ask him to add anything else at this point. I think he was pretty successful in getting his points out there.
My point is that those ‘sources’ seemed to have plenty to add yesterday, and since the story is still developing, you’d think they’d have some additional ‘details’ today, like what the Patriots response to the charges has been so far, for example. Or more about this evidence that allegedly catches them ‘red handed’.
I’ll just say it straight – its my belief that Polian/McKay/Fisher et. al. pissed the Commissioner off plenty yesterday by offering up their version of events as the ‘league’ position, and he let them know in no uncertain terms that if they didn’t shut their highball holes and let him run his own show, they’d be on a conference call themselves this week. That’s what I’m saying.
LikeLike
If the evidence is there, it’s there. My point would be that there are certainly a lot of knives out for Belichick both from people in the league and local/national media. They smell blood in the water and they’re circling. They want 32 Tony Dungys coaching the teams and hanging (sorry) the banners. He’s made pretty clear (while showing a lot of respect for the game) that he has problems with the way the league does some things and is certainly no fan of the Competition Committee. This is the “comeuppance” that the estimable Clark Booth so presciently warned us was coming.
LikeLike
Too many Dans in the kitchen!
LikeLike
Initially I was upset upon hearing that they stole signals. But the Patriots aren’t the only ones who engage or have engaged in this activity. Isn’t it odd how it’s the ‘moral police’ media and fans crying foul whereas every player and coach (past and present) is mum on the subject? Listen to what the latter willing to comment on the subject have to say: everyone does it. The Patriots are simply the first team to get caught. And why? Because success breeds contempt. Mangini, a former Patriot assistant, was fully aware of their tactics and ratted them out. Oh, and it bears mentioning that the camera and tape were confiscated sometime during the first quarter. New England outscored New York 31-14 after that point so there must be a little bit more to their success than watching opposing coaches play pattycake.
LikeLike