Official "If You Think The Patriots Deserve An Asterisk" Thr (1 Viewer)

[phthalatemagic]

All-the-time != every time.

Really? What's the difference?

 

[DropKick]

Jeez now the refs want the Pats to win. Just like they wanted them to win in Indy when they tagged them for 10-146 and gave Indy 2 phantom PI calls. This board has gone straight down then toilet.

Yes. Just exactly like that. And what do you expect from the board? This board is the epitomy of fandom. Do you know what the word fanantic means? This is where fun is fun and debates are BS fueled arguments. Seriously, if you don't like it move on.

I don't think anyone knows what the word "fanantic" means. But I'll guess... does it mean someone who hates a team so badly they are delusional?

 

[TD Ryan]

TOXIC WASTE

You keep on using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

 

[TD Ryan]

Because there is a massive conspiracy to make sure the Patriots go 19-0.Try to keep up.

as Tom Brady has stated, NE already went 21-0 once. see, if NE didn''t have this knack for winning games under so many different situations and circumstances, nobody thinks twice about the calls, it's just another game.But, because NE so frequently takes advantage of any daylight they're given, suddenly the refs are corrupt.There's no debating that sometimes calls go NE's way, and sometimes they don't.There's also no debating that NE just flat-out knows how to win football games.

 

[VonRomig]

Patriot fans are sore winners. The only fans I know who whine more, the more their team wins.

As an Eagle fan, I dispise the Cowboys. During seasons when the Eagles are doing better than the Cowboys I'm happy, and when the Cowboys are better than my Eagles I'm grumpy. (this year I'm very grumpy). Yet when I trash-talk a Cowboy fan about his team, I have never got a response from such a fan who can't believe I can't respect, admire, or enjoy the Cowboys' accomplishments during that season. They don't whine about my opinions.

What makes the Patriot fans different? I think I know why.

The Patriots have been caught red-handed cheating, and in such a way that it could not be explained away. The League then slapped them on the wrist (half a million fine to a coach pulling down 4+ a year, and a lose of a draft pick that will be a 26+ selection when they already have the Jet's pick, a top 5). Which is an insult to the teams who lose players to suspension for non-football related incidents, while nothing happens to a coach who did more damage to the integrity of the NFL than all the players who partied in the wrong place, combined.

Of course cheaters don't just cheat once, or in only one way. Cheaters cheat. The Patriots were just got caught this year. But the clues of cheating has been there since Belchick took over the Patriots... actions against the Rams in their first Superbowl, mutliple frenquencies, etc. This taints what the Patriots have done in the past, most noteably their three Championships. In the future people will not look back at the Patriots with the respect given to the dynasties of old; the Packers, Steelers, 49ers, and even the Cowboys.

On top of this, the timing could not have been worst. The Patriot's O-line finally have wide receivers who can get open much more often (only the blind thinks Brady is really the stud), so the Patriots are a true powerhouse. Combine this with the fact that Belchick must know that there are very few people in this country who have any respect for him. So purely for vindictive reasons Belchick uses this powerhouse to hurt teams, so he can in a way hurt those (the players and fans) he knows sees him as a pariah.

Now because the Patriots are cheaters, any infaction that deals with the refs may be unduly thought of as just more cheating. Even though this may not be true in the least, but that is the true penalty of being found to be a cheat. Honest nature is not given as the first impulse to those known as cheaters. For although it is used as an excused in many games, the idea of the refs being paid off to throw a game for the Patriots is not as easily dismissed. Nor is it hard to believe that the NFL organization may want the Patriots to go undefeated just to possibly over shadow the stench of their past cheating.

The cheating, concept of past cheating, possiblity of continual cheating, the tainting of the past accoplishments, and attempting to embarrass their opponents is why so many are Patriot haters. And unlike so many cheering on Peyton Manning when he was closing on the record, or enjoying Brett Favre breaking records this season, people don't want cheaters and unsporting individuals to be rewarded... they should be properly punished.

Patriot fans whine because of these same points. Patriot fans have the stigma of cheaters. A filthy aura of rooting for a team that cheats. Guilty by association with unsportsmanlike conduct on a near weekly basis. In this atmosphere the Patriot fans can not really bask in the glory and relish what their team is doing, unless they are immoral thugs.

So for the Patriot fan to truely enjoy what is happening they must get validation from the rest of the NFL fan base. This they are not getting, so they whine.

Von Romig

 

[twitch]

Patriot fans are sore winners. The only fans I know who whine more, the more their team wins.

As an Eagle fan, I dispise the Cowboys. During seasons when the Eagles are doing better than the Cowboys I'm happy, and when the Cowboys are better than my Eagles I'm grumpy. (this year I'm very grumpy). Yet when I trash-talk a Cowboy fan about his team, I have never got a response from such a fan who can't believe I can't respect, admire, or enjoy the Cowboys' accomplishments during that season. They don't whine about my opinions.

What makes the Patriot fans different? I think I know why.

The Patriots have been caught red-handed cheating, and in such a way that it could not be explained away. The League then slapped them on the wrist (half a million fine to a coach pulling down 4+ a year, and a lose of a draft pick that will be a 26+ selection when they already have the Jet's pick, a top 5). Which is an insult to the teams who lose players to suspension for non-football related incidents, while nothing happens to a coach who did more damage to the integrity of the NFL than all the players who partied in the wrong place, combined.

Of course cheaters don't just cheat once, or in only one way. Cheaters cheat. The Patriots were just got caught this year. But the clues of cheating has been there since Belchick took over the Patriots... actions against the Rams in their first Superbowl, mutliple frenquencies, etc. This taints what the Patriots have done in the past, most noteably their three Championships. In the future people will not look back at the Patriots with the respect given to the dynasties of old; the Packers, Steelers, 49ers, and even the Cowboys.

On top of this, the timing could not have been worst. The Patriot's O-line finally have wide receivers who can get open much more often (only the blind thinks Brady is really the stud), so the Patriots are a true powerhouse. Combine this with the fact that Belchick must know that there are very few people in this country who have any respect for him. So purely for vindictive reasons Belchick uses this powerhouse to hurt teams, so he can in a way hurt those (the players and fans) he knows sees him as a pariah.

Now because the Patriots are cheaters, any infaction that deals with the refs may be unduly thought of as just more cheating. Even though this may not be true in the least, but that is the true penalty of being found to be a cheat. Honest nature is not given as the first impulse to those known as cheaters. For although it is used as an excused in many games, the idea of the refs being paid off to throw a game for the Patriots is not as easily dismissed. Nor is it hard to believe that the NFL organization may want the Patriots to go undefeated just to possibly over shadow the stench of their past cheating.

The cheating, concept of past cheating, possiblity of continual cheating, the tainting of the past accoplishments, and attempting to embarrass their opponents is why so many are Patriot haters. And unlike so many cheering on Peyton Manning when he was closing on the record, or enjoying Brett Favre breaking records this season, people don't want cheaters and unsporting individuals to be rewarded... they should be properly punished.

Patriot fans whine because of these same points. Patriot fans have the stigma of cheaters. A filthy aura of rooting for a team that cheats. Guilty by association with unsportsmanlike conduct on a near weekly basis. In this atmosphere the Patriot fans can not really bask in the glory and relish what their team is doing, unless they are immoral thugs.

So for the Patriot fan to truely enjoy what is happening they must get validation from the rest of the NFL fan base. This they are not getting, so they whine.

Von Romig

You forgot to mention that these guys got caught cheating....in that LAST sentence. Genius. Sheer, genius.

 

[Tanner9919]

The Patriots lack sportsmanship. I have never disliked a team more than I dislike the Patriots. And I am sure that if Favre were on the Patriots he would not stand for it. I hope they don't win the Superbowl. I hope no Patriot gets the MVP. And I hope this season is a black mark on the legacy of every Patriot play and coach. As far as Brady being the best QB ever, I don't believe it. He is very good, but any QB would look good with that O-Line. I have never seen a QB get the kind of protection Brady is getting. And while his numbers are staggering, he is padding his stats. That makes whatever records Brady sets this year an embarrassment rather than an accomplishment.

so,with that theory, Emmitt Smith's numbers should be wiped off the face of the earth then , too? I mean,he DID have the BIGGEST,BADDEST o-line of the past 25 years, if not the best O-line of ALL-TIME.....he also played with the best center in the game at the time, Mark Stepnoski a 5-time pro bowler. he also had Nate Newton, who played in 5 straight pro bowls from 1992-1996 ( finished career as a 6 time pro bowler), Larry Allen - played in 7 straight pro bowls from '94 to 2001( he's currently an 11 time pro bowler, and counting) , Jay Novachek, yet ANOTHER 5-time pro bowler on that Dallas O-line..and,they also had the best defense in the game at the time..

Smith also played alongside others who would go to the HOF, like Irvin and Aikman. He ran behind one of the best FB's in the game, Daryl Johnston. name anyone that Brady plays with on the offensive side of the ball, who is headed for Canton..Maybe Moss, thats it. I doubt that Dillon makes it.

players like Brady don't grow on trees..until 2007 with Randy Moss, he has never had the benefit of playing along side a superstar...Montana and Young had Rice and T.O. , Roger Craig; Aikman had Emmitt, Irvin, and THAT o-line and a great defense to back him up; Manning has Reg Wayne and Harrison , and had Edge for most of his career;

so, who did Brady have on offense for his 3 SB victories?? how about Troy Brown, Deion Branch, David Patten..

he also has Ben Watson, Welker, Moss, Gafney. Aside from Moss, that's hardly a list of NFL greats.

Brady has one of the highest comp percentages of all time, one of the highest QB ratings of all time, one of the greatest W-L records of all time, won 3 SB's in 4 years, and did it all without ANY superstars on offense. He's also on the verge of the NFL's second undefeated season, and possibly winning his 4th SB...simply put, he's the greatest QB of the modern era.period.

Montana had Rice, Craig , and Taylor..Aikman had the immortals in Irvin and Emmitt, Manning had two of the Triplets ( Marvin and Edge), Bradshaw had so many immortals alongside him its ridiculous: Franco, Stallworth,Swan, Webster, AND the Steel Curtain.

Brady had Branch , Patten, Brown. On Defense he had Bruschi, Vrabel, Chad Brown, Seymour, hardly comparable to

Leon Lett, Deion Sanders, Charles Haley, Ronnie Lott, the Steel Curtain...

lest we forget, Brady also lost two 5-time SB winning coaches, in Weiss and Crennel...

just HOW MANY great coaches did Montana work with?! how many of them went on to coach in ( and win) SB's? Shanny, Holmgren, Gruden, Reid ( coached in one but lost) , etc..

you can talk all you want about cheating,but you come across as a sore loser or jealous. Embrace Tom Brady, 20 years from now, he'll be known as the Best there ever was.

and I'm not a Patriots homer, I'm a die-hard Giants fan, but I respect what the Pats are doing...

Remember, Jimmy Johnson ( former Dallas HC) admitted he used to film opposing teams, and ,like Mike Martz said, EVERYONE does it..so I guess you hate the Cowboys and JJ's 3 SB's now , too?

the only thing wrong with BB is he continued to film the opposing team's signal caller, after the NFL said 'stop'.

and if you want to talk about cheating, lets mention Mike Shanahan and Bill Walsh and their use of the cut block or chop block technique..While we're at it, lets talk about the Raiders' extensive use of cheap shots on QB's, bounties, and the wide spread use of Stick 'em for their DB's, lets also mention Lawrence Taylor's drug problems and how he used to get high before big games, or the slippery oily spray that Jim Burt was caught on camera using, spraying a SF teammate's jersey during a Championship Game years ago.. or Hollywood Henderson's admission that he had a vile filled with cocaine and water and drank it during the game, lets get it all out in the open,then..you think Shanahan won two SB's by being an angel? no. he used shady blocking techniques , allowing T. Davis to run thru GAPING holes the size of trucks..

wake up and smell the coffee, everyone is doing something shady in the NFL.

 

[NEUPJ]

I love when Eagles fans lecture or rant about anything related to sportsmanship or commenting on other team's fans.

Guilty by association with unsportsmanlike conduct on a near weekly basis. In this atmosphere the Patriot fans can not really bask in the glory and relish what their team is doing, unless they are immoral thugs.

Immoral thugs, I guess Eagles fans would be the expert on this one!"Some people need to grow up and find some inner peace, because there is no peace in watching somebody suffer," said Irvin's teammate, Emmitt Smith."This, in terms of bad taste, was as bad as it gets," said Mayor Edward Rendell, an avid sports fan."If you're not wearing the right jersey, you're guaranteed to get beat up," Zellman said."If I want to go to a game, I go to another city. I go to New York or Baltimore," said a 78-year-old fan who insisted on not giving his name. "I don't want my name to go on anything that has to do with this city, the way these people act."On Nov. 10, 1997, a fan shot a flare gun across the field into the stands during a nationally televised Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers. Fans pelted national TV broadcasters with snowballs during a Cowboys-Eagles game in 1989. Santa Claus was booed and pelted with snowballs during a game between the Eagles and Minnesota in 1968"Ron Jaworski told me one time that he had completed like 14 passes in a row, and on the 15th one he had an incompletion and they booed him," said Randall Cunningham, the Eagles' star quarterback from 1985-95.

you think Shanahan won two SB's by being an angel? no. he used shady blocking techniques , allowing T. Davis to run thru GAPING holes the size of trucks..

You forgot to mention the massive salary cap violation that allowed them to pay Elway & TD an extra $29 million dollars that wasn't accounted for until years later.

 

[eom]

hahahahahahaha....classic.

always nice to see the arrogant self righteous drunks get taken down a peg.

better clean those skeletons out of the closet before you start popping off.

 

[Shrek]

The Patriots lack sportsmanship. I have never disliked a team more than I dislike the Patriots. And I am sure that if Favre were on the Patriots he would not stand for it. I hope they don't win the Superbowl. I hope no Patriot gets the MVP. And I hope this season is a black mark on the legacy of every Patriot play and coach. As far as Brady being the best QB ever, I don't believe it. He is very good, but any QB would look good with that O-Line. I have never seen a QB get the kind of protection Brady is getting. And while his numbers are staggering, he is padding his stats. That makes whatever records Brady sets this year an embarrassment rather than an accomplishment.

so,with that theory, Emmitt Smith's numbers should be wiped off the face of the earth then , too? I mean,he DID have the BIGGEST,BADDEST o-line of the past 25 years, if not the best O-line of ALL-TIME.....he also played with the best center in the game at the time, Mark Stepnoski a 5-time pro bowler. he also had Nate Newton, who played in 5 straight pro bowls from 1992-1996 ( finished career as a 6 time pro bowler), Larry Allen - played in 7 straight pro bowls from '94 to 2001( he's currently an 11 time pro bowler, and counting) , Jay Novachek, yet ANOTHER 5-time pro bowler on that Dallas O-line..and,they also had the best defense in the game at the time..

Smith also played alongside others who would go to the HOF, like Irvin and Aikman. He ran behind one of the best FB's in the game, Daryl Johnston. name anyone that Brady plays with on the offensive side of the ball, who is headed for Canton..Maybe Moss, thats it. I doubt that Dillon makes it.

players like Brady don't grow on trees..until 2007 with Randy Moss, he has never had the benefit of playing along side a superstar...Montana and Young had Rice and T.O. , Roger Craig; Aikman had Emmitt, Irvin, and THAT o-line and a great defense to back him up; Manning has Reg Wayne and Harrison , and had Edge for most of his career;

so, who did Brady have on offense for his 3 SB victories?? how about Troy Brown, Deion Branch, David Patten..

he also has Ben Watson, Welker, Moss, Gafney. Aside from Moss, that's hardly a list of NFL greats.

Brady has one of the highest comp percentages of all time, one of the highest QB ratings of all time, one of the greatest W-L records of all time, won 3 SB's in 4 years, and did it all without ANY superstars on offense. He's also on the verge of the NFL's second undefeated season, and possibly winning his 4th SB...simply put, he's the greatest QB of the modern era.period.

Montana had Rice, Craig , and Taylor..Aikman had the immortals in Irvin and Emmitt, Manning had two of the Triplets ( Marvin and Edge), Bradshaw had so many immortals alongside him its ridiculous: Franco, Stallworth,Swan, Webster, AND the Steel Curtain.

Brady had Branch , Patten, Brown. On Defense he had Bruschi, Vrabel, Chad Brown, Seymour, hardly comparable to

Leon Lett, Deion Sanders, Charles Haley, Ronnie Lott, the Steel Curtain...

lest we forget, Brady also lost two 5-time SB winning coaches, in Weiss and Crennel...

just HOW MANY great coaches did Montana work with?! how many of them went on to coach in ( and win) SB's? Shanny, Holmgren, Gruden, Reid ( coached in one but lost) , etc..

you can talk all you want about cheating,but you come across as a sore loser or jealous. Embrace Tom Brady, 20 years from now, he'll be known as the Best there ever was.

and I'm not a Patriots homer, I'm a die-hard Giants fan, but I respect what the Pats are doing...

Remember, Jimmy Johnson ( former Dallas HC) admitted he used to film opposing teams, and ,like Mike Martz said, EVERYONE does it..so I guess you hate the Cowboys and JJ's 3 SB's now , too?

the only thing wrong with BB is he continued to film the opposing team's signal caller, after the NFL said 'stop'.

and if you want to talk about cheating, lets mention Mike Shanahan and Bill Walsh and their use of the cut block or chop block technique..While we're at it, lets talk about the Raiders' extensive use of cheap shots on QB's, bounties, and the wide spread use of Stick 'em for their DB's, lets also mention Lawrence Taylor's drug problems and how he used to get high before big games, or the slippery oily spray that Jim Burt was caught on camera using, spraying a SF teammate's jersey during a Championship Game years ago.. or Hollywood Henderson's admission that he had a vile filled with cocaine and water and drank it during the game, lets get it all out in the open,then..you think Shanahan won two SB's by being an angel? no. he used shady blocking techniques , allowing T. Davis to run thru GAPING holes the size of trucks..

wake up and smell the coffee, everyone is doing something shady in the NFL.

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

 

[bostonfred]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense. I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

 

[eom]

I can't believe people are still talking about some irrelevant videotaping.

you pats haters can't beat them on the field, so you must be really desperate for any straw you can grasp at.

 

[Cunk]

Do any of you Patriot fans bashers ever wonder what the difference is calling Patriot fans "whiners" "arrogant" and such from comments like Asians are so ____ or black people are____? While not on the same level as those examples I just mentioned it is still making a blanket statement over a certain group of people.

I for one do not see the whining of the Patriots fans. All I see are fans trying to defend their beloved team against everyone who doesn't/hasn't lived in the NE area.

Thanks again for this thread. It's like opening a lid which hides a secret fort underground. You start to climb down a ladder and start to hear some whimpers. So you shine a flashlight down the hole to see a bunch of kids staring up at you squinting from the light with tears and ice-cream residue on their cheeks crying about how they just lost a game cuz the other teams are cheaters. artists rendition

But luckily I can turn right around and leave the hole in the ground. Oh how nice it would be nice if the lid had a lock!

 

[freelander]

Do any of you Patriot fans bashers ever wonder what the difference in your calling Patriot fans "whiners" "arrogant" and such is any different than comments like Asians are so ____ or black people are____? While not on the same level as those examples I just mentioned it is still making a blanket statement over a certain group of people.

I for one do not see the whining of the Patriots fans. All I see are fans trying to defend their beloved team against everyone who doesn't/hasn't lived in the NE area.

Thanks again for this thread. It's like opening a lid which hides a secret fort underground. You start to climb down a ladder and start to hear some whimpers. So you shine a flashlight down the hole to see a bunch of kids staring up at you squinting from the light with tears and ice-cream reside on their cheeks crying about how they just lost a game cuz the other teams are cheaters. artists rendition

But luckily I can turn right around and leave the hole in the ground. Oh how nice it would be nice if the lid had a lock!

No. But if you really are trying to make a correlation between a sports team and racism, maybe you need to step away from the NFL Network for awhile...

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

My understanding, from listening to Pats fans and taking to heart what they have said is the following:

Bill Belichick is the smartest coach ever to grace the profession. Brown, Lombardi, Shula, Landry, Gibbs, Walsh, all are like dwarfs at the feet of this giant. Being the greatest coach ever in the history of this or any other sport Belichick leaves no preparation lacking, nor does he ever waste any effort.

Given that the above is true, as I have been assured is the case, I note that Mr. Infallible judged that time and effort spent cheating was time well invested. He, himself, the Great one, judged that N.E. needed to spend time and resources in the endeavor. When Patriot fans assure me that no advantage was gained I don't listen to them since a far greater authority than me determined that position to be horse dung. Belichick the Great contradicts you, not lowly, unworthy me. Twas the master himself that knew efforts spent here would bear more fruit and be more productive use of time and resources than those same resources being directed elsewhere.

Now the master, the Wizard really, shows his true power. The master of mind control shows his minions are incapable of independent or critical thought. He says the efforts he spent were just a silly indulgence not at all productive nor ever really meant to be anything other than a goof. He tells his drooling subjects to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, and they, in fact, are able to ignore what is right in front of them.

Great team, flawed and arrogant cheater for a coach, and the dumbest fans this side of the WWE.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

Do any of you Patriot fans bashers ever wonder what the difference in your calling Patriot fans "whiners" "arrogant" and such is any different than comments like Asians are so ____ or black people are____? While not on the same level as those examples I just mentioned it is still making a blanket statement over a certain group of people.

I for one do not see the whining of the Patriots fans. All I see are fans trying to defend their beloved team against everyone who doesn't/hasn't lived in the NE area.

Thanks again for this thread. It's like opening a lid which hides a secret fort underground. You start to climb down a ladder and start to hear some whimpers. So you shine a flashlight down the hole to see a bunch of kids staring up at you squinting from the light with tears and ice-cream reside on their cheeks crying about how they just lost a game cuz the other teams are cheaters. artists rendition

But luckily I can turn right around and leave the hole in the ground. Oh how nice it would be nice if the lid had a lock!

I don't agree with a correlation between posters here and racism, but the balance of your thread, and in particular the artists rendition, are without a doubt the single best posting I have seen in the shark pool since April 14, 2003 [/inside joke].Thanks for this, I laughed out loud.

 

[HellToupee]

Great team, flawed and arrogant cheater for a coach, and the dumbest fans this side of the WWE.

honestly I find the biggest tools around here are Patriots bashers & perhaps Jet fans. Surprisingly I don't mind the Patriot fans here for the most part , a small group of whiners almost spoil the whole bunch.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

My understanding, from listening to Pats fans and taking to heart what they have said is the following:

Bill Belichick is the smartest coach ever to grace the profession. Brown, Lombardi, Shula, Landry, Gibbs, Walsh, all are like dwarfs at the feet of this giant. Being the greatest coach ever in the history of this or any other sport Belichick leaves no preparation lacking, nor does he ever waste any effort.

Given that the above is true, as I have been assured is the case, I note that Mr. Infallible judged that time and effort spent cheating was time well invested. He, himself, the Great one, judged that N.E. needed to spend time and resources in the endeavor. When Patriot fans assure me that no advantage was gained I don't listen to them since a far greater authority than me determined that position to be horse dung. Belichick the Great contradicts you, not lowly, unworthy me. Twas the master himself that knew efforts spent here would bear more fruit and be more productive use of time and resources than those same resources being directed elsewhere.

Now the master, the Wizard really, shows his true power. The master of mind control shows his minions are incapable of independent or critical thought. He says the efforts he spent were just a silly indulgence not at all productive nor ever really meant to be anything other than a goof. He tells his drooling subjects to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, and they, in fact, are able to ignore what is right in front of them.

Great team, flawed and arrogant cheater for a coach, and the dumbest fans this side of the WWE.

Hi DW. I like to watch WWE occasionally, but only when the Divas are cat fighting.I'm not sure if you're referring to the Commisioner's Office or God as the higher authority, but if its the former that's EXACTLY what the Commisioner found (no advantage was gained), and if you're referring to the latter, I won't attempt to argue with you since you speak for God.

 

[phthalatemagic]

Great team, flawed and arrogant cheater for a coach, and the dumbest fans this side of the WWE.

 

[TxBuckeye]

you pats haters can't beat them on the field, so you must be really desperate for any straw you can grasp at.

Wow, we have NFL players posting in here???

 

[Shrek]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense.

I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

And I agree with most of this. However, while you say that "you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating", you also cannot definitely say that they DIDN'T gain an advantage from cheating. It's impossible to prove.At this point, the only part I have a problem with concerning the videotaping is the fact that the material was "destroyed" without one single credible media outlet or third party other than the Commissioner viewing it. We find out within seconds when Chris Henry is arrested, and we are subjected to all of the lurid details of Pacman Jones' nightclub fiasco. When Lance Briggs crashes a Lamborghini and ditches it, every detail is on the news for a week.

Yet when one of the biggest cheating scandals to ever hit the NFL is exposed, everything is swept under the rug and supposedly destroyed- all within five days. Sorry, but I call It obviously wasn't in the NFL's best interest to drag that out and get into the whole "everybody's doing it" argument, especially in week 1 and you have a whole season of NFL Ticket to sell. I think it's naive to believe that A) The Patriots surrendered every advantage that they had built up from this material and B) There are no copies of this material anywhere. If there was a definitive way to prove that there were no copies, the Patriots would have been supplying every media outlet in the country with that info. Instead we are asked to take the word of an organization that has just been caught cheating (the irony of this is astounding) and conveniently, with the help of the Commissioner's office, this unsavory business gets swept under the rug. Let's play ball, folks, nothing to see here. It's week 2, let's move on.

In light of that, the 2007 Patriots will probably always have an asterisk in the minds of many NFL fans, no matter how they finish. I can respect that they are an incredibly talented team and that I have seen some great plays by the Patriot team on the field this year. I cannot, however, be 100% convinced that they are doing it without cheating, no matter what the Commissioner says, because you have to agree that the Commissioner has a vested interest in making this all go away. I wish I could be convinced, because I would like nothing more than to get this all behind us. I guess if I could be shown proof of exactly what was on those tapes, and if I could be shown irrefutable proof that they couldn't possibly have gotten an advantage that would help them this year, I could erase that asterisk from my mind.

 

[Green and Gold]

I'd agree with you guys if it was completely illegal to videotape signals. I just can't get very worked up about illegal camera placement.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense.

I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

And I agree with most of this. However, while you say that "you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating", you also cannot definitely say that they DIDN'T gain an advantage from cheating. It's impossible to prove.At this point, the only part I have a problem with concerning the videotaping is the fact that the material was "destroyed" without one single credible media outlet or third party other than the Commissioner viewing it. We find out within seconds when Chris Henry is arrested, and we are subjected to all of the lurid details of Pacman Jones' nightclub fiasco. When Lance Briggs crashes a Lamborghini and ditches it, every detail is on the news for a week.

Yet when one of the biggest cheating scandals to ever hit the NFL is exposed, everything is swept under the rug and supposedly destroyed- all within five days. Sorry, but I call It obviously wasn't in the NFL's best interest to drag that out and get into the whole "everybody's doing it" argument, especially in week 1 and you have a whole season of NFL Ticket to sell. I think it's naive to believe that A) The Patriots surrendered every advantage that they had built up from this material and B) There are no copies of this material anywhere. If there was a definitive way to prove that there were no copies, the Patriots would have been supplying every media outlet in the country with that info. Instead we are asked to take the word of an organization that has just been caught cheating (the irony of this is astounding) and conveniently, with the help of the Commissioner's office, this unsavory business gets swept under the rug. Let's play ball, folks, nothing to see here. It's week 2, let's move on.

In light of that, the 2007 Patriots will probably always have an asterisk in the minds of many NFL fans, no matter how they finish. I can respect that they are an incredibly talented team and that I have seen some great plays by the Patriot team on the field this year. I cannot, however, be 100% convinced that they are doing it without cheating, no matter what the Commissioner says, because you have to agree that the Commissioner has a vested interest in making this all go away. I wish I could be convinced, because I would like nothing more than to get this all behind us. I guess if I could be shown proof of exactly what was on those tapes, and if I could be shown irrefutable proof that they couldn't possibly have gotten an advantage that would help them this year, I could erase that asterisk from my mind.

Most people acknowledge that the NFL went into damage control mode in their spygate actions. Where people differ is in WHY the door was shut. Pandora's Box contained league wide deviations from rules designed to prevent signal stealing activity.Your arguement here boils down to "once guilty, always guilty" and attempts to put the patriots on an island of transgression away from the rest of the league, when in fact the separateness of their signal stealing efforts lasted for exactly one game. Or more specifically, less than one game.

If a Nascar crew chief fails post race inspection, is his team denied the Nextel Cup?

Your argument and my response are the essence of the debate that has raged here for months. I embrace the idea that you and others are allowed to view things differently than I do, but I won't be changing my perspective anytime soon.

 

[greenline]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense.

I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

And I agree with most of this. However, while you say that "you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating", you also cannot definitely say that they DIDN'T gain an advantage from cheating. It's impossible to prove.At this point, the only part I have a problem with concerning the videotaping is the fact that the material was "destroyed" without one single credible media outlet or third party other than the Commissioner viewing it. We find out within seconds when Chris Henry is arrested, and we are subjected to all of the lurid details of Pacman Jones' nightclub fiasco. When Lance Briggs crashes a Lamborghini and ditches it, every detail is on the news for a week.

Yet when one of the biggest cheating scandals to ever hit the NFL is exposed, everything is swept under the rug and supposedly destroyed- all within five days. Sorry, but I call It obviously wasn't in the NFL's best interest to drag that out and get into the whole "everybody's doing it" argument, especially in week 1 and you have a whole season of NFL Ticket to sell. I think it's naive to believe that A) The Patriots surrendered every advantage that they had built up from this material and B) There are no copies of this material anywhere. If there was a definitive way to prove that there were no copies, the Patriots would have been supplying every media outlet in the country with that info. Instead we are asked to take the word of an organization that has just been caught cheating (the irony of this is astounding) and conveniently, with the help of the Commissioner's office, this unsavory business gets swept under the rug. Let's play ball, folks, nothing to see here. It's week 2, let's move on.

In light of that, the 2007 Patriots will probably always have an asterisk in the minds of many NFL fans, no matter how they finish. I can respect that they are an incredibly talented team and that I have seen some great plays by the Patriot team on the field this year. I cannot, however, be 100% convinced that they are doing it without cheating, no matter what the Commissioner says, because you have to agree that the Commissioner has a vested interest in making this all go away. I wish I could be convinced, because I would like nothing more than to get this all behind us. I guess if I could be shown proof of exactly what was on those tapes, and if I could be shown irrefutable proof that they couldn't possibly have gotten an advantage that would help them this year, I could erase that asterisk from my mind.

Show some restraint, man.

 

[Shrek]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense.

I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

And I agree with most of this. However, while you say that "you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating", you also cannot definitely say that they DIDN'T gain an advantage from cheating. It's impossible to prove.At this point, the only part I have a problem with concerning the videotaping is the fact that the material was "destroyed" without one single credible media outlet or third party other than the Commissioner viewing it. We find out within seconds when Chris Henry is arrested, and we are subjected to all of the lurid details of Pacman Jones' nightclub fiasco. When Lance Briggs crashes a Lamborghini and ditches it, every detail is on the news for a week.

Yet when one of the biggest cheating scandals to ever hit the NFL is exposed, everything is swept under the rug and supposedly destroyed- all within five days. Sorry, but I call It obviously wasn't in the NFL's best interest to drag that out and get into the whole "everybody's doing it" argument, especially in week 1 and you have a whole season of NFL Ticket to sell. I think it's naive to believe that A) The Patriots surrendered every advantage that they had built up from this material and B) There are no copies of this material anywhere. If there was a definitive way to prove that there were no copies, the Patriots would have been supplying every media outlet in the country with that info. Instead we are asked to take the word of an organization that has just been caught cheating (the irony of this is astounding) and conveniently, with the help of the Commissioner's office, this unsavory business gets swept under the rug. Let's play ball, folks, nothing to see here. It's week 2, let's move on. :whoosh:

In light of that, the 2007 Patriots will probably always have an asterisk in the minds of many NFL fans, no matter how they finish. I can respect that they are an incredibly talented team and that I have seen some great plays by the Patriot team on the field this year. I cannot, however, be 100% convinced that they are doing it without cheating, no matter what the Commissioner says, because you have to agree that the Commissioner has a vested interest in making this all go away. I wish I could be convinced, because I would like nothing more than to get this all behind us. I guess if I could be shown proof of exactly what was on those tapes, and if I could be shown irrefutable proof that they couldn't possibly have gotten an advantage that would help them this year, I could erase that asterisk from my mind.

Show some restraint, man.

It's too bad you got your panties in a bunch about the comments in the other thread, but you're trying to compare apples to oranges here. In case you missed it (which I wouldn't be surprised at), the title of this thread tells people to contain their "Patriots deserve an asterisk" talk in here. Unlike your shotgun pattern of drivel across every thread that mentions the word "Patriots", I have chosen to follow directions and keep it in here.Furthermore, there is a big difference between discussing the situation logically and, like the bulk of your comments, replying with trolling jabs that make you look like the archetypal Whiny Tool Pats Fan™ that many of your fellow fans have been accused of being over the past several years. If you can't tell the difference, I'm sorry for you. If, however, you care to discuss things rationally and leave the blind homerism at the door, I think everyone would welcome it.

 

[bostonfred]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense.

I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

And I agree with most of this. However, while you say that "you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating", you also cannot definitely say that they DIDN'T gain an advantage from cheating. It's impossible to prove.At this point, the only part I have a problem with concerning the videotaping is the fact that the material was "destroyed" without one single credible media outlet or third party other than the Commissioner viewing it. We find out within seconds when Chris Henry is arrested, and we are subjected to all of the lurid details of Pacman Jones' nightclub fiasco. When Lance Briggs crashes a Lamborghini and ditches it, every detail is on the news for a week.

Yet when one of the biggest cheating scandals to ever hit the NFL is exposed, everything is swept under the rug and supposedly destroyed- all within five days. Sorry, but I call It obviously wasn't in the NFL's best interest to drag that out and get into the whole "everybody's doing it" argument, especially in week 1 and you have a whole season of NFL Ticket to sell. I think it's naive to believe that A) The Patriots surrendered every advantage that they had built up from this material and B) There are no copies of this material anywhere. If there was a definitive way to prove that there were no copies, the Patriots would have been supplying every media outlet in the country with that info. Instead we are asked to take the word of an organization that has just been caught cheating (the irony of this is astounding) and conveniently, with the help of the Commissioner's office, this unsavory business gets swept under the rug. Let's play ball, folks, nothing to see here. It's week 2, let's move on.

In light of that, the 2007 Patriots will probably always have an asterisk in the minds of many NFL fans, no matter how they finish. I can respect that they are an incredibly talented team and that I have seen some great plays by the Patriot team on the field this year. I cannot, however, be 100% convinced that they are doing it without cheating, no matter what the Commissioner says, because you have to agree that the Commissioner has a vested interest in making this all go away. I wish I could be convinced, because I would like nothing more than to get this all behind us. I guess if I could be shown proof of exactly what was on those tapes, and if I could be shown irrefutable proof that they couldn't possibly have gotten an advantage that would help them this year, I could erase that asterisk from my mind.

I don't think we'll ever see anything proven one way or the other. I agree that the league didn't go out of their way to show the evidence. I can understand why fans would want it, and I understand that their decision to destroy the tapes means that there will always be some people who put an asterisk on this team in their minds. That's unfortunate, but I also don't think they had any obligation to share the footage, and I don't think they had any vested interest in showing specific details of it and video clips for the media to harp on every time the Patriots play. They didn't even want the original footage to be shown. But there will also never be any official acknowledgement of any kind of asterisk, because there's no proof that they ever broke the rules in 2001-2004, and the league has clearly indicated that they didn't gain any competitive advantage from it in 2007. I don't think you'll change your mind that they did something horribly wrong. I don't think I'll change my mind that this is one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history, and still has an outside shot of including the greatest single season in history. If, at the end of the day, we don't agree, that's fine. I'm sure there'll be quite a few people who feel the way you do. Each week, I think more and more fans are starting to feel like I do - that it doesn't really matter what happened in the past, this is an excellent team having a great season.

 

[Shrek]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense.

I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

And I agree with most of this. However, while you say that "you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating", you also cannot definitely say that they DIDN'T gain an advantage from cheating. It's impossible to prove.At this point, the only part I have a problem with concerning the videotaping is the fact that the material was "destroyed" without one single credible media outlet or third party other than the Commissioner viewing it. We find out within seconds when Chris Henry is arrested, and we are subjected to all of the lurid details of Pacman Jones' nightclub fiasco. When Lance Briggs crashes a Lamborghini and ditches it, every detail is on the news for a week.

Yet when one of the biggest cheating scandals to ever hit the NFL is exposed, everything is swept under the rug and supposedly destroyed- all within five days. Sorry, but I call It obviously wasn't in the NFL's best interest to drag that out and get into the whole "everybody's doing it" argument, especially in week 1 and you have a whole season of NFL Ticket to sell. I think it's naive to believe that A) The Patriots surrendered every advantage that they had built up from this material and B) There are no copies of this material anywhere. If there was a definitive way to prove that there were no copies, the Patriots would have been supplying every media outlet in the country with that info. Instead we are asked to take the word of an organization that has just been caught cheating (the irony of this is astounding) and conveniently, with the help of the Commissioner's office, this unsavory business gets swept under the rug. Let's play ball, folks, nothing to see here. It's week 2, let's move on.

In light of that, the 2007 Patriots will probably always have an asterisk in the minds of many NFL fans, no matter how they finish. I can respect that they are an incredibly talented team and that I have seen some great plays by the Patriot team on the field this year. I cannot, however, be 100% convinced that they are doing it without cheating, no matter what the Commissioner says, because you have to agree that the Commissioner has a vested interest in making this all go away. I wish I could be convinced, because I would like nothing more than to get this all behind us. I guess if I could be shown proof of exactly what was on those tapes, and if I could be shown irrefutable proof that they couldn't possibly have gotten an advantage that would help them this year, I could erase that asterisk from my mind.

I don't think we'll ever see anything proven one way or the other. I agree that the league didn't go out of their way to show the evidence. I can understand why fans would want it, and I understand that their decision to destroy the tapes means that there will always be some people who put an asterisk on this team in their minds. That's unfortunate, but I also don't think they had any obligation to share the footage, and I don't think they had any vested interest in showing specific details of it and video clips for the media to harp on every time the Patriots play. They didn't even want the original footage to be shown. But there will also never be any official acknowledgement of any kind of asterisk, because there's no proof that they ever broke the rules in 2001-2004, and the league has clearly indicated that they didn't gain any competitive advantage from it in 2007. I don't think you'll change your mind that they did something horribly wrong. I don't think I'll change my mind that this is one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history, and still has an outside shot of including the greatest single season in history. If, at the end of the day, we don't agree, that's fine. I'm sure there'll be quite a few people who feel the way you do. Each week, I think more and more fans are starting to feel like I do - that it doesn't really matter what happened in the past, this is an excellent team having a great season.

I respect this, and I think over time I may come back toward the middle. But right now, like many others, I am still put off by what happened.

 

[twitch]

When I hear a guy start talking about a friggin' asterisk in his mind, its time to officially and correctly stand up, push away from the table, and pass on that third helping of "Give me a break already". Im full to death of the stuff.

 

[Shrek]

When I hear a guy start talking about a friggin' asterisk in his mind, its time to officially and correctly stand up, push away from the table, and pass on that third helping of "Give me a break already". Im full to death of the stuff.

Evidently you also missed the title of the thread. If you are so sick of it, what made you come in here and waste your valuable time responding to it? To some this is still a relevant issue. Unfortunately, you don't get to decide how long that will be.

 

[Cunk]

Great team, flawed and arrogant cheater for a coach, and the dumbest fans this side of the WWE.

honestly I find the biggest tools around here are Patriots bashers & perhaps Jet fans. Surprisingly I don't mind the Patriot fans here for the most part , a small group of whiners almost spoil the whole bunch.

To say Pats fans are the dumbest fans this side of the WWE is just plain insulting and not appreciated.

 

[greenline]

So by this logic, everyone should cheat, because that's the only way to keep up, huh? If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'? Add this to the thousands of other posts that defend the Pats'cheating by saying "Everybody does it". I guess it would be too simple to just say "It was cheating, it was wrong, we got our punishment and deserved it, now it's over." I seriously don't understand how any Patriot fans can think that the argument above makes the team look better.

I agree with you. The Pats broke the rules, they were wrong, they got the harshest punishment in NFL history, and now it's over. The only place the "they cheated too" argument belongs is in a conversation about the great teams or dynasties of all times. If someone says, well, the Pats cheated during their run, therefore, team X is better than them, then pointing out team X's prior offenses makes sense.

I will say this, though. When talking about THIS year, you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating. The commissioner's ruling included a statement that the Patriots did not gain an in game advantage from the videotaping in game one. Since they didn't gain any advantage in game one, they turned over all of their previous years' materials, and they have been closely monitored since, there has been no advantage gained in this season. That's a much stronger argument, IMO, against the * crowd.

And I agree with most of this. However, while you say that "you simply cannot say that the Pats won because of cheating", you also cannot definitely say that they DIDN'T gain an advantage from cheating. It's impossible to prove.At this point, the only part I have a problem with concerning the videotaping is the fact that the material was "destroyed" without one single credible media outlet or third party other than the Commissioner viewing it. We find out within seconds when Chris Henry is arrested, and we are subjected to all of the lurid details of Pacman Jones' nightclub fiasco. When Lance Briggs crashes a Lamborghini and ditches it, every detail is on the news for a week.

Yet when one of the biggest cheating scandals to ever hit the NFL is exposed, everything is swept under the rug and supposedly destroyed- all within five days. Sorry, but I call It obviously wasn't in the NFL's best interest to drag that out and get into the whole "everybody's doing it" argument, especially in week 1 and you have a whole season of NFL Ticket to sell. I think it's naive to believe that A) The Patriots surrendered every advantage that they had built up from this material and B) There are no copies of this material anywhere. If there was a definitive way to prove that there were no copies, the Patriots would have been supplying every media outlet in the country with that info. Instead we are asked to take the word of an organization that has just been caught cheating (the irony of this is astounding) and conveniently, with the help of the Commissioner's office, this unsavory business gets swept under the rug. Let's play ball, folks, nothing to see here. It's week 2, let's move on.

In light of that, the 2007 Patriots will probably always have an asterisk in the minds of many NFL fans, no matter how they finish. I can respect that they are an incredibly talented team and that I have seen some great plays by the Patriot team on the field this year. I cannot, however, be 100% convinced that they are doing it without cheating, no matter what the Commissioner says, because you have to agree that the Commissioner has a vested interest in making this all go away. I wish I could be convinced, because I would like nothing more than to get this all behind us. I guess if I could be shown proof of exactly what was on those tapes, and if I could be shown irrefutable proof that they couldn't possibly have gotten an advantage that would help them this year, I could erase that asterisk from my mind.

Show some restraint, man.

It's too bad you got your panties in a bunch about the comments in the other thread, but you're trying to compare apples to oranges here. In case you missed it (which I wouldn't be surprised at), the title of this thread tells people to contain their "Patriots deserve an asterisk" talk in here. Unlike your shotgun pattern of drivel across every thread that mentions the word "Patriots", I have chosen to follow directions and keep it in here.Furthermore, there is a big difference between discussing the situation logically and, like the bulk of your comments, replying with trolling jabs that make you look like the archetypal Whiny Tool Pats Fan™ that many of your fellow fans have been accused of being over the past several years. If you can't tell the difference, I'm sorry for you. If, however, you care to discuss things rationally and leave the blind homerism at the door, I think everyone would welcome it.

Taking the bait. I'm disappointed. I figured you would show your trademark restraint.

 

[scapegoat]

This thread is comedic gold.

I actually feel bad for some of the folks who are so worked up over this...

 

[twitch]

When I hear a guy start talking about a friggin' asterisk in his mind, its time to officially and correctly stand up, push away from the table, and pass on that third helping of "Give me a break already". Im full to death of the stuff.

Evidently you also missed the title of the thread. If you are so sick of it, what made you come in here and waste your valuable time responding to it? To some this is still a relevant issue. Unfortunately, you don't get to decide how long that will be.

Just simply returning the favor. Haters annoy. Homers annoy. It works both ways, friend.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

This thread is comedic gold. I actually feel bad for some of the folks who are so worked up over this...

"Gold, Jerry, pure gold!!!"

 

[freelander]

When I hear a guy start talking about a friggin' asterisk in his mind, its time to officially and correctly stand up, push away from the table, and pass on that third helping of "Give me a break already". Im full to death of the stuff.

You might want to consider dining with like NE friends, cause you'll never get to dessert the rest of the year otherwise (or your life, whichever comes first)

 

[BelichicksRevenge]

I love this thread! Pats win again! So, one of two things must have happened:

Either

A. They blew a team away and ran up the score in an unclassy way or

B. Won a close game because they were benificiaries of lousy calls by the refs.

Which is it, whiny losers?!

 

[freelander]

I love this thread! Pats win again! So, one of two things must have happened:EitherA. They blew a team away and ran up the score in an unclassy way or B. Won a close game because they were benificiaries of lousy calls by the refs.Which is it, whiny losers?!

I think it was "C". You gonna be Ok?

 

[twitch]

When I hear a guy start talking about a friggin' asterisk in his mind, its time to officially and correctly stand up, push away from the table, and pass on that third helping of "Give me a break already". Im full to death of the stuff.

You might want to consider dining with like NE friends, cause you'll never get to dessert the rest of the year otherwise (or your life, whichever comes first)

I was actually watching the game with a Steelers fan. We hung out like the gentlemen we are and all is still well. Amongst normal people, civility is possible.

 

[The Man Who Met Andy Griffith]

The Patriots have been caught red-handed cheating, and in such a way that it could not be explained away. The League then slapped them on the wrist (half a million fine to a coach pulling down 4+ a year, and a lose of a draft pick that will be a 26+ selection when they already have the Jet's pick, a top 5). Which is an insult to the teams who lose players to suspension for non-football related incidents, while nothing happens to a coach who did more damage to the integrity of the NFL than all the players who partied in the wrong place, combined.

Two things.First, this was not a slap on the wrist, it was by far the most severe penalty in NFL history, and probably the second most severe penalty against a team in major pro sports in the last 80 years (after the Timberwolves' punishment for the Joe Smith fiasco).Second, I noticed that of the 675 words in your post, 17 (2.5%) of them were cheat, cheaters, cheating, etc. You used the word "and" 10 times. I tend to agree that a disproportionate percentage of Pats fans are whiny tools, but obsessive (and hyperbolic) anti-Patriots posts like this are not any better.

 

[freelander]

When I hear a guy start talking about a friggin' asterisk in his mind, its time to officially and correctly stand up, push away from the table, and pass on that third helping of "Give me a break already". Im full to death of the stuff.

You might want to consider dining with like NE friends, cause you'll never get to dessert the rest of the year otherwise (or your life, whichever comes first)

I was actually watching the game with a Steelers fan. We hung out like the gentlemen we are and all is still well. Amongst normal people, civility is possible.

yeah, well... if there was no confrontation, then: a) that's not normalb) your steeler friend is holding back <steeler terrible towel waving thingy"

 

[twitch]

When I hear a guy start talking about a friggin' asterisk in his mind, its time to officially and correctly stand up, push away from the table, and pass on that third helping of "Give me a break already". Im full to death of the stuff.

You might want to consider dining with like NE friends, cause you'll never get to dessert the rest of the year otherwise (or your life, whichever comes first) :whoosh:

I was actually watching the game with a Steelers fan. We hung out like the gentlemen we are and all is still well. Amongst normal people, civility is possible.

yeah, well... if there was no confrontation, then: a) that's not normalb) your steeler friend is holding back <steeler terrible towel waving thingy"

He was holding back. I was holding back. We were both holding back like hell. And in the end, we're still buds. Life is still good.

 

[Claydon]

*

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

*

Good one!

 

[twitch]

*

I think youre 12 short there.

 

[TxBuckeye]

I love this thread! Pats win again! So, one of two things must have happened:EitherA. They blew a team away and ran up the score in an unclassy way or B. Won a close game because they were benificiaries of lousy calls by the refs.Which is it, whiny losers?!

Is a Pat's fan ever going to enter a thread and actually show any hint of class? Guess that's to much to hope for...

 

[scapegoat]

I love this thread! Pats win again! So, one of two things must have happened:

Either

A. They blew a team away and ran up the score in an unclassy way or

B. Won a close game because they were benificiaries of lousy calls by the refs.

Which is it, whiny losers?!

Is a Pat's fan ever going to enter a thread and actually show any hint of class? Guess that's to much to hope for...

When the Shark Pool stops being flooded with tools like this guy I'm sure pats will tone it down as well. However until The front page of the Shark Pool isn't littered with anti-patriots threads, I think it's pretty unreasonable to expect all pats fans to sit back while their team is dragged through the mud over something that happened several months ago and has zero impact on this season and they were already penalized for).

But what do I know.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

Anyone watching the Colts-Ravens game? Patriot fans, this is an example of the classy way to play football when you are winning by an obscene amount in the second half. You put in your backups and call vanilla plays.

Tony Dungy's classiness >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bill Belichick's classiness

 

[Footballg]

Is a Pat's fan ever going to enter a thread and actually show any hint of class? Guess that's to much to hope for...

This thread is the mudhole of the board. I doubt anyone enters here and expects to remain clean. Although, I had originally thought a virtual roach motel for the Pats haters was the better analogy.

 

[scapegoat]

Anyone watching the Colts-Ravens game? Patriot fans, this is an example of the classy way to play football when you are winning by an obscene amount in the second half. You put in your backups and call vanilla plays. Tony Dungy's classiness >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bill Belichick's classiness

You are right. I don't know what I was thinking. I renounce my Patriots fandom and am rushing out to buy a Peyton Manning jersey.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

Anyone watching the Colts-Ravens game? Patriot fans, this is an example of the classy way to play football when you are winning by an obscene amount in the second half. You put in your backups and call vanilla plays. Tony Dungy's classiness >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bill Belichick's classiness

You are right. I don't know what I was thinking. I renounce my Patriots fandom and am rushing out to buy a Peyton Manning jersey.

Oh please, you and I both know your coach is the biggest jack### to put on a torn up hoodie and stalk the sidelines. This is a guy who would push your grandmother to the ground if he needed to get somewhere in a hurry.