The Pats have been Punished (by the NFL) (1 Viewer)

[Soulfly3]

NFL has handed down these penalties to the Patriots for their television crew filming the Bengals-Browns game in December, sources tell

@MikeReiss

: $1.1 million in club fines.

Loss of 2021 third-round pick.

Patriots’ TV crews not allowed to shoot games during 2020 season.

 

[HobbesAB]

Not a surprise that they lose a 3rd round pick. It should have just been a fine but NFL is going to NFL

 

[HobbesAB]

https://twitter.com/patscap/status/1277395602209492992?s=20

The Patriots are projected to receive a 3rd round compensatory pick and two fourth-round picks

So there's the loss of draft pick. NE will get nothing from TB12 leaving except a dead cap hit

 

[HobbesAB]

Imagine they lose the actual third. Which could be some number of slots ahead of the comp pick. 

Probably but I'm hoping that the Cam pick works out and they end up being relatively similar 

 

[Vandelay]

What a coincidence they signed Cam Newton at the exact same moment this news dropped.  I just cant believe it!  Hey everyone, look over here!!!

 

[GroveDiesel]

Should have banned Belichick. It’s a joke that he keeps skating. I hope when his turn for HOF voting comes up it gets held against him and he isn’t let in. This penalty is a joke. They have had repeated offenses under the same leadership. Any team would be happy to give up a 3rd round pick and a million dollars if their cheating gives them enough of an edge to win just a few more games a year.

 

[KChusker]

Should have banned Belichick. It’s a joke that he keeps skating. I hope when his turn for HOF voting comes up it gets held against him and he isn’t let in. This penalty is a joke. They have had repeated offenses under the same leadership. Any team would be happy to give up a 3rd round pick and a million dollars if their cheating gives them enough of an edge to win just a few more games a year.

I hate the Patriots but come on...

 

[GroveDiesel]

What a coincidence they signed Cam Newton at the exact same moment this news dropped.  I just cant believe it!  Hey everyone, look over here!!!

Clearly coordinated. They were either given a heads up of when the punishment was coming down from the NFL and waited to time it or the NFL actively coordinated with them.

 

[Vandelay]

Should have banned Belichick. It’s a joke that he keeps skating. I hope when his turn for HOF voting comes up it gets held against him and he isn’t let in. This penalty is a joke. They have had repeated offenses under the same leadership. Any team would be happy to give up a 3rd round pick and a million dollars if their cheating gives them enough of an edge to win just a few more games a year.

avatar checks out

 

[KChusker]

Clearly coordinated. They were either given a heads up of when the punishment was coming down from the NFL and waited to time it or the NFL actively coordinated with them.

I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. Bills are still better by a good amount...on paper at least

 

[GroveDiesel]

avatar checks out

Sure, why shouldn’t I be bitter and salty? The Bills have had to play a team twice a year that has proven to cheat over and over and over again. Easy for fans of other teams to act like it isn’t as big of a deal as it is when your team isn’t playing against the same cheating guys for 20 years. Tough enough to beat guys with so much talent, but infuriatingly tough when they’re cheating on top of it. I think AFC East fans have the right to be bitter and salty.

 

[Deamon]

I thought this thread title was just a funny title for the Cam Newton signing. 

Disappointed. 

 

[HobbesAB]

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1277403800534425602?s=20

This is very New England: Now if Cam Newton plays well in 2020, and leaves as a free agent, the Patriots could get back a compensatory 2022 third-round pick to help make up for 2021 third-round pick the NFL is taking away from New England for its videotape violation.

 

[GroveDiesel]

But don’t we lose one by signing him too? I thought that was how it worked. So it cancels out basically.  Or am I incorrect? I honestly don’t know and would appreciate the answer.

Not by signing this late. I don’t think this enters into the formula against them.

 

[HobbesAB]

Not by signing this late. I don’t think this enters into the formula against them.

This is how I understand it as well.

 

[raidergil]

Sure, why shouldn’t I be bitter and salty? The Bills have had to play a team twice a year that has proven to cheat over and over and over again. Easy for fans of other teams to act like it isn’t as big of a deal as it is when your team isn’t playing against the same cheating guys for 20 years. Tough enough to beat guys with so much talent, but infuriatingly tough when they’re cheating on top of it. I think AFC East fans have the right to be bitter and salty.

I'll get same treatment as Grove as I'm not only a Bills fan, but also Raiders.  But c'mon.  How many times can the same organization, under same leadership get busted for similar offenses?  The league looks at drug offenses & personal fouls as cumulative, but not stuff like this?

 

[Anarchy99]

So essentially by signing Newton, if he plays well enough, they get their 3rd round pick back. Oh Wow. That is brilliant. This is another reason Bill will prefer to start Newton. I doubt Stidham can win the job. But Bill is unpredictable. 

The job is still Stidham’s job to lose. People are ignoring how difficult it will be for Cam to learn the NE playbook in two months with teams not even practicing. Stidham has had a year to learn the playbook and practiced pretty regularly with the offense last year. 

I would guess Stidham will start the season as the starter. If he does well he will stay the starter. If he looks bad, NE could switch to Cam halfway through the season and will see if he can do any better. If neither one looks good, then they will look for a QB again next season. 

This just gives NE two guys to evaluate to see if one works out. 

 

[KChusker]

Sure, why shouldn’t I be bitter and salty? The Bills have had to play a team twice a year that has proven to cheat over and over and over again. Easy for fans of other teams to act like it isn’t as big of a deal as it is when your team isn’t playing against the same cheating guys for 20 years. Tough enough to beat guys with so much talent, but infuriatingly tough when they’re cheating on top of it. I think AFC East fans have the right to be bitter and salty.

We have all have our grievances against the Patriots. Even after winning the Super Bowl I can’t watch highlights of the 2018 AFC CG or not get angry at the mention of Dee Ford, but deflating footballs? videotaping from outside the designated box?

I don’t doubt that they push the envelope but those aren’t the reasons the Patriots are this successful

I don’t think so. Not now, if Cam can rebound. Pats defense is solid. O line is solid. Will have good fullback to replace retired Devlin. Same RBs as last year. Former mvp at QB. Same Edelman. So it comes down to what develops at outside WR in Sanu and Harry. And how the rookie TE develops. I think this signing just put the competition for the division on. 

Patriots secondary is elite but aging. Their front 7 is underwhelming, and their defense as a whole got exposed last year after an easy stretch to start the season.

Sony “Molasses” Michel regressed and looked like Trent Richardson last year. Maybe Harris turns into something but it can’t be a good sign that he didn’t play at all as a rookie. White is good but has limited utility. Edelman is a corpse of himself at this point. Rookie TEs pretty much never contribute. Sanu looked like a terrible fit last season and Harry couldn’t separate against linebackers. If you are high on those two I get it but the skill positions look pretty rough even if they improve.

The OL is really good for sure but really injury prone. This is IMO the biggest determinant of their success.

I won’t count BB out but the Bills definitely look better on paper to me, improved over the offseason, and the Patriots with Brady were barely able to edge them out for the division

Golden Opportunity for Bellichick to forever establish his legacy (not that he hasn’t already but it’s different with no Brady)

 

[GordonGekko]

Should have banned Belichick.

 

[Mookie]

Another example of The Patriot Way being nothing more than systemic cheating.

 

[Tau837]

The job is still Stidham’s job to lose. People are ignoring how difficult it will be for Cam to learn the NE playbook in two months with teams not even practicing. Stidham has had a year to learn the playbook and practiced pretty regularly with the offense last year. 

I would guess Stidham will start the season as the starter. If he does well he will stay the starter. If he looks bad, NE could switch to Cam halfway through the season and will see if he can do any better. If neither one looks good, then they will look for a QB again next season. 

This just gives NE two guys to evaluate to see if one works out. 

I'd be surprised if they will use the exact same playbook with Newton and Stidham as they would have used for Stidham and Hoyer. I expect McDaniels to adjust to the players he has, i.e., to adjust to an offense that fits Newton better than the one that worked for Brady.

 

[Anarchy99]

I'd be surprised if they will use the exact same playbook with Newton and Stidham as they would have used for Stidham and Hoyer. I expect McDaniels to adjust to the players he has, i.e., to adjust to an offense that fits Newton better than the one that worked for Brady.

Their playbook is a mile long. I agree that they will use different sections of the playbook than they did with Brady . . . which is one of the reasons I felt NE would do better than some analysts think (defenses won't know what to expect no matter who is playing QB).

 

[GordonGekko]

I don’t doubt that they push the envelope but those aren’t the reasons the Patriots are this successful

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

The Patriots behaved with OPEN MALICE. They violated someone elses house. They likely cost people their jobs. Not people making millions like some coaches and players, but rank and file people just trying to get by like everyone else.

This is NOT about winning football games. This is about people's SAFETY.

Pathetic

We have reached a new level. 

Of the many teams who were widely acknowledged to do everything they could to steal signals including digging through trash, messing with electronics, and remote surveillance, the Patriots were fined because Belichick flaunted his disregard for the guidance memo issued preventing sideline videotaping.

As a consequence, you have created a strawman involving SECURITY and SAFETY and OPEN MALICE which implicitly characterizes them as a terrorist threat.

I've said before and I'll say it again, if I wasn't a patriots fan I would hate they guy, but Spygate 1 + Deflategate + Spygate 2 = terrorist threat / ban from HOF / etc. is, as you say, pathetic.

 

[woodstock]

I sort of gave up hating the Patriots a few years ago and just learned to accept it. Belichick believes the NFL is dumb and impotent enough that they can't handle these things and the NFL has proven him correct. Spygate One was the most egregious cover-up I've ever heard. 

The NFL destroyed the tapes? 

Hoo boy. Well, I guess if you're a betting man, bet Al Davis and Belichick vs. the NFL. 

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

I sort of gave up hating the Patriots a few years ago and just learned to accept it. Belichick believes the NFL is dumb and impotent enough that they can't handle these things and the NFL has proven him correct. Spygate One was the most egregious cover-up I've ever heard. 

The NFL destroyed the tapes? 

Hoo boy. Well, I guess if you're a betting man, bet Al Davis and Belichick vs. the NFL. 

Unprecedented fines and draft punishments were levied for disregarding a guidance memo saying you can't videotape on sidelines.  Some people believe that the tapes were destroyed because there was something more egregious than that in evidence, but we'll never know....because the tapes were destroyed.  You can call what took place "the most egregious cover-up I've ever heard" but this position requires you to believe there was "something else"...since sideline videotaping more closely resembles jay-walking than "the most egregious cover-up ever".  To date, such claims of "something else" are unsubstantiated.  In the absence of "moar", the cries of systematic cheating, and the need for various levels of more punitive measures against the Patriots sound like so much sour grapes.  The only "moar" I'm aware of is "deflategate" and "spygate 2"....underwhelming.

Dont sell the rest of the league short versus Al Davis and BB...remember the systematic salary cap manipulations of the 49ers and Cowboys, the crippling zone blocking schemes of Shanahan's Broncos, the steroids driven appearance of the Fox-led Panthers in the playoffs, the need for Steelers players to fake injuries in training camp to avoid being cut loose for NFI after a career of service?  There's stink everywhere....stones and glass houses and all that.

 

[woodstock]

 You can call what took place "the most egregious cover-up I've ever heard" but this position requires you to believe there was "something else"...since sideline videotaping more closely resembles jay-walking than "the most egregious cover-up ever".  To date, such claims of "something else" are unsubstantiated. 

I think it's safe to say that "the most egregious..." is a bit of hyperbole, for sure. 

 

[Flying Elvis]

I still feel BB should have received some sort of ban. A few games would do... this instance was a guy that had been working for NE's film crew for a long time that, imo, knew exactly what type of film the staff wanted and would take any opportunity that presented itself to get said tape. Clearly a top-down, systemic issue. With that said...

Unprecedented fines and draft punishments were levied for disregarding a guidance memo saying you can't videotape on sidelines.  Some people believe that the tapes were destroyed because there was something more egregious than that in evidence, but we'll never know....because the tapes were destroyed.  You can call what took place "the most egregious cover-up I've ever heard" but this position requires you to believe there was "something else"...since sideline videotaping more closely resembles jay-walking than "the most egregious cover-up ever".  To date, such claims of "something else" are unsubstantiated.  In the absence of "moar", the cries of systematic cheating, and the need for various levels of more punitive measures against the Patriots sound like so much sour grapes.  The only "moar" I'm aware of is "deflategate" and "spygate 2"....underwhelming.

Dont sell the rest of the league short versus Al Davis and BB...remember the systematic salary cap manipulations of the 49ers and Cowboys, the crippling zone blocking schemes of Shanahan's Broncos, the steroids driven appearance of the Fox-led Panthers in the playoffs, the need for Steelers players to fake injuries in training camp to avoid being cut loose for NFI after a career of service?  There's stink everywhere....stones and glass houses and all that.

I still completely agree with the bold part. This is an industry that measures its revenue with 3 commas. I don't believe for a second that there is an industry in the world that hits that 3 comma revenue mark by being a bastion of ethics and virtue. The NFL is full of awful people, shady deals, and has shown over the last decade that there is a backstabbing, childish mentality among its owners, players and personnel. If you're using a pro sports league to exemplify good family values, as mentioned above, you're doing it wrong. 

 

[Blackbear]

I still feel BB should have received some sort of ban. A few games would do... this instance was a guy that had been working for NE's film crew for a long time that, imo, knew exactly what type of film the staff wanted and would take any opportunity that presented itself to get said tape. Clearly a top-down, systemic issue. With that said...

I still completely agree with the bold part. This is an industry that measures its revenue with 3 commas. I don't believe for a second that there is an industry in the world that hits that 3 comma revenue mark by being a bastion of ethics and virtue. The NFL is full of awful people, shady deals, and has shown over the last decade that there is a backstabbing, childish mentality among its owners, players and personnel. If you're using a pro sports league to exemplify good family values, as mentioned above, you're doing it wrong. 

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/y0AfkOPIUcUywkaR_wlgqBbVnrI1zI3t84E5B-SJvWVbPNyd5pMss_6qtkvOz0aVbDz6Gxnt75Qh5Wmiu0AGNSCewHCzP9ao5wr696O_3oNtmw=w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

I've said before and I'll say it again, if I wasn't a patriots fan I would hate they guy, but Spygate 1 + Deflategate + Spygate 2 = terrorist threat / ban from HOF / etc. is, as you say, pathetic.

What's pathetic is the fact that this team has had Spygate 1 + Deflategate + Spygate 2, full stop.

The Pats' continued disregard for rules isn't that unique (it's a good point that many teams have done some shady things, from bounties on headhunting to salary cap fudging to the culture of steroids and other substances that was pervasive). 

However the difference here is ongoing and blatant disregard for rules in spite of being caught and punished multiple times. The Pats are exploiting the meaningless, toothless punishments for infractions like the ones they got caught doing as much as they are flaunting the league's rules.

The success of the Patriots does not rest solely on the cheating they've done, but it certainly is a contributing factor. We can argue to what degree, and we can argue how egregious their cheating is compared to other teams' over the history of the NFL.

But what is inarguable, IMO, is that they are the team that continues to get caught for more egregious forms of cheating, and there seems to be little true consequence for it.

 

[BoltBacker]

Here is the punishment that would actually make a difference

1) Pull Robert Kraft and Jon Kraft off of ALL NFL committees immediately. ( Would never happen) Every game filmed will count as ONE YEAR/ONE SEASON under which the Patriots cannot have any representatives on any league committee. Will never happen, but that would cut this happy horse #### from ever happening again from any  team period. Period

2) Put the Patriots on Hard Knocks for the next three seasons. In ADDITION to teams already slated to be on Hard Knocks. The Patriots are responsible for the cost of production and filming. Make this a punishment for ANY TEAM who breaks rules on fair competition

3) All head coaches punished by the league must serve in a league program for the development and enrichment of young coaches under the level of coordinator in the offseason in a teaching capacity

If you want to hammer Belichick, you cost him TIME. OBLIGATED TIME he won't be able to get back. A few million is nothing. Draft picks are renewable over time. TIME you never get back.

I really like this list, this makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[BoltBacker]

I don’t doubt that they push the envelope but those aren’t the reasons the Patriots are this successful

Exactly.

People honestly think they were DESPERATE to figure out a way to beat the Bengals? Not a Patriots fan by any stretch but that is completely ridiculous.

Maybe they were bending to the rules to see what they could get away with. They found out. They got punished. Case closed. If anything a 3rd round pick seems very aggressive for such a small offense.

 

[BoltBacker]

Any team would be happy to give up a 3rd round pick and a million dollars if their cheating gives them enough of an edge to win just a few more games a year.

Any team would be happy to give up a day 2 pick in the draft to POSSIBLY gain a slight advantage in a regular season game against the Bengals? Are you being serious?

What would NFL teams be willing to give up to gain a slight advantage to win a pre-season game? A 4th rounder? That's the only rung lower than a regular season game against the Bengals.

 

[I-ROK]

When things like this happens, people lose their jobs. Someone needs to be blamed. When the question gets asked, "How was this allowed to happen?", what it means is someone's head needs to roll.

The Bengals and Browns are not completely faultless here. The Browns did not exercise extreme due diligence on their end. It's their "house", it's on them to completely lock down and regulate their own nest. The Bengals, like all traveling teams, carry their own security element with them. It's on them to operate as if they are responsible for everything that happens.

However, in this specific case, the Browns and Bengals can only be accused of negligence. Inattention to duty. Not exercising due diligence as such.

The Patriots behaved with OPEN MALICE. They violated someone elses house. They likely cost people their jobs. Not people making millions like some coaches and players, but rank and file people just trying to get by like everyone else.

Then you'll get the homers saying homer things "Well they win games... that's what matters"

Is this how some of you raise your kids? Are these the values you teach them?

This is NOT about winning football games. This is about people's SAFETY.

All NFL teams are vulnerable all the time. Security is often an illusion. You can't have that many people moving through a small amount of space ( small relative the masses tromping through) and not have problems. But you have to actually maintain the illusion for the greater good.

Would any of you like someone to walk into your house, take food off of your children's plates, and then spit in your face?  That's all that's happening here. Its undignified. The Browns might be a forever losing team, a sad sack team with a lousy owner and exist in a run down beaten to a pulp city, but it doesn't mean you should go and disrespect their house.

Any homer who wants to defend this happy horse ####, I feel sorry for your kids. Kids see everything. And they hear everything. The way people espouse their values is usually a declaration of how they act in everyday life.  And when those kids see and hear it's OK to act without integrity, it teaches them that it's ok to be trash. For what? Fandom?

Pathetic

Patriot Derangement Syndrome

 

[Vandelay]

Any team would be happy to give up a day 2 pick in the draft to POSSIBLY gain a slight advantage in a regular season game against the Bengals? Are you being serious?

What would NFL teams be willing to give up to gain a slight advantage to win a pre-season game? A 4th rounder? That's the only rung lower than a regular season game against the Bengals.

Pretty sure the implication is they didn't only do it in the Bengals game.

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Exactly.

People honestly think they were DESPERATE to figure out a way to beat the Bengals? Not a Patriots fan by any stretch but that is completely ridiculous.

Maybe they were bending to the rules to see what they could get away with. They found out. They got punished. Case closed. If anything a 3rd round pick seems very aggressive for such a small offense.

Count me on the other side of this fence then. The Bengals' record compared to the Patriots is inconsequential (and implies arrogance that any team can't beat any other team any given Sunday).

The Pats egregiously broke rules and got caught for it, three times. This is a pattern of repeated flaunting of the rules without showing change in behavior.

If anything, I don't think they were punished nearly as severely as they should be.

 

[Sarlakticacid]

How long a suspension does the third drug infringement get you?

 

[Workhorse]

What's pathetic is the fact that this team has had Spygate 1 + Deflategate + Spygate 2, full stop.

I stopped when you suggested that Deflategate was an actual thing.

 

[Workhorse]

I'll get same treatment as Grove as I'm not only a Bills fan, but also Raiders.  But c'mon.  How many times can the same organization, under same leadership get busted for similar offenses?  The league looks at drug offenses & personal fouls as cumulative, but not stuff like this?

I'll answer that question: The Ravens have been busted three times since 2010 for breaking rules regarding practices and have received LIGHTER punishments the third time.

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

I stopped when you suggested that Deflategate was an actual thing.

Brady suspended for four games, $1M in fines, loss of 2 draft selections in 2016. 

Brady destroying a cell phone in the midst of the Wells Report that contained over 10K text messages during the 4 months through the scandal when he knew investigators requested access to the phone.

All over something that was not an absolute thing.

OK, guy.

 

[Workhorse]

Brady suspended for four games, $1M in fines, loss of 2 draft selections in 2016. 

Brady destroying a cell phone in the midst of the Wells Report that contained over 10K text messages during the 4 months through the scandal when he knew investigators requested access to the phone.

All over something that was not an absolute thing.

OK, guy.

Basic physics, says "hello", guy.

 

[Anarchy99]

Brady suspended for four games, $1M in fines, loss of 2 draft selections in 2016. 

Brady destroying a cell phone in the midst of the Wells Report that contained over 10K text messages during the 4 months through the scandal when he knew investigators requested access to the phone.

All over something that was not an absolute thing.

OK, guy.

None of this is going to cover any new ground or sway anyone's opinion, but . . .

While Brady did destroyed his phone, they were able to get printouts of all his text messages from his phone carrier. And per the rules of the NFLPA, the CBA, the league operating manual, and business law, the league is not entitled to demand items and private communications on his personal phone. They would have to go through a court to get a subpoena on the basis that a crime had been committed, and last I checked that wasn't a crime.

On top of that, the lead attorney testified in court that the league had no direct evidence linking Brady to any deflation of footballs. And then there's the actual science and also the fact that the majority of the Colts footballs were underinflated (at which point they opted not to test the rest of the IND footballs). Also noteworthy is the only reason there is anything documenting guidelines for football inflation is that was the suggested range supplied by the manufacturer. 

But again, no one is switching sides on this one.

 

[Anarchy99]

And to further add, the entire court case involving Brady had nothing to do with what Brady did or didn't do. It was only about whether Goodell as Commissioner had the authority to suspend Brady and whether that decision was allowed by the CBA. The judge that initially ruled on the case determined that the NFL did not prove their case. However, when the league appealed, the appellate court said the issue of what Brady did or not was not something the first judge could rule on . . . he had to say that the CBA was collectively bargained and that gave Goodell the right to suspend him. Brady had no other outs, so he just accepted the suspension.

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Basic physics, says "hello", guy.

None of this is going to cover any new ground or sway anyone's opinion, but . . .

While Brady did destroyed his phone, they were able to get printouts of all his text messages from his phone carrier. And per the rules of the NFLPA, the CBA, the league operating manual, and business law, the league is not entitled to demand items and private communications on his personal phone. They would have to go through a court to get a subpoena on the basis that a crime had been committed, and last I checked that wasn't a crime.

On top of that, the lead attorney testified in court that the league had no direct evidence linking Brady to any deflation of footballs. And then there's the actual science and also the fact that the majority of the Colts footballs were underinflated (at which point they opted not to test the rest of the IND footballs). Also noteworthy is the only reason there is anything documenting guidelines for football inflation is that was the suggested range supplied by the manufacturer. 

But again, no one is switching sides on this one.

Appreciate the replies, and you are right, not looking to change anyone's opinion of what happens.

To me, physics doesn't describe why someone would be motivated to destroy purported evidence, regardless of the legal basis for being entitled to claim that evidence in a hearing or investigation. 

What is established is an ongoing pattern of breaking the rules -- and you can subjectively determine by how much -- and the Pats facing punishment for it, but clearly not changing anything about their approach.

You can defend deflated balls by air pressure and temperature, but you can't defend a clear pattern of ongoing repeated instances.

Physics doesn't explain the axiom "Where there is smoke, there is fire." 

 

[GordonGekko]

I'll answer that question: The Ravens have been busted three times since 2010 for breaking rules regarding practices and have received LIGHTER punishments the third time.

 

[GordonGekko]

There's stink everywhere....stones and glass houses and all that.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

Robert Kraft is close to untouchable.

He's on the TV Committee that brokers the billions that the NFL gets from networks to air games.

He launders the other owners money ( it's not that huge of a secret pretty much anywhere)

He is on the small committee that decides what Roger Goodell gets paid every year ( That Goodell gets to appoint who is on this committee is laughable. And while I think Jerry Jones is sort of a crass thug at times, he was the only one with the giant Texas sized cajones to actually say anything about it)

If the Raiders did even 1/10th of what the Patriots did, there would be carpetbombing that hasn't been seen since Dresden. Because Mark Davis is a nobody in the league.

Roger Goodell works for all of the owners some of the time. And he works for some of the owners ALL of the time. More critically, he works specifically for Kraft, the Maras, Rooney, Jones and Tisch, with Bisciotti coming up as the lead dog in the less ancient group of upstarts.

The legend that goes around the league that has never gotten to the open media is that when Goodell ordered the evidence to be destroyed, the first response on site to one of his mid level minions was, "I love this game. Please don't ask me to do this."

Goodell gets paid every year. Thirty pieces of silver.

The game you grew up and love doesn't exist anymore and you want to defend the people who took it from you.

I agree with a lot of what you said, or at least the sentiment behind it, but I'm pretty sure MLB and Nascar are a lot more fundamentally dirty than the NFL is.

And, if we agree there's shadiness all around, can you not appreciate the humor of:

(a) you're videotaping in the wrong spot sir

(b) its ok to overinflate versus the rules like Aaron Rodgers admitted to, but underinflation is serious business.

(c) omfg you taped the bengals sideline?!?@  round everyone up and deport them.

Where's the love for Gaylord Perry's spitball?  

I leave you with this: the single greatest opinion piece ever written in sports journalism.

https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?sportCat=nfl&page=hill/071101

 

[Buckna]

Someone resurrected the Gekko alias? Ugh.

 

[DropKick]

Thought this thread meant they were forced to sign Cam.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

Thought this thread meant they were forced to sign Cam.