PatriotGate: Cheating in the NFL

Dateline: Foxboro

"At this point, we have not been notified of the league's ruling. Although it remains a league matter, I want to apologize to everyone who has been affected, most of all ownership, staff and players. Following the league's decision, I will have further comment."

Who did that statement emanate from this morning?

TNA Tag Team Champion Adam “Pacman” Jones? Nope.
Free Agent Tank Johnson? Nope.
Bengals wideout Chris Henry? Nope.
Recently suspended Patriots safety Rodney Harrison? Closer.

It was none other than the Patriots’ three-time Super Bowl champion head coach, Bill Belichick.

Source: Wordpress.com

Yeah, that guy.

His statement followed ESPN's Chris Mortensen's report that the NFL is considering punishing the Patriots for spying. This was first alerted, via the media, by a website Jets Confidential

In case you didn’t know the facts, here’s a quick rundown:

NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella on the New England sidelines when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Sources say the visual evidence confirmed the suspicion.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks" because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents. [Last season, similar accusations were made while playing the Green Bay Packers.]

In addition to punishment in the form of draft pick forfeitures, fines and suspensions for coaches (including Belichick) have been rumored. As for anyone who thinks Goodell would strip a victory away from the Patriots; that’s about as likely as letting a half-dozen rabid Jets fans take tackling drills with Belichick during the next time the teams meet up.

So what should be the punishment? In reality, we have to try and find something that may possible happen. Right?

I’m not going to worry about the assistant coach. He should have to fall on the sword in every way possible and receive a lifetime ban from the NFL sidelines. However, he was following orders. It’s time to punish those who are ultimately accountable.

Additionally, I’m also going to ignore the real media justifying the Patriots indiscretions by stating that everyone cheats. We’re dealing with this situation and with these accusations of cheating. We don’t diagnose murder as an entire subject during each and individual trial.

Here are some suggested penalization scenarios based on the body of facts.

Suspension for Belichick:
One game is the most realistic approach, and even that is not likely. The Patriots are the NFL’s darling and it would be surprising to see the Commissioner lay down that hammer and sit the head coach for a week. However, he should.
Multiple game suspension. Even less likely, it would be tough for Goodell to sell this to just about everyone (except Pats haters and Jets fans). Since these accusations have surfaced – and Belichick seems less than sincere with his apology – maybe it isn’t that irrational.
Season-long suspension. As likely as sending him to the moon. No way, no how.

Fine:
There’s no use even guessing random numbers. Although Brian Urlacher did get fined six figures for wearing a Vitamin Water hat during Super Bowl media week. Is there a number that can actually hurt the Patriots? Bob Kraft spent crazy bank on Donte Stallworth and Kelly Washington, so why would a fine hurt him? If it’s less than one million, then it’s an absolute joke. Let’s say it has to be at least $1 million. Does Kraft even flinch? $5 million? Does Goodell have the cahones?

Stripping Draft Picks:
If you’re going to take picks, you make a real statement reminiscent to the NBA stripping the Minnesota Timberwolves of multiple 1^st round picks for tampering with Joe Smith. Commissioner Goodell can make that real statement by stripping a year’s worth of picks. You strip multiple high-round picks, in multiple years if need-be. What’s likely? A blend of something seemingly tough and something unreasonably light-handed (e.g. a 3^rd and 5^th-round pick).

So what would I do? Stepping aside for a moment from being a die-hard Jets fan, here are the punitive measures I would employ:

1) Suspend Belichick for 1-game. He got caught cheating for at least one game, so suspend him from one.
2) Fine the Patriots $5 million. You have to make sure this never happens again.
3) Strip the Patriots of their 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd-round picks. Unfortunately, that’s just more money for free agents; unless you can try your best to tinker with their salary cap. You cannot ignore the fact that the Patriots were already once accused less than a season ago and trim their penalty.)
4) Sit Belichick down in a room with Commissioner Goodell and have the two go over the entire rule book. This way, Belichick has no room to misinterpret the rules. (This statement alone makes him a complete black-hearted fraud, by the way.)

Cheap shots aside, do you think Belichick peeks at his opponent’s screen during a game of Madden?

Until next time…