More SpyGate... and now it gets serious

You're probably right; that's the only fair way to go about it. Should the new charges be true, doesn't the league have to look into the Pats' Super Bowl wins against Carolina and Philadelphia? Does the NFL put asterisks next the Pats' three championships?

 

Give up an entire draft or two? Wouldn't that be a lasting penalty of Hiroshima proportions?

 

Certainly it'd make for one hell of a statement. I would think that if the league went that route, the Pats would take the NFL to court? And I would think that the Pats' argument would be that the NFL did not have an official position about taping and espionage in their Super Bowl years.

 

Let's see ... we have this from the SB with the Rams. Then we have Eagles players amazed at how the Pats could always call a screen when Philly blitzed. I can't remember anything from the Carolina game, but even without it, it's disturbing.

 

Pats issue a statement.

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3227698&categoryId=2459789

 

This is a big deal because it is the first indication of what I long suspected -- the Patriots cheated to win the Super Bowls. Remember they won all three by a field goal. Even a small advantage from cheating in those is huge.
I've long maintained this is why Goodell destroyed the tapes -- so nobody would ever know at least three Lombardi Trophies are tainted.

 

Don't forget that there is also still some controversy about the league office destroying the evidence, the videotapes, from the original Spygate.

At some point, the integrity of the game has to come into question. I doubt the league can just look the other way again.

I don't think the stripping of at least one total draft would be out of line at all. The Patriots are accused of cheating to win a Super Bowl, and it was a close enough game that you really have to wonder if that was the difference.

Edit: I'm not sure if I go as far as ADifferentOkie here, but man does this ever stink.

 

Win or lose tomorrow, Belichick is going to have to answer a ton of questions about the new charges.

 

His whole legacy is tainted at this point.

 

Not just his legacy. The Patriots' dynasty will forever be overshadowed by these charges.

 

As it should be. He has shown a willingness to not only break the rules, but to do it despite specific warnings from the league. There is good reason to assume the worst.

 

Fixed