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Spygate: The story that won't die

16. February 2008  - Published by Jimmy Dinsmore
Comments (4)

So now we learn that several "ambulance chasing" lawyer types (including local guy Eric Deters) are suing the New England Patriots on behalf of former St. Louis Rams players and fans for damages resulting from the allegations that the Pats secretly filmed the Rams walk through at their Super Bowl appearnace that the Pats won 20-17. You'll recall it was the first of Vinatieri's Super Bowl winning FG and was a huge upset. Now it's been revealed that the Pats may have had an edge in that game.

The lawsuit on merit doesn't irritate me (I think the lawyers are more or less advantageous scumbags though). People should be mad over this. The Pats were "punished" for getting caught spying on the Jets this year. Roger Goddell fined Belichick $500,000 and took away their first round draft pick (#31) for this year. But that was allegedly for their indiscretions this year.

The lawsuit aside, that the NFL should further punish the Patriots for this Super Bowl Spygate incident. What the Pats did was unfair and was not in the spirit of of the game. I don't think anyone can say that it gave the Pats the upset victory, but they did have an advantage.

The first thing Goddell should do is take away the Patriots other first round pick this year (which is a nice and sweet #7 pick that they got through a trade). The reason is, that losing the #31 pick is no punishment whatsoever. Losing this high pick would be more severe. However, the commissioner should also levy a suspension and steep fine to Belichick and owner Bob Kraft. Suspend Belichick for four games, fine him a million bucks, and fine Kraft a million bucks.

Spygate is probably more overblown than people make it out to be as far as the advantage it yields for the Pats game planning, but it does just absolutely violate the fairness of the game. Goddell loves to make examples of people (see Thurman, Odell) so why not send the message, loud and clear, that this won't be tolerated.

Isssue the statement that any other incidents like this, by the Pats or any other team, will be severely punished. That should put this story to bed. The hyena lawyers can still sue whoever they want for whatever they want. I could care less about that. But it makes me sick to know that the Pats still get that top draft pick and come out of this like a rose with nothing but a slap on the wrist. It's time to get out the paddle, Roger.

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Comments

Jeremy Fischer
Jeremy Fischer
2/16/2008 2:23:36 PM #
The details from this story are still sketchy at best.  But from what is currently being reported, it's possible that you could say the filming DID give the Pats the upset victory.

Here's why.

According to the initial reports, the walkthrough that the Rams did that day was their 2-minute end of game package of plays.  They set up in their formations, then walked through their assignments.

Now the game eventually game down to that very thing.  The Rams were stopped in their 2-minute offense, which allowed the Pats to get the ball back and eventually score the winning FG.

If the Pats knew in advance what limited plays/formations the Rams were going to run in their 2-minute drill before the game even started, then that's far more than an advantage.  That's downright thievery.

Stealing signs from the opposition like they did against the Jets is an advantage.  Stealing plays and formations is a whole different story.

You know as well as I that in a 2-minute drill there are almost no personnel substitutions because there is no huddle.  You have to go with the players that are out there.

If the Pats knew what plays were coming, and probably in what order, from that illegal film study, they would have been able to instantly recognize the play as soon as the Rams lined up.  Not to mention knowing the right personnel to have on the field when the Rams began their 2-min. drill.  

At that point in the game, the Rams wouldn't have been able to huddle up, or call audibles, because there wasn't enough time.  They then would unknowingly run a play right into the D's hands, because the defense knew what was coming.

When you attempt to steal signs by filming, you can still get burned by your opposition switching signals, or the signal callers.  When you steal plays/formations from a walkthrough, you can steal a game.

Just think if the Pats had not had the information (and we still don't know exactly what they got)?  There is a very good chance that the Rams hit for a TD against a winded and weaker Pats defense in the 2-minute package.  Then the Pats have to go the length of the field because the FG does them no good.

If what the Pats filmed turns out to be true, they didn't just gain an advantage in my opinion, they stole a game.  Not just any game either.  They stole THE game.
Jimmy Dinsmore
Jimmy Dinsmore
2/16/2008 3:10:36 PM #
Alright JFish, I don't necessarily disagree, but I think everything is played on the field and even if you know what's going to happen, you have to execute it. I am in no way defending what the Pats did. But, my question for you and anyone else, what should the NFL do? I say it has to be swift and severe. Like I said they still have the one first round pick this year. Take that. Heck take more picks. To me, the reg. season spying was overblown, but this one is way more severe. Don't you think?
Adam Bartel
Adam Bartel
2/16/2008 6:27:55 PM #
As I understand the rules, the NFL can't take the #7 pick away from them, they can only strip them of picks that the team originally owned.  The #7 pick is the 49ers pick that was traded to them, so by the rules they can't strip that one.  If I'm wrong on this, someone please correct me.
Jimmy Dinsmore
Jimmy Dinsmore
2/17/2008 10:08:32 AM #
It's their rules, they can do what they want. That's total garbage. It makes me sick seeing a cheating Super Bowl team getting a top 7 pick in the draft. If they indeed can't take that pick away, they should strip all of their other picks away and fine them, suspend Belichick and take next year's first round pick away. The punishment should be severe because these arrogant SOBs haven't felt punished yet.
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