Belichick Fined; Pats Lose Pick

As a Pats fan, I still think the rule is unnecassary, but it was/is a rule. That said, the penalty is fair. Mark my words, though, the Patriots will end up with a first-round draft pick even if they have to trade someone they don't want to. If anything I know about the Patriots in the 20 years I've been a fan, they are an arrogant sort and will do anything to make sure they are represented in the first round ... just to wink at the NFL.

Yeah, I just saw this too. Wow! $500K is huge and the maximum allowed by the NFL. Losing a draft pick is pretty bad, but I was hoping for something more immediate like Belichick getting suspended the way a player would be. luccaface

Same here

As a Pats fan, I still think the rule is unnecassary, but it was/is a rule. That said, the penalty is fair. Mark my words, though, the Patriots will end up with a first-round draft pick even if they have to trade someone they don't want to. If anything I know about the Patriots in the 20 years I've been a fan, they are an arrogant sort and will do anything to make sure they are represented in the first round ... just to wink at the NFL.

Trendon

They still have the niners' first round pick, so it's a very lax penalty IMO.

That is a pretty wishy washy punishment. The money was harsh no doubt but the draft pick based on performance. Wha?

The coach should have been suspended just like any player would have been. The draft pick should have been 1st round period. Also the guy with the video tape should have been removed from the NFL permanently.

Likely, the reason for the lax penalty is that Goddell and the NFL probably couldn't ascertain exactly how many times they did this. I know everyone who doesn't root for the Patriots has suddenly started calling the 2001, 2003, and 2004 title years into question, but you can't say if they did it then or not. Likewise, you can't punish teams based on one (maybe two) times.

Thus, the NFL punished the Patriots based on one guarenteed violation (Jets) and one possible one (Packers, last year). I am sure the Patriots went into the meetings screaming about how the Dolphins purchased a tape (which I don't believe) of every word that came out of Brady's mouth during a game. I still maintain they were up to it themselves. Yet, you can't punish team based on what I, you, or the other teams said.

All in all, I think they got as much as they likely deserve. As a fan, I am pissed because did we really have to tape the **** Jets?

That is a pretty wishy washy punishment. The money was harsh no doubt but the draft pick based on performance. Wha?

The coach should have been suspended just like any player would have been. The draft pick should have been 1st round period. Also the guy with the video tape should have been removed from the NFL permanently.

duxup

As a Pats fan, I still think the rule is unnecassary, but it was/is a rule. That said, the penalty is fair. Mark my words, though, the Patriots will end up with a first-round draft pick even if they have to trade someone they don't want to. If anything I know about the Patriots in the 20 years I've been a fan, they are an arrogant sort and will do anything to make sure they are represented in the first round ... just to wink at the NFL.

Trendon

They still have a first round pick through the randy moss trade, so I guess its not so bad. But still to give up a first round pick that changes a lot of things. As far as trading to another team or getting a good player for that matter.

It's a slap on the wrist IMO..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3018338

New England, strengthened by the addition of Randy Moss and two other first-rate wide receivers as well as linebacker Adalius Thomas, is considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl for the fourth time since the 2001 season. If the Patriots lose their first-rounder next season they still will have a first-round pick, obtained from San Francisco in the deal that brought Moss from Oakland.

Sheesh - they have TWO 1st round picks next year, so if they get to the playoffs, they only lose one of their picks.

Fines mean NOTHING to these people...

The Commissioner didn't really hit them hard enough IMO.

The NFL just dropped a notch or two IMO as a superior Professional Sport.

I know every sport has it's share of scandals, but this is rediculous. The Patriots have done this in the past and have been WARNED in the past and the most they get hit with is possibly a 1st round pick, in a year when they have TWO 1st round picks and a couple sub-1million fines to a Multi-Million Dollar Coach and Franchise?

pfft - whatever

Oh well, atleast the New England Cheaters and Bill Bellicheat's reputations are forever tainted.

The NFL just dropped a notch or two IMO as a superior Professional Sport.

I know every sport has it's share of scandals, but this is rediculous. The Patriots have done this in the past and have been WARNED in the past and the most they get hit with is possibly a 1st round pick, in a year when they have TWO 1st round picks and a couple sub-1million fines to a Multi-Million Dollar Coach and Franchise?

pfft - whatever

Oh well, atleast the New England Cheaters and Bill Bellicheat's reputations are forever tainted.

Netherscourge

The only reason you even think that is because you hate the Pats but if it was any other team especially the Eagles you'd have a different tune. I think its a good punishment we lose a 1st rounder which is actually pretty harsh but fair and he gets fined done deal now time to move on and no nothing they've done in the past should be tainted because if they cheated all those years they would've won the last 6 out of 6 and they didn't.

[QUOTE="Netherscourge"]

The NFL just dropped a notch or two IMO as a superior Professional Sport.

I know every sport has it's share of scandals, but this is rediculous. The Patriots have done this in the past and have been WARNED in the past and the most they get hit with is possibly a 1st round pick, in a year when they have TWO 1st round picks and a couple sub-1million fines to a Multi-Million Dollar Coach and Franchise?

pfft - whatever

Oh well, atleast the New England Cheaters and Bill Bellicheat's reputations are forever tainted.

PatsFanVince

The only reason you even think that is because you hate the Pats but if it was any other team especially the Eagles you'd have a different tune. I think its a good punishment we lose a 1st rounder which is actually pretty harsh but fair and he gets fined done deal now time to move on and no nothing they've done in the past should be tainted because if they cheated all those years they would've won the last 6 out of 6 and they didn't.

I would not be happy about this if it was the Eagles. I'd be embarrased and ashamed of the coach and I'd feel like I was cheated out of a true championship.

This isn't something you just forget about. The Patriots have apparently gone to great lengths to Cheat and if you think this is a one-time incident with the Patriots, your are crazy. Other teams and players are gonna snicker whenever they see the Patriots and they're gonna wonder if their calls or singals are being documented by them, or some other goofball idea Belichick comes up with to try to get a unfair advantage out of.

Everything the Patriots have accomplished under Bill Belichick is and will be tainted with doubt and skepticism.

Like said in the other post, the only punishment should had been forfeiting the win against the team they did this against.mrgab

Have to agree 100%

well now knowing they have other first round picks i agree even more this is far to light of a punishment and i had forgotten about the other times they were suspected of this same behavior

so in light that i change my idea of a punishment

no first round picks period the ones they have will be lotteryed off to other teams

at least a 4 game suspension of all the coaches invovled and higher ups or if it was a players idea suspend his butt too,plus the current fine to the coach(but give it to the others invovled)and team

forfeit TWO games this one and some other random one

this would truely show the NFL is still the most legit sport that puts up with the least crap and send a message loud and clear cheating is unacceptable, punishment like this would likely send a message to any future cheater wannabes maybe i should rethink this because i agree baseball basketball and hockey while fun are far too tainted backstage the NFL is the only one that seems to stay out of the backstage drama except a few people but overall it appears to be the most fun and clean to watch

the current punishment issued seems to do little to say cheating is not acceptable its almost like fining all of hollywood 10 million dollars hollywood would laugh at you and the patriots are probably laughing at the NFL commisioner as we speak.

if the idiots have the balls to do it again ban them from the playoffs for 2 years so even if they go 16-0 or 32-0they cannot enter the playoffs.

let these be the rules and i guarantee the cheating method that has been brought to light here will never ever be used again since clearly the NFL has proven they can catch this and would likely step up enforcement.

[QUOTE="PatsFanVince"][QUOTE="Netherscourge"]

The NFL just dropped a notch or two IMO as a superior Professional Sport.

I know every sport has it's share of scandals, but this is rediculous. The Patriots have done this in the past and have been WARNED in the past and the most they get hit with is possibly a 1st round pick, in a year when they have TWO 1st round picks and a couple sub-1million fines to a Multi-Million Dollar Coach and Franchise?

pfft - whatever

Oh well, atleast the New England Cheaters and Bill Bellicheat's reputations are forever tainted.

Netherscourge

The only reason you even think that is because you hate the Pats but if it was any other team especially the Eagles you'd have a different tune. I think its a good punishment we lose a 1st rounder which is actually pretty harsh but fair and he gets fined done deal now time to move on and no nothing they've done in the past should be tainted because if they cheated all those years they would've won the last 6 out of 6 and they didn't.

I would not be happy about this if it was the Eagles. I'd be embarrased and ashamed of the coach and I'd feel like I was cheated out of a true championship.

This isn't something you just forget about. The Patriots have apparently gone to great lengths to Cheat and if you think this is a one-time incident with the Patriots, your are crazy. Other teams and players are gonna snicker whenever they see the Patriots and they're gonna wonder if their calls or singals are being documented by them, or some other goofball idea Belichick comes up with to try to get a unfair advantage out of.

Everything the Patriots have accomplished under Bill Belichick is and will be tainted with doubt and skepticism.

I'm not happy about this and I'm not to happy with what Belichick did but what can you do when your a fan of the team that does something like this you can't just stop liking them and your crazy if you think those titles have been tarnished because if they are according to you so are the Broncos titles and the Steelers titles but no people still consider them as one of the best teams of that time just like the Patriots are still the best team of this time. Yea they could've cheated in the past I don't know but guess what neither does anyone else because theres no real proof. Moving on...

[QUOTE="mrgab"]Like said in the other post, the only punishment should had been forfeiting the win against the team they did this against.MissPeanut

Have to agree 100%

Yep...

I'm a Patriots fan, and I feel bad about this who;e situation. Honestly, I thought the punishment would be much more extreme for such blatant cheating. Bellicheck can afford to pay $500k, and $250k is nothing to a major sports team. The draft pick loss will hurt a bit, but in the end, really won't make a huge difference.Cube_of_MooN

1- if anyone thinks the pats are the only ones that have done something like this, then wow
2- I dont even wanna hear how they dont deserve there 3 championships, please its one thing to "know the singals" the other part is execution. come on the last minute drives with brady were all him, the big catches, the tight spirals, the runs and blocks all players. Ward, brown from the eagles etc can make excuses, the Patriots won wether they like it or not.

3- Belicheck should have been suspended for 4 or 8 or maybe the entire season. If NFL wants to make a statement suspend the guy. Or make the PAts start 0-1 and give the jets a 1-0.

[QUOTE="PatsFanVince"][QUOTE="Netherscourge"]

The NFL just dropped a notch or two IMO as a superior Professional Sport.

I know every sport has it's share of scandals, but this is rediculous. The Patriots have done this in the past and have been WARNED in the past and the most they get hit with is possibly a 1st round pick, in a year when they have TWO 1st round picks and a couple sub-1million fines to a Multi-Million Dollar Coach and Franchise?

pfft - whatever

Oh well, atleast the New England Cheaters and Bill Bellicheat's reputations are forever tainted.

Netherscourge

The only reason you even think that is because you hate the Pats but if it was any other team especially the Eagles you'd have a different tune. I think its a good punishment we lose a 1st rounder which is actually pretty harsh but fair and he gets fined done deal now time to move on and no nothing they've done in the past should be tainted because if they cheated all those years they would've won the last 6 out of 6 and they didn't.

I would not be happy about this if it was the Eagles. I'd be embarrased and ashamed of the coach and I'd feel like I was cheated out of a true championship.

This isn't something you just forget about. The Patriots have apparently gone to great lengths to Cheat and if you think this is a one-time incident with the Patriots, your are crazy. Other teams and players are gonna snicker whenever they see the Patriots and they're gonna wonder if their calls or singals are being documented by them, or some other goofball idea Belichick comes up with to try to get a unfair advantage out of.

Everything the Patriots have accomplished under Bill Belichick is and will be tainted with doubt and skepticism.

I disagree with the punishment, but not because I thought it was too harsh. Taking away a draft pick hurts the Patriots, but it also hurts some college kid as well. Instead of being taken in the first round (or the second and third) some college player may drop quite a bit further and lose out on a great deal of money.

Instead of losing draft picks, I think Coach Belichick should have been fined (which he was), the organization should have been fined (which I think it was as well), and Belichick should have been suspended for at least a couple of games.

The punishment is severe for those who think it isn't. Not having picks in future drafts is going to have long lasting effects. You can't trade 'em, and use them for drafting somebody, because you're not going to have them. Look at our aging defense. Nobody can't tell me it's not going to hurt us, because it is. Bilichik has to pay the fine himself. He can't use anyone else's money. It's been stated his money and his money alone. Hitting somebody in the wallet, hurts them the most. Nobody likes to pay a fine, and half a million is plenty. So yeah the penalty was stiff, and us fans may not understand it, but other owners, teams and coaches do. The Patriots were made example of what would happened to you if you broke the rules. They know Godell meant business. Maybe it's not to your liking but people know exactly what the commissoner is trying to accomplish.

As far as forfeiting the game, I have never seen anyone forfeit a game, and don't it's never going to happen. This is because although they got caught filming the opossing teams signals, you can't prove that is the reason why the Patriots won. Also, taking a win and giving it to another team, isn't the fixing the game in itself?

I also want to say that the Patriots aren't the only team to steal signals. It happens in every sport, and with the majority of teams. In football specifically, it is common for a coach to assign an asistant to watch the other teams's sideline to try and figure out their signals, but they don't go around filming it, which I think was a very stupid thing for the Patriots to do. That was the only thing they did wrong.

Wow as a die-hard pats fan i'm pretty pissed at the pats. Any way those are some pretty harsh pentelys.

Like said in the other post, the only punishment should had been forfeiting the win against the team they did this against.mrgab

[QUOTE="PatsFanVince"][QUOTE="Netherscourge"]

The NFL just dropped a notch or two IMO as a superior Professional Sport.

I know every sport has it's share of scandals, but this is rediculous. The Patriots have done this in the past and have been WARNED in the past and the most they get hit with is possibly a 1st round pick, in a year when they have TWO 1st round picks and a couple sub-1million fines to a Multi-Million Dollar Coach and Franchise?

pfft - whatever

Oh well, atleast the New England Cheaters and Bill Bellicheat's reputations are forever tainted.

Netherscourge

The only reason you even think that is because you hate the Pats but if it was any other team especially the Eagles you'd have a different tune. I think its a good punishment we lose a 1st rounder which is actually pretty harsh but fair and he gets fined done deal now time to move on and no nothing they've done in the past should be tainted because if they cheated all those years they would've won the last 6 out of 6 and they didn't.

I would not be happy about this if it was the Eagles. I'd be embarrased and ashamed of the coach and I'd feel like I was cheated out of a true championship.

This isn't something you just forget about. The Patriots have apparently gone to great lengths to Cheat and if you think this is a one-time incident with the Patriots, your are crazy. Other teams and players are gonna snicker whenever they see the Patriots and they're gonna wonder if their calls or singals are being documented by them, or some other goofball idea Belichick comes up with to try to get a unfair advantage out of.

Everything the Patriots have accomplished under Bill Belichick is and will be tainted with doubt and skepticism.

Man...stop this. Even I am a little ashamed of the Pats right now, but it's IMPOSSIBLE to cheat in Super Bowl. You guys just lost to a good team.

Also, anyone who said that losing a first pick means nothing to patriots don't know football. Have you seen our LBs. All of them are 30+. Not only that our OL is getting too old. With two first rounds, Pats could have addressed these issues, but now they only have one. This is a big blow.

[QUOTE="mrgab"]Like said in the other post, the only punishment should had been forfeiting the win against the team they did this against.bunchofpixels

Was anyone caught cheating in those games? no. Was anyone caught cheating in the NE/NYJ game, yes.