the patriots are laughing...

[gbgary]

in a league where everything is measured in million-dollar increments, and championships, the thought of a 500k fine to belchick $250k to the club is nothing. loosing a late first-round pick, when they have two coming, is nothing. other teams, and especially the patriots, will look at this and say "hey, it's worth it. we can afford to do this. no biggie." they'll just find a less obvious way to do it. the commissioner wasted a chance to make a game-affecting statement. no statement made here!!

[Badgerinmaine]

I don't know about that. First off, we don't know that it's a late-round pick. In fact, this article by the AP on ESPN's site says it could be a first-round pick next year:

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

The article goes on to say that Belichick got the NFL maximum fine for a coach--$500K--five times what Mike Tice got for scalping Super Bowl tickets (and I think Belichick deserved the maximum). I think I need to see just what the picks are going to be before I say the penalty was too light.

[packinpatland]

Belichick's statement:

"for the actions that led to tonight's ruling. Once again, I apologize to the Kraft family and every person directly or indirectly associated with the New England Patriots for the embarrassment, distracton and penalty my mistakes caused."
"I also appologize to Patriots fans and would like to thank them for their support during the past few days and throughout my career. As the Commissioner acknowledged, out use of sideline video had no impact on the outcome of last week's game. We have never used sideline video to oibtain a coompetitive advantage while the game was in progress."


Good God, where do I start

1. His "embarrassment, distracton and penalty my mistakes caused."...
there's a non-admission of guilt if I ever heard one.

2. His thanking fans for their support during the past few days.....once again, no guilt here.

3. "As the Commissioner acknowledged, out use of sideline video had no impact on the outcome of last week's game." .........talk about taking out of context, the commissioner said the tape was confiscated before the end of the first quarter therefore had no impact on the game.

4.Best for last...., We have never used sideline video to obtain a competitive advantage while the game was in progress." This is laugh out loud funny.......then why do it??!!!
Tell that to the Eagles when they played the Pats in the Superbowl.
The whole statement speaks to the man's arrogance,............ and his stupidity...............or his thinking that everyone else is....well,.... stupid.

[falco]

I don't know about that. First off, we don't know that it's a late-round pick. In fact, this article by the AP on ESPN's site says it could be a first-round pick next year:

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

The article goes on to say that Belichick got the NFL maximum fine for a coach--$500K--five times what Mike Tice got for scalping Super Bowl tickets (and I think Belichick deserved the maximum). I think I need to see just what the picks are going to be before I say the penalty was too light.

I think you misread; he said a "late first round pick", which it will have to be since it is only a first round pick if they make the playoffs; otherwise its their 2nd and 3rd.

[Guiness]

I'm torn over what to think about this level of punishment.

The money is somewhat significant...I know they make millions, and everything is relative, but 500K isn't chump change. It could've been more, but it wasn't ridiculously low.

A first round pick is a pretty good hit to a team, so that's not bad either. Not as much as others because they're a talented team, but that's not their fault.

I guess I was hoping for a suspension for him, 4 games or something. I don't know if there's any precedent for that. Has a coach ever been suspended before? I can't remember it.

The other thing is that this has to be considered a 'first offense'...even if everybody knows he's been doing it for a while, it's the first time he's been 'officially' caught. The other times (like in Lambeau) the issue wasn't pursued. How does this punishment compare to penalties players receive for a first offense? I like the comparison that someone made saying this is performance enhancing, so maybe his punishment should be similar to that of a player caught taking steroids.

[packinpatland]

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gbgary]

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL...well, this is a bigger embarrassment to the league than a couple of thug players. i think the punishment should have been greater.

[the_idle_threat]

This is what ... like the fourth or fifth thread on this same topic?

Any chance we could obsess over this a little more? Greeeeaaaaat. Thanks! :P

[Badgerinmaine]

I think you misread; he said a "late first round pick", which it will have to be since it is only a first round pick if they make the playoffs; otherwise its their 2nd and 3rd.

I read the original article early this morning, which I'm pretty sure didn't have that information in it. The updated version did.

(EDIT) I think I now see what you mean--GBGary said a late 1st round pick. My bad.

[Badgerinmaine]

I guess I was hoping for a suspension for him, 4 games or something. I don't know if there's any precedent for that. Has a coach ever been suspended before? I can't remember it.

I don't know if a head coach has or not--I would think someone, sometime must have been--but I know Wade Wilson (the old Vikings QB, now QB coach for the Cowboys) got a five game suspension for testing positive for human growth hormone (he says it was to help with his diabetes):

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3000615

It would seem to me that what Bill Belichick had the Patriots do did more to affect the outcome of games than what Wilson did.

[wist43]

I'm sure they'll keep cheating... as someone said, they'll just find another way - maybe hire a guy with a photographic memory, and just bypass the video camera.

No doubt in my mind they'll keep cheating.

[FritzDontBlitz]

a writer mentioned that bellichump (belicose?) should get a 4 game suspension like the players get.

i agree.

but, i guess we will have to be satisfied that all their former opponents are now casting aspersions on how the pats compiled their wins.

[OS PA]

Can they trade this pick before it's stripped from them?

[Merlin]

Just another day in the NFL. The ultimate punishment to me would have been to asterisks their Super Bowl wins !

[packinpatland]

Just another day in the NFL. The ultimate punishment to me would have been to asterisks their Super Bowl wins !

In my book there will be asterisks.*******lots of them**********