pherein

Interesting discusion on Patriots Forum

Do you wish the Patriots challenged Goodell (like the Saints are doing)?
Do you wish the Patriots challenged Goodell (like the Saints are doing)? - New England Patriots Forums - PatsFans.com Patriots Fan Messageboard

SloMotion

I do ... I would have liked to see New England challenge the Commish more ... facts like Roger destroying evidence & that had the taping location been a few yards back it would have been legal under the rules, never get the attention of the media or the rest of NFL fans unless the accused fights back. But I can understand why they didn't, no players were involved ... coaches & owners are on the 'management' side of the NFL and pretty much have to just suck-it-up.

It's not that I thought NE was innocent, but like the Saints situation, I think it was blown way out of proportion and mishandled by the league front office. Everybody tapes, everybody watches tapes ... fine 'em for having their cameras in the wrong place & be done with it ... with the talent NE had at that time, you gonna' tell me they wouldn't have been as succesful without a few tapes? That train was gonna' run on time no matter what.

Lastly, it makes me wonder if had NE stood up to Roger's bullying, would he have been so inclined to hand out such lengthy suspensions in the case of the Saints? Makes me wonder.

pherein

I know slo, after the fines, the next season the patriots had their 17-0 2007 season. Don't think they needed the tapes,lol.

I wonder like you though. We may not be going threw this if someone before had just stood up to Goodell.

SaintsBro

Yeah,but I think the big difference to me is that, in the case of Spygate, they had a still photo of the guy actually videotaping from the sidelines -- and then they had the tape of the Jets itself, obviously shot from the same angle of the guy on the sidelines who was holding the camera in the still photo, and they had the rule that was prohibiting it. So to me, the slam dunk evidence there with the Patriots (the PHOTO of the guy filming, confirming that it really happened) was MUCH different from the piecemeal circumstantial case built against the Saints, that was largely based on hearsay and accusations from disgruntled ex-employees and complaints from losing teams and so forth.

I mean I saw that still photo of the Patriots guy on the sidelines taping and then read about it, and as a fan, it's like, okay, I can see it with my own two eyes, he's right there filming, I don't doubt that. Whereas almost everything presented in the Saints' case just doesn't add up, in terms of logic or evidence or the "smell test." And they keep changing what they are accusing the Saints of and changing what they say the evidence was.

Interesting thread, though.

pherein

I agree with you SB, but some fans see the GW audio as a smoking gun.
Unfortunatly most other fans don't understand that the NFL was lying when it said GW,SP, and others admitted to a bounty program. They just can't get past that the gun never existed.
But, I agree, completely different cases.

I do find it funny that they still think Benson, SP, and the others not speaking out is an admission of guilt, and not what it really is. Trying to save theirs jobs,lol.

but yeah interesting read..

Tobias-Reiper

Pats had nothing to gain from challenging Goddell then: $250,000 fine, give up the #1 pick out of the 2 they had, case closed, move on.

Beastmode

All valid points. Much different scenarios. There was nothing to fight as far as I'm concerned with the Pats. Were other teams doing it, you bet there were, but the Pats got caught with their pants down.

One similar thing though is just like the Saint, they claim it went on for years which means the Pats ignored the rules, just like they claim the Saints did however they got no suspensions and the evidence was destroyed when other people started asking questions. That's not going to happen with the Saints and the NFL just started a freakin hotline.

QBREES9

They just rolled over. Like sheep.

Ashley

Why? they were caught cheating right, I think if they didn't know they were caught I think they would have.

sharke

before it happened to my team; no. after it happened to my team; yes. completely self centered, I'm aware.