Analysis: Diehard Patriots Cheating

As a diehard Patriots fan, this article was a tough read for me, as it is basically attacking the integrity of the organization. The author’s primary intentions are to prove that the Patriots have a tendency of cheating and show that Commissioner Roger Goodell has been inconsistent with his discipline towards the Patriots. The article starts off with an overview of spygate to set the precedent for deflategate: that cheating would not be tolerated.

The author uses numerous pieces of evidence from Spygate to prove that the Patriots were guilty. They interview people who worked for the Patriots to explain the magnitude of spygate. All of the Patriots success was viewed as the result of cheating. I believe that the Patriots were guilty in spygate,
but not to the magnitude that the article tries to portray. For instance, I don’t believe the Patriots had a low-level employee sneak into the opposing locker room and steal play sheets. That just sounds ridiculous.

I believe the Patriots were guilty of recording opposing teams signals. However, I don’t think they were the only team to do it. Former super bowl winning, Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson admitted to trying similar practices. The Patriots may have been the first caught, but they weren’t the only ones doing it. Bill Belichick tends to find loopholes in NFL rules, so if something is not explicitly stated, he will use it to his advantage. That is partly the NFL’s fault for leaving gaps in the rulebook.

Another topic brought up is how goodell is working with the patriots and letting them commit acts, which he then sweeps “under the rug.” The Patriots were punished $250,000 and a first round draft pick, whereas Belichick was fined $500,000. Many owners in the NFL believed the Patriots got off easy with one reason being how close Goodell and Robert Kraft are. Goodell ordered the spygate evidence to be destroyed instead of being investigated, which drew harsh criticism. However, destroying the evidence eliminates the Patriot’s ability to use the videotapes faster than conducting an investigation. Therefore, I believe Goodell acted in the right in this instance. Goodell did go on to form the "Policy on Integrity of the Game & Enforcement of Competitive Rules."

The spygate situation hurt the Patriots’ legacy.
The author writes, “It didn't matter that the Patriots went 18-1 in 2007. Or that they would average more wins a season after Spygate than before. Or that Belichick would come to be universally recognized as his generation's greatest coach. Or that many with the Patriots remain mystified at the notion that a historic penalty was somehow perceived to be lenient. The Patriots were forever branded as cheaters -- an asterisk, in the view of many fans, forever affixed to their wins.”

And then there was deflategate, an incident that took place at the AFC Championship game. The Patriots’ footballs were inflated under the required PSI level. However, the game was played is extremely cold weather, so the cold could have deflated the balls just as it does to tires on a car. There is still question whether or not the opposing team, the Colts’, balls were also inflated. People believed that a Patriots’ ball boy deliberately deflated the balls on quarterback Tom Brady’s orders. Even if the balls were slightly underinflated, they did not have too big of an impact. Running back LeGarrette Blount ran for 148 yards and three touchdowns. An underinflated football would not have a big difference in the running game. A private investigation was done by Ted Wells and he found that it was “more probable than not” that Tom Brady was involved in deflating the balls. Goodell then suspended Brady for four games and punished the
organization.

Furthermore, deflategate seems like an attack following spygate.
Just because the Patriots cheated once, people expect them to do it again. Many people believe the harsh deflategate punishments were a “makeup call” for letting the Patriots off easy in spygate. Although, the punishments to Tom Brady were completely unnecessary. There was no hard evidence that proved Brady was involved. After Brady’s appeal, Goodell upheld his 4 game suspension because Brady declined to hand over his cell phone. Brady shouldn’t have to, as the current collective bargaining agreement does not require him to do so. Brady’s appeal went to a judge, where his suspension was overturned. Goodell’s plan to defame Brady to make himself look like a legitimate disciplinary force came up short. Ultimately, Goodell’s job is not to damage the reputation of players, and him doing so is overstepping his authority. You have to play by the rules as well,
Roger.