Pats' latest scandal is serious business

[trumad]

I agree---this is far worse than spygate.


<snip>
When Walsh met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, he blew the whistle on the Patriots using players on injured reserve during practice. Goodell chose his words carefully at the press conference following the May 13 meeting with Walsh, explaining only that Walsh said "there was a tape at one point in time of a player inappropriately practicing." The question left unanswered is the extent to which the Patriots engaged in such conduct outside the presence of a camera lens, and after Walsh left the team in 2003.

Enter Ross Tucker. The former Patriots offensive lineman has joined the media, and he recently wrote that the Patriots were using injured players in practice as recently as 2005. Tucker also says that none of the other three teams he played for did the same thing.

<snip>
Goodell has said that he'll investigate Walsh's claims, but that he won't impose further penalty on the Patriots if Walsh's claim is corroborated.

But what if Tucker's claim is corroborated, too? And what if an investigation reveals that the Patriots have been using injured players in practice for most of the Bill Belichick era? Can Goodell really do nothing further to the team at that point, especially since he made it clear last year that the Patriots had a chance to come clean, and that any future evidence of undisclosed cheating would result in harsh sanctions?

As one league source opined to ProFootballTalk.com last week, the use of injured players in practice is more significant than the videotaping of defensive coaching signals. As the source explained it, the tactic allows "injured" players to be stashed on the roster, preventing other teams from claiming them on waivers. It gives the "injured" players an opportunity to develop their skills. It gives the healthy players a break from practice reps.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24830585/

[Fearless]

1. It's only serious because neocons are looking for a distraction...

Does anyone else notice that all other teams, players, coaches, and staff are completely mum about it? Why? Because they all do it.

[rinsd]

2. Pats fans now rationalize embarrassment at cheating revelations as Bush did it?

"Does anyone else notice that all other teams, players, coaches, and staff are completely mum about it? Why? Because they all do it."

Did you even read the article with a former player stating the exact opposite?

Or do you only believe proven liars like Bellichick?

[trumad]

4. Really---

In that article...the player that exposes them has played for 3 different teams and he said he's never seen it.

[joeybee12]

6. It's called piling up...the media has grabbed onto spygate, so they

look for anything bad the Patriots have done, and perhaps ignore what other teams have done. It's because the media does not know balance or fairness, because once they get their whipping boy, they won't stop. People need to stop believing everything the media reports.

[trumad]

7. Oh wahhhhhhh

Jesus Christ Pat's fans are the biggest fucking babies on the planet. Look at the fucking story and tell me if what they did broke the fucking rules. The everybody else did it defense it getting quite old with you patsies.

[joeybee12]

8. Wah yourself...

...my point is we'll never know about whether the other teams did it because the media won't go there...they're pathetic. Look at how they operate and try and tell me otherwise that once they get a story they stick to the storyline regardless of evidence to the contrary.

[trumad]

11. Oh horseshit

You're boy is a major cheater and you're weaseling out of reality with the blame the media game.

[joeybee12]

12. One person complains and the story is over...

...yup, believe one person before any real facts are out. Typical indeed.

[trumad]

13. OK

but let's say that the Pats indeed played player who were on the no play list, what then?

[andres hunter]

3. Send Belichick to jail

now.

[madinmaryland]

5. I assume Arlen Spector will be on this right away!!1!!

[Mojambo]

9. You get the sense that the Pats and Bellicheck just don't think the rules apply to them.

Very arrogant.

[Forkboy]

10. I wish someone besides Goodell was looking into this.

I don't mean Specter and the government, who have actual important things to do. But I don't trust Goodell at all, and as you know I'm a Pats fan.

[Awsi Dooger]

14. I have no respect for Goodell

He disgusts me more than any commissioner, any sport in the 40 years I've been old enough to pay attention.

His face screams of a backroom paperwork crook. That's what I sensed as soon as he was hired. I don't now anything about his background but as soon as I saw him he looked like a corporate shill with no threat of charisma like Rozelle or every man qualities like Tagliabue.

I'd like to punch him.