OT: Goodell determines Pats broke rules by taping Jets' sign

[SportsWorld]

Why does everyone in sports have to cheat now a days?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3014677

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has determined that the New England Patriots violated league rules Sunday when they videotaped defensive signals by the New York Jets' coaches, according to league sources.

NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella on the New England sidelines when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Sources say the visual evidence confirmed the suspicion.

Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks" because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents.

[Posey H8er]

So much for being a Grade-A class organization

[SportsWorld]

[Art Vandelay]

If you aren't cheating, you aren't trying. Not like the Pats need draft picks anyways.

[emperorjones]

Now will see if this commish is legit or just full of sh%t. Pacman Jones loses a year salary for something unrelated to football that the commish says "tarnishes" the "image" of the game. What about cheating? In any little league high school game I bet if you're found cheating its an easy forfiet. In college if you cheat by paying players, breaking rules you can lose games or even titles. Lets see if this commish is just a bully or the reakl deal. If he determines they cheated in the game, the victory should go to the Jets.

[NLK]

Now if there's a team/organization to run over with a mack truck, its the Pats! I guess we should have known that when Tom Brady said in 60 mins interview that the "games are all scripted." Intriguing as to what Roger Goodell does now, all eyes are watching him! The least he can do is rob them of their draft picks for the next 5 years.

[emperorjones]

I think they should lose a game in the standings. Let the game stand so that gamblers don't cry, but dock them a game in the standings. So they are officially 0-1

[WEFFPIM]

A first round pick should do the trick. I just don't get why the Patriots would feel the need to do this

[emperorjones]

I don't like them losing a pick actually. That hurts the team for the long term. This coaching staff could leave next year - leaving the fans the only ones hurt for their cheating. As I mull this over, Belicheck should be suspended for the year - ala Pacman.

[dougthonus]

I think a year suspension is pretty tough for Belicheck, but a 4 game suspension (can't be at practice or games) would be appropriate. Especially since it was at least his second offense, and this is similar to what they'd do to you for a second offense of drug abuse in the testing program.

The organization cheated, so I have no problem with the organization losing picks even if Belicheat leaves. That's common in NCAA with recruiting violations as well. The organization is responsible for it's coaches behavior.

I also think just flipping the result of the game from a win to a loss and same for the Jets would be fair punishment. It would never happen as it would cause far too much outrage, but I think it would be fair and strict enough that it would stop anyone from doing this again ever.

[emperorjones]

If this were any other commisioner I'd agree with you and the four games, but because this jag wants to be Mr. Tuff with the players and their conduct that brings down the game, I think he has to be at LEAST as tuff on someone who was warned about cheating, had complaints from other teanms about it, and then had the balls to do it again. 8 games, no practice, no facilities use at a minimum.

[dougthonus]

Looks like they went soft on the Pats and Belicheat to me.

They fined him a bunch of money which quite frankly neither team will give a crap about int he long run. It's too late to hit people in the pocket book in this day and age IMO.

Then they stripped 1 likely first round draft pick.

No suspension. No forfeiture of game. Those 2 things would have really forced teams to stop doing this. What they did, eh.. The Patriots will get by without a first round pick, and they could probably care less about the money. I don't even know if this is big enough to stop them from trying it again.

[emperorjones]

Pacman Jone's fine comes out to more than $500,000 for off the field non-related actions. This was for cheating. Very soft. And pick wise, its not like they are picking top 10.