Pats' Penalty Stiff Enough?
Players caught using performance enhancing substances to gain a competitive advantage, such as San Diego's Shawne Merriman, automatically sit out four games. Yet Belichick received no suspension. A five-game suspension was handed down to Cowboys assistant coach Wade Wilson, who claims he used the product for erectile dysfunction. Yet Belichick gets off with just a fine for blatantly and arrogantly disregarding the rules?
And how does the team itself receive a sanction that amounts to pocket change? Something just doesn't seem right here.
Does this type of thing go on among other teams? Maybe, but as it relates to the New England's punishment, it doesn't really matter. The fact is, we know the Patriots cheated. They were caught red-handed, and they deserve to be harshly punished.
The big question now is, will the punishment handed out by commissioner Roger Goodell be enough to deter other coaches and teams from doing the same? Will the cost outweigh the benefits derived from this type of covert action? Losing a first-round draft pick certainly hurts, and half million dollars is nothing to sneeze at, even for Belichick. But if the Patriots have been benefitting from this for a significant amount of time, perhaps it's worth the risk.
Think about this. How many coaches and franchises out there would be willing to risk the penalty in this case if they thought they might approach the Patriots' success over much of the last decade? I'm thinking probably more than a few.
There's no way Belichick should have walked away from this with anything less than a four-game suspension. It really sends a bad message to the rest of the league.
Comments
AS IN MANY INSTANCES IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS, WHAT KIND OF EXAMPLE IS THIS SETTING FOR THE CHILDREN WE TRY SO HARD TO TEACH TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS?
Seems to me the win should have been forfeited. Isn’t it obvious that the win is tainted?
The Patriots should have had to forfeit their game with the Jets.
The Nfl just gave him a little slap.
For starters - I suspect there is a lot more to this story than the media, you or I are cognizant of… An intelligent man like Belichick
certainly had alterior motives that enabled him to “pacify” getting caught…There is something other than the obvious at play here..
The penalty was plenty steep - the draft pick alone is HUGE!!! The decency of Goodell recognized this. He wants to shape the NFL up and is using the Pats as an example. I am definitely for this!! With respect to the Pats, those videos don’t make a damned bit of difference for their standing (past, present and future).. I AM disappointed because their victorious track record is being questioned.. I believe the Pats earned all their victories..These videos are just superfluous information that don’t translate into anything… It’s the ability, intelligence and
execution of a play and players that determine victories and extended success!! Best of luck to Goodell and his admirable goals for the NFL!!!
I’m not justifying the cheating because that’s exactly what it was. However, Bellicheck got caught and how many others did not. He’s not new or original in this. The shame is that it detracts from one of the finest teams around and a team that has exemplified the very things we are trying to teach our kids like teamwork, selflessness and striving for your best. That’s the real shame here.
Would a 2nd rounder and a 4 game Belichick suspension have made you happy?
No, BJ, but the same penalty he received, along with a four-game suspension would have. Seems more appropriate in light of all the suspensions handed out lately.