The 2007-08 National Football League Thread

[Wolfman]

The fact that you are obsessed with the Patriots and the fact that I don\'t care about the Colts tells you all you need to know about which situation we\'d all prefer to be in.  

I understand your plight, I\'ve been on the other side of it.  As Red Sox fan pre-2004 we all obsessed about the Yankees, while Yankee fans didn\'t care about the Red Sox.  And that was half the agony of it really, was that no matter how hard we tried to rile Yankee fans, they just didn\'t care.  This is the same thing.  You\'ll know you\'re on top when the Patriots don\'t bother you anymore.

[antbach]

Go Bruins!

Oh shit. Wrong thread. No wait, that one never gets three pages full of talk in an entire season. So yea:

Go Bruins!

As Red Sox fan pre-2004 we all obsessed about the Yankees, while Yankee fans didn\'t care about the Red Sox.  And that was half the agony of it really, was that no matter how hard we tried to rile Yankee fans, they just didn\'t care.

Some of us still don\'t care, just to letchya know.

[Spacey]

I can\'t wait for the fucking Colts-Patriots game in week 9. One of you mo-fo\'s are coming to the next Breakfast show, after the game, fully painted in the other teams colors. Weak sauce wearing the other teams jerseys.

Talk the talk boys, lets walk the walk and make this interesting.

[jking]

ummm, a guy named chip called. said he was sorry about something...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3014677

Updated: September 11, 2007, 6:16 PM ET

NFL Determines Pats Violated Rules

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.

The Patriots will be allowed an opportunity to present their case by Friday, sources said, most likely via the telephone.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on Tuesday that no official decision has been made and that the club has not been notified.

The league also was reviewing a possible violation into the number of radio frequencies the Patriots were using during Sunday\'s game, sources said. The team did not have a satisfactory explanation when asked about possible irregularities in its communication setup during the game.

Goodell is expected to have a decision no later than Friday but that is not set in stone.

Chris Mortensen covers the NFL for ESPN.

[Spacey]

The only thing surprising about this is that the Patriots were caught.

My understanding is this is common practice in the NFL. Teams have up to 7 people video taping the teams and games from the sideline and coaches booth. Granted some electronic devices are against rules but this shouldn\'t be that shocking to anyone. I guarantee most teams have been involved in this practice over the last few NFL seasons.

To me this is the same as a runner on second stealing the signals from the catcher. Just change your signals or have false signals.

Whats worse is that this is the 4th time that these accusations have been made against the teams. Had they not been caught prior to this with visual evidence? Sad really on the Patriots part for not smartening up and the NFL for not taking action prior to this (unless they had no evidence).

[jking]

they were suspected, but no one ever got the evidence before.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/09/11/like-jets-lions-and-packers-bills-accuse-patriots-of-stealing/


The list of teams that suspect the New England Patriots of stealing signals is growing daily. Shortly after an investigation was launched by the NFL, which was preceded by an accusation from the Jets, the Green Bay Packers stepped up and echoed the New York\'s concerns.

"From what I can remember, [the camera man] had quite a fit when we took him out," Packers president Bob Harlan said. "We had gotten word before the game that they [the Patriots] did this sort of thing, so we were looking for it."

Lions general manager Matt Millen has also come forward and informed the NFL that Detroit caught the Patriots doing the same thing last December. And as if that wasn\'t enough, the Buffalo Bills have now entered the fold as well.

According to a report by the Boston Herald, the Bills suspected the Patriots were cheating in their 28-6 loss to New England last October, but did not have enough evidence to warrant a complaint. However, in light of these more recent discoveries, Buffalo has decided to review the film from both games last year.

When I first heard wrote about this, I suggested that we all take it as a grain of salt because it appeared to be a rumor and nothing more. Unfortunately for the Patriots, that no longer seems to be the case. The evidence is piling up day-by-day, and I get the feeling that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

what i find funny is that the pats apparently felt that their vaunted qb (whom i still wish i had taken) couldn\'t beat the LIONS without cheating!! :lol:




[evil]and in all honesty, i don\'t really care all that much. its just fun to stir up trash talking![/evil]

[Yoda]

Since the NFL has ruled that the pats cheated, take the W away from them and give it to the JETS or replay the game.  It obviously gave them an unfair advantage, so lets replay the game on level ground.

[Wolfman]

Some of us [Yankee fans] still don\'t care [about the Red Sox], just to letchya know.

Believe me, I know. I\'m living your end of it as a Pats fan.  The Sox got the Yankees one time, but the Yankees are still so far out in front overall that most Yankee fans got over it quickly and still aren\'t bothered by the Sox.  Totally understandable.

Now to rewrite that paragraph for NFL purposes...

The Colts got the Pats one time, but the Pats are still so far out in front overall that most Pats fans got over it quickly and still aren\'t bothered by the Colts.  Totally understandable.

The present day Boston sports fan is in the unique position of living both ends of this dichotomy simultaneously through their top two teams.

[Yoda]

The Sox will choke in the playoffs!  But if they do make it to the series, make sure that Youkilis keeps his mit on the dirt when fielding a ground ball.

[SlimPickens]

The Colts got the Pats one time, but the Pats are still so far out in front overall that most Pats fans got over it quickly and still aren\'t bothered by the Colts.  

With the news coming out today, it\'s looking like those New England super bowl wins may need a

*

[Spacey]

Since the NFL has ruled that the pats cheated, take the W away from them and give it to the JETS or replay the game.  It obviously gave them an unfair advantage, so lets replay the game on level ground.

I disagree. We can not prove that it gave them an advantage. Just because they stole signals that game doesn\'t mean they used them information right away, they could have used it to steal signals for the next game (probably didn\'t) but there is no evidence that they used it immediately.

Personally, the Patriots probably could have beat the Jets with there talent alone.

The Colts got the Pats one time, but the Pats are still so far out in front overall that most Pats fans got over it quickly and still aren\'t bothered by the Colts.  

With the news coming out today, it\'s looking like those New England super bowl wins may need a

*

HAHA!

Nice. Tainted Records.

[Yoda]

They still cheated and had the information to make adjustments.  The score was only 14-7 at half, so it was still a close enough game.  I think that it\'s unfair to assume that the Jets would loose anyway because they\'re the Jets.  But too me (and again I say, to me) it seems as though the Jets are being penalized as well.  Fine, the pats may lose some draft picks because of this - what do the Jets get out of this - absolutely nothing.  If a baseball player hit a home run in a game and it was determined that the bat he used was corked, the home run would be taken away and the score would be affected.  In hockey, if a team scored and the goalie was interferred with, the goal would not count.  Why shouldn\'t the same premise hold true for a football game?

[Gfunk]

The jets woulda lost anyhow.
<<(Not really a pats fan for the record)

[Yoda]

Again, I\'m a Jets fan and I\'m not completely disagreeing with you, but we\'ll never know now.  And the Jets have been cheated out of that chance.

[Spacey]

Talent alone on the Patriots is what makes me believe that the Jets would have lost.

Again, no proof that the Patriots uses their knowledge to effect the outcome of the game.

While wrong to do, there is no evidence they used it to give them an advantage in the game at this time. Until there is proof that the video evidence influenced the Patriots win, they are free of that guilt. Let the NFL prove them guilty of letting that information influence this win and then we can discuss whether they deserve to get the win stripped.