OT: Goodell drops the hammer on Patriots

[40yearfan]

On the NFL channel they were talking about the coach who was caught using HGH and they suspended him for 5 games. Kinda uneven penalties if you ask me. I think BB should have been suspended for a certain amount of games rather than being fined. That would have hurt him worse.

 

[jw7]

That's not a hammer, more of a feather.

500K for the coach that probably makes around $5M and 250K to a team that makes $100M yearly in revenue just from TV contracts?

This makes me sad because the NFL is my favorite sport. First we had baseball with steroids, then we have an NBA ref on the take, and now the NFL wrist-slaps a coach for breaking the rules.

Hate David Stern all you want, but when the NBA found out the Timberwolves tried to get around the salary cap with Joe Smith, they fined them 3.5M and took away 5 first round draft picks. That is punishment.

 

[Russ Smith]

A suspension and a cap fine of the amount of cap it would have taken to sign those draft picks they will no longer have should have been added to this IMO.

Yep that's what I said too, it just gives them extra caproom for FA's. The NFL MUST have thought of that I have to assume, really sucks that they didn't do it correctly.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

while i agree that they should have eliminated the cap space related to the draft pick let's not lose track of what happened here . . . they LOST A FIRST ROUND PICK (in all likelihood). that's a mighty valuable commodity. granted it's likely a late first rounder, but it's a very valuable asset that the pats no longer get.

and i agree, belichick should have been suspended. i think 4 games with NO contact during the suspension would have been fitting.

 

[conraddobler]

The Blues in hockey minorly and I do mean minorly had some illegal contact with a potential free agent by a rouge coach who they fired shortly thereafter, and got hosed down for an ungodly amount of draft picks, high ones, it was akin to a public stoning.

This is like making your kid sit in a corner in comparision.

It stinks.

 

[az240zz]

What a sell out by the league. This guy should have been suspended for at least 5 games if not the whole season and the team fined at least 5,000,000.

Hell he must make 5 or 6 mil a year, that 500k isn't gonna bother him.

What a sell out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[az240zz]

while i agree that they should have eliminated the cap space related to the draft pick let's not lose track of what happened here . . . they LOST A FIRST ROUND PICK (in all likelihood). that's a mighty valuable commodity. granted it's likely a late first rounder, but it's a very valuable asset that the pats no longer get.

and i agree, belichick should have been suspended. i think 4 games with NO contact during the suspension would have been fitting.

You know that they will just find afree agent to replace any of the lost draft choices so I don't think its going to hurt them at all.

az240z

 

[D-Dogg]

Bunch of crap. Pansy ass slap on the wrist.

Screw that.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

One of these days a penalty levied by the Commissioner's office will actually hurt the team/coach/player who fouls up.

This is not that day.

Oh well, at least it wasn't us...

 

[clif]

You know what really bugs me? This...

I accept full responsibility for the actions that led to tonight's ruling. Once again, I apologize to the Kraft family and every person directly or indirectly associated with the New England Patriots for the embarrassment, distraction and penalty my mistake caused. I also apologize to Patriots fans and would like to thank them for their support during the past few days and throughout my career.
As the commissioner acknowledged, our use of sideline video had no impact on the outcome of last week's game. We have never used sideline video to obtain a competitive advantage while the game was in progress.
Part of my job as head coach is to ensure that our football operations are conducted in compliance of the league rules and all accepted interpretations of them. My interpretation of a rule in the Constitution and Bylaws was incorrect.
With tonight's resolution, I will not be offering any further comments on this matter. We are moving on with our preparations for Sunday's game.

Huh? What? Misunderstanding? Is this guy serious? He must really think everyone else is dumb? I mean he just said screw you to every fan, coach, player, and team in America. No explanation of exactly what he was doing or no apology to his peers. What a smuck! I hope they lose every game until the end of time.

 

[Lorenzo]

You know what really bugs me? This...

Huh? What? Misunderstanding? Is this guy serious? He must really think everyone else is dumb? I mean he just said screw you to every fan, coach, player, and team in America. No explanation of exactly what he was doing or no apology to his peers. What a smuck! I hope they lose every game until the end of time.

maybe he wasn't using that film in that game.......it can't be proven either way. but i'm sure he was definitely going to use it in the next game vs. jets. ever notice the difference in the way the pats play when they play an opponent the 2nd time in the same season? They look much better. steelers, colts, are two examples. anyway he should of been suspended 5 games like cowboys QB coach wade wilson was. Wade wilson violated NFL policy by taking HGH for his diabetes(spelling). he's an assistant coach and he got fined 100,000(for his salary that might be worse for him than what bill got). but what's even worse is he got suspended 5 games. totally inconsistent if you ask me. Last week jerry jones was talking about the severity of the punishment for wilson. One of the things he said was that it was unecessarily harsh, but it's okay because the league has been consistent with their penalties. Well I hope he is lighting up goodells phone right now.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I think it's pretty hard to suspend him for 4-5 games because it would give the next 5 opponents on the Pats schedule an unfair adavntage over the remaining teams that play them while he's on the sidelines and that could affect potential playoff teams. I agree that they baltantly cheated and Goodell did what he could while keeping the playing field level for the rest of the league. I like the cap space fine idea and they could have surrendered more draft picks but ,i think, a strong enough message was sent that other teams won't do it. The 1st round draft pick is a high price to pay for most teams. It's just that, for some reason, teams keep trading with NE to give them multiple firsts every year and their team is loaded so draft picks aren't as key to their success right now. Imagine if the Cards had to cough up a #1 next year.

 

[Cheesebeef]

On the NFL channel they were talking about the coach who was caught using HGH and they suspended him for 5 games. Kinda uneven penalties if you ask me. I think BB should have been suspended for a certain amount of games rather than being fined. That would have hurt him worse.

that's actually a GREAT point - upon thinking more about it, I really don't know how Bellicheck wasn't suspended from the team for at least 2, 3 or 4 games for blatantly cheating and getting caught... after already being warned about it.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think it's pretty hard to suspend him for 4-5 games because it would give the next 5 opponents on the Pats schedule an unfair adavntage over the remaining teams that play them while he's on the sidelines and that could affect potential playoff teams. I agree that they baltantly cheated and Goodell did what he could while keeping the playing field level for the rest of the league. I like the cap space fine idea and they could have surrendered more draft picks but ,i think, a strong enough message was sent that other teams won't do it. The 1st round draft pick is a high price to pay for most teams. It's just that, for some reason, teams keep trading with NE to give them multiple firsts every year and their team is loaded so draft picks aren't as key to their success right now. Imagine if the Cards had to cough up a #1 next year.

If this wouldn't have happened, the next 5 opponents on the Pats schedule may have been videotaped, etc. without their knowledge giving the Pats an unfair advantage.

If the fines were the max that they could levi, I am "fine" with that. They should have also lost their entire 2008 draft along with their rookie pool allotment of the salary cap.

 

[Russ Smith]

You know what really bugs me? This...

Huh? What? Misunderstanding? Is this guy serious? He must really think everyone else is dumb? I mean he just said screw you to every fan, coach, player, and team in America. No explanation of exactly what he was doing or no apology to his peers. What a smuck! I hope they lose every game until the end of time.

Completely agree CLif he didn't misinterpret any rule he was told directly don't do it, and he did it.

as for the wasn't used to help in game crap, then why in the world were you doing it? If you get Buffalo's signals in the first game and use them against them in the second game isn't that a competitive advantage in a game?

If you didn't think that was possible, you wouldn't be filming their signals.

I'm glad they got hit financially and lost a pick but Belicheck doesn't get
suspended bugs me. Note a suspension should have been a COMPLETE suspension as in no contact with the team for that period, not at practice, not at the facility. I realize that's tough to enforce but if you just refuse to let him stand on the sideline on Sunday he'll just call in and coach from his cellphone or something.

 

[Gambit]

I think it's pretty hard to suspend him for 4-5 games because it would give the next 5 opponents on the Pats schedule an unfair adavntage over the remaining teams that play them while he's on the sidelines and that could affect potential playoff teams. I agree that they baltantly cheated and Goodell did what he could while keeping the playing field level for the rest of the league. I like the cap space fine idea and they could have surrendered more draft picks but ,i think, a strong enough message was sent that other teams won't do it. The 1st round draft pick is a high price to pay for most teams. It's just that, for some reason, teams keep trading with NE to give them multiple firsts every year and their team is loaded so draft picks aren't as key to their success right now. Imagine if the Cards had to cough up a #1 next year.

An unfair advantage, you mean like the unfair advantage the pats just got? And Goodell has no problem suspending players which also substantially affects the game, sometimes for small things, sometimes for big things, but he showed he's a pansy when it comes to dealing with teams and coaches.

 

[Cheesebeef]

An unfair advantage, you mean like the unfair advantage the pats just got? And Goodell has no problem suspending players which also substantially affects the game, sometimes for small things, sometimes for big things, but he showed he's a pansy when it comes to dealing with teams and coaches.

that's the biggest problem with this - he's dropping the hammer left and right on the players, but what does it say to those same players when they see management/coaches get off relatively easy for things that hurt the game just as much. I don't care how much off-the-field activities may hurt advertising/revenue - try having a league that people don't think is on the up and up - that will be devastating. No one wants to watch the NFL like it's the WWE.

 

[jefftheshark]

What bothers me is what prevents the Owner from giving him the money back in the form of a "bonus" next time his contract comes around. The amount of money the Owners have made from having a winning team far overshadows the paltry fine they have to pay.

If anything, this penalty would tend to promote the very activity it aims to suppress. If the down side is minimal, why not cheat?

JTS

 

[blindseyed]

that's the biggest problem with this - he's dropping the hammer left and right on the players, but what does it say to those same players when they see management/coaches get off relatively easy for things that hurt the game just as much. I don't care how much off-the-field activities may hurt advertising/revenue - try having a league that people don't think is on the up and up - that will be devastating. No one wants to watch the NFL like it's the WWE.

Maybe they should've put Bill and Mangini in a steel cage..no disqualifications!

 

[nashman]

Weak, Weak punishment for such an offense! The commish missed the mark big time on this one! Pretty much expect to see this again at some point since an example was not made. Some team will take the risk with such a light penalty. So much money in sports its a small risk to take if say you could win a bunch more games and get paid!

 

[Dback Jon]

While I was suprised that they took this severe an action, it was not enough. Reduction to the salary cap, no contact for 6 games (not even phone calls), etc was warranted.

 

[CardLogic]

I sent the following email to the NFL:

Being a season ticket holder of a member team in the NFL, I feel obligated to express my opinion regarding the inadequacy of the actions taken by the commissioner’s office in the recent cheating scandal.​

​

The disciplinary actions taken against Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots were insufficient. The fines, while seeming large to the average person, are dwarfed by the income generated by a team in the NFL, so much so as to be inconsequential. We all know this.

The loss of draft picks while significant does not carry the full impact if it does not include the loss of corresponding salary cap associated with those draft picks. What prevents the Patriots from using the money not spent on draft picks for additional Free Agent acquisitions?

I applaud the efforts of the league to keep it’s affiliates free from usage of illegal and banned substances. In recent action the commissioner has suspended a coach (Wade Wilson) for 5 games for use of a banned substance. Mr. Wilson’s actions, while inappropriate, in no way impacted the on-field integrity of the league.

Whereas the actions of Mr. Belichick, and the New England Patriots in filming opponents signals are a direct infringement upon the integrity of the game itself! The fact that they continued this type of activity after having been warned about it previously illustrates their disregard for the commissioner’s office and the integrity of the NFL. A suspension of Mr. Belichick was warranted and should have been executed.

Additionally, the Patriots game vs. the Jets, during which the Patriots were caught conducting illegal activities, should have been forfeited. There may be additional games which also ought to be considered for forfeiture.

By taking far too lenient actions in this cheating offense by the Head Coach and the organization of the New England Patriots, the NFL commissioner’s office risks the continued attack upon the integrity of the league by those individuals and organizations who place winning above honor and integrity.​

http://www.nfl.com/contact-us

 

[Heucrazy]

Wow, most of you guys crack me up.

You really don't get the difference between losing a first rounder and being suspended for a few games?

If Goodell had suspended BB then it would have minimually effected the team for 4-5 games and then that's it.

Losing a FIRST ROUND PICK affects the team for YEARS. The Pats have just lost out on the ability to draft a cornerstone of their team that would play for them for at least 5 years. That's 5 years of production minuimum that Goodell just took from the Pats. That is harher than Belichick coaching from team headquaters during game day.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Wow, most of you guys crack me up.

You really don't get the difference between losing a first rounder and being suspended for a few games?

If Goodell had suspended BB then it would have minimually effected the team for 4-5 games and then that's it.

Losing a FIRST ROUND PICK affects the team for YEARS. The Pats have just lost out on the ability to draft a cornerstone of their team that would play for them for at least 5 years. That's 5 years of production minuimum that Goodell just took from the Pats. That is harher than Belichick coaching from team headquaters during game day.

while I agree that losing a first rounder is a big blow, I believe it should have been BOTH losing the first rounder and a suspension for BB.

 

[joeshmo]

Losing a FIRST ROUND PICK affects the team for YEARS. The Pats have just lost out on the ability to draft a cornerstone of their team that would play for them for at least 5 years. That's 5 years of production minuimum that Goodell just took from the Pats. That is harher than Belichick coaching from team headquaters during game day.

They will just use that save cap space they would have used on that draft pick to sign a FA or extend a another players deal for 5 years.