Patriot Acts
Bryan at Hot Air asks a question that exercises me more than Chinese lead paint or Palestinian “peace” overtures: “Should the Patriots get *asterisked in the record books?”
Everyone knows that the Patriots were caught in sideline shenanigans during the season opener against the Jets. The Pats won that one easily, 38-14. It turned out to be one of their closer games this season so far.
But since they were caught cheating, should there be a mark of shame put in the record book on this season if they go undefeated?
I don’t think so. Say what you want about their “eff you” TDs at the ends of games, but the Patriots aren’t leaving any doubt at all that they’re the best team in the NFL right now.
Damn right.
As Kevin Spacey said in “Swimming with Sharks”, shut up, listen, and learn. I’m only going to say this once.
The Patriots were caught in the first game of the year (only seven minutes in) training a camera on the coaching staff of their opponent across the field—after being expressly forbidden to do so. They deserved to get their butt kicked, and a $750,000 fine and the loss of a first-round draft pick amounted to a pretty good boot in the backside.
But what advantage did they gain—and if there was no advantage, does the violation rise to the level of cheating? If you’ll allow me some Clintonian parsing, filming coaches’ signals doesn’t help during the game; you’d be better off with binoculars in real time, not a camera capturing the the action for later. Film definitely helps with your preparation for next time, but the rules do not forbid cameras elsewhere in the stadium, and you can bet that the Patriots, and every other team in the league, tape multiple angles of everything they want to see.
That does not explain why a “genius” like Bill Belichick would defy the express orders of the league. He said he misinterpreted the rules, which is, frankly, an insulting answer—and I worship Belichick. I’m wearing one of those gray hoodies he favors as I write this (I’m not kidding). There’s arrogance, and then there’s insane recklessness. His critics have leveled the insanity charge before, but no one has ever accused the Rain Man of coaches of recklessness.
The one thing we do know is that the Patriots haven’t had this “advantage” from the seven-minute mark of the first quarter, and have still managed to outscore their opponents 355-147. Have some of those scores been an in-your-face to the rest of the league? Yeah, probably. Note to league: disrespect the Pats at your own peril. They can turn the most flattering valentine into “bulletin board” material, so accusing them of cheating is like waving a red flag at a six-foot-six, 310 lb. bull. Your funeral.
I didn’t think they’d beat the Colts last weekend (in Indy, and Peyton Manning’s no longer intimidated by Belichick), but they did. Now, I’d have to put an undefeated season and Super Bowl win at no worse than 50-50 (knock on wood). Which is what lies behind this rant:
“I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds’ home run record. I guess it will be noted that the Patriots were fined and a No.1 draft choice was taken away during that year of accomplishment. The sad thing is Tom Brady looks so good, it doesn’t look like he needs any help.”
Just keep hatin’ on ‘em, America. Disrespect is their mother’s milk.