DFan4Ever:

sharkbait:

 Sorry gang but it's not that important to me.

Government and sports, I just don't think they need to mix this much. I would prefer our government focus on doing right for the people and not so much the games. The league themselves can change the front office structure and deal with these types of problems. Create their own watch dog system and leave the politicians to do their jobs.

Great idea. Have the crooks investigating themselves.

Take it a step further. How many billions of dollars are spent in the NFL economy machine each year?(think of the yearly salary cap for starters) Do you think it is in the government's interest to make sure this thriving market continues? The last thing we need with an economy that is almost stopped is for consumers to lose confidence in any market. Then the bottom will drop out on us.

SirCowboys:

KD_Kingpin:

SirCowboys:

I do not think it will matter much. They can invistigate it and want to know why all they want but nothing still will come out of it because the evidance is gone.

 

 

I think forcing Goodell to admit that he was covering something up by destroying the tapes will be huge in itself. Remember, when it first came to light the guy says that there will be full disclosure of the findings, then he destroyed all the evidence after punishing the culprits!!!! How much more conspiracy evidence is needed?

 

The American public is so easily herded... sad in my eyes. 

 

Unlike baseballs steroid hearings, there is one person, directly, that can be blamed. He is the commissioner and given the power he has through the anti-trust exemption the gov't has given the NFL. Mismanaging the fair play/equal ground aspect is a direct violation of this perk. This could easily  be the end to a short career as commissioner by Goodell.

But with all the evidance destroyed all they can really do is ask him why he destroyed it.

And if he doesn't answer those questions to congress' satisfaction,the NFL can lose that exemption.

Capt. Sunshine:

billbates:

is it possible that Belicheat and Gooddell were singing show tunes and trying out the cheerleader outfits together on tape...?

If so, we should be thankful that they were destroyed.  I DO NOT need to see that. 

You KNOW  you wanna see that.

Capt. Sunshine:

Starbuck:

To quote my wife, Wish: 

See, the thing is, if I won the Lottery, My picture would probably be in the paper, and there would be news stories about me too. But if it was found out that I knew the numbers that were going to be called beforehand, they would probably consider that not to be on the level and want that money back, no matter how much I assured them that it didn't have anything to do with my winning, nor how much I promised that I turned all my materials over to them without any search. Next they would probably invite me to be a guest at a correctional facility for an extended period of time.

It boggles the mind how the almost same exact thing in the NFL would fly, but sadly, so far it has, better than a magic carpet.

They did get punished (fines, lost first round draft pick).  Most people on this board just think they didn't get punished severely enough.

It's as if Wish got 5 years for knowing the numbers, but people thought that she should have gotten the electric chair. 

The analogy i drew from that is the wanting the money (titles) back. Take back the trophies and award em to the teams  they "beat".

seansean:

The U.S. is entering a recession..the dollar is at a 35 year low...oil is at an alltime high...corporate consolidation in all areas of business threatens the quality/quantity of U.S. jobs...a shrinking middle class.....an overextended military...trade and fiscal deficits....and the SENATE WANTS TO HOLD HEARINGS ABOUT CHEATING IN FOOTBALL??!!!

 The citizens have truly become sheeple...because they tolerate an ever increasing governmental interference into what are or used to be private matters. The NFL is subject UNLIKE baseball to the anti-trust laws. This incident was only illegal under the PRIVATE rules and regs of the NFL.

National Football League DOES NOT mean owned by the government.

my country makes me sad...the politicians disgust me and the citizenry a pitiful herd.

I am never going back there...ever...you can have it.

That's the exact opposite from the way i've seen it reported. The problem as explained by Mr Specter is that this impacts the NFL's antitrust EXEMPTION (NOT subject to the anti trust laws) If anything improper is found they stand to lose that exemption.

Joey Jordan:

DFan4Ever:

sharkbait:

 Sorry gang but it's not that important to me.

Government and sports, I just don't think they need to mix this much. I would prefer our government focus on doing right for the people and not so much the games. The league themselves can change the front office structure and deal with these types of problems. Create their own watch dog system and leave the politicians to do their jobs.

Great idea. Have the crooks investigating themselves.

Take it a step further. How many billions of dollars are spent in the NFL economy machine each year?(think of the yearly salary cap for starters) Do you think it is in the government's interest to make sure this thriving market continues? The last thing we need with an economy that is almost stopped is for consumers to lose confidence in any market. Then the bottom will drop out on us.

Yeah,i can see it now. The NFL gets relegated to the after 9pm slots like TNA and WWE because of thier mediocre fan base. I'd probably still watch some football (after all,it IS entertainment)  but i WOULD like to know up front if what i'm watching is fixed or not. Yeah, i DO watch wrestling from time to time just so i can laugh at how they over-dramatize everything.

n.c.cowboy:

It needs to be investigated.  And Goodell, as much as I appreciate him cracking down on the crackheads and punks (such as pacman), needs to be checked out on his methodology in deciding how to punish the patsies.  He makes them lose a 1st round draft pick, all the while knowing they've got 2 #1's (and he makes them lose the worst of the two!!).  And all the while he's suspending a Dallas COACH for drug activity that obviously had nothing to do with football, that could have easily been handled behind closed doors or warnings issued. 

And this isn't even talking about the Roy Williams suspension, while the patsies have a loose cannon like Wilfork running loose doing anything he wants.  And don't hand me that crap that Wilfork "hasn't done the same crime 3 times" -- that's BS, his conduct on the field shows all anyone needs to get his @$$ suspended.

 

I agree 100% KD... keep us posted!!

DFan4Ever:

sharkbait:

 Sorry gang but it's not that important to me.

Government and sports, I just don't think they need to mix this much. I would prefer our government focus on doing right for the people and not so much the games. The league themselves can change the front office structure and deal with these types of problems. Create their own watch dog system and leave the politicians to do their jobs.

Great idea. Have the crooks investigating themselves.

Your under the impression that the government does not employ crooks itself? hhmm

Face the truth, deceit is a human trait especially when wealth is involved.

I'm not in any way saying it does not piss me off that someone may be cheating my favorite sport, just I think there are more important issues for the government to be dealing with.

Lastly, if it has ill effects on 31 other franchises then would it not be 31 other sets of crooks to choose representitives from to form the "Crooks watching Crooks" system? At which point who then would gain? I'm not sure all the owners would go for one team being at the top always through some sort of back door un-leveled playing field.

sharkbait:

DFan4Ever:

sharkbait:

 Sorry gang but it's not that important to me.

Government and sports, I just don't think they need to mix this much. I would prefer our government focus on doing right for the people and not so much the games. The league themselves can change the front office structure and deal with these types of problems. Create their own watch dog system and leave the politicians to do their jobs.

Great idea. Have the crooks investigating themselves.

Your under the impression that the government does not employ crooks itself? hhmm

Face the truth, deceit is a human trait especially when wealth is involved.

I'm not in any way saying it does not piss me off that someone may be cheating my favorite sport, just I think there are more important issues for the government to be dealing with.

Lastly, if it has ill effects on 31 other franchises then would it not be 31 other sets of crooks to choose representitives from to form the "Crooks watching Crooks" system? At which point who then would gain? I'm not sure all the owners would go for one team being at the top always through some sort of back door un-leveled playing field.

I'm old enough to know politicians are crooks. The point is it's better to have an outside party doing an investigation, not the people involved.

Here's a link to Greg Easterbrook's column on espn.com detailing the timeline of the craziness a lot of you would rather not admit to... we are about to see a full-fledged cover up exposed people. prepare for a CRAZY offseason. not to say i told ya so... but dam open your eyes.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/080202&sportCat=nfl

 

wow good stuff KD keep up the good work. very interesting artical and it made alot of sense.

 

I hope Sen. Specter and company strongly go after the NFL, "not so" Goodell, and the Cheaters.  This is no different than using Steroids or any other performance enhancing drugs to better yourself against your competition.  What a bunch of Cheaters, not only the Cheaters, but also "the Cheaters" running the NFL.  What a joke this sport is becoming.  What a disgrace.  I'm fuming!   

KD_Kingpin:

Here's a link to Greg Easterbrook's column on espn.com detailing the timeline of the craziness a lot of you would rather not admit to... we are about to see a full-fledged cover up exposed people. prepare for a CRAZY offseason. not to say i told ya so... but dam open your eyes.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/080202&sportCat=nfl

 

This reminds me of the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, and that was not only investigated by the Federal government, but it was also brought to criminal trial! That particular World Series was the epitome of the grandest stage of a particular sport being marred by athletic dishonesty. I'm not sure if these allegations of the Pats videotaping a Rams private walkthrough prior to a Super Bowl one-ups the Black Sox, but it sure comes close.

Romo 2 Owens:

KD_Kingpin:

Here's a link to Greg Easterbrook's column on espn.com detailing the timeline of the craziness a lot of you would rather not admit to... we are about to see a full-fledged cover up exposed people. prepare for a CRAZY offseason. not to say i told ya so... but dam open your eyes.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/080202&sportCat=nfl

This reminds me of the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, and that was not only investigated by the Federal government, but it was also brought to criminal trial! That particular World Series was the epitome of the grandest stage of a particular sport being marred by athletic dishonesty. I'm not sure if these allegations of the Pats videotaping a Rams private walkthrough prior to a Super Bowl one-ups the Black Sox, but it sure comes close.

I suspect that the taping of a private walkthrough could be just the tip of the iceberg.  A possible scenario for you to ponder, they investigate the Patriots, who as part of their defense, give evidence of another team(s) also employing some other methodology of cheating and which in turn starts to uncover all sorts of unethical practices.  I mentioned in another post listening to some good conversations about the possibility that some refs are on the take to fix games.  To believe that the Pats* cheating is the only thing going on in this sport with so much money on the table is a touch naive.  I think this is just the piece that starts the ball rolling. 

When you look at the money involved in the NFL, from players salaries, to merchandising, to licensing, to the betting - there is a lot at stake here.