Can someone explain to me how it is any of  the U.S. governments buisness or responsablity to do anything about this.  This isn't like MLB and steriods where players were taking part in an illegal activity.  This was a coach breaking the rules in a football GAME.  Which is governed by itself through the NFL.  Why are tax payer dollars going into this crap.  Maybe I'm the only one tired of this but I'm even more tired of paying $3.67 a gallon gas.  In the whole grand scheme of things who gives a damn about football. I'll still wake up tomorrow and go to work the same as I do everyday if there is football or not. But if gas keeps going up instead of driving to work I might have to ride a bike.  I would rather see Spector working on something relavant to every day American life.  Not about some damn football game whose out come doesn't effect me one damn bit.  I see what Spector is doing has nothing more than an abuse of power and I hope it ruins his political career.    

Ware Wolf:

Can someone explain to me how it is any of  the U.S. governments buisness or responsablity to do anything about this.  This isn't like MLB and steriods where players were taking part in an illegal activity.  This was a coach breaking the rules in a football GAME.  Which is governed by itself through the NFL.  Why are tax payer dollars going into this crap.  Maybe I'm the only one tired of this but I'm even more tired of paying $3.67 a gallon gas.  In the whole grand scheme of things who gives a damn about football. I'll still wake up tomorrow and go to work the same as I do everyday if there is football or not. But if gas keeps going up instead of driving to work I might have to ride a bike.  I would rather see Spector working on something relavant to every day American life.  Not about some damn football game whose out come doesn't effect me one damn bit.  I see what Spector is doing has nothing more than an abuse of power and I hope it ruins his political career.    

People from Pennsylvania elected Specter to represent them. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh fans have probably lit their congressmans phone off the hook about this very subject. Specter sent a letter to the NFL office in late October or early November. Specter sent another letter in January asking why Goodell hadn't bothered to return a letter to a congressman. Goodell said he hadn't seen the letter until he received the second letter. Kind of like the dog ate his homework. Have you seen the character assassinations being carried out by the northeast media? Every person that has said anything other than the NFL party line has immediatly been slandered. Somehow, everyone that we know cheated is not being slandered. Trust me, there are alot more politicians involved in this other than Specter. Specter's political career will be over when he decides it to be. Like I said before, he is one of the few politicians that is doing his job.

The NFL makes billions of dollars of taxpayers from the USA. Many of these stadiums are publicly funded projects. Goodell chose to IGNORE the government. You can't take government money without giving something in return.

In the grand scheme of things, the NFL and the economy that is produced from it are vital to some towns. There are towns that make millions of dollars because of successful NFL teams in their towns. Local taxpayers spend millions of dollars that are taken out of their local economies to support these teams. How much money do you think it cost the state of Pennsylvania to have 2 super bowl championships stolen from them? Think about the tax dollars and jobs that were lost from those events. Especially where Pennsylvania is already losing jobs to other states. Specter is acting on behalf of his constituents, which is what they elected him to do. Theres alot of things causing the price of gas. It is not because a senator wrote two letters and coordinated three meetings. Truth be known, Goodell returns that letter in a week with any kind of substance this whole situation is probably avoided.

All that aside, the only things that have come out after September have been because of Specter. I just find it real odd that Goodell/Patriots have changed their story so many times. I go back to the first player I remembered interviewed being Hines Ward. He said that Tuesday after, they knew every play we were running in that AFC championship game. Wouldn't you know which tape Walsh turned in was from that game.

Got a chance to catch the Real Sports segment with Walsh. Interesting to hear the part of Belecheat not remembering who Walsh was, but then Walsh says Belecheat bought him a Christmas gift one year. Then Walsh says I wonder if Bill could point me out in one of the three team photos we took. Supposedly Walsh got fired for recording conversations between he and management. When they try to say he was a disgruntled employee Walsh points out how he went to the Pats games even after not being employeed by the team. He also said he could see the Pats "third" film crew filming opposing teams coaches calling in plays to the defense.

Walsh also says, the film he shot was later then used to relay into Bledsoe and Walsh said that "3 out of 4" plays the offense knew what the opposing defense was going to do.

just wanting to point out to anyone wondering why the government is getting involved, its because of anti-trust laws. If an NFL team is caught cheating is viewed as creating a monopoly (winning their business by unlawful means). It is legal for the government to step in and it is a good thing because like someone else mentioned there is tons of money not just from revenues of the teams. Cities chip in, tax payers chip in all sorts of stuff.

Quickdraw:

Suspending Belichick will bring closure to Spygate   

You're sick of Spygate. I'm sick of Spygate. The NFL's owners are sick of Spygate, because it is making the goose that laid the golden eggs less valuable by the day.

But things are going to drag on until commissioner Roger Goodell or the owners take the steps necessary to bring Spygate to a close. Changing their story week by week doesn't close Spygate. Rationalizations and doublespeak don't close Spygate. Admitting only what you have been compelled to admit doesn't close Spygate. The reason Spygate keeps dragging on is because the guilty party -- New England coach Bill Belichick -- has not been punished in any meaningful way.

Belichick cheated and lied, and so far has gotten away nearly scot-free.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/080517&sportCat=nfl&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab6pos2

 

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Wow, now even ESPN is saying Belly-cheat got off way too easy.  Goodell needs to go.  He's making a mockery out of the NFL's so called "no tolerance" policy that HE created.  And Belly-cheat needs to be suspended from coaching ANY sports team, EVER!

I think the ice may be finally cracking.......      Billicheat is going down.  These next few months should be interesting.   Goodell suspended and fined Wade W. for taking a drug for medicinal purposes and Bill has knowingly cheated for 8 yrs., and he gets a fine that is really less than Wade's considering their salaries !!!!  No tolerance my a$$ !!!!!!  I am sick of Goodell and his doublespeak.  He needs to suspend himself for being an idiot !!!!

BigDaddyBodine:

I think the ice may be finally cracking.......      Billicheat is going down.  These next few months should be interesting.   Goodell suspended and fined Wade W. for taking a drug for medicinal purposes and Bill has knowingly cheated for 8 yrs., and he gets a fine that is really less than Wade's considering their salaries !!!!  No tolerance my a$$ !!!!!!  I am sick of Goodell and his doublespeak.  He needs to suspend himself for being an idiot !!!!

Couldn't agree with you more. I think Billicheat and Goodell must be related, because there is NO DOUBT he has been cheating and to get a petty fine for spying on other teams and discrediting the game is a JOKE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Suspend this CHEATER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean what is the difference between using drugs to enhance your advantage or spying and stealing signs to enhance your advantage ?????? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, they are the same !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quickdraw:

Suspending Belichick will bring closure to Spygate   

You're sick of Spygate. I'm sick of Spygate. The NFL's owners are sick of Spygate, because it is making the goose that laid the golden eggs less valuable by the day.

But things are going to drag on until commissioner Roger Goodell or the owners take the steps necessary to bring Spygate to a close. Changing their story week by week doesn't close Spygate. Rationalizations and doublespeak don't close Spygate. Admitting only what you have been compelled to admit doesn't close Spygate. The reason Spygate keeps dragging on is because the guilty party -- New England coach Bill Belichick -- has not been punished in any meaningful way.

Belichick cheated and lied, and so far has gotten away nearly scot-free.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/080517&sportCat=nfl&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab6pos2

 

===================================================================================

Wow, now even ESPN is saying Belly-cheat got off way too easy.  Goodell needs to go.  He's making a mockery out of the NFL's so called "no tolerance" policy that HE created.  And Belly-cheat needs to be suspended from coaching ANY sports team, EVER!

I Totally agree, belicheat and goodell need to be banned from the nfl! I am not even gonna bother with watching fooball(even as much as I love it) this next season, it's a joke anymore.

Cowboyz4life:

just wanting to point out to anyone wondering why the government is getting involved, its because of anti-trust laws. If an NFL team is caught cheating is viewed as creating a monopoly (winning their business by unlawful means). It is legal for the government to step in and it is a good thing because like someone else mentioned there is tons of money not just from revenues of the teams. Cities chip in, tax payers chip in all sorts of stuff.

Presto512:

If they can ban Pete Rose for gambling on baseball, what does this say should happen to a coach who cheated to win.

To me, this whole thing stinks. From the very start to this very moment. It is proof that the NFL hides a lot from the fans and even when that becomes obvious they still refuse to allow the light to shine where it should. I just hope when it is all over everything will be out in the open.

Apparently they were allowing players on IR to practice with the rest of the team... and have for quite some time. Cant give you a source as I saw it on TV.

He knows thats against the rules but goes ahead and does it anyway. To me that just shows the complete contempt he has for the laws of the game.

Should they be punished for breaking that rule or not?.. something should happen shouldnt it?.

how bout porter going off on the pats earlier today. at least one player is speaking out how they really feel.

awdboost:

how bout porter going off on the pats earlier today. at least one player is speaking out how they really feel.

An angry Joey Porter thinks the Patriots cheated their way to championships and the NFL's destruction of Spygate tapes suggested the league had something to hide after conducting its investigation.

"They [the Patriots] cheated, there should be an asterisk. They cheated and they got caught," the All-Pro linebacker, who spent eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining Miami in free agency last season, said in an interview on "NFL Live."

"Why, if you have nothing to hide, would you destroy [the evidence]? That's how I've looked at it from the beginning. Why destroy something that doesn't have to be destroyed? Let everyone know what was on the tapes. Why would you destroy them so fast?"

The Spygate investigation began after the NFL confiscated tapes from a team employee who recorded the New York Jets' defensive signals in the 2007 season opener. Coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000; the team was fined $250,000 and forced to forfeit its 2008 first-round draft choice.

Porter called Belichick's fine a "slap on the wrist didn't fit the crime."

Since former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh met earlier this month with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to detail the team's illegal taping of opponents' coaching signals, Belichick has attempted to minimize Spygate's impact.

 They [the Patriots] cheated, there should be an asterisk. They cheated and they got caught.

--Joey Porter

 

"They went from zero to 60 overnight and [Belichick] went from a good coach to a great great coach and he got caught cheating," Porter said on "NFL Live."

At a news conference on May 13, Goodell said: "I didn't accept Bill Belichick's explanation for what happened and I still don't to this day."

On May 16, Belichick told the CBS Evening News: "I made a mistake. I was wrong. I was wrong."

After meeting with Walsh, Goodell said of a further investigation: "I don't know where else I would turn, but I reserve the right to review new information if it comes up."

Walsh sent eight tapes to the league that show the Patriots recording the play-calling signals of five opponents in six games between 2000 and 2002, one of which was the 2002 AFC Championship Game that Porter's Steelers lost to New England 24-17.

"If you're to tell me that happened, there's no way I can look at it and feel like I didn't get cheated," Porter said.

Porter also said that NFL players he knows share similar sentiments about the Patriots concerning Spygate.

"Anybody I know that lost to them in big games, they're very upset about it," Porter said.