SoFlaJets Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Hines Ward Joins the Party: 'Oh, Yeah, Patriots Knew the Plays PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Wide receiver Hines Ward suspects the New England Patriots may have had some type of inside information on the Pittsburgh Steelers before at least one of the teams' two AFC championship game matchups since the 2001 season. Ward is certain the Patriots, while known for the thoroughness of their scouting under coach Bill Belichick, had some kind of unusual help before their 24-17 upset victory in Pittsburgh in the January 2002 AFC championship game. The Patriots went on to win the first of their three Super Bowls. "Oh, they knew," Ward said Wednesday. "They were calling our stuff out. They knew, especially that first championship game here at Heinz Field. They knew a lot of our calls. There's no question some of their players were calling out some of our stuff." NFL security officers confiscated a video camera and tape from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella while he was working on the New York Jets' sideline during New England's 38-14 victory on Sunday. The league has confirmed that it is investigating whether the Patriots were taping the Jets' defensive coaches as they signaled to players on the field. On Tuesday, Steelers first-year coach Mike Tomlin, who wasn't around for those AFC championship games, said "when there's smoke, there's fire" of widespread suspicion some NFL teams use spying tactics. The Patriots also beat the Steelers 41-27 in the January 2005 AFC championship game, though that victory was so convincing it would be difficult to pin it on cheating. Still, Ward said he is disappointed there are allegations that any NFL team may have resorted to spying to gain an edge. "You would hope that, during their run, when they were winning all their (three) Super Bowls, all that stuff wasn't going on," Ward said. "You look back in the past, and we played them in the championship games, and you kind of wonder. It seemed like they were a step ahead of us at all times, but those games are behind us. There's nothing we can do about it. You just look forward and see what the commissioner (Roger Goodell) will do." Ward said any team caught spying should give up high draft picks. "It's really hard to say (they should) forfeit games," Ward said. "Draft picks would hurt a lot of teams; take away their first or second-round pick -- that would be a stiff penalty to make sure nobody does it again." Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend also felt suspicious, if only for one play he didn't identify, during one of the AFC title games. That led quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to joke, "If they cheated during our AFC championship game (in 2005), so we should get a Super Bowl ring." Roethlisberger has given little thought to the possibility the Patriots may have had an unfair advantage against Pittsburgh. "No, it's actually the farthest thing from my mind. I don't think it's been in the front of too many people's mind," he said. Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton also downplayed the cheating talk, saying scouting is so through in the NFL that it's difficult to fool any team. "In this league, everybody knows what everybody's going to run. It's just a matter of stopping it," he said. "The bottom line is you watch enough film and you know where guys are and where they're coming from." Dick Hoak, the NFL's most tenured assistant coach before retiring this year after 35 seasons, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the Steelers once received a suspicious video tape by mistake from an opposing team during a routine tape exchange. The tape focused on a coach making hand signals from the sideline, Hoak said, but the Steelers did not report the tape to the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Gee, who didn't see this coming? Every team who thought they were better on paper but got their a$$es handed to them are going to start coming out of the woodwork making excuses. The fact that he even feels the need to bring something from 5 years ago is hilarious. Next I'll bet Al Gore will say it was the Patriots' fault that he lost that election. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Gee, who didn't see this coming? Every team who thought they were better on paper but got their a$$es handed to them are going to start coming out of the woodwork making excuses. The fact that he even feels the need to bring something from 5 years ago is hilarious. Next I'll bet Al Gore will say it was the Patriots' fault that he lost that election. Your team cheated. I'm just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Your team cheated. I'm just saying. I realize that but hearing Hines Ward come out after 5 years and start making excuses again is freakin' hilarious. I wonder if there were crocodile tears while he was saying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Gee, who didn't see this coming? Every team who thought they were better on paper but got their a$$es handed to them are going to start coming out of the woodwork making excuses. The fact that he even feels the need to bring something from 5 years ago is hilarious. Next I'll bet Al Gore will say it was the Patriots' fault that he lost that election. There's no need to be bitter Alk. your team will always be labeled as cheaters now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSJ Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I realize that but hearing Hines Ward come out after 5 years and start making excuses again is freakin' hilarious. I wonder if there were crocodile tears while he was saying it. He was actually quoted saying this right after the 2001 championship game loss. He said "It was almost like the knew what we were going to run" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 He was actually quoted saying this right after the 2001 championship game loss. He said "It was almost like the knew what we were going to run" Yeah except the only problem is the only thing we've been busted for stealing is defensive signals. Hines Ward is full of kaka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFSIKH Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Yeah except the only problem is the only thing we've been busted for stealing is defensive signals. Hines Ward is full of kaka. Itr had nothing to do with Kordell's INTs, the blocked field goal returned for a TD and the punt return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i remember shea Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Itr had nothing to do with Kordell's INTs, the blocked field goal returned for a TD and the punt return. sorry, guys...once a team has delved that deeply into affecting the outcome of a game, any and all of the plays are related. every action affects the next action and so on ad infinitum. spin it any which we you please. it's tarnished forever. just like sports fans who were not even alive when it happened can tell you about the black sox scandal. spin spin spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlaJets Posted September 13, 2007 Author Share Posted September 13, 2007 September 12th, 2007 Strahan: Belichick = Donaghy Posted by John Tomase at 8:06 pm In a conference calls with Wisconsin reporters today, Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said the Camera-gate scandal calls into question the Patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 September 12th, 2007 Strahan: Belichick = Donaghy Posted by John Tomase at 8:06 pm In a conference calls with Wisconsin reporters today, Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said the Camera-gate scandal calls into question the Patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i remember shea Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I'm suprised you would even use Strahan to support your argument. Then again judging by the rampage you've been on maybe I'm not. what's that whirring sound? oh yeah...spin spin spin. pats cheated. tainted forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 You know what? I'm done with this. I'm not going to deny that what the Patriots did the past two seasons was wrong and they deserve to be punished. But all of this piling on is horse$hit IMO. There are alot of posters that I like on this board and absolutely no good is going to come of this so I'll be in lounge until the ruling comes down if anybody needs me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlaJets Posted September 13, 2007 Author Share Posted September 13, 2007 I'm suprised you would even use Strahan to support your argument. Then again judging by the rampage you've been on maybe I'm not. you still don't get it Alk everybody now is questioning every game ever played against the Cheaters-your team has morphed into Barry Bonds-sad but true...Beli-cheat should be fired to restore the integrity of the game-FIRED-not suspended F-I-R-E-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#90 Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Spin, spin spin......... I am glad that players from other teams are speaking up. Noone deserves this more than Bellicheat! Maybe, it's Leon Hess finally getting payback from the grave. A million dollars worth of payback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffyD Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Spin, spin spin......... I am glad that players from other teams are speaking up. Noone deserves this more than Bellicheat! Maybe, it's Leon Hess finally getting payback from the grave. A million dollars worth of payback! Karma's a b!tch ain't it. Well said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i remember shea Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 You know what? I'm done with this. I'm not going to deny that what the Patriots did the past two seasons was wrong and they deserve to be punished. But all of this piling on is horse$hit IMO. There are alot of posters that I like on this board and absolutely no good is going to come of this so I'll be in lounge until the ruling comes down if anybody needs me. dude...you just don't get it. there is no piling on...we are just responding with one simple fact to each and every argument you and your colleagues are making. the patriots flagrantly broke the rules, essentially spitting in the face of the league, who recently addressed this exact issue to every team. we believe the should be severely punished for making a mockery of the rules and authority of the game. that does not mean, ever, that we have personal vendettas against the likes of innocent pat fans. just that the cuurent administrative staff of the team you root for cheated despite being told not to. they cheated despite being warned. they are forever tainted. people who were not alive in 1919 know about the black sox scandal. the same will hold true for the patriots of this generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyjetsjetsjets Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Gee, who didn't see this coming? Every team who thought they were better on paper but got their a$$es handed to them are going to start coming out of the woodwork making excuses. The fact that he even feels the need to bring something from 5 years ago is hilarious. Next I'll bet Al Gore will say it was the Patriots' fault that he lost that election. Thats what happens when you get caught cheating. Everything they ever accomplished will have an * next to it. They shouldn't have cheated if they didn't want that stigma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyjetsjetsjets Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 You know what? I'm done with this. I'm not going to deny that what the Patriots did the past two seasons was wrong and they deserve to be punished. But all of this piling on is horse$hit IMO. There are alot of posters that I like on this board and absolutely no good is going to come of this so I'll be in lounge until the ruling comes down if anybody needs me. maybe you shouldn't defend cheaters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boozer76 Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 You know what? I'm done with this. I'm not going to deny that what the Patriots did the past two seasons was wrong and they deserve to be punished. But all of this piling on is horse$hit IMO. There are alot of posters that I like on this board and absolutely no good is going to come of this so I'll be in lounge until the ruling comes down if anybody needs me. Hey, the bottom line is once a cheater is caught once, all the accomplishments they had become suspect. It's the nature of the beast. Look at Rafael Palmiero. He got caught with steroids, and now he will never see the HOF because that one incident tainted his entire career, regardless if he ever used them before or not. Same goes for Bonds and every other person out there who has been caught cheating or is under a heavy cloud of suspicion. That's the breaks. That's why you don't cheat in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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