Why is this Cover-Up not a bigger story?

[madmike1]

In September the league brushed the fraud's cheating under the rug and it take Sen Spector calling Goodell into his office for him to admit that they have been cheating since 2000. They deserve to lose their anti trust execption. The games haven't been on the level for YEARS and league covered it up.

[Jedi_Jet1121]

Because Godell takes it up the ass from bellacheater and Brady jacks his monkey in Goodell's mouth.

It's proably a big cover up because they found Brady, Bellachat and Goodell's sex tape:bag:

[#27TheDominator]

In September the league brushed the fraud's cheating under the rug and it take Sen Spector calling Goodell into his office for him to admit that they have been cheating since 2000. They deserve to lose their anti trust execption. The games haven't been on the level for YEARS and league covered it up.

I wouldn't get all fired up over the anti-trust exemption. Football doesn't really have one. That's why the USFL won the case. They only have a partial in relationship to broadcast rights. It's not like the broad exemption baseball has. Of course broadcasting and the comcast connection are probably the only reason that Specter is getting involved.

Cheating has a long proud history in American sports. Just look at NASCAR. It's never really been frowned upon. If you can get away with it. I never saw people look down on Gaylord Perry or the Niekros for thier ability to cheat. ( I had written glamorize, but there is nothing glamorous about Perry or the Niekros)

[glenn212]

ITS ABOUT THE LEAGUE IMAGE AND PROTECTING THE PRODUCT.

What other sport is generating the kind of money the NFL does now..year round by the way. The powers that be will protect it as they see fit.

[DonCorleone]

In September the league brushed the fraud's cheating under the rug and it take Sen Spector calling Goodell into his office for him to admit that they have been cheating since 2000. They deserve to lose their anti trust execption. The games haven't been on the level for YEARS and league covered it up.

I think that none of us really know the depth of spygate.

the only reason why the NFL even confirmed that there really was something going on is because the story leaked out and because perhaps Mangini knew more about the level of spying going on and could have blown this out of the water.

Goodell does not run a Mom and Pop shop and makes no moves without the advise of the many excellent lawyers at his disposal. The destruction of the tapes as well as the "it had no effect on the game" was probably under the advise of very good lawyers, hoping that us dumb sports fans, would believe anything that they tell us as the word of god. If the tapes were not damaging, they would have been immediately released. I firmly believe that spygate is much more complex than we know and it may spread much further than tapes. I also believe that Belichick is NOT the only one cheating, he is just the best, and has evolved a system which is better than some others. Of course, we would not be here speculating if the only evidence which would supposedly absolve belichick of major wrong doing had not been destroyed. I think that if real investigator really dig deep within this mess, many things will come out which the NFL does not want you to know. I am not a conspiracy theorist, I am simply trying to find logic. I am also left to wonder....If Belichick is forced to give up all of his intricate tricks, does NE become the Belichick's Cleveland Browns? If those tapes had a minimal effect on the game....say 3 points...does that mean that NE has 0 SB rings?

The only way we'll know those answers is if real investigations are conducted by real third party investigator looking for "The Truth"

[rillo]

ITS ABOUT THE LEAGUE IMAGE AND PROTECTING THE PRODUCT.

What other sport is generating the kind of money the NFL does now..year round by the way. The powers that be will protect it as they see fit.

Spot on....

[PatriotReign37]

It is a cover up.

I want all the fact including when the Cheating Jets taped signals. That explains how ManRat won 10 games in 06.

[rillo]

It is a cover up.

I want all the fact including when the Cheating Jets taped signals. That explains how ManRat won 10 games in 06.

* * *

[nyjetsjetsjets]

It is a cover up.

I want all the fact including when the Cheating Jets taped signals. That explains how ManRat won 10 games in 06.

Yeah, it sucks that the league could actually just be a wwf wannabe. Its to the point that i may have to totally stop watching. there's always college football i guess. How does it feel that all of the championships your pats won were during the cheating era?

[nyjetsjetsjets]

from profootballtalk.com

SPECTER PRESSES FORWARD, WITH SUPPORT

Surely, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hoped that Wednesday's meeting with Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) was the last chapter in a book that Goodell can't wait to finish. For Specter, however, there still are many pages left.

Specter plans to press forward with his investigation of the manner in which the league handled the Spygate scandal. According to Mike Fish of ESPN.com, Specter claims that he has the support of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Specter said that Leahy is "prepared to have the committee pay for people who travel and investigate." While that's a far cry from a hearing like the Rocket-and-Pony show that unfolded this week before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, it's a step toward what ultimately could be a full-blown Congressional inquiry.

In our view, it's important for Specter to show that other Senators are on board with his efforts. As we argued on Thursday, Specter's solo act was at its ending point. Though there are questions that still need to be answered, the mission needs to take root with others in Congress before it can be taken seriously.

Fish also explains (and we can't recall ever seeing this before) that the materials surrendered by the Pats were destroyed in Foxborough by Jeff Pash and Ray Anderson.

Pash's role in this matter is critical, in our view. Pash, you see, is a Harvard-educated lawyer. He practiced for 13 years with Covington & Burling, the firm that still handles the league's work. And any practicing lawyer (even those who went to far less prestigious schools and work for far less prestigious firms) know that the prospect of destroying potential evidence is a serious matter.

Pash's involvement in the destruction of the the evidence surrendered by the Patriots tends to corroborate rumors (we repeat: rumors) that the materials turned over by Patriots coach Bill Belichick included evidence of cheating by other teams sufficiently widespread to give the league office concerns regarding the potential impact of the evidence on the network broadcasting contracts, which apparently contain language warranting that the on-field competition is real.

Again, that's only a rumor. But we believe that there had to be a very compelling reason for Pash to permit the information to be destroyed. A concern that the league couldn't keep the information out of the hands of the media isn't, in our view, anywhere close to the level that would prompt an officer of the court to disregard the kind of common sense that every lawyer acquires at some point during his or her career.

[Maxman]

I wouldn't get all fired up over the anti-trust exemption. Football doesn't really have one. That's why the USFL won the case. They only have a partial in relationship to broadcast rights. It's not like the broad exemption baseball has. Of course broadcasting and the comcast connection are probably the only reason that Specter is getting involved.

Cheating has a long proud history in American sports. Just look at NASCAR. It's never really been frowned upon. If you can get away with it. I never saw people look down on Gaylord Perry or the Niekros for thier ability to cheat. ( I had written glamorize, but there is nothing glamorous about Perry or the Niekros)

I was going to start a thread about the anti-trust because I wanted some of you guys to explain it a bit. I don't know a lot about it. But I am confused by your answer.

I thought the NFL's anti-trust is what let them make their own rules in regards to eligibility and stuff like that. You need to be out of high school for 3 years before you are eligible for the draft. That isn't a free market kind of rule -- I thought the anti-trust made that kind of stuff possible.

As far as cheating goes -- players always cheat to try. But when it is organized and the team does it as a whole, that is viewed as a different story.

[PeterNorth09]

In September the league brushed the fraud's cheating under the rug and it take Sen Spector calling Goodell into his office for him to admit that they have been cheating since 2000. They deserve to lose their anti trust execption. The games haven't been on the level for YEARS and league covered it up.

The media and the NFL kiss New England's ass any chance they get. Brady is the golden boy of pro sports in America.

To me, this is a far more interesting story than Roger Clemens. I'm sick of hearing every detail pored over about how he got steroids meanwhile Belichick tapes team's pre-game walk-throughs and POS commish Goodell destroys the evidence.

[LionelRichie]

this should be a much bigger scandal than MLB/steroids.

a super bowl champion engaged in a systematic cheating program to tape opposing signals and then use the information to make their own play calls.

the fact that the pats lost to the steelers in 2004 and then beat them in the playoffs once they knew what defensive plays were called is unprecendented. this level of cheating should call everything the pats accomplished into question.

the only reason this isn't a huge story is because every major network is paying through the nose for a piece of the tv contract and tarnishing the league will negatively impact their financials.

[Alk]

The media and the NFL kiss New England's ass any chance they get. Brady is the golden boy of pro sports in America.

To me, this is a far more interesting story than Roger Clemens. I'm sick of hearing every detail pored over about how he got steroids meanwhile Belichick tapes team's pre-game walk-throughs and POS commish Goodell destroys the evidence.

It has nothing to do with them kissing the Patriots' a$$es. If everything comes out about the Patriots then an investigation begins and everyone finds out that New England wasn't the only team and everyone is going to be pi$$ed. You guys care just about to the point where the investigation starts and the Jets are implicated right along side about half of the teams in the NFL. Then all of the sudden it'll be no big deal.

[madmike1]

It has nothing to do with them kissing the Patriots' a$$es. If everything comes out about the Patriots then an investigation begins and everyone finds out that New England wasn't the only team and everyone is going to be pi$$ed. You guys care just about to the point where the investigation starts and the Jets are implicated right along side about half of the teams in the NFL. Then all of the sudden it'll be no big deal.

I wish patsy fans would stop using this losing argument... There has been NO OTHER ALLEGATIONS against ANY OTHER TEAM.

[Alk]

I wish patsy fans would stop using this losing argument... There has been NO OTHER ALLEGATIONS against ANY OTHER TEAM.

I'm not making an excuse, just stating my opinion. It's really the only thing that makes sense. If the NFL was holding the Patriots hands like everyone claims then.

1. Nobody but the Jets would have ever even known about the cameras.

2. The NFL never would have fined or taken any draft picks.

3. The Patriots would have won the Super Bowl this season.

[DonCorleone]

It has nothing to do with them kissing the Patriots' a$$es. If everything comes out about the Patriots then an investigation begins and everyone finds out that New England wasn't the only team and everyone is going to be pi$$ed. You guys care just about to the point where the investigation starts and the Jets are implicated right along side about half of the teams in the NFL. Then all of the sudden it'll be no big deal.

I'm all for that. I want everyone...and I mean everyone exposed. I don't care who, I don't care when. I want to watch a football game and not have to wonder as to why there are one sided calls....Or is the game tainted...did someone cheat. I want a cleaner NFL...Although I do understand that where there is money, there is mob....

Reality states that maybe the NFL needs a scandal as big as the 2002 world cup, or the soccer scandal in Europe in order to clean up its act.

[DonCorleone]

this should be a much bigger scandal than MLB/steroids.

a super bowl champion engaged in a systematic cheating program to tape opposing signals and then use the information to make their own play calls.

the fact that the pats lost to the steelers in 2004 and then beat them in the playoffs once they knew what defensive plays were called is unprecendented. this level of cheating should call everything the pats accomplished into question.

the only reason this isn't a huge story is because every major network is paying through the nose for a piece of the tv contract and tarnishing the league will negatively impact their financials.

The NFL may have much more power than MLB.

[madmike1]

I'm not making an excuse, just stating my opinion. It's really the only thing that makes sense. If the NFL was holding the Patriots hands like everyone claims then.

1. Nobody but the Jets would have ever even known about the cameras.

2. The NFL never would have fined or taken any draft picks.

3. The Patriots would have won the Super Bowl this season.

They had to do something. The pick and the fine was a slap on the wrist. They didn't even take their best 1st rounder heh.

[DaBrick Wall]

It is a cover up.

I want all the fact including when the Cheating Jets taped signals. That explains how ManRat won 10 games in 06.

The only FACTS are that the Patriots cheated in a game earlier this year and that they have been cheating since 2000. STOP TRYING TO SAY THE JETS CHEATED. They haven't been accused of it and there's absolutely no reason to think they will.

[RSJ]

I was going to start a thread about the anti-trust because I wanted some of you guys to explain it a bit. I don't know a lot about it. But I am confused by your answer.

I thought the NFL's anti-trust is what let them make their own rules in regards to eligibility and stuff like that. You need to be out of high school for 3 years before you are eligible for the draft. That isn't a free market kind of rule -- I thought the anti-trust made that kind of stuff possible.

As far as cheating goes -- players always cheat to try. But when it is organized and the team does it as a whole, that is viewed as a different story.

The NFL has an anti trust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 this allows the league to negotiate its TV contracts on behalf of all 32 teams. This is the thing that Spector keeps threatening to work towards taking away. If this were taken away it would allow each team to sell it's home games seperatly to TV networks which would overall work in the networks and consumers favor as they could bid much less in areas like Jacksonville that has a lot less viewers than New York or Chicago.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/stories/2001-12-05-antitrust-explanation.htm

Here it is explained.

Basically Football still falls under the Sports broadcasting act of 1961 - but Baseball does not.

[Maxman]

The NFL has an anti trust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 this allows the league to negotiate its TV contracts on behalf of all 32 teams. This is the thing that Spector keeps threatening to work towards taking away. If this were taken away it would allow each team to sell it's home games seperatly to TV networks which would overall work in the networks and consumers favor as they could bid much less in areas like Jacksonville that has a lot less viewers than New York or Chicago.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/stories/2001-12-05-antitrust-explanation.htm

Here it is explained.

Basically Football still falls under the Sports broadcasting act of 1961 - but Baseball does not.

Really good info RSJ.

How can the NFL mandate that a Freshman in college can't declare for the NFL Draft? I thought that was part of the Anti-Trust exemption as well.

[shawn306]

Wasn't the USFL lawsuit against the NFL based on Anti-Trust ?

[RSJ]

Really good info RSJ.

How can the NFL mandate that a Freshman in college can't declare for the NFL Draft? I thought that was part of the Anti-Trust exemption as well.

It falls under a different antitrust act I believe. It is another exemption the NFL has though. I'm not 100% sure on that part.

[flgreen]

It is a cover up.

I want all the fact including when the Cheating Jets taped signals. That explains how ManRat won 10 games in 06.

I can guarantee you there has been no cheating by the Jets since Mangini has been here, He would never have pulled the pin on "Spy Gate" he it were going to blow up in his face.

Herm was to stupid to cheat.

Parcells, that's a different story.

[#27TheDominator]

The NFL may have much more power than MLB.

The NFL has more power than MLB because the NFL pools the TV revenue and negotiates the TV deals together. That's what their anti-trust exemption is regarding. In baseball each team negotiates their own TV deal and they don't split the revenue. Therefore, the NFL has more "power".

The NFL does not have an antitrust exemption like baseball which is why they had to pay AL Davis $50M for ****ing with him when he moved the team. They lost that antitrust case.

Really good info RSJ.

How can the NFL mandate that a Freshman in college can't declare for the NFL Draft? I thought that was part of the Anti-Trust exemption as well.

It is and it isn't. This anti-trust stuff was basically dormant for ages and only recently has is started becoming a big issue again (Microsoft) While the Sherman Act would seem to treat the NFL as a monopoly (only pro league in the US) and force them to allow people to earn a living by being drafted/signed no matter their age, the courts have adopted a "rule of reasonableness" standard, meaning if there is a legitimate business reason and it does not unduly restrict competitiveness the rule will not be overturned.

The draft rule is the result of a collective bargaining agreement with the union and has behind it trying to keep the players safe. Thus, the players are involved in the decision to pick the three years out of HS limit. Additionally, the teams share revenue so they are not directly seen as "competitors" so the rules apply somewhat differently. The draft rule is more akin to other unions having age restrictions, the artice I just read had the example of the teamster union interstate trucking age limit of 21.

The Clarett case was originally decided in Maurice's favor, but then overturned by the circuit court and the Supreme Court did not choose to overturn the circuit court decision. Since the courts have evidently been somewhat split it is possible that in the future that rule will be determined to violate the anti-trust laws. Trouble is that the litigation takes so long, players can get blackballed and it takes a hell of a player to be looking at the kind of coin to make such a case worthwhile 2 years or less out of HS.

Wasn't the USFL lawsuit against the NFL based on Anti-Trust ?

Yep. It was based on the monopolization of the TV revenue and the predatory practices of the NFL (future service contracts to players, refs contracts stipulated they could never work for USFL) and the NFL lost that case too. The USFL didn't get the damages because it was determined that they pursued a merger strategy and did not attempt to build the fan base, so the NFL allegedly didn't "damage" them. In fact, the NFL's practices were so egrigious that they were awarded treble damages. Only problem is three times one dollar is only three dollars.

It falls under a different antitrust act I believe. It is another exemption the NFL has though. I'm not 100% sure on that part.

Nope, it's all the Sherman Act. Maybe different parts of the Act, but it's always the Sherman Act.

Sorry if it's confusing. I took that class many, many moons ago and it didn't pop up in my practice. Only time I came across it was because my old bosses kid's firm was affiliated with Boies Schiller and they represented Microsoft in their case. Remember, like this post, the class was pretty dull so I'm not sure how much I paid attention.

[PFSIKH]

I can guarantee you there has been no cheating by the Jets since Mangini has been here, He would never have pulled the pin on "Spy Gate" he it were going to blow up in his face.

Herm was to stupid to cheat.

Parcells, that's a different story.

How? For the Belichick tenure, the Patriots have largely been seen as over achieving and winning when they should not. Go llok at the 2006 Jets. Are you sure?

Mangini had to narc on Belichick. It is in the best interest of the Jets. Just like their offer to Branch. I think the Branch move was a brilliant. It both helped the Jets and hurt the Patriots despite either outcome.

[SouthernJet]