# More on the Patriots Cheating! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045 "2008-02-03T01:43:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/1 "2008-02-03T01:43:54Z")
OK it is still in allegation mode, but apparantly Kurt Warner also wants to [investigate](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3227592) the Patriots for them allegedly getting illegal video of the ram’s final practice before the Super Bowl. Ooooooooooooh man I hope this is true, and we can start doling out the asterisks! Even if it’s not true, lets hope it’s enough of a distraction to cause them to lose tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/2 "2008-02-03T04:02:04Z")
Oy. Even worse was [Arlen Spector](http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2008/02/02/2008-02-02_spygate_goes_to_washington.html) complaining about it yesterday. > [@](#): > > But Specter is probably a hero to Giants fans today for creating a distraction for Belichick so close to kickoff. Uh, no; no he’s not. What was the reaction by the Patriots the last time they were accused of cheating? They kicked off a scorched earth policy, demolishing everyone who had the audacity to line up opposite them on Sunday. First out of the gate? The Chargers, who got their shit pushed in. Specter sure sounded like a whining homer to me, asking about the Eagles Superbowl. Being an Eagles fan, it must be hard for him to accept that McNabb choked it at the end of that game. Then again, being an Eagles fan, I don’t find it surprising that he chose to give the Patriots tons of extra motivation two days before facing the Giants in the Superbowl. GAH! ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/3 "2008-02-03T07:18:40Z")
If the Patriots were accused of this Rams taping when the whole other video scandal happened, then it might be something… As it is, coming out the day before the superbowl from an “unnamed source”? Where was this source when people and press were openly wondering 4 months ago if this sort of thing happened during any of the Patriots super bowls? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/4 "2008-02-03T15:07:02Z")
Do I hear an axe grinding? ---
**Author:** ![TheBigTripleD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@TheBigTripleD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBigTripleD)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/5 "2008-02-03T15:10:23Z")
[QUOTE=Ellis Dee] Oy. Even worse was [Arlen Spector](http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2008/02/02/2008-02-02_spygate_goes_to_washington.html) complaining about it yesterday. [/QUOTE] I hear in the next few weeks he’s going to allocate his valuable time and resources to that other “sports” controversy, incompetent pro-wrestling refs 😃 ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/6 "2008-02-03T15:21:11Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Do I hear an axe grinding? [/QUOTE] It’s the sound of sour grapes… [QUOTE=from the article] Kurt Warner’s career hasn’t been the same since he walked off the field as the losing quarterback in Super Bowl XXXVI. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/7 "2008-02-03T16:48:01Z")
Oh come on. The cheating scandal is just stupid. The Patriots keep winning because they have the best team, by far. Here are some good reasons to hate the Patriots. 1. They always win. How can you not hate them for that, at least a little? 2. Bill Belicek is a dick. 3. They run up the score. 4.Teddy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel remind you of that guy in high school who played linebacker and was a real psycho asshole, and you just shrugged your shoulders and said, “He’s an asshole, what are you going to to do,” reminding you of your worst moral compromises. 4. It’s Tom Brady’s world. The rest of us just live in it. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/8 "2008-02-03T17:01:56Z")
> [@Whiny Haters](#): > > Blahblahblahblahmypussyhurtsblahblahblah. Whatthefuckever. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/9 "2008-02-03T17:05:39Z")
This isn’t about Kurt Warner- it’s about this ex-Patriots assistant saying he has damaging information. It could be true and it’s pretty damning if it is - but since all he’s done so far is hint about what he has and say he won’t go public unless ESPN pays his court costs. So there’s a real element of potential-sleeze, too. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/10 "2008-02-03T17:31:08Z")
And enough sleaze to go around. For a supposed Christian, Warner seems to have sour grapes to grind. Hey…wait a minute…eh…just so long as he doesn’t grind my grapes. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/11 "2008-02-03T17:39:35Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] For a supposed Christian, Warner seems to have sour grapes to grind. [/QUOTE] He’s turning Warner into whine. I’m sorry! I couldn’t help it! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/12 "2008-02-03T18:20:50Z")
Certainly there’s nothing suspicious about the timing of all this, is there? I mean, on the eve of the game, a perfect season on the line, a potential to be called “greatest of all time”…and information from a taped final practice against the Rams from seven years ago? I despise the winning of the Patriots as much as the next person not from New England, but they have my respect…they are as close as you can get to a dynasty in the current era of the NFL. And the cheating thing is overblown anyway…other teams have gotten away with this kind of stuff before. The game happens too fast for the taping of defensive signals to have had much impact, and in the era of FA, players that defect from one team to another constantly share information about plays, formations, etc with their new teams. Meh. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/13 "2008-02-03T18:36:50Z")
As a Rams fan, this story frustrates me to no end. Maybe the Patriots still might’ve won XXXVI, but the Rams deserved a shot on a level playing field. Sure, it sounds like sour grapes, but it just feels so helpless after 6 years. I mean, what can be done, retro “Super Bowl champs” t-shirts? There’s really nothing that can be done about it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/14 "2008-02-03T18:43:07Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] The game happens too fast for the taping of defensive signals to have had much impact, and in the era of FA, players that defect from one team to another constantly share information about plays, formations, etc with their new teams. [/QUOTE] Prior knowledge about signals can give a team a huge competetive advantage. Take for example the 2002 superbowl, where Gruden used his vast knowledge of the Raiders from the previous season to the point where a miked up Buc even commented during the game “They haven’t run a single play that we haven’t seen in practice.” It’s interesting that people seem so blase about this. If it was revealed that Belicheck gambled on football games, he would be banned for life. But allegations that he was directly cheating to win games illegally, including the Super Bowl, and we get “meh.” ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/15 "2008-02-03T19:02:07Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] And the cheating thing is overblown anyway…other teams have gotten away with this kind of stuff before. The game happens too fast for the taping of defensive signals to have had much impact, and in the era of FA, players that defect from one team to another constantly share information about plays, formations, etc with their new teams. Meh. [/QUOTE] I hear the same thing when players get caught with steroids: “It doesn’t really help anyway”. If not, why are they taking such an incredible risk in breaking the rules for something that doesn’t give an edge? 4 Super Bowls in 7 years shows there was some kind of impact. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/16 "2008-02-03T19:08:45Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] And enough sleaze to go around. For a supposed Christian, Warner seems to have sour grapes to grind. Hey…wait a minute…eh…just so long as he doesn’t grind my grapes. [/QUOTE] Wouldn’t you have sour grapes, too, if Jesus abandoned you? Jesus wanted him to win in 2000, and then He just up and chose somebody else. That must be hard on a guy. “Thank you, Jesus” indeed. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/17 "2008-02-03T19:56:28Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] 4 Super Bowls in 7 years shows there was some kind of impact. [/QUOTE] Cowboys did it. 49ers did it. Steelers did it. They all cheat? ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/18 "2008-02-03T21:51:59Z")
What many may have forgotten or don’t know is that it is LEGAL to tape, or take pictures, or write down what other teams are doing. All teams do it. It’s just that the manner and time and location the Pats did in this case was not approved. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/19 "2008-02-03T22:14:56Z")
[QUOTE=HoboStew] It’s interesting that people seem so blase about this. If it was revealed that Belicheck gambled on football games, he would be banned for life. But allegations that he was directly cheating to win games illegally, including the Super Bowl, and we get “meh.” [/QUOTE] Because gambling on games, even if he weren’t betting against himself, would indicate that Bellichek had priorities other than winning the game. This doesn’t. Taping is perfectly legal except in certain times or places, so this doesn’t seem like cheating to me any more than a player on the field who jumps too early or hits too late. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045/20 "2008-02-03T22:29:47Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] What many may have forgotten or don’t know is that it is LEGAL to tape, or take pictures, or write down what other teams are doing. All teams do it. It’s just that the manner and time and location the Pats did in this case was not approved. [/QUOTE] Videotaping games is approved. Have you read somewhere that videotaping walk-throughs is allowed? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-the-patriots-cheating/436045.md?page=2)