I absolutely hate this argument. Would Lance Armstrong have been legitimately formidable if he wasn't doping? Would Mark McGwire have been the HR King? And I'm convinced the cheating in the Cheaters case is even more insidious - systematic and varied and ingrained in their entire operation, for years.
It drives me crazy when people even put Brady and Bellicheat in the GOAT conversation. They had success BECAUSE they cheated. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a twilight zone episode where everyone with a pig face is beautiful and admired (yes the Pats** are the pig-faced cheaters in this analogy) - Hellooooo people. Cheaters!?