Belicheat* vs. Ramirez on Boston radio

[NewHampshireBillsFan]

On the major sports radio channel in Boston, WEEI, I got new insight into how the Belicheat* video scandal has progressed in the minds of Boston's major sports radio hosts. A caller dared compare Ramirez's steroid violation (which the hosts think he is getting off too easy on) to Belicheat*'s penalty. This resulted in audible outrage by all the hosts. One host, Pete Shepherd, stated that ALL NFL coaches have used illegal video recording of opponents but Belicheat* happened to get caught. The other 3 hosts (4 hosts on the afternoon big show) didn't all agree that ALL coaches have used illegal video taping but felt Belicheat* was guilty of only a MINOR rules violation, not cheating. On the other hand Ramirez, all agreed, violated the very integrity of baseball with a steroids violation.

 

So thanks a lot Roger Goodell! You shrewdly set up a penalty for NE* that allows this whole region and the whole national sports media to dismiss the Belcheat* incident as just a MINOR violation. In this area it is not even allowable to bring up the topic on the sports radio. By the way the caller was "blasted" off the radio for even daring to bring up the topic. The attitude toward Belicheat* on the part of the media here is:

 

 

My attitude is:

 

[PromoTheRobot]

Pete Sheppard dreams of being Bellicheat's lapdog. He's a fat ingnoramus.

 

PTR

[MattM]

Would have been even more interesting had Goodell not destroyed the evidence and followed up on some of the other accusations that were leveled against the Pats* at around the same time (headsets going out in Gillette at weird times (two head coaches--Marinelli and Del Rio--each brought that up separately), bugging defensive players to pick up audibles and the like) instead of just sweeping it all under the rug in the name of protecting the sport (and, more importantly, one of his main benefactors and the man who helped him get his job).....

[Captain Quint]

I can't say that I blame them, seeing that if it had been Jauron who was caught, we'd all be trying to downplay it, too. However, it doesn't mean that "everyone does it", or that he was punished too severely.

 

They're grasping at straws trying to maintain their image as one of the greatest teams ever and not be remembered as cheaters, which they are.

[Whites Bay]

The mighty always fall eventually. The 49ers imploded. The Cowboys imploded. The Bills imploded. Time and arrogance will catch the Pats*. Sometimes you have to be patient.

[NewHampshireBillsFan]

The mighty always fall eventually. The 49ers imploded. The Cowboys imploded. The Bills imploded. Time and arrogance will catch the Pats*. Sometimes you have to be patient.

 

Thanks. I will be patient living here in NE* that the Patsies* demise will come eventually. And then how much fun will it be to listen to sports radio. These are the most whiny fans in the nation and when even with all the cheating they* do they finally start to slump it will be a great experience to listen to the fans and all the excuses they always make for all their teams when they don't win.

[The Dean]

I can't say that I blame them, seeing that if it had been Jauron who was caught, we'd all be trying to downplay it, too. However, it doesn't mean that "everyone does it", or that he was punished too severely.

 

They're grasping at straws trying to maintain their image as one of the greatest teams ever and not be remembered as cheaters, which they are.

 

 

If Jauron was caught cheating, and the team went 7-9, I think most of us would be rooting for a very long prison sentence.

 

Belicheat was given what amounted to a free pass for heinous cheating. It is a HUGE disgrace to the NFL.

[VOR]

The counter argument to the "everyone was cheating" is "why didn't Belichick squeal on them?" We all know it's not because he's too classy or ethical.

[Mr. WEO]

The counter argument to the "everyone was cheating" is "why didn't Belichick squeal on them?" We all know it's not because he's too classy or ethical.

Yeah, another great "argument".

 

Maybe he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get caught doing something he thought was beneficial to him. Besides, how would he prove they were doing it?

[Ramius]

Yeah, because i bet manny didn't start juicing until he joined the dodgers. Funny that bostonfan is whining about this, because the entire '04 sox team that won the pennant was on the juice. Of course, bostonfan is too much of a whining moron to figure this out.

 

As for belichick*, he cheated for a long, long time. This is further reinforced by the fact that Goodell tried to sweep everything under the rug by issuing a quick penalty and quickly destroying any evidence. If the evidence "didn't show much," than why not show it to team officials so they could make correct steps to prevent cheating? Most likely, the evidence was highly incriminating against the pats*, showed the full extent of their cheating, and would cast a dark cloud over the NFL and that franchise. But Goodell isn't going to nail his buddy and one of his biggest markets, so we're all told, "nothing to see here, move along."

 

Other teams didn't cheat, because they would have gotten caught. If all these other teams cheated, they why didn't belicheat* make any accusations at other teams when he was caught? Oh that's right, because other teams weren't cheating.

 

 

Yeah, another great "argument".

 

Maybe he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get caught doing something he thought was beneficial to him. Besides, how would he prove they were doing it?

 

Here you go, Sage. WEO caught in the act again.

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

Yeah, another great "argument".

 

Maybe he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get caught doing something he thought was beneficial to him. Besides, how would he prove they were doing it?

Probably because Goodell give him a reduced penalty in exchange for not blowing the whistle. And as for proof, BB has been in the league for over 35 years on 7 different franchises and is the most respected coach in the league, if he wanted to talk I'm sure people would listen.

[NewHampshireBillsFan]

Probably because Goodell give him a reduced penalty in exchange for not blowing the whistle. And as for proof, BB has been in the league for over 35 years on 7 different franchises and is the most respected coach in the league, if he wanted to talk I'm sure people would listen.

 

The only logical reason Goodell swept this issue under the carpet and destroyed all the evidence is that if there arose a feeling among NFL fans that NE* won three super bowls during an era when they* cheated in such a way that it gave them at times a winning advantage, then the whole integrity of the NFL would come into question. If Belicheat* had fingered say 8 other teams that he knew also videotaped then that would not have been nearly as big a deal for the league as fans thinking the most successful team won with the help of cheating. In some ways it would have helped the league's image if a number of teams would have been guilty since then the whole thing would have seemed to even out and no one team would really have benefited. Then the league could say they were not going to allow this anymore and the whole thing is settled.

 

The damage control Goodell had to do involved NE* and NE* alone. The whole thing is Goodell had to make it seem like it hadn't really helped the 3 time super bowl champs* that much. And I think he succeeded pretty much except with intelligent fans who realize that this has tainted NE*'s past record and to some degree this whole decade of the NFL's history.

[Mr. WEO]

Yeah, because i bet manny didn't start juicing until he joined the dodgers. Funny that bostonfan is whining about this, because the entire '04 sox team that won the pennant was on the juice. Of course, bostonfan is too much of a whining moron to figure this out.

 

Can you provide a link or should we just go with you on this one?

 

 

As for belichick*, he cheated for a long, long time. This is further reinforced by the fact that Goodell tried to sweep everything under the rug by issuing a quick penalty and quickly destroying any evidence. If the evidence "didn't show much," than why not show it to team officials so they could make correct steps to prevent cheating? Most likely, the evidence was highly incriminating against the pats*, showed the full extent of their cheating, and would cast a dark cloud over the NFL and that franchise. But Goodell isn't going to nail his buddy and one of his biggest markets, so we're all told, "nothing to see here, move along."

 

I think team officials know the "correct steps" to prevent cheating. Step 1: don't cheat. Step 2: repeat Step 1.

 

The full extent of their cheating? Like they taped every team for years? I already assumed that, didn't you? What else did they tape, that Mangini sitting down when he pees? And why would it be better for the League to be widely viewed as covering up cheating rather than punishing it? How is it that the other owners went along with this? You will have trouble answering that one.

 

Other teams didn't cheat, because they would have gotten caught. If all these other teams cheated, they why didn't belicheat* make any accusations at other teams when he was caught? Oh that's right, because other teams weren't cheating.

 

You numbnuts----BB did this for 7 years before he "got caught"! He finally was busted because his former co-conspirator, Mangini, turned him in.

 

 

 

Here you go, Sage. WEO caught in the act again.

 

BB was not going to turn anyone else in if it meant he couldn't continue to cheat, genius. Why would he give up what he considered an advantage that others were partaking in? The league knew teams were taping before the scandal broke. They sent a memo to all teams before the 2007 season to really stop doing this please. And without a tape in hand, what would be the point of BB calling out other teams? After BB was busted, taping was over---at least from the sidelines.

[VOR]

Yeah, another great "argument".

 

Maybe he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get caught doing something he thought was beneficial to him. Besides, how would he prove they were doing it?

He didn't say anything after getting caught cheating because he didn't want to get caught doing something he thought was beneficial to him? Thanks for showing me an example of a "great" argument.

 

And he could have just trotted-out Jimmy Johnson's statement as proof. It seemed to work for you.

[H2o]

Thanks. I will be patient living here in NE* that the Patsies* demise will come eventually. And then how much fun will it be to listen to sports radio. These are the most whiny fans in the nation and when even with all the cheating they* do they finally start to slump it will be a great experience to listen to the fans and all the excuses they always make for all their teams when they don't win.

It's already started. It started with the Giants beating the "unbeatable" Pats in the SB. The following year they lose their best CB in Samuel, Brady goes down with the knee injury, and Maroney the shoulder. The whole team is getting old and Bruschi is talking retirement. Vrabel and Harrison are also now gone. True they have Mayo, Warren, Seymour, and Wilfork, but for how much longer? They have ALOT of FA's coming up at the end of the year. You have Kevin Faulk, Ben Watson, OT's - Nick Kaczur_Ryan O'Callaghan_Wesley Britt, OG's - Stephen Neal_Russ Hochstein, C Al Johnson, DE's Richard Seymour_Jarvis Green, Vince Wilfork, LB's - Pierre Woods_Tully Banta-Cain_Tedy Bruschi, Leigh Bodden, Tank Williams, and Stephen Gostkowski all FA's when it starts in March 2010. The team that hits the field in the 2010 season opener could very well be a team that's in "rebuilding mode", especially on the defensive side of the ball. What a glorious day that would be

[Flbillsfan#1]

Yeah, another great "argument".

 

Maybe he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get caught doing something he thought was beneficial to him. Besides, how would he prove they were doing it?

He could prove it IF it were true, the EXACT SAME way it was PROVEN that the Pats* CHEATED.

[Mr. WEO]

He could prove it IF it were true, the EXACT SAME way it was PROVEN that the Pats* CHEATED.

 

 

Again, for both of you: he was caught in the act! So....unless he was to catch another team filming it would be impossible for him to "prove it IF it were true, the EXACT SAME way it was PROVEN that the Pats* CHEATED."

 

Johnson's admission was well publicized. Why would BB repeat it?

[NewHampshireBillsFan]

Again, for both of you: he was caught in the act! So....unless he was to catch another team filming it would be impossible for him to "prove it IF it were true, the EXACT SAME way it was PROVEN that the Pats* CHEATED."

 

Johnson's admission was well publicized. Why would BB repeat it?

 

But again, look at it from Goodell's point of view. The worst thing in the world is that only Belicheat* cheated, if the cheating was significant enough to help them win even a few of their games. That would make people think maybe NE* should forfeit a championship or two. That at ALL costs Goodell couldn't allow to avoid harming the image of the NFL. The whole thing had to be minimized and these were the steps taken:

 

1.) Goodell made a very quick ruling and made the penalty mostly a matter of money and a draft choice. The draft was a long way off and by then a lot of people wouldn't even notice that NE* was missing a pick, esp. since they had 2 #1 draft choices. The thing Goodell could not allow was that Belicheat* would be suspended for even one game, because that would draw a lot more attention to the situation.

 

2.) Rumors quickly surfaced of other allegations against NE* such as shutting off opponents mikes during games, and using mikes on def. players to hear off. signals, taping the Rams practice at the SB, etc. Also, it was stated in the media that the Jets, Bills, and Fish were all unhappy with the small penalty against the Patsies*. Goodell was forced to at least make it seem like he was looking for more possible violations. He told NE* to surrender all the tapes it had and sign an affidavit saying it handed over all evidence (as if Kraft and Belicheat care anything about ethics or the NFL laws). Goodell announced that more penalties may be forthcoming based on this.

 

3.) But Goodell quickly announced that all the evidence had now been safely destroyed and no further penalties were needed based on this. Case closed for the NFL. All the other items like shutting off mikes were ignored. Mike Millen, then still Lions GM, but also a member of the powerful NFL rules committee, who had previously brought up allegations now was backpedaling and saying that all that was in the past and if there had been a big enough issue (shutting off the mikes) it should have been addressed in the past and now it was too late, time to move on. Also the AFCE teams all said in concert that it was time to move on and they didn't have any more interest in the case. More damage control by Goodell.

 

4.) The the major media like ESPN and others kicked in with damage control. Peope like Jimmy Johnson stated he had done the same thing, etc. and it was no big deal. The NFL promoted this unofficially to allow the fans to feel like it was no big deal and that NE* hadn't won unfairly.

 

5.) The thing to remember is that the NFL, ESPN, former coaches and players, all have an incentive to make the NFL look legitimate kind of like both political parties, major corporations and institutions all work to make the USA seem legitimate in what it does. Things get swept under the carpet so that we don't stop believing in the system, NFL or USA as the case may be.

 

So Belicheat* had no need to play a card to play with Goodell to intimidate him by saying he would reveal cheating by others. Goodell was happy that people like JJ said he had also cheated, because it made it seem like this whole thing was no big deal. Also Belicheat had nothing to fear from Goodell because Goodell wanted this thing swept under a carpet a lot more than Belicheat* and Kraft* could hope for. No way Belicheat* could even be forced to resign because that would fix a cloud over the NFL forever anytime the name Belicheat* came up. Living in NE, I remember how calm Belicheat* was discussing his meeting with Goodell--the cheat* was never nervous because he* understood all this better than you and I could.

[Mr. WEO]

But again, look at it from Goodell's point of view. The worst thing in the world is that only Belicheat* cheated, if the cheating was significant enough to help them win even a few of their games. That would make people think maybe NE* should forfeit a championship or two. That at ALL costs Goodell couldn't allow to avoid harming the image of the NFL. The whole thing had to be minimized and these were the steps taken:

 

1.) Goodell made a very quick ruling and made the penalty mostly a matter of money and a draft choice. The draft was a long way off and by then a lot of people wouldn't even notice that NE* was missing a pick, esp. since they had 2 #1 draft choices. The thing Goodell could not allow was that Belicheat* would be suspended for even one game, because that would draw a lot more attention to the situation.

 

2.) Rumors quickly surfaced of other allegations against NE* such as shutting off opponents mikes during games, and using mikes on def. players to hear off. signals, taping the Rams practice at the SB, etc. Also, it was stated in the media that the Jets, Bills, and Fish were all unhappy with the small penalty against the Patsies*. Goodell was forced to at least make it seem like he was looking for more possible violations. He told NE* to surrender all the tapes it had and sign an affidavit saying it handed over all evidence (as if Kraft and Belicheat care anything about ethics or the NFL laws). Goodell announced that more penalties may be forthcoming based on this.

 

3.) But Goodell quickly announced that all the evidence had now been safely destroyed and no further penalties were needed based on this. Case closed for the NFL. All the other items like shutting off mikes were ignored. Mike Millen, then still Lions GM, but also a member of the powerful NFL rules committee, who had previously brought up allegations now was backpedaling and saying that all that was in the past and if there had been a big enough issue (shutting off the mikes) it should have been addressed in the past and now it was too late, time to move on. Also the AFCE teams all said in concert that it was time to move on and they didn't have any more interest in the case. More damage control by Goodell.

 

4.) The the major media like ESPN and others kicked in with damage control. Peope like Jimmy Johnson stated he had done the same thing, etc. and it was no big deal. The NFL promoted this unofficially to allow the fans to feel like it was no big deal and that NE* hadn't won unfairly.

 

5.) The thing to remember is that the NFL, ESPN, former coaches and players, all have an incentive to make the NFL look legitimate kind of like both political parties, major corporations and institutions all work to make the USA seem legitimate in what it does. Things get swept under the carpet so that we don't stop believing in the system, NFL or USA as the case may be.

 

So Belicheat* had no need to play a card to play with Goodell to intimidate him by saying he would reveal cheating by others. Goodell was happy that people like JJ said he had also cheated, because it made it seem like this whole thing was no big deal. Also Belicheat had nothing to fear from Goodell because Goodell wanted this thing swept under a carpet a lot more than Belicheat* and Kraft* could hope for. No way Belicheat* could even be forced to resign because that would fix a cloud over the NFL forever anytime the name Belicheat* came up. Living in NE, I remember how calm Belicheat* was discussing his meeting with Goodell--the cheat* was never nervous because he* understood all this better than you and I could.

 

Wow, you need to get out of NH, brother.

 

So all of the owners accepted that Super Bowls were stolen by the Pats. In addition, they willigly participated in the Commish's coverup. And despite knowing that all "intelligent fans" thought this was an outrage and compromised the very sanctitiy of the league, they did it anyway because it would be...........better for the league's reputation?

 

Are you for real? Does that seem logical to you?

 

And the press went along? Because that's what they do for the NFL--because "hey, there's no story there"? Boy, the press must really hate MLB, becuase they are continuously trying to destroy that league's reputation with all these endless reports of the best players (all players?) on the juice.

 

And the example you give is the political system in the US--how both parties tow line to keep the people faithful to the ol USA?

 

Maybe you didn't read about it or see it on TV, but there was a major change in the political leadership over the past 2-3 years brought on by many factors but won mainly by one party's incessant bashing of the other party's blunders.

 

Man, you asbolutely could not have picked a worse example than American politics to describe an organization all working together.

[The Senator]

Wow, you need to get out of NH, brother.

Not everyone likes Provincetown. How's TommieBoy?