ESPN take a bazooka to the NFL and the Patriots

[qwesley]

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/13533995/split-nfl-new-england-patriots-apart

Really long detailed read but it explains the seemingly over-punishment on the deflated footballs as a way to make up for taking it easy on them for a decade of spying and actually destroying the tapes that could have really hurt the league.

Lots of legacies possibly/probably changed due to this....second Rams SB, Payton Manning likely would have gotten another one....and the Eagles, Steelers, and Panthers all feel there was cheating in their losses.

 

[CatsBy90_rivals30112]

I hate ESPN (mostly for their obsession with the NFL), but have to give them props for exposing this. Well done and incredibly damning.

Goodell is easily the worst commissioner in the history of professional sports, how in the hell does he still have a job?

And the Patriots HAVE to be stripped of their titles, right?

 

[qwesley]

Very interesting see how high his comp is and how Kraft is on the owner comp 3-man committee. There is no doubt that played a role in him instructing league officials to destroy all the evidence (that the Pats turned over) while on site at nearly the beginning of the spygate stuff. Insane.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Brady and Belicheck are cheats, simple as that. This wasn't the first time they pulled this, and you're crazy to think it won't be a last.

 

[KingOfBBN]

Now if only ESPN would devote that same attention to the NCAA, Duke and UNC.

ESPN panders to the ones who fill their pockets. For instance, when the Tim Donaghy scanda broke and Donaghy said how much corruption was in the NBA with league officials influencing games, a poll on ESPN showed that 80% of the population believed his allegations.

However, every analyst on there said it was outrageous and by no means is corruption rampant in officiating and in the league office all due to the NBA and ESPN's partnership with airing games.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

ESPN panders to the ones who fill their pockets.

That may generally be true - but it's hard to make that claim here, when ESPN takes a 2x4 to the NFL and its model franchise. My guess is ESPN gets more money from the NFL than anywhere else.

Good reporting, and this is going to leave a mark. Might even change the permanent narrative on Deflategate (from much ado about nothing to much ado to make up for letting the Pats get away with so much previously, a "makeup call"). This should impact the legacy of Bellichick, Brady and the entire Patriots organization. You can no longer say they only filmed one opponent's walk through, and they let the air out of a ball, big deal. This was systemic, planned cheating over a long period. You know when Bill Simmons is squealing like he is tonight that blood was drawn......