I still don’t see why SpyGate has become such a big deal. The activity that the Pats were busted for was only made illegal before last season started. So why is it the general consensus that their prior Super Bowl victories would be tainted with proof of earlier tapes? Especially since Bill Belichick already has said they have previously taped games. Oh, and because taping isn’t really the violation… it was where the camera guy was standing (The sidelines) that got them their punishment.
If they had won Super Bowl XLII, that would have been one thing; but they didn’t. They got fined, they lost a 1st-round draft pick. It’s been dealt with and, regardless of what motives Arlen Specter has to try and blemish the NFL (A call for you Sen. Specter; it’s from Comcast), the issue should be done.
On a different note though: The Shawne Merriman rule should have come into play when the Coach of the Year was determined. Belichick should not have gotten it even with the 18-0 start.
A quick overview of the Pats titles…
Super Bowl XXXVI: It turns out the creators of the 9/11 conspiracy theories are total idiots. The Bush Administration had nothing to do with it. Nor did Muslims.
The whole plot was thought up by Belichick! His team was 0-2, so during the Bye Week, he carried out his twisted scheme and managed to get everyone to vote for the “Patriots” (Tuck Rule). It also was an unexpected victory for Boston over New York. Instead of getting behind the Giants, the country stood behind the Pats. Okay, so maybe this isn’t true, but it almost sounds like something Belichick would do. As for the Big Game, Adam Vinatieri kicked the game-winner with only seconds to go giving the Pats a 20-17 win over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams.
Super Bowl XXXVIII: How anyone can consider this one tainted, I don’t know. Some members of the NFC champion Carolina Panthers got steroid prescriptions filled during the postseason. So the choices are, vote for the team that might be taping the opponent, or for the team getting juiced up. I’m not a Pats fan in any way, but I still have to go with New England here.
Super Bowl XXXIX: I guess the cameras forced Donovan McNabb into three interceptions, right? Obviously all three were the direct result of supposed “illegal” (What, at that time, would have been within the rules) game film.
But wait! Wasn’t the problem that NE was taping defensive signals? So how does SpyGate give them the win?
Super Bowl XLII: So it wasn’t a win, I’m still including it. What looked to be an easy victory turns into a crushing loss after the Giants find out about the aforementioned Belichick ploy in SB 36. It also prompted the question “Why couldn’t Rodney Harrison come up with a big (Dirty?) play on the Manning-Tyree play?”
This game did produce a great pre-game Tom Brady quote regarding Plaxico Burress’ 23-17 (Giants) prediction of the final score though:
“We’re only going to score 17 points? I wish he had said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for scoring more points.”
Ah, how he must wish that they had managed 17…
In Summary: Adam Vinatieri, not SpyGate is responsible for the Patriots winning three championships in four years.
And a final note: Obviously not all of the statements on this page are meant to be taken seriously. But hopefully the main point (That SpyGate didn’t drastically affect Super Bowl victories) was communicated clearly.
