http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3225539 <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>That requires an explanation," Specter told The Times. "The NFL has a very preferred status in our country with their antitrust exemption. The American people are entitled to be sure about the integrity of the game. It's analogous to the CIA destruction of tapes, or any time you have records destroyed.</div> Specter is quite the bulldog. As Hank Hill might say, "Go Arlen!"
In all honesty I see nothing constructive in this. Mr. Spectre must be having a slow year. Destroying the evidence was a crappy idea and Goodell ought to fine himself for ordering it, but this isn't that big of a deal...is it ?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Old Bob @ Feb 1 2008, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>In all honesty I see nothing constructive in this. Mr. Spectre must be having a slow year. Destroying the evidence was a crappy idea and Goodell ought to fine himself for ordering it, but this isn't that big of a deal...is it ?</div> It was evidence of a rule violation that assaults the integrity of the game. Why would that be a big deal? Of course, we may never know the extent or depth of the cheating since Goodall Ollie Northed the tapes. Why shouldn't the government make sure the NFL is conducting itself ethically? It's a business that deals in billions of dollars and often asks tax payers to pony up money for it's stadiums. The NFL is also the recipient of anti-trust exemptions. I think the NFL should be held accountable, unless it wants to give up all those perks and start billing itself as sports entertainment.
And this is important enough to go to the Senate Judiciary Committee because....why? If they want to hit steroids, sure. Guys pushing roids are celebrated regularly and kids should not get the impression that their improper use is acceptable. But what is Specter afraid of here? Kids destroying VHS tapes? Aren't there far more significant illegal activities to look into? Things like...I don't know...a war started based on lies? Any variety of other things? What's going to come out of this meeting, other than Goodell saying that the Patriots recorded some hand signals and that the franchise and the coach were given the biggest possible fine allowed by the rules of the league?
The fact that he waited 20 weeks to even bring this up just tells you he's looking for some publicity.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (agoo101284 @ Feb 1 2008, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And this is important enough to go to the Senate Judiciary Committee because....why? If they want to hit steroids, sure. Guys pushing roids are celebrated regularly and kids should not get the impression that their improper use is acceptable. But what is Specter afraid of here? Kids destroying VHS tapes? Aren't there far more significant illegal activities to look into? Things like...I don't know...a war started based on lies? Any variety of other things? What's going to come out of this meeting, other than Goodell saying that the Patriots recorded some hand signals and that the franchise and the coach were given the biggest possible fine allowed by the rules of the league?</div> So, it would be okay if Spector was going after steroid users, but he shouldn't bother with cheaters? It's not just the cheating, but the NFL's response to such cheating that warrants involvement. Belicheat intentionally broke a rule to try and gain an advantage and the NFL swept it under the rug. That action puts the integrity of the NFL in question. You can try to deflect the importance by understating and spinning the actions of the Patriots organization, but intelligent people will see through that bull and understand the principles that need to be upheld. The NFL needs to be accountable or give up it's antitrust exemptions, stop asking taxpayers for stadium money and start labeling itself as sports entertainment. Also, if you would read the article, Spector said that this matter would take the place of more important issues, but the NFL does have to answer because of it's antitrust exemptions.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (agoo101284 @ Feb 1 2008, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And this is important enough to go to the Senate Judiciary Committee because....why? If they want to hit steroids, sure. Guys pushing roids are celebrated regularly and kids should not get the impression that their improper use is acceptable.</div> Dolfandale just got through expaining why. I am amazed that I even need to quote Dale, when its so easy to read and comprehend. You made a conscious choice to ignore what he just said, but it doesn't diminish its importance. This *does* involve government. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>....often asks tax payers to pony up money for it's stadiums. The NFL is also the recipient of anti-trust exemptions. I think the NFL should be held accountable</div> Why is the enforcement of performance enhancing drugs ok, and enforceing other aspects of game integrity not up for discussion? BTW, Rodney Harrison was suspended 4 games this year for buying drugs that are illegal, not legally prescribed by doctors, and against the NFL's drug policy.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Feb 1 2008, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The fact that he waited 20 weeks to even bring this up just tells you he's looking for some publicity.</div> He didn't wait 20 weeks and if you would bother to read the article you would know that. Specter said the explanation "absolutely makes no sense at all," and blasted the commissioner for failing to respond to his inquiries on the matter for more than two months. His initial letter to the league is dated Nov. 15, 2007; the follow-up letter is dated Dec. 19. Goodell said in his letter to Specter that he just became aware of Specter's questions Thursday.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Feb 1 2008, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The fact that he waited 20 weeks to even bring this up just tells you he's looking for some publicity.</div> That's an assumption. Perhaps he is just a little busy helping to run the country in other important areas and has now just now been able to fit it into his schedule. If you find his timing inconvenient, it's probably because you are a patriots fan.
Len Pasquarelli of ESPN, gives a really immature take on Arlen Spectre's press conference. Read it here: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/c...&id=3226214 Mind you, there is no person living outside the northeastern US that carries the name Pasquarelli. An obvious apologist for the cheating Pats, and donut rehab journalist writes that Spectre should just leave it alone.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Return of the Raider @ Feb 2 2008, 12:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Dolfandale just got through expaining why. I am amazed that I even need to quote Dale, when its so easy to read and comprehend. You made a conscious choice to ignore what he just said, but it doesn't diminish its importance. This *does* involve government. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>....often asks tax payers to pony up money for it's stadiums. The NFL is also the recipient of anti-trust exemptions. I think the NFL should be held accountable</div> Why is the enforcement of performance enhancing drugs ok, and enforceing other aspects of game integrity not up for discussion? BTW, Rodney Harrison was suspended 4 games this year for buying drugs that are illegal, not legally prescribed by doctors, and against the NFL's drug policy. </div> The NFL made it very clear when they made the request that they wanted all copies of sideline video shot since the first memo went out last year so that they could be destroyed. They even made it clear why they wanted the video destroyed. We know what's on the tapes, we've all seen the Jets video that the NFL leaked. It's just a lot more of the same. I'm not sure that the good blowhards of the US Senate would be able to make it awake through even one quarter of one game tape. The tapes would be from the last two years, Goodell's tenure in office, the period of time that the Goodell's memos covered. Sideline taping done prior to that wasn't "cheating" because it wasn't illegal. It was no more cheating than my use of income averaging in the 80s was illegal (because the tax code wasn't altered to change the practise until the end of the decade). This is nothing more than an Eagles fan (Specter) crying about losing the Superbowl and Dolphandale is just pissed that another team is going to go undefeated and the Dolphins will no longer be the last to have accomplished the feat.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ehmunro @ Feb 2 2008, 07:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Return of the Raider @ Feb 2 2008, 12:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Dolfandale just got through expaining why. I am amazed that I even need to quote Dale, when its so easy to read and comprehend. You made a conscious choice to ignore what he just said, but it doesn't diminish its importance. This *does* involve government. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>....often asks tax payers to pony up money for it's stadiums. The NFL is also the recipient of anti-trust exemptions. I think the NFL should be held accountable</div> Why is the enforcement of performance enhancing drugs ok, and enforceing other aspects of game integrity not up for discussion? BTW, Rodney Harrison was suspended 4 games this year for buying drugs that are illegal, not legally prescribed by doctors, and against the NFL's drug policy. </div> The NFL made it very clear when they made the request that they wanted all copies of sideline video shot since the first memo went out last year so that they could be destroyed. They even made it clear why they wanted the video destroyed. We know what's on the tapes, we've all seen the Jets video that the NFL leaked. It's just a lot more of the same. I'm not sure that the good blowhards of the US Senate would be able to make it awake through even one quarter of one game tape. The tapes would be from the last two years, Goodell's tenure in office, the period of time that the Goodell's memos covered. Sideline taping done prior to that wasn't "cheating" because it wasn't illegal. It was no more cheating than my use of income averaging in the 80s was illegal (because the tax code wasn't altered to change the practise until the end of the decade). This is nothing more than an Eagles fan (Specter) crying about losing the Superbowl and Dolphandale is just pissed that another team is going to go undefeated and the Dolphins will no longer be the last to have accomplished the feat. </div> Your just trying to discredit my argument because you don't have a better one. I'm sure your only doing that because your a totally objective and unbias Patriots fan.
VINDICATION for non pats fans! VINDICATION for non pats fans! Someone with enough power finally called the pats on the cheating. The league has no appropriate response becuase what was done was inappropriate. The destruction of tapes to cover up the pats. Cant wait for the rams walkthrough tape to get sold to the press, and everything pats have done to no longer count.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DolfanDale @ Feb 2 2008, 12:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (agoo101284 @ Feb 1 2008, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And this is important enough to go to the Senate Judiciary Committee because....why? If they want to hit steroids, sure. Guys pushing roids are celebrated regularly and kids should not get the impression that their improper use is acceptable. But what is Specter afraid of here? Kids destroying VHS tapes? Aren't there far more significant illegal activities to look into? Things like...I don't know...a war started based on lies? Any variety of other things? What's going to come out of this meeting, other than Goodell saying that the Patriots recorded some hand signals and that the franchise and the coach were given the biggest possible fine allowed by the rules of the league?</div> So, it would be okay if Spector was going after steroid users, but he shouldn't bother with cheaters? It's not just the cheating, but the NFL's response to such cheating that warrants involvement. Belicheat intentionally broke a rule to try and gain an advantage and the NFL swept it under the rug. That action puts the integrity of the NFL in question. You can try to deflect the importance by understating and spinning the actions of the Patriots organization, but intelligent people will see through that bull and understand the principles that need to be upheld. The NFL needs to be accountable or give up it's antitrust exemptions, stop asking taxpayers for stadium money and start labeling itself as sports entertainment. Also, if you would read the article, Spector said that this matter would take the place of more important issues, but the NFL does have to answer because of it's antitrust exemptions. </div> As I alluded to the Allegedly taping the Rams thread, this stuff is better than any conspiracy theory. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who finds the league blindly accepting the Pats version and case closed as something profoundly disturbing. I think this is only the tip of the iceberg. Both Specter & Goodell talk about integrity. The possible grandstanding by Arlen has more basis in reality than the smoke and mirrors coming out of Foxbor & league HQ.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DolfanDale @ Feb 2 2008, 12:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Feb 1 2008, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The fact that he waited 20 weeks to even bring this up just tells you he's looking for some publicity.</div> He didn't wait 20 weeks and if you would bother to read the article you would know that. Specter said the explanation "absolutely makes no sense at all," and blasted the commissioner for failing to respond to his inquiries on the matter for more than two months. His initial letter to the league is dated Nov. 15, 2007; the follow-up letter is dated Dec. 19. Goodell said in his letter to Specter that he just became aware of Specter's questions Thursday. </div> Hi. He just came public with it now. Secret letters are secret letters, statements made to the public are made for specific purposes. If the Pats had lost to SD 2 weeks ago, we wouldn't be talking about this.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Feb 2 2008, 08:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DolfanDale @ Feb 2 2008, 12:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Feb 1 2008, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The fact that he waited 20 weeks to even bring this up just tells you he's looking for some publicity.</div> He didn't wait 20 weeks and if you would bother to read the article you would know that. Specter said the explanation "absolutely makes no sense at all," and blasted the commissioner for failing to respond to his inquiries on the matter for more than two months. His initial letter to the league is dated Nov. 15, 2007; the follow-up letter is dated Dec. 19. Goodell said in his letter to Specter that he just became aware of Specter's questions Thursday. </div> Hi. He just came public with it now. Secret letters are secret letters, statements made to the public are made for specific purposes. If the Pats had lost to SD 2 weeks ago, we wouldn't be talking about this. </div> We wouldnt be talking about this now either if the patriots didnt cheat thier way to everyone of thier tainted victories, but they did and now we are.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bearsfan1 @ Feb 2 2008, 09:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Feb 2 2008, 08:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DolfanDale @ Feb 2 2008, 12:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Feb 1 2008, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The fact that he waited 20 weeks to even bring this up just tells you he's looking for some publicity.</div> He didn't wait 20 weeks and if you would bother to read the article you would know that. Specter said the explanation "absolutely makes no sense at all," and blasted the commissioner for failing to respond to his inquiries on the matter for more than two months. His initial letter to the league is dated Nov. 15, 2007; the follow-up letter is dated Dec. 19. Goodell said in his letter to Specter that he just became aware of Specter's questions Thursday. </div> Hi. He just came public with it now. Secret letters are secret letters, statements made to the public are made for specific purposes. If the Pats had lost to SD 2 weeks ago, we wouldn't be talking about this. </div> We wouldnt be talking about this now either if the patriots didnt cheat thier way to everyone of thier tainted victories, but they did and now we are. </div> Thanks so much for your opinion. You should post that same exact post in as many threads as possible...multiple times, if needed. Oops, too late...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DolfanDale @ Feb 2 2008, 05:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Your just trying to discredit my argument because you don't have a better one. I'm sure your only doing that because your a totally objective and unbias Patriots fan.</div> You don't have an argument to discredit. You're simply repeating Greg Easterbrook's mendacious charges. Easterbrook, in his continuous "Cover up!!!" nonsense, has chosen to ignore the fact that the league demanded the sideline footage for destruction so that the Patriots couldn't continue to use it. He simply pretended that the NFL never said what it made clear. He even went on, in the initial article and in his hilarious campaign since, to charge that the NFL destroyed Superbowl video as part of their nefarious cover-up, despite the fact that Patriots haven't actually been in the Superbowl since the practise outlawed. Or maybe he's just pretending that Goodell arrived prior to the 2006 season. Either way it amounts to the same thing. At the end of the day, we know what was destroyed, we've all seen the footage. No evil conspiracies involved. No matter how much embittered Dolphins fans continue to scream "Conspiracy!!!".
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ehmunro @ Feb 3 2008, 02:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>At the end of the day, we know what was destroyed, we've all seen the footage. No evil conspiracies involved. No matter how much embittered Dolphins fans continue to scream "Conspiracy!!!".</div> We do? We have? To reiterate, I said it was better than any conspiracy theory. The mere fact that Goddell is taking the word of the Pats organization as substantial enough screams that something just ain't right IMO. <u>Maybe</u>, that is is the very definition of a cover up? To me, its like a Parole board (Goddell) listening only to an inmate (the Pats) saying they are rehabilitated and granting freedom & absolution. Now, it seems there are other victims (Rams & Eagles) as well as witnesses (Matt Walsh) ponying up and speaking out. Yet, the Judicial system (Specter) wants an inquiry and is being stonewalled by the Parole board, prisoner, & guards (the media).
The really sad part about Spygate being revisited IMO is that it gives BB (Bill Belichick, Big Brother, whatever) another chance to use that sorry crutch of a motivational tool (Us v the world) 1 more time.
