NE paid to keep cheating secret

by mercury22nathan Wed May 26, 2021 9:25 am

before his death, Don Shula was a surprisingly blunt critic of Bill Belichick and his cheating ways.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/08/don-shula-calls-bill-belichick-beli-cheat/
https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/patriots/ex-dolphins-star-details-don-shulas-beef-bill-belichick-patriots

lots of folks - including many in the national media - dismissed Shula as a sour old man who was cantankerous over his place as the "best ever" being eclipsed by the new "unbeatable genius" on the block. but now we have an inside look into the lengths the Patriots owner and the NFL went to cover up all the cheating they had done on the way to all those Super Bowl campaigns (and a look into how to get things - or not get things - done in American politics...hint: money).

IN THE SPRING of 2008, the NFL was in crisis. A hard-charging United States senator from Pennsylvania named Arlen Specter had launched an investigation into the Spygate scandal. He tried to determine how many games the New England Patriots' illegal videotaping operation of opposing coaches' signals had helped the team win and learn why the NFL, under the orders of commissioner Roger Goodell, had destroyed all evidence of the cheating. By May, Specter -- a former Philadelphia district attorney and a lifelong Eagles fan -- was so angry at the "stonewalling" of his inquiry by the league and the Patriots that he called for an independent investigator, similar to the Mitchell investigation of steroid use in professional baseball. League executives and coaches might be forced to testify under oath. The prospect sent the league, and its new commissioner, into panic. "If it ever got to an investigation," Goodell said at one point, "it would be terrible for the league."

The NFL tried to combat the Specter inquiry with public statements from teams that were the primary victims of New England's spying, saying the league had done its due diligence. It wasn't working.

But there was one man, a mutual friend of Specter and Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who believed that he could make the investigation go away. He was a famous businessman and reality television star who routinely threw money at politicians to try to curry favor, whether it worked or not. He had been a generous political patron of Specter's for two decades.

One day in early 2008, Specter had dinner with the man in Palm Beach at his palatial club, not far from Kraft's Florida home. A phone call followed. The friend offered Specter what the senator felt was tantamount to a bribe: "If you laid off the Patriots, there'd be a lot of money in Palm Beach."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31484993/son-ghostwriter-late-senator-say-trump-intervened-stop-probe-patriots-spygate-scandal

its a long expose, but how can anyone continue to recognize the Patriots' a legitimate dynasty? its quite easy to win games when you know what the opposition is doing - and its being covered up at the highest levels. for me personally, all of the victories, super bowl and otherwise, as well as the supposed individual accomplishments (here's looking at you Brady) are hereby vacated.

by DolFan 316 Wed May 26, 2021 9:27 am

I was always suspicious. Seriously. And furthermore, I also am convinced Brady is on PEDs and has been for at least a decade. Also seriously.

by CarsonChris Wed May 26, 2021 9:56 am

Anyone with knowledge of the cheating that was either a coach, player, or owner should be banned from the HOF!

by mercury22nathan Wed May 26, 2021 10:53 am

i always thought it was odd that Tom Brady never caught any flack for being an ardent Trump supporter when every other pro athlete was crushed for not supporting supposedly "woke" ideals (ala Brees not kneeling in honor of the military). now we know why Brady might have loved him some Trump so much - he was paying to keep his dirty laundry secret.

by DolFan 316 Wed May 26, 2021 5:27 pm

Not sure what Trump has to do with it, seeing as this cheating was going on over a decade before he became president. IMO Brady avoided criticism for the same reason he keeps reaching and winning Super Bowls and playing better than any pro athlete over age 40 ever has. He's either the luckiest human alive or not human at all.

BTW I'm glad Brees retired if he was going to bitch out like that. JJ Watt needs to be next.

by CarsonChris Wed May 26, 2021 6:49 pm

I admire Brady for having the balls to not wear a mask when that was being forced on everyone.

by Degarmo Wed May 26, 2021 9:29 pm

DolFan 316 wrote:Not sure what Trump has to do with it, seeing as this cheating was going on over a decade before he became president.

mercury22nathan wrote:

But there was one man, a mutual friend of Specter and Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who believed that he could make the investigation go away. He was a famous businessman and reality television star who routinely threw money at politicians to try to curry favor, whether it worked or not. He had been a generous political patron of Specter's for two decades.

One day in early 2008, Specter had dinner with the man in Palm Beach at his palatial club, not far from Kraft's Florida home. A phone call followed. The friend offered Specter what the senator felt was tantamount to a bribe: "If you laid off the Patriots, there'd be a lot of money in Palm Beach."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31484993/son-ghostwriter-late-senator-say-trump-intervened-stop-probe-patriots-spygate-scandal

by mercury22nathan Thu May 27, 2021 8:22 am

DolFan 316 wrote:Not sure what Trump has to do with it.

thank you Degarmo for pointing out what i thought was obvious (but i guess not). or perhaps i assumed folks would actually read the article...or at least the title of the article:

Son, ghostwriter of late senator say Trump intervened to stop probe of Patriots' Spygate scandal

so yes, this had nothing to do with President Trump, but everything to do with then businessman and prolific campaign contributor (to both political parties) Trump. here's a summary all...

the Pats got caught cheating by filming other teams playcall signals and practices. the NFL found out, but knowing how deep the cheating went and that it meant games (as in Super Bowls) had been fraudulently won, Goodell knew it would destroy the reputation of the league. he thusly propped up a strawman investigation and some hand slapping penalties (just enough to make the public believe all had been taken care of) and summarily had all evidence destroyed (who does that unless they want to hide it - forever?). but unfortunately, a powerful senator, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, was butthurt over his beloved Eagles losing the SB to the Pats and threatened a senatorial investigation. in steps mutual friend of both Robert Kraft and Sen. Specter - very wealthy, then celebrity reality TV host Donald J Trump - to promise significant campaign donations to Specter's re-election campaign if the the whole investigating the NFL is dropped.

by **JMP** Thu May 27, 2021 9:37 am

I have to admit, I'm over the cheating thing. I don't really care...it's old news at this point, and nothing can or will be done about it. It is what it is.

What I do care about is that the Patriots dynasty is over, and the Dolphins dynasty is getting ready to begin. Twisted Evil

by white1 Thu May 27, 2021 10:08 am

Agree JMP.

Without the cheating, and without Tom Brady, the Patriots are reverting to an also-ran with Belichek the GM doing no favors for Belichek the coach. I hope they missed big drafting Mac Jones, and I hope Cam Newton continues his decline to a below-average NFL QB.

I'd love to see their defense fall apart but that may be a bridge too far, I will settle for a toothless offense that can't run or pass effectively.

by mercury22nathan Thu May 27, 2021 11:00 am

JMP wrote:I have to admit, I'm over the cheating thing. I don't really care...it's old news at this point, and nothing can or will be done about it. It is what it is.

What I do care about is that the Patriots dynasty is over, and the Dolphins dynasty is getting ready to begin.

i know, i know...but it just pisses me off!! the Brady and Belichick got their dicks sucked by the media (and still do) for so damn long...and the whole time it was complete bullshit...and everybody knows it...and...

ok, calm down, calm down - before you blow a gasket.

Don Shula is and will forever be the KING!!!

by DolFan 316 Thu May 27, 2021 2:42 pm

mercury22nathan wrote:
JMP wrote:I have to admit, I'm over the cheating thing. I don't really care...it's old news at this point, and nothing can or will be done about it. It is what it is.

What I do care about is that the Patriots dynasty is over, and the Dolphins dynasty is getting ready to begin.

i know, i know...but it just pisses me off!! the Brady and Belichick got their dicks sucked by the media (and still do) for so damn long...and the whole time it was complete bullshit...and everybody knows it...and...

ok, calm down, calm down - before you blow a gasket.

Don Shula is and will forever be the KING!!!

What's going to piss me off is if Trump somehow takes the blame for the whole thing, and is made out to be the only person conspiring with Belichick and Brady to cheat, with the media suddenly pretending they knew about and were against the cheating this entire time.

I mean, it's not as if the guy hasn't already been accused of so many other misdeeds concerning Russia and Ukraine that turned out to be the doing of those who opposed him. Not to mention the whole "capitol building terrorist" fiasco where Trump told them all on social media to go home, and big tech literally went out of their way to erase it so they could pretend he was the mastermind behind the vile terrorist act that consisted of...a bunch of people milling around the building taking selfies before wandering off after the DC cops were ordered by the Dems to let them in. Oh, the horror!

By the time the media's done with this the narrative will be that Trump somehow forced the poor innocent Belichick to cheat and came up with all the ideas himself Rolling Eyes

I guess they have to try and get him on *something* now that he's not president anymore and yet things have gotten worse and so many people have suddenly discovered that if they can't bash Trump they're nobodies without viable careers anymore.

And that's all I'm going to say about that subject.

by DolFan 316 Thu May 27, 2021 2:47 pm

JMP wrote:I have to admit, I'm over the cheating thing. I don't really care...it's old news at this point, and nothing can or will be done about it. It is what it is.

What I do care about is that the Patriots dynasty is over, and the Dolphins dynasty is getting ready to begin.

Just remember who called it after the Titans playoff loss--and even predicted that. Me, that's who Cool

FYI Belichick has coached 8 seasons without Brady (or mostly without, in '08) and in that time has...one playoff appearance and one win. Over the Pats, oddly enough.

Also FYI, Shula went unbeaten with a 38-year old backup QB playing most of the way while Belichick was five games worse in '08 without Brady and missed the playoffs. Hmmm scratch

Making the Super Bowl with Woodley at QB is another point in Shula's favor come to think of it. As is the fact that in 33 years he had just two losing seasons to Belichick's six.

by DolFan 316 Thu May 27, 2021 2:50 pm

mercury22nathan wrote:
JMP wrote:I have to admit, I'm over the cheating thing. I don't really care...it's old news at this point, and nothing can or will be done about it. It is what it is.

What I do care about is that the Patriots dynasty is over, and the Dolphins dynasty is getting ready to begin.

i know, i know...but it just pisses me off!! the Brady and Belichick got their dicks sucked by the media (and still do) for so damn long...and the whole time it was complete bullshit...and everybody knows it...and...

ok, calm down, calm down - before you blow a gasket.

Let's make one thing perfectly clear: I'm the only one who's allowed to blow a gasket around here. Got it? NE paid to keep cheating secret 1f620

Just a reminder to anybody who thinks the Potentate of Pessimism has gotten soft.

by HalCHorn Thu May 27, 2021 5:11 pm

DolFan 316 wrote:
JMP wrote:I have to admit, I'm over the cheating thing. I don't really care...it's old news at this point, and nothing can or will be done about it. It is what it is.

What I do care about is that the Patriots dynasty is over, and the Dolphins dynasty is getting ready to begin.

Just remember who called it after the Titans playoff loss--and even predicted that. Me, that's who

FYI Belichick has coached 8 seasons without Brady (or mostly without, in '08) and in that time has...one playoff appearance and one win. Over the Pats, oddly enough.

Also FYI, Shula went unbeaten with a 38-year old backup QB playing most of the way while Belichick was five games worse in '08 without Brady and missed the playoffs. Hmmm

Making the Super Bowl with Woodley at QB is another point in Shula's favor come to think of it. As is the fact that in 33 years he had just two losing seasons to Belichick's six.

Shula went to league championship games with Unitas, Morrall, Griese, Woodley and Marino. 5 different starting QB's. Only Gibbs (Rypien, Williams, Theismann) has ever done this with more than two in the past 60 years. Hell, if memory serves Shula went something like 29-15-1 starting backup QB's during his career.

by Sponsored content

NE paid to keep cheating secret

NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret

Re: NE paid to keep cheating secret