I'm very disappointed in the Patriots if it turns out that they indeed cheated. Ever since Bob Kraft came aboard, there had been the perception that this was one of the great organizations. The Patriots had integrity. They were the flagship NFL franchise, the model of how to get things done both on and off the field.
That's all gone now. Between Ted Johnson's accusations of reckless physical abuse, Bill Belichick's messy personal life, Rodney Harrison's admission of HGH use, and now the illegal videotaping and rumors of stolen radio frequencies, the good will has dissipated. It will be a lot harder to root for this team in good conscience now.
I shall, of course, remain a Patriots fan forever. I still want this team to win the Super Bowl. But I also want consequences for impropriety. Regardless as to what the NFL decides, I want to see the Patriots take the lead in disciplining its own miscreants. Rodney Harrison should be suspended by the team for two additional games beyond the league-imposed four. The employee who videotaped the Jets should be immediately fired. Bob Kraft should publicly issue a harsh rebuke of his own coaching staff, including Bill Belichick.
It's unreasonable to presume that Belichick would never see or use these tapes. What else would they be used for if not to give the team an unethical competitive advantage?
To those who say that the illegal videotaping did not help the Patriots defeat the Jets, how can we know for sure? Remember the Packers game last year where the same Patriots employee was also accused of videotaping the opposing coaching staff? Both games were laughers from the 2nd quarter on, with the Patriots winning by decisive margins. And who knows how many other games the Patriots illegally taped?
We can condemn the rubbernecking fans of other teams all we want, that doesn't change the reality that our team cheated. Rather than defend the indefensible, I prefer that we own up to our deficiencies and correct them.
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