....and if it is a slap on the wrist, how many teams wouldn't use video devices and risk getting caught in exchange for gaining an advantage in the playoffs. Goodell went out of his way to make this a big deal in the offseason, how can he only give BB a slap on the wrist when BB broke the rule the very first chance he was given.

this is very true. How many times do you see teams make trades at the deadline that include young up and coming players to get a shot at the title this year. While they might be taking a risk at next year or the year after. They usually will do it to make their run at the playoffs now. So penelizing teams next year for what they are doing now is ludicris.

Even though I'm a Colts fan and I can't stand the Pats. I also don't think I like the idea of taking away draft picks or giving the Pat a loss. I don't think it's fair to punish the players for something BB did and most if not all of the players didn't know much about it. I'd like to see a hefty fine and a lengthy suspension for BB alone. With the automatic 4 game suspension for steroids, I think it needs to be longer than that. I'd like to see a 5-8 game suspension and a couple of hundred thousand dollar fine maybe up to $500,000. I'd like that and think it would be a punishment that fits the crime, but I know we won't see it happen.

Personally, I'm happy that the Pats got caught. BB knows exactly what he is doing. Now the Pats get to play the us vs. the world card all year. He'll probably get suspended for 2 games at most and they will lose 1 or maybe 2 day 1 draft picks.

Meanwhile, he'll still be running the team while suspended, and the Pats are so good at stockpiling extra draft picks that the loss of picks won't matter that much.

End result: 12-4 AFC East Champions with a chip on their shoulder.

Anyone who thinks they will end up forfeiting the game or that BB will be suspended for more than 2 games is insane.

Never underestimate BB's meta-game skills.

No one thinks that. I only said that's what would be fair and what should happen. The fact that he'll get a slap on the wrist is what is bullshit. BTW, thanks for going out on a limb by claiming them the AFC East Champions. Shit, that's like calling the Colts the AFC South Champions. Duh.

ahhh.... aparhantly this amount is not so outrageous.
Early reports from a Boston telivision station is saying that Belichick will be fined personally (not to be paid by the team or owner) $500,000. and 2 hight draft picks, possably including a 1st, will be taken.
It appears this fracus is quite a bit more serious than I believed.

I stated earlier that I din't think it was much of an advantage, but it is cheating as defined in the rule book, so to do it makes no sense at all.

How do you not hurt the players and punish only BB? Let him finish out the season and then ban him from the NFL.

This would be righteous dude!!!

Bumped for no particular reason

Goodell is too inconsistent.

Wade Wilson (assistant coach) gets suspended and fined for using HGH, which has no effect in the NFL whatsoever.

Goodell goes up against a big name, and hands out a worthless fine, and a joke in regards to draft picks. The Patriots can go out in free agency and spend the money they would have on draft picks. No big loss there. As for the fine, Kraft will be paying that in some form or fashion.

As I expected, the Patriots, multiple offenders, got off with the equivalent of a "hand slap"

"I think they should forfeit, man," said Reno Mahe, whose Philadelphia Eagles lost the 2005 Super Bowl to the Patriots. "We won the Super Bowl. I think we should get it. I'm going to go trade my NFC championship ring for a Super Bowl ring."

I am sorry but as an Eagles fan, this is the best part of the whole article on Yahoo! HaHa.
Mahe, was the biggest part of their win and now has my vote for 2005 Super Bowl MVP.

This punishment is really, really light. And what does making the playoffs have to do with the Patriots cheating history? The fact that they cheated in the past is punishable two ways based on what happens in the future? Huh?

I think the Pats got off easy, and will be fine. Kind of makes me angry...

yeah, I was confused also about the "if they make the playoffs" thing.... but after it digested I thought that by not making the playoffs this could be a #1-#20 pick (not likely the Pats will have the #1 but if another team is found guilty of this...). So Goodell covered his arse in the case of another team were to be penalized, a bad team, (like say the Jets), not to take their #1 and cripple the team for another 5 years.
The Patriots having 2 first rd picks should have no bearing on the penalty.

Good Point, Mike. How can a coach get suspended for something that had no effect on any games and Bellicheat gets no suspension at all. I was in Goodell's camp on the Vick thing and thought he was just being patient, but this is unbelievable. BB gets caught cheating and is on the sideline for the next game. Plus, to your point of the draft picks. They have 2 first rounders anyway and more than likely their first rounder won't be their earliest pick. Taking away the 32 pick when they have the 24th pick also, doesn't really hit them too hard.

I know this comment was placed just so i could respond. Not a harsh penalty. Who gets the pick(s) lost? Jets were 10-6 last season and made playoffs.

I guarantee that if you gave Belicheat the choice, he would rather serve a suspention than give up that 1st rd draft pick. Again, you can't use the fact that the Pats own 2 1st rd draft picks when deciding their penalty. Don't lose sight of the fact that your taking away the next Brandon Merriweather or Lawrence Maroney calibur player on the Pats for the next 4-5 years ...and every other team benifits as they move up a slot, not just for the 1st rd, but for the rest of the draft.
**alright Deuce, you got me... the Jets are respectable. (ugh...I just threw up in my mouth). No one gets the pick... it just gets skipped.

The reason the Pats are favored to win the superbowl this year is due to 3 things. #1 BB is the head coach. #2 Brady is your starting QB. #3 and they saw their point of weakness last year (WR) and fixed the issue during free agency not the draft (Chad Jackson still hasn't played). If you suspend BB for 5 games (It would have to be more than Wade Wilson), maybe the Pats don't have home field advantage and maybe don't have a first round bye (probably not, because I still don't think that cry baby Mangini could finish with a better record than the Pats). I'm not saying a suspension in place of losing the draft picks, I'm saying in addition to losing the picks.

I lived in Boston for 4 years from 2002-2006. Including SB victories by Pats and a unbelievable World Series run by the Sox. Being a hard core Yankee and Jet fan it was a hard pill to swallow and i found myself defending/degrading the ny/boston teams. I lived on the common and found it hillarious that during the pats victory parades the fans would be shouting out yankees suck.

I've been a Boston guy all my life, and I can't stand the "yankees suck" chants... It was annoying before 2004 series, now it's just stupid and rediculous. Problem is a "yankees suck" chant in NE will catch on as fast as a "USA" chant will catch on anywhere else in the country. So all it takes is a few boneheads to get it started.