Pats should be kept out of hall of fame

by Brian
(Calgary)

I have to admit to being delighted that the spygate thing is not being swept under the carpet.

This week, the camera man who helped film the Rams walk through practice the day before the Cheatriots first Superbowl championship title will testify and provide hard (film) evidence which will further implicate Belicheat and the boys. I'm glad and I'll tell you why and then I won't bother you with this any more.

1. What do all of the Pats biggest wins have in common?

The answer is.....First half defensive domination. They dominated the Steelers and Rams in 2001. Neither team could do a thing against a very average defense in a season where they were both virtually unstoppable but both the Rams and Steelers made adjustments that almost allowed them to come back and win.

The same thing happened to the Colts and Panthers in 2003 and the Panthers almost overcame. The same thing happened to the Steelers and Eagles in 2005. I remember being so disappointed in the Steelers offense for coming out flat in the first half of that game.

I used to think Belichick was the most prepared coach of all time but when I look at the defensive personnel they had, it does not add up.

2. It bothers me because my team was directly affected. I'm not going to pretend for one second that this would bother me nearly as much as it does if the guilty party were from an NFC team that never got in my teams' way.

The Steelers might have 6 or 7 championships if it were not for New England. I can't prove that but I won't pretend that it doesn't bother me. If the same suspicious story came out about the 49ers, I doubt that Dallas fans would want to drop it. The 49ers prevented at least 2 Cowboy Superbowls. The Cowboys prevented 2 possible 49er championships too.

The fact that some of the 70's Cowboy players are still complaining about Superbowl 13 from 1978(9) is proof that it's not as easy to put those bitter feelings behind you as those who see themselves as "rising above" might think.

3. We can't change the past so what's the point?
That has never been a good excuse for bad behavior
and never will be in my opinion. It is easy to feel that way when we have no personal stake in the situation but the only people who should say something like that are ones who have never complained about anyone or anything (perceived injustice) in their past.

We can't take away the rings but if the Pats are proven guilty (and they already have been) of this, we can keep them out of the hall of fame and they won't be mentioned in the same conversation as the 60's Packers, 70's Steelers, 80's Niners or 90's Cowboys again. I do feel for their offensive players in all of this though.