Who cares....All atttacks brew from jealousy no matter what the issue may be...just watch as we win the next superbowl

Coach Bill Belichick is being railroaded by an out of control news media and a bunch of teams so jealous of his winning record that they will do anything--say anything--to bring him down.

Lets face it.

This story of alleged taping is getting old---fast!

And let us not forget that Bob Kraft voted AGAINST hiring the current commissioner.

That says it all!

Jim,
You describe Belichick as a cold, calculating automaton. Does it really matter that he is not good in speaking with the media? You do not develop good social skills while sitting in a room alone, studying film. Isn't it better to have someone that never gets too high or too low to lead your team? Belichick is all about being calculating in the way he runs the Patriots. He is a football mind all about the X's and O's. I find it amusing that the media makes such a big deal about his personality. I don't recall anyone in the New England media complaining about how he has helped to turn this franchise around, winning three Superbowls. I think he is doing the right thing in focusing on the Chargers.

Amazing, a rule is a rule. This one in particular is not really open to interpretation. But because it is NE, it should just be swept under the rug? Geez... It's easy to have a winning record when you know what the other team is going to do ahead of time... If it had been the Jets caught cheating, and the Jets won the game, all the NE fans would be screaming bloody murder, and you all know it.

It is the words "accessible to club staff during the game" that are open to interpretation..... As I understand it, the Genius interpreted the rule to mean that the videotaping could not be done and then used DURING THAT GAME. what that means is that videotaping is fine as long as the video is not broken down and used until the next meeting between the teams.

I think the media will be the only reason this even stays in the news - sideline taping has gone on for years, which is why we often see coaches and staff (of many NFL teams) covering up with the clipboard.

The way this article was written it appears that you would just like to blacken the record of the Patriots.

The Patriots will be watched all season under the microscope - let their record going into the playoffs determine if this is as big of a deal as it is being made out to be!

I think that the Patriots should suspend Belichick as a way to say that cheating is not tolerated within the organization but the NFL has spoken and IMO, loudly.

I am a New England Fan and right now this sucks!!

This cheating bothers me. I was happy that my team had such a clean image as hard working middle class dogs.

Cheating, no matter how minor is wrong. Anyone who denies this is thinking from a narrow minded view.

Imagine if we (PATRIOTS FANS) found out that The Clots had videotaped last year when they played the Patriots!!!

I know most Patriot fans would be up in arms saying that the Clots cheated and that the Patriots deserved to go to the SuperBowl.

Well, the shoe is on the other foot and we stepped in DOGSH*T!!!

The only good thing from this is that I am using it as a life teaching example to my kids.

It is not the legal or finacial ramifications that really matter,

IT IS THE DISHONOR BROUGHT UPON YOURSELF AND EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH YOU!!

I will forgive Belichick but I will not forget this incident. He has tarnished the Patriot's name!

Sincerely,

A sad Patriot

He tried to get away with something. He didn't. End of story. Let's get over it.

Don't limit the transgression to the date he got caught with the tape recorder... how many other games and teams have been cheated of a fair playing field? And the transgressions aren't limited to this event or the act of stealing play calls. At what cost to integrity do the Pats need to go?
This thing stinks and all the rings are tarnished because of it

Hey Katie,

I glad we don't have to play the Clots again this year.

If you want to teach a lesson to your kids, teach them how to spell.

I really don't care about videos or signals anymore. Let's watch some football and Jim Donaldson, please get off your high horse. Bill Reynolds is a much better writer anyway.

OK everyone, who actually thought Jim Donaldson would have written anything but a negative article in the Journal. I have always said it is easier to go negative than to write an insightful article, and Jim never disappoints me. Now, I am also disappointed by the Patriots, but cannot see any advantage for Belichick to open it up to questions and keep this story going. Can you hear the questions, "How long have you been doing this?...How did you use the tapes to your advantage?... You are right Jim, it is what it is, take the punishment and move on. Let's put the "chargers" to rest and play great football and show the league we are the great team most expected us to be!!

If you of the media weren't into the mass feeding frenzy, Belichick would have been given an apology. The law is the law. Don't tell me what the rule meant; tell me what the rule says.

That's why we are a nation of laws not men. In this case, the NY based commissioner was cowed by the New York based feeding frenzy media. Then it was augmented by a bunch of non-sports writers taking an opportunity to add their clucks; as well as opponents like Polian advocating penalties and seeking advantage.

Taping is apparently a horrendous crime. Yet teams trade tapes prior to every game. Yet crucify a coach for taping for use in a post game analysis, while conforming to the letter of the law.

Is it any wonder than Journalists are now viewed as the lowest pond scum, only superior to ambulance chasing tort lawyers, the lowest scum of an otherwise honorable profession; and politicians who lie in their sleep.

Even used car salesmen outrank you, in public standing. And you frankly, deserve the pond scum rating for this column!

The silence of the other head coaches in the NFL is deafening... And one can only surmise that's because THEY ALL STEAL SIGNALS. Perhaps they're not dopey enough to commit this sin on video tape , but steal signs they do !!!! How many times have you seen Belichick, Carlie Weis, Tom Coughlin, Mike Holgren, on television covering their mouths as they speak into their head sets or talk on the sidelines ?>??? Who are we kidding, there are spys all over the place come sunday in any stadium in the NFL.

Oh, the horror of it all! Trying to steal the opposing team's defensive signals during the game! Boy, that's a first! Good thing that never happens in ML Baseball!
Yes the videotaping broke a rule but isn't it obvious that that tape probably wouldn't be very helpful for that particular game since it would have to have been viewed, digested, interpreted and relayed to the players and coaches during the 15 min halftime break? Now, given that the cameraman was caught during the first quarter it sure wasn't going to help during that game! Look, Coach B. owned up to it, got punished and wants to move on to the next game. I suggest the media, the pompous and rightous fans, and the Pat-haters also move on. Oh, by the way, even if the offense knew every single defensive formation for every single play (which is highly unlikely), the offense still has to execute perfectly every time (also highly unlikely). This is the classic mountain out of a molehill. If, for example, the Raiders had gotten caught instead of the Pats then it would be forgotten by now.

Bill broke the rules, Bill and the Patriots got punished as the commissioner deemed appropriate. Any further commentary is unnecessary and in some cases legally slanderous. If you know Football it is easy to understand there is little to be gained by this activity, but in an environment where "winning is the only thing" even that small edge can tempt. There is cheating everywhere.

Cheating out in the open where everyone can see you?...what kind of cheating is that? Nothing hidden, nothing sneaky...just one of the MANY, MANY, MANY cameras taping the game, the opposition, the signals. Everyone is overreacting. Was it wrong, yes. Was it against the guidelines? Sure. Was there a penalty? You bet. Was it hidden and sneaky? No...it was right out there in the open. Cheating? I don't think so. Arrogant and Dumb? There you go! The media needs to get a life...the feeding frenzy is more embarrassing than the videotaping. Since Bill isn't a media favorite cuz he only wants to talk football, the media has decided to vilify him. He broke a rule. He got punished. He didn't break the law...he didn't do drugs...he ran a camera out in the open...let it go.