Clayton: NFL penalty for Belichick, Patriots is far too light

[lordofgun]

It took NFL commissioner Roger Goodell only five days to react to Bill Belichick's spying incident and the penalty was worse than many expected.
But maybe the commissioner acted a little too quickly on this one. The penalty was too light.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?id=3018407

[Wys Guy]

The financial penalty was the max. His hands were tied on that one.

Should have levied a suspension however. He's gonna pay for not doing that. 4 games min.

[Mitchy moo]

Money means 0, they have 2 first round picks in 08. Meaningless penalty.

[casdhf]

Who cares if he gets suspended for a game? Most the prep work is done mid week anyways.

[YardRat]

It is too light. Should have put the hammer down.

[PECKERWOOD]

If Coach Wilson from Dallas gets five games for using HGH, Belibaby oughta get atleast 8.

[dolphan117]

Money means 0, they have 2 first round picks in 08. Meaningless penalty.That's about how I feel. Its not completely meaningless as having only one first rounder isn't nearly as good as having two but this is not a crippling blow to the franchise.

IMO if you cheat to win 3 SB's you deserve to be penalized in such a way as to seriously hurt the franchise over a several year period. Taking all their draft choices, or at least all their first day ones would have been much more appropriate IMO.

[dolphan117]

If Coach Wilson from Dallas gets five games for using HGH, Belibaby oughta get atleast 8.I don't get that either. A coach taking HGH does what? Increase his lung capacity so he can better call signals to his players? How in the world does that help the team in any real way?

I mean I don't disagree with his suspension but one coach broke league rules in a way that did absolutely nothing to help his team and the other guy cheated in such a way that his team gained a competitive advantage over a several year period..... And the first guy gets 4 games while the second guy gets just a fine? Makes no sense to me either.

[Typ0]

The financial penalty was the max. His hands were tied on that one.

Should have levied a suspension however. He's gonna pay for not doing that. 4 games min.

I have to disagree with that one. I just don't understand how everyone one feels it's BB that had this idea and he's the one responsible. Whose to say that Kraft isn't the one that instilled this whole cheating system? You have to come to the table with some solid evidence of where the buck stopped before you start suspending people.

[mybills]

Suspending him would be a bad thing. They'd prolly lose more games and not make it to the playoffs, thus only forcing them to give up their 2nd round pick, and one of their 3rd picks, instead of one of their 1st picks. I'd rather hit them with the 1st, but then again, now that they can't cheat who's to say they'll make it to the PO's? :snicker:

[chernobylwraiths]

Is there a person who knows anything about football that thinks the Patriots will not make the playoffs if BB wasn't on the sidelines for a few games? Baring a Tom Brady injury, the team will win probably 14 games.

[mybills]

Baring a Tom Brady injury, the team will win probably 14 games.
I refuse to believe that. My theory is this. If they play really good today, the players knew about the cheating. If they stink up the field, they didn't know, and BB has disappointed them so they won't put their hearts into playing. We'll see.

[Philagape]

If they really wanted to send a message, take away an entire draft.

[G. Host]

They did not even do that for SF who cheated for years.

[chernobylwraiths]

I refuse to believe that. My theory is this. If they play really good today, the players knew about the cheating. If they stink up the field, they didn't know, and BB has disappointed them so they won't put their hearts into playing. We'll see.

You think the players didn't know? How naive are you?