Boston Herald-Possible Rams/Pats Superbowl Spygate?

[moloch41]

I don't think there can be any denying that the officials allowed the Patriots to get away with murder. A tightly officiated game would have made all the difference IMO. The grabbing, clutching, holding, head clubing, non-calls against New England and yes, the coaching edge gained by illegal tapes were just what the Patriots needed to overcome a far superior team.

Super Bowl 36. The gift that just keeps giving.:x

I don't understand what you're impying here- are you saying that the Pats paid off the refs or that the NFL passed down a edict to the refs that they let them win? Didn't the NFL pass the defensive holding rule after 5 yds the year after the superbowl? It shows that they weren't happy with the way the Rams receivers were being manhandled an wanted to get a rule on the books to address it.

All this is moot tho- like I've stated, we had the chance to win the game and our beloved lovie smith tossed it away. The game wasn't decided on a disputed call- we allowed them to march downfield and win the thing. That's the facts pure and simple. IMO, there are terrible calls in every single game. The Cowboys got a ton of calls during their Superbowl run. It's like baseball when certain hitters or pitchers get the strike zone and others don't.

All I'm saying is that until someone proves something other than they filmed the walkthrough the day before and other teams haven't done that, then I'm going to take the highroad, tip my hat to them, move on, and pray that lovie smith will never be calling defensive plays for us in a close Superbowl ever again.

[r8rh8rmike]

I don't understand what you're impying here- are you saying that the Pats paid off the refs or that the NFL passed down a edict to the refs that they let them win?

I'm saying for whatever reason, the officials called that game to the Patriots advantage in a big way, plain and simple.

All this is moot tho- like I've stated, we had the chance to win the game and our beloved lovie smith tossed it away. The game wasn't decided on a disputed call- we allowed them to march downfield and win the thing. That's the facts pure and simple.

If I'm not mistaken, Smith's defense allowed exactly 1 touchdown the entire game. And as far as the game not being decided on a disputed call, what about the blatant no-call on the Brady intentional grounding that ultimately got them into FG range? If that obvious penalty would have been called, it's a whole different ballgame.

[bigredman]

I agree that there were other factors in play where the Rams certainly could have done things differently to have changed the outcome of that game, as close as it was, and it is useless to blame the officials for the lose. However, clandestinely filming the other team's walk through, regardless of whether other teams have done the same, is cheating. Period. If it is discovered that the Patriots had film of the Ram's walk throughs while preparing for the Super Bowl, then they should be stripped of that championship.

[moloch41]

I agree that there were other factors in play where the Rams certainly could have done things differently to have changed the outcome of that game, as close as it was, and it is useless to blame the officials for the lose. However, clandestinely filming the other team's walk through, regardless of whether other teams have done the same, is cheating. Period. If it is discovered that the Patriots had film of the Ram's walk throughs while preparing for the Super Bowl, then they should be stripped of that championship.

Then the NFL would have to review the same in every other game ever played. How about if the Rams were found with insignificant infractions that really didn't have a hand in the outcome of the game for the Superbowl they did win? Should they have that stripped away too?

[ramsbruce]

Well according to all the experts, every team does this, so I don't see why it should count against them and not the 31 other teams. Not to mention that this is still all unfounded- unless they can prove to me that they did something other than tape the walkthrough, then I really don't think it's all that big of a deal. We could have won the game regardless of all this other stuff and didn't do it. We were outplayed, outcoached, and just beaten. We lost this game as much as they won. That's how I see it.

Belichick always stretches/bends/breaks the rules. So I don't believe that every team does it like he does it. Why is Tom Brady always on the injury report? He hasn't had a bad shoulder every week for the past 6 years.

If they taped the walkthrough that's enough to gain an advantage, there is no denying that. So overall it is a big deal, how much of the Pats past success was real and how much did they benefit from possible taping etc. Cheating is cheating, and it's a big deal. Why did the NFL destroy all of the evidence? Why did Goodell give lame vague answers when asked this week about spygate. It's obviously shady and there is a lot more to it.

I already agreed we could have done some things different and won, but you're kidding yourself if you think that watching our walkthrough wouldn't give them an advantage.

Nothing is moot when it's about possible cheating.

[Chris58]

Cheating is cheating, and it's a big deal. Why did the NFL destroy all of the evidence? Why did Goodell give lame vague answers when asked this week about spygate. It's obviously shady and there is a lot more to it. Nothing is moot when it's about possible cheating.

This is the point of my earlier post. I don't mean to sound like a kooky conspiracy theorist. But the NFL is not benefited by an in-depth investigation because it could prove to be embarrassing and expose the league for the level of cheating that actually goes on. It's easier for the NFL to deny deny deny, delay, delay delay and maybe it all just goes away.

[gap]

Then the NFL would have to review the same in every other game ever played. How about if the Rams were found with insignificant infractions that really didn't have a hand in the outcome of the game for the Superbowl they did win? Should they have that stripped away too?

So. If you were a turkey around the end of November, would you think the guy with the axe was going to cut firewood?

It is people, that take the stance that you take, that allow the NFL to continue this farce called "Professional" football. I have no proof that the league has a plan to enhance, or ruin, certain teams, but it is very apperent to me that the officiating is also in favor of one team or another in every game. They do this to keep the money rolling in. The teams that generate the highest profits, for the league, always seem to have things go their way. Every now and then, they allow a less profitable team excede to string along their fans, and to discuise their foul play.

The NFL wants this buried to hide just what you are using as an excuse. "Everyone is doing it". IF... everyone is doing it, then the NFL has a bigger problem.

gap

[Mooselini]

If this IS true, it would never come out publicly, it would cause HUGE damage to the NFL....

I'm pissed bout it but hey you just have to move on..

steve:l

I'd hate to say it...but youre right. The NFL's reputation is on the line if this gets public.

However, like you are. I'm very pissed off. Something was weird about that game. And now I know why...

[THoltDaBest81]

It's pathetic a team would have gain unfair advantage in the NFL. We all know these alligations are true. They were cheating way before they got caught in 2007. It has came back on them now, they deserved the upset they got against the Giants in the super bowl.

[RamDez]

I wonder if the Giants taped the Patriots during their walk through?

[thoey]

That explains it- the Pats must have had tapes of love smith employing that weak-azz, soft zone, prevent defense before he threw it out there at the end of that game. I mean, how else could Tom Brady have driven his team all the way into field goal position against a mush pass rush and DBs who are 30 yds downfield??? It just didn't make sense until now!!!

Hey Moloch, just wanted to give you props. Yeah, too late to cry over spilt milk. Cheaters. Glad to see them lose.

[txramsfan]

Honestly guys, we had way too many turnovers in that game. I do agree that Warner got hit in the head on his interception throw, but I doubt if that play was on the walk through tape. Proehl's fumble was a huge play in the first half.

We went to soft on defense on the final drive. 1:30 or so left and NE had no timeouts? Lovie went prevent? The defense was fresh, it wasn't like the Titans game when the D was exhausted. They were barely on the field in the fourth quarter. We should have blitzed Brady, not let him pick us apart like he did.

Yea, the walk through taping was bush league....but I doubt if it had any significant ramifications to the final score in that game.

[AvengerRam]

I agree that taping a walk-through did not change the outcome of the game.

However, the mugging of the Rams' receivers did, and those were rule violations too (albeit ones that were ignored by the refs). So, if this latest "Spygate" puts the spotlight on the Patriots' way of doing things, I'm okay with that.

[moloch41]

So. If you were a turkey around the end of November, would you think the guy with the axe was going to cut firewood?

It is people, that take the stance that you take, that allow the NFL to continue this farce called "Professional" football. I have no proof that the league has a plan to enhance, or ruin, certain teams, but it is very apperent to me that the officiating is also in favor of one team or another in every game. They do this to keep the money rolling in. The teams that generate the highest profits, for the league, always seem to have things go their way. Every now and then, they allow a less profitable team excede to string along their fans, and to discuise their foul play.

The NFL wants this buried to hide just what you are using as an excuse. "Everyone is doing it". IF... everyone is doing it, then the NFL has a bigger problem.

gap

A vast NFL conspiracy, but absolutely not one shred of proof ever offered. Yes, it's people like me that are the problem.

[moloch41]

Honestly guys, we had way too many turnovers in that game. I do agree that Warner got hit in the head on his interception throw, but I doubt if that play was on the walk through tape. Proehl's fumble was a huge play in the first half.

We went to soft on defense on the final drive. 1:30 or so left and NE had no timeouts? Lovie went prevent? The defense was fresh, it wasn't like the Titans game when the D was exhausted. They were barely on the field in the fourth quarter. We should have blitzed Brady, not let him pick us apart like he did.

Yea, the walk through taping was bush league....but I doubt if it had any significant ramifications to the final score in that game.

This is all I've been saying. Is the practice of filming other teams bush league- yes, of course, but I really don't believe it had an outcome of the game. We could have/should have won that game and we didn't. How did we score those final two TDs to tie it up? Were those plays not included in the walkthrough? Martz took too long to make adjustments and lovie smith was the final dagger in our Superbowl heart with the soft defense he was calling at the end of the game.