Ignorance Requires the Asterisk

6 plays for 37 yards. That's what the Patriots' offense accomplished prior to their camera, which was taping the opposing sideline's defensive signals, being removed from the field. 8 minutes of game time.

Those are the facts. Another fact worth mentioning is that there is no rule prohibiting video taping the opposition's defensive signals from other locations in the stadium (the press box, for example).

So the Patriots cheated because they video taped from a different angle/level?

I should also repeat the point that NO ONE HAS PROVEN how you can accomplish an in-game advantage with the video taping. Also, if you can video tape from other places in the stadium, how is this entire situation even relevant?

Wake up from your hatred of the Patriots and act like intelligent, informed observers if you're going to make your opinion heard. The media need to grow up.

Shula Comments and the Media's Continued Stupidity

In an article that actually defends the Patriots from Don Shula's idiotic comments, Yahoo! Sports Dan Wetzel writes: "New England was trying to get a real-time, in-game advantage." This is in reference to the video taping rule violation.

Well, when you discover that underground bunker (or conference room) that the Patriots had set up with a bunch of geniuses decrypting football signs and relaying them back to the sideline at real time (or even, during the game), let me know.

To Dan Wetzel and the rest of the moronic press: JUST BECAUSE YOU SAY IT DOESN'T MAKE IT SO. The commissioner himself said the Patriots never intended to use this for a "real-time, in-game advantage."

How can sports journalism in this country be this pathetic?

Defensive Backs and Pass Interference

The disadvantage that defensive backs in the NFL have to play with is really abhorrent. Bill Polian's rule change that disallows illegal contact has changed the nature of the game. I find this rule to be repulsive. It was obviously pushed to advantage finesse teams over more physical teams. Football is a physical game, and the defense has very little advantage going up against the offense: the offense knows the play and the snap count. The defense can only respond with smart play and physicality. An element of that has been taken away because Bill Polian demanded change.

The defensive backs of the Patriots played, in my opinion, very well against the Indianapolis Colts. I don't think you can classify it as whining when you say that Ellis Hobbs was incorrectly called for pass interference. He had position, leverage, and was playing the ball. In fact, he was tackled to the ground by Reggie Wayne. What was most obscene about the play was that the Colts were given yardage that put them near the goal line instead of being penalized ten yards. Rodney Harrison was also tackled by Dallas Clark in a somewhat less egregious case of offensive pass interference (no call was made in this case, and Harrison appeared happy even though his team should have been the beneficiary of a flag - this for me really underscores how bad the situation is).

It's no secret that Bill Polian is a competitive guy and has done everything in his power - through legitimate channels - to give his team an edge. What's sickening about it, though, is that the NFL continues to take the bait and calls plays his team's way even when the Patriots have done everything correctly. The perfect example is last year's AFC Title Game, during which Ellis Hobbs was flagged for pass interference in a crucial play that gave the Colts a first down and goal to go. The NFL has since admitted that the incorrect call was made (Go here for the exact info.) It's extremely unfortunate that Hobbs continues to be the target of bad calls when he is playing solid defensive back - perhaps he has earned an unwarranted reputation with officials through some prodding from the Colts or other teams? That might explain the Randy Moss offensive pass interference call. As for Hobbs, I suspect that Sunday's call will also force the league to admit once again that it was wrong.

Credit the Patriots for rebounding from pass interference penalties, but pass interference penalties, and any penalties in the defensive secondary are huge. When a team is flagged for breaking the Bill Polian - Ty Law rule, or for committing defensive holding, or for defensive pass interference, the offense gets an automatic first down. On critical plays, particularly third down plays, these flags are tremendous momentum swings. In many cases, teams gain huge yardage for pass interference calls. The Colts gained nearly eighty yards on two pass interference calls (one of which was clearly incorrect). What these plays do for the course of a game and a team's momentum is unknown - that is what's so troubling about this issue. If something were done, we wouldn't have to deal with hypothetical questions.

So what should be done? Because defensive pass interference is such a game changing play, I think it should be limited to ten or fifteen yards and an automatic first down (like in college football). Bill Belichick has repeatedly suggested this rule change when asked about it in interviews. He cites how the judgment of an official on something that happens so quickly can lead to huge chunks of yardage without any form of review. I completely agree. Defensive backs have been hampered by rule changes to the point that they cannot play very aggressive football for fear of being penalized. The league needs to do something to level the playing field and to prevent incorrect calls from adversely affecting the course of a game. Of course, officials are human beings and will not always make the right calls and at times may fail to make a call when one is warranted. The change to the college football rule seems to balance both situations adequately.

Obviously, viewers like to see high scoring games. I would argue that defensive battles and offensive execution are the key components to a good game. The second half of Sunday's Colts-Patriots game showed this. Aside from a questionable offensive pass interference penalty on Randy Moss, the officials called a decent game (relative to the first half). When you let offenses and defenses play and only call the clear violations you get good football games.

Pass interference in the NFL is becoming more and more like charging in the NBA, where players stand in front of others to gain a foul. The league has made numerous questionable rule changes (from not blowing the whistle when action seems to stop to the Bill Polian rule change of illegal contact), but I believe a pass interference rule alteration is the most important for the integrity of the game. I do not have statistics to show an increase in pass interference penalties, nor do I have any evidence that today such calls are less accurate than in the past. I simply think an adoption of the college rules will take the game out of the officials hands and leave it in those of the players - at least to a degree and in a way that enhances the game.

These are the types of issues that sports writers should be addressing. Forget the garbage on Page Two and CNNSI.com. I'd like to read an intelligent debate on this issue.

The Sound Issue; Ditka, Jackson, et al

The bigger story here regarding the sound issue is that the Patriots could not use their QB to Coach radios during the game. This is, of course, a league issue because the NFL monitors and coordinates the radios. The point I want to make is that Dr. Z of CNNSI.com and many other members of the press have previously stated that the Patriots employ radio-jamming or other tactics during the games - the press has made these allegations based on rumors. I'm interested to see if, and how, the media report this.

I wonder how much the media would focus on this issue if it were the Patriots accused of pumping up the sound, and how Coach Belichick's detractors would have responded. There is still no real evidence but numerous teams (not just New England) have complained about the crowd noise in the RCA Dome. For some sports writers (Dr. Z of CNNSI.com), that's enough for a two page article blasting Coach Belichick and the Patriots organization.

My next post is going to be about the officiating during the Patriots-Colts game. I'm not going to simply complain about how it blatantly skewed the Colts way, but specifically about the pass interference rule and why it needs to be changed (Bill Belichick thinks the same way, according to past interviews with the media.)

As for Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, and the other phony members of the media, I really have nothing to say except to stress how worthless they are. We all know how wrong each of these people have been in the past and it's not even worth writing (or reading about) how much they dislike Bill Belichick and how it affects their "work."

Let's Make Something of Nothing

Watch the media's coverage of this issue. There's no real evidence yet, but that didn't stop some people in the past:

http://www.boston.com/sports/nesn/wilbur/sports_blog/blog/2007/11/05/sound_adjustment/

One can only imagine if this accusation were leveled at Gillette Stadium.

It's a 60 Minute Game

Congrats to the Patriots on playing hard for all 60 minutes and finding a way to win. Obviously, this wasn't the way either team drew up the game, but I think it's indicative of what I wrote about in a previous post: The team is bigger than any individual.

The team played great complimentary and situational football. While most pundits will talk about the Patriots offensive comeback, don't overlook the outstanding special teams play (Wes Welker's punt return to set up the winning drive is one of many great plays) as well as the tremendous defensive effort. The Patriots defense made some bad plays, but when they were put in bad situations they responded. It's great to see New England play championship level defense when the game was on the line.

I would hope that this win caused critics of Coach Belichick and the Patriots to look at them in a more positive light.

Finally, I think it's pretty clear that the Indianapolis Colts deserve a ton of recognition for their effort. They slowed down an offense that no other team really has, and they did it by playing great team defense. It's clear these teams will meet again - barring injuries or a major shake-up - and I think you can attribute both franchises' high level of performance to their trust in one another and willingness to sacrifice for the team.

The Patriots and Colts proved Sunday that the tired clichés are still true. That's the real story from Week Nine.

Slicing and Dicing Gregg Easterbrook, pt. 2; Why the New England Patriots Should Be America's Team

I find it unfortunate that I have to write on Gregg Easterbrook. Many columnists and sports talk show hosts have laughed him off in passing, but the man (and his fellow ESPN.com Page Two idiots) continue to dominate my effort to get sports news and commentary. And so I have to vent.

On the eve of what many commentators are calling the biggest regular season game in NFL history, I think it's worth revisiting Gregg Easterbrook and his description of the Colts-Patriots matchup of Good vs. Evil. My first entry on Gregg Easterbrook was quick and I'd really like to take some time to dissect what this venom-spewing "journalist" has said about the Patriots.

Easterbrook begins by stating that "The fact that I don't even need to tell you which team represents Good and which stands for Evil says a lot about how low New England has sunk. You knew instantly which was which, didn't you?" Any discerning reader would know which adjective applied to which team, but not because of reality; because of perception. Easterbrook, who is on the lunatic fringe of Patriots' hatred, has worked with other Patriot haters to create a perception of "how low New England has sunk." Leave it to Gregg Easterbrook to talk about the lows of the New England Patriots organization when they are off to their best start in franchise history - and one that without a doubt does not include any violations of the NFL's video taping rules.

Easterbrook depicts the Colts as good: "Although religious, Dungy said on the night he won the Super Bowl that God doesn't care about football games, which shows perspective. The team's star, Peyton Manning, stands for love of family, constantly appearing in public with his brothers, father and mother. Manning is happily married and a major donor to a children's hospital. Manning spends a lot of time at children's camps and events, and he constantly makes fun of himself. Ladies and gentlemen, representing Good, the Indianapolis Colts."

As noted in a previous post, Easterbrook takes Brady to task for not being charitable enough. Of course, this couldn't be further from the truth - Brady is part of the ONE campaign to end poverty and recently visited Africa to bring awareness to the host of issues confronting the continent. (God, I can't believe I even have to write this, but I do.) Never mind, again, that the New England Patriots organization and its players continue to do excellent charity work within the greater Boston community. As Easterbrook writes, "Ladies and gentlemen, representing Evil, the New England Patriots." According to Easterbrook, "They run up the score to humiliate opponents -- more on that below -- thus mocking sportsmanship. Their coach snaps and snarls in public, seeming to feel contempt for the American public that has brought him wealth and celebrity." On Brady himself (and I know I'm repeating myself), Easterbrook viciously states that "The team's star, Tom Brady, is a smirking celebrity-chaser who dates actresses and supermodels but whose public charity appearances are infrequent."

Never mind that Tom Brady doesn't use his celebrity to advance himself, like someone we all know (Peyton Manning stars in a few commercials).

Never mind that Tom Brady tries to contribute to the community in a way that doesn't bring attention to himself - last time I checked, that was class.

And oh, never mind that Gregg Easterbrook doesn't work for a tabloid and shouldn't be reporting on his perspective of a "celebrity-chaser."

Here's the fatal flaw in Easterbrook's piece of trash: He believes, in the abscence of evidence, that the Patriots are a group of smug cheaters whose smiles - namely that of Tom Brady - indicate that they are all thinking to themselves, ""I'm hiding something."

That's the problem with sports writing. You don't need facts to develop an opinion and pass it off as news. In the real world of reporting (if there were one), you would look at facts to present a perspective on a given issue or occurrence. Easterbrook assumes that from the Patriots' silence on the issue that they are guilty. It's a vicious thing to do. It's unprofessional. It's flat out despicable.

The tragedy that gets lost in all of this - from Steve Young's diatribe about his respect for the Patriots and his disappointment in the video taping violation to the Page 2 of ESPN.com which now resembles a tabloid of anti-Patriot junk - is that the New England Patriots are about what America should be about.

The New England Patriots are about hard work, sacrifice, and above all, team work. In an age when rappers flaunt their wealth and sexism, when Alex Rodriguez demands $350 million to set up a meeting, and when Terrell Owens thrives on his me-first attitude, the Patriots offer something better - something that has been, unfortunately, elusive in our culture and amongst our sports teams.

You can be successful if you sacrifice, if you strive for greatness within the construct of something greater than yourself. The New England Patriots, from the time Bill Belichick took over, have always been about harnessing individual talent and hard work for the greater good. They've been about accomplishing special things without ego.

When has Tom Brady flaunted his accomplishments? Do you see him on every television commercial, racking up dollars due to his tremendous success in the NFL?

When has a Patriot player claimed that they were a better team in the week leading up to a game? Ask yourself this question. It's an important one.

Perhaps what the media sees as "running up the score" is merely playing a full 60 minutes of football and trying to get better.

Perhaps the Patriots are guilty of violating an NFL rule, but maybe there isn't much more to it than that. Dr. Z of CNNSI.com published two pages of rumors in the wake of the "scandal" seemingly in an effort to continue to push the story. Peter King wonders why it hasn't gotten "MORE" traction.

The Patriots use complex schemes, an elaborate player evaluation system, and a strict code of conduct as organizational tools to achieve success. They win because they play a complete team game - every week, it's not about "me," it's about the team and its success. That's where success is cherished. Tom Brady doesn't care about Peyton Manning's touchdown record; he wants another ring. He wants to be a part of something more special.

And the way the Patriots do it, the simplicity of the team-first concept - it's too much for the media. That sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true. It's much easier to think the Colts offense was going to run over the Patriots defense in the 2004 AFC Divisional Playoff Game given the Patriots' supposed weakness in the secondary. No one bothered to contemplate a simple fact: What if New England played great TEAM defense? What if the lineman got enough rush and the linebackers enough push on the receivers to pick up any slack in the injured secondary?

That's what's great about football. "T-E-A-M," Belichick once said. "I make decisions given what I think is best for the team." The man made a mistake. He did. I'm not denying it. But he's done something for football that should never be lost on us. Eleven guys, when they play together on the field, can accomplish anything in a given play.

We should consider ourselves lucky. The New England Patriots are a special franchise. Tom Brady said it best: "I hope the fans know how lucky they are." He didn't mean it about him or in an arrogant way. He meant that we have a coach that has proven that the team can accomplish the greatest of feats, that can do innovative and intelligent things on the football field, and that can put aside ego in an age when the individual is celebrated.

A true New England fan knows that Tom Brady doesn't have 30 touchdown passes and only 2 interceptions this season. Those belong to the offensive unit as a whole - from the lineman to the backs to the receivers, to Brady himself. All eleven guys contribute to something special. And anyone that takes the time to listen to Belichick and tries to understand what the man actually says - rather than blast him for what they see as arrogance and an unwillingness to talk - would know a little something about complimentary football. The Patriots defense and special teams also own a piece of those touchdown passes - and of course, it's more than a two-way street. The game is interrelated. That's why the individual is nothing unless he contributes to the whole. That's what the New England Patriots have taught us.

It's a shame that Gregg Easterbrook doesn't know what "Good" is when it's right in front of him. I hope it's not lost on the rest of us.