What should the punishment be?

In my own opinion, it should be loss of draft picks, as it's not the most or least harsh of the punishments.

If it's ruled that they were given a significant advantage, I'd think a forfeit of the game is the most fair and reasonable decision.

A fine and a loss of draft picks.

The tape that was taken was still being taped, and had not been to the team. It was taken in the first quarter.

The only help it could've given the Patriots is for the NEXT game against the Jets, as they wouldn't be able to break it down in the little time they had.

If that is the case, a fine and loss of draft pick is better.

They should lose at least a 2nd rounder. Plus: the coach probably will be suspended because it is his second time. That would be a bad decision because he would have never done this on his own. Bellichick should be fined as well.

Except that they've been caught doing it before and was told to stop. The commissioner even sent out a memo to every team telling them to stop.

I don't get that. Why weren't the Patriots penalized after Green Bay? They were just let off with a warning?

I want to say nothing because this story is being sooo overblown, but a fine and a third or fourth rounder sounds good.

They've been warned numerous times. This isn't the first time the Jets caught them at it.

Loss Of (first round) Draft Picks

That's my point though. They've been warned before. Why is it now that the league is going after them?

The league is punishing them this time because the commisioner sent all teams a memo saying that if you're caught doing this you will be punished. Whereas before it was just frowned upon now it's punishable.

It was a rule before this year as well.

I'm not trying to defend the Patriots in anyway. What they did was wrong and they should be punished (Those jumping to the conclusion that their three Super Bowl wins are tainted now because of this, are out of their fucking mind), but even with the memo, the timing seems odd.

I can't wait to see if Mangini and Bellicheck are going to shake hands after the next game the two have. Probably not, but it'll be fun to see the snubbing.

Well, apparently the league is serious about enforcing it now. I guess the Patriots will be made an example of.

Am I the only one who doesn't care much about this? It's in plain view, they could have just had a guy with real good vision stare at the Jets sideline the entire game!

It isn't like they broke into the Jets' offices and made copies of all their plays. It's against the rules so they should be punished obviously, but no, I don't equate this with steroids or HGH.

Signals by themselves mean nothing. You have to match them up with the defensive plays.

All that was being taped was the signals.

Yes, and they later can be matched up with defensive plays that was recorded on all those tv cameras.

Plus all those overhead snapshots that you see QBs looking at on the sidelines all the time.

Which they didn't get a chance to do, plus Coaches don't keep the same signals forever.

They would have if they hadn't been caught at it. It sounds like they do it a lot. I wonder if they do it at every game?

Coaches change their signals almost every HALF. Matching up what was called with the game film is near impossible, if that. They didn't CHEAT, they broke the rules. They got NO advantage from it.

for once I agree with Sean Salsbury; this is the most overblown and stupid topic around in a while. Not saying that as a fan...I mean seriously.

1. the guy got caught before end of first half...well then howd it help them? pats scored all theyre points in the 2nd and he couldnt haven given them the tape.

2. pretty sure i saw randy moss get a touchdown in TRIPLE COVERAGE...first of all thats just sad on Jets part, 2nd of all Brady would never throw directly into that if he knew about it ahead of time.

3. pretty sure i saw the dline owning our line when maroney rans the ball several times and would get caught in the backfield.