After hearing about the NFL's harsh -- and in my opinion, deserved -- penalties dished out to New England coach Bill Belichick and company, several thoughts went through my head.
Quick recap: The league fined Belichick $500,000, and the club was docked another quarter-million, for what Commissioner Roger Goodell called "a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field." In short, a member of the Patriots' coaching staff was caught videotaping the Jets coaching staff as they were signaling in defensive formations and play calls. The Patriots will also lose something in next year's NFL draft -- a first-round pick will be removed if the team makes the playoffs this season, and if they don't, the Patriots will lose their second- and third-round selections next year.
Strong statement by the commish, to say the least. Maybe Belichick should have said the team was just trying to make a cool video to put on YouTube.
It makes you wonder how long the Patriots have been taping other teams during games and using that information. I know the Jets are a divisional opponent, but they are a divisional opponent who hasn't won a Super Bowl in 39 seasons. They've obviously had some other targets. And if they have been doing this for several years, did this illegal practice have a direct relationship to the team's success?
And how did they get caught? Was someone from the Jets actually videotaping the guy from the Patriots who was videotaping the Jets coaches? And is that covered in the league rules? I'm just asking.
What tipped the Jets off to what the Patriots were doing? I'd say it's not concidental that the Jets head coach, Eric Mangini, was on the Patriots staff before taking the job in New York. That also would lead me to believe this isn't something New England just started doing. How else would Mangini be privy to it?
And would the outcome of the Jets-Patriots game -- won 38-14 by New England -- have been different if the Patriots had been playing fairly? Probably not. But this weekend, as a form of protest, the Jets should have their defensive coaches dress in baseball uniforms and signal defenses by rubbing their hand down an arm and touching the bills of their caps and belt buckles. Besides, when was the last time Jonathan Vilma was asked to lay down a bunt?
The celebrity picks:
Lance Burton, Monte Carlo headliner
(3-0)
Saints -3 1/2 at Buccaneers
Broncos -10 vs. Raiders
Eagles -7 vs. Redskins
****
Anthony Crivello, star of "Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular"
(2-0-1)
Bengals -7 at Browns
Colts -7 at Titans
Vikings +3 at Lions
****
Danny Gans, Mirage headliner
(2-1)
Steelers -9 vs. Bills
Bengals -7 at Browns
Seahawks -3 at Cardinals
****
Oscar Goodman, mayor of Las Vegas
(3-0)
Steelers -9 vs. Bills
Rams -3 vs. 49ers
Chiefs +12 at Bears
****
Hans Klok, Planet Hollywood headliner
(3-0)
Steelers -9 vs. Bills
Colts -7 at Titans
Bengals -7 at Browns
****
Wayne Newton, "Mr. Las Vegas"
(1-1-1)
Rams -3 vs. 49ers
Saints -3 1/2 at Buccaneers
Patriots-Chargers under 47
****
Penn & Teller, Rio headliners
(1-2)
Eagles -7 vs. Redskins
Patriots -3 1/2 vs. Chargers
Jets +11 at Ravens
****
Rita Rudner, Harrah's headliner
(3-0)
Saints -3 1/2 at Buccaneers
Chargers-Patriots over 47
Chiefs-Bears under 34 1/2