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• Forfeit. The Commissioner, (except in cases of disciplinary action; see last section on "Removing Team from Field"), League President, and their representatives, including referees, are not authorized unilaterally to declare forfeits. A forfeit occurs only when a game is not played because of the failure or refusal of one team to participate. In that event, the other team, if ready and willing to play, is the winner by a score of 2-0.

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Apparently so desperate his Hall of Fame bust might now read: “Some considered him the Vince Lombardi of his era. Others considered him the Richard Nixon of his era.”
Source: http://www.nypost.com/seven/09122007/sports/jets/robbed_jets_deserve_re_do.htm

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ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

Gotta love the NY tabloids...

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ORIGINAL: maybemaybenot

Well, I LOVE this guy from the NY Tabloids:

MANGINI:  HERO OR HEEL?

Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News reports that the Patriots' efforts to videotape defensive signals was brought to light by former New England defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, who shared the information in 2006 with members of the Jets' organization.

"When Eric came, he said that's what they used to do," a source told Cimini.  "Bill [Belichick] is going to be [ticked] at Eric.  He kissed and told."

It would be easy to proclaim that Mangini did the right thing, ignoring the good-old-boys' network and bringing to light Belichick's dirty little secret.

But it would naive to do so, too.

Mangini didn't blow the whistle when he first learned of the situation, while Mangini was working for the Patriots.  Instead, he took advantage of the competitive advantage, and parlayed it into a head-coaching job of his own.

And then Mangini blew the whistle in a manner that will eventually create for him a competitive advantage, since it will result in the imposition of some sort of a sanction on the Patriots.

But should Mangini be allowed to have it both ways?  And did he bother to consider whether bringing this situation to light might indirectly call into question his own credentials to be a head coach?

Meanwhile, there's talk in league circles that Mangini will find it very hard to win the trust of anyone in the NFL moving forward.  Even though Belichick has no cause to gripe about getting caught under circumstances where he knew that the opposing head coach knew what Belichick was doing, the truth is that anyone who chooses to confide in Mangini now or in the future will do so at his own peril.

Keep that in mind, Mike Tannenbaum, if/when you ever consider doing something like, say, contacting the agent for a player who is under contract with another team.

 

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

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ORIGINAL: maybemaybenot

Goodell has made his decision:

Here is the final ruling from the NFL:

# Bill Belichick has been fined $500,000 by the NFL. That is the maximum amount under the NFL Constitution and By-Laws for violating league policy last Sunday on the use of equipment to videotape an opposing team’s offensive or defensive signals.

# The Patriots have been fined $250,000 by the NFL.

# The Patriots will give up their first-round pick in 2008 if they make the playoffs. If they don't make the playoffs, they will surrender their second- and third-round picks.

# Belichick will not be suspended.

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ORIGINAL: Lordandmaster


And hey, SmokingGun, "blown way out of proportion"?  It's against the rules and they've done it before.  If it weren't against the rules, it wouldn't be against the rules.  But it is against the rules.  I think that's a pretty simple concept.  And don't tell me, oh, it didn't really make any difference, the Patriots would have won anyway.  If they were so sure they'd win anyway, why did they have to resort to cheating?