[bigboydan]

I agree with Don Shula on this one.

You can't sit there and tell me that all those tapes were destroyed, and their were no copies still in the Pats hands currently.

Shula: Spygate would diminish a perfect Pats season

Don Shula likes the Patriots' chances of going undefeated, but the Bill Belichick-inspired spying scandal has clouded Shula's thinking when comparing New England with his unbeaten 1972 Dolphins team.

"The Spygate thing has diminished what they've accomplished," Shula said in an interview with the New York Daily News. "You would hate to have that attached to your accomplishments. They've got it."

Belichick was fined $500,000 and the Patriots were fined $250,000 and lost a first-round draft pick for videotaping the Jets' opposing sideline during the teams' season-opening game.

"That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found," Shula said, according to the Daily News. "I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds' home run record.

"I guess it will be noted that the Patriots were fined and a No. 1 draft choice was taken away during that year of accomplishment. The sad thing is Tom Brady looks so good, it doesn't look like he needs any help."

The way the Patriots have been playing, Shula and the '72 Dolphins might find themselves answering more questions than in past years about whether their record will stand. New England improved to 9-0 on Sunday by beating the previously unbeaten Colts (7-1) in Indianapolis.

There have been serious runs made at the Dolphins' record before. The 1985 Bears started 12-0, then lost on a Monday night to a Dolphins team coached by Shula. The 1991 Redskins started 11-0 and the 1998 Broncos and 2005 Colts opened 13-0 before losing. Although members of the '72 Dolphins have become known for sipping champagne after the last unbeaten team falls by the wayside each season, Shula says stories of that annual celebration "have been blown out of proportion."

"You guys put forth the myth that we are pathetic losers down here clicking champagne glasses and clinging desperately to a record set 35 years ago," former Dolphins tight end Jim Mandich told the Daily News. "Somehow we've been portrayed as being evil. We don't ever blow our own horn. It's a great record, but the record doesn't get beaten.

"The Patriots have assembled a powerhouse of a team. They are a classy bunch of guys and play ball the right way. If they want to join the unbeaten club, come on aboard."

[mv09]

Im so tired of the 72 Dolphins. I hate the pats, but lets look at the facts:

Miami went undefeated in a 14 game schedule (not 16 like now)
and they only played 2 teams with a winning record.

If anyone needs an asterick, its the Dolphins undefeated record because they did it in less games (like when they gave Maris an asterick because he beat the babe in 8 more games).

**for the record, im not for any astericks, just proving a point.

[mshanedub420]

SHULA IS A ****ING JACKASS, just shows his true character, a hating crybaby ****, i dont even like the pats but why do people feel the need to bring others down to make themselves feel better, same reason most people like that are pieces of shit, i mean even if Bonds did use roids, he was better than the rest of the guys using roids and i bet there is a lot that do, i love how he compares them and trys to relate performance enhancing drugs with video's

[jon13009]

I hope the Pats go 16-0 to shut the 72 Dolphins up.
Enough of the champaign toasts.

[SBR Lou]

I made comments after the spying stuff blew up, and I did look at some people within the Patriots organization differently. Since then my opinion has changed. Fact is they are playing at a higher level than they ever have!

Seeing how prepared they are every week, watching them come back from behind against the defending champs, playing with a 150yd penalty handicap at that. What they are doing is by far more important than the silly signal stealing stuff ever was.

Whoever thinks a pro football team doesn't have a little dirt on them, or hasn't ever tried to exercise a competitive advantage before should get their head checked.

[Willie Bee]

**for the record, im not for any astericks, just proving a point.

Same here. Don't really feel the same as you about the 1972 Dolphins, but agree there shouldn't be an asterisk. Generally speaking, I find it impossible to really compare teams or players in any sport from entirely different eras.

Also agree with shanedub that Shula should just keep his mouth shut.

[regularguy]

I believe that the camera thing arose in the Patriots' first game of the regular season -- against the Jets. The camera was taken away from the assistant coach in the first quarter of that game. Uhhh ... correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's pretty clear that the far better team won that game. And, besides, after that public shaming, I'm guessing the Patriots have been one of the cleanest teams in history, shenanigan-wise.

No asterix necessary.

By the way, the Patriots play the Jets again, at home, on December 16. I will be looking for the Patriots to take it to the Jets on that day, bigtime, despite the fact that it will probably mean little to the Patriots as far as the postseason goes.

[manny24]

shula just sealed the deal. stop calling out the pats. it just makes them angry. bills are going to get fvucked up because don shula couldn't shut his suck hole .

[NEP Dynasty]

Shula can go f uck himself.

[cartay]

The whole comparing eras is just silly. You could come up with asterisks for any team, depending on how you look at it.

I'm not convinced New England will do it this year, but it would be nice for a team to do it some day, if only to shut up the curmudgeony Dolphins.

[Dead Money]

He will want an ***** when the Dolphins go 0-16.

What an assclown!!!

I don't think the pats will go 16-0 btw, so it may not even matter.

[justdoingit]

Give me a break let it happen first we are only on week 10 where has this old bastard shula been when the colts have been going 9-0 the last like 3 years where was their asterik talk BREAK THE RECORD! So those old bastards will get to see it fall before they pass on to that football field in the sky!

[slacker00]

The Pats need to go 19-0, BTW. If they go 16-0 and lose in the playoffs, it's pointless.

Nevertheless, I agree that comparing the eras is silly. 19-0 in the modern game is much much tougher than 17-0 was half a century ago. There's more games, more teams, more parity, etc, etc. I hate the Pats, but gotta give them credit if they pull it off this year.

[onlooker]

It is not going to happen anyway. They will start to rest players the last couple weeks after clinching a playoff spot.

Dolphins have a better shot at going 0-16. Because they suck with their starters in there.

[Rusted Trombone]

There is an interesting article on Yahoo Sports (linked from somewhere else) that argues for the fact that BB wouldn't sit his starters against the Giants in Week 17. The article basically says that assuming the Pats have the #1 seed they would have a bye and thus it would be a nearly 3 week layoff for the players.

The article references 2004 when the Patriots were the #2 seed and started all of their regulars in the last week of the season knowing they had a week off after their final game.

I'll try to find the link.

[laxdjock]

I hate that the '72 team toasts when the last undefeated team losses....classless.

[babytyger]

In week 12 the Eagles will upset the Patriots so there go their perfect season.

[babytyger]

I am a fan of the NFL...I don't even like the Patriots. Eagles money line sounds pretty good to me.

[Mr Handicapable]

From Indy...I would root for Al-Qaeda if they played the Pats! Still about the ONLY good thing out of BeleCheat going 19-0 would be beating Shula and the other fossils! It's sad and pathetic that they cling on to this so hard! Records are made to be broken anyway. If Shula was really a legendary coach he would've put a team around Marino and won atleast 1 SB! Go away Gramps and tell Mercury Morris to call his parole officer right away!

[Seattle Slew]

Shula comes across as another bitter, old coach out of the spotlight who wants attention. The guy hates Jimmy Johnson, hates the University of Alabama for firing his lousy coach son, and now he hates the Patriots. Just go away. No one cares what he thinks.

Patriots took their lumps from the Dolphins for years until kicking their ass out of the Orange Bowl in the 1985 AFC title game. Dolphins have done nothing since.

[regularguy]

I hate that the '72 team toasts when the last undefeated team losses....classless.

I agree. This always makes me cringe. No class. Bad karma.

Better form would be to get together for a big party after the record is broken, to celebrate how long it stood.

[buzzsawl]

Don Shula doesnt want antone to go 16 - 0. He needs to shut up

[tonyxit]

When Shula moved from Baltimore to Miami his clandestine deal was found out and the NFL took away a draft pick from Miami...holyier than thou..don't get it.. when you live in glass house ..best not to chunk rocks

[mgcolby]

It is not going to happen anyway. They will start to rest players the last couple weeks after clinching a playoff spot.

Dolphins have a better shot at going 0-16. Because they suck with their starters in there.

I wouldn't count on that. When they have a Bye they play their starters in the final game for 3+ quarters. Belichick won't let his players go over three weeks without meaningful playing time.

In 2003 the Pats played their starters for 3 1/2 quarters against the Bills.

In 2004 the starters played 3 quarters against the 49'ers.

In 2005 (no Bye) the starters played about a quarter against the Dolphins.

In 2006 (no Bye) the starters played three quarters against the Titans and if I remember correctly that was due to getting the 3rd seed if the Colts lost.

[NapoleonEli]

Don Shula doesnt want antone to go 16 - 0. He needs to shut up

AGREED. .

[bigboydan]

Heres todays comments by Shula he said in an interview on ESPN's first take this morning.

You gotta admit he does make some strong points in this interview.

[ShamsWoof10]

Im so tired of the 72 Dolphins. I hate the pats, but lets look at the facts:

Miami went undefeated in a 14 game schedule (not 16 like now)
and they only played 2 teams with a winning record.

If anyone needs an asterick, its the Dolphins undefeated record because they did it in less games (like when they gave Maris an asterick because he beat the babe in 8 more games).

**for the record, im not for any astericks, just proving a point.

SHULA IS A ****ING JACKASS, just shows his true character, a hating crybaby ****, i dont even like the pats but why do people feel the need to bring others down to make themselves feel better, same reason most people like that are pieces of shit, i mean even if Bonds did use roids, he was better than the rest of the guys using roids and i bet there is a lot that do, i love how he compares them and trys to relate performance enhancing drugs with video's

I made comments after the spying stuff blew up, and I did look at some people within the Patriots organization differently. Since then my opinion has changed. Fact is they are playing at a higher level than they ever have!

Seeing how prepared they are every week, watching them come back from behind against the defending champs, playing with a 150yd penalty handicap at that. What they are doing is by far more important than the silly signal stealing stuff ever was.

Whoever thinks a pro football team doesn't have a little dirt on them, or hasn't ever tried to exercise a competitive advantage before should get their head checked.

I agree with these posts especially MV's... His point is dead on... Like most of you I too hope they go 16-0...

I'll tell ya' what though.. since Shula made those comments this makes me think Billy B. is going to want to pump one in his as* for it... My old coach retired and his replacement, who is a d*ck by the way, made a comment on the news that my friend "left the cubberds bare" and this is why they are having a hard time in the city league... Oh boy was my friend pissed... He won't admit it but he went to every game this year just to cheer for him to go 0-10....and he did... He even went to the last game...

Now granted Coach is retired and bored but it just goes to show how offended people get and although he won't show it I would say Bill was pissed... If he ran the score up a few times this year with his starters there is no reason to think he won't go for the record..

[lbw1000]

Plus the Pats are hypocrites anyway.

They get caught with the tapes themselves and are calling everyone else cheaters to bring the attention away from them. Like whining about crowd noise and anything else they can think of.

[Redchevy]

Shulas just a cranky old coach, seeing his beloved Dolphins in the shitter for years to come. You think there's a little jealousy that he couldn't win the BIG one in all those years with Marino? I hope he goes to NE for the Miami game in Dec. and watches them get destroyed again!

[louis]

Give me a break. This tape is not the reason the Pats have beat the Jets. The Pats are and have been the best team in the league by far, although some of the spreads are reaching ridiculous levels.

And you know what, the Pats are much more interested in winning the Superbowl than having a perfect season, anyhow. So they are probably going to have to give up a meaningless game at the end, to keep their players healthy. We see this year after year, the second and third string get to play and usually some team gets what would normally be an unexpected win. That's where the astericks belongs: *we won because the game was meaningless to the Pats. There's no astericks to a perfect season because there was a penalty or fine. That is ridiculous. Don't know why Shula came up with this.

Betting against the Pats to win all 16 games is almost certainly a good bet, but depends on the odds and the reputation of the book of course.

I'm certainly interested in who has this bet.

[Dark Horse]

Shula's just trying out the new word he looked up after Bonds hit some record homerun.

Come to think of it, doesn't an asterisk look a whole lot like a snowflake? Every record is as unique as a snowflake. And ultimately they all melt. Merry Christmas, Shula.

[Checkerboard]

Not gonna happen anyways.

Giants will look after NE in East Rutherford on December 29th.

[Rollins08]

The tapes aren't as big a deal as everyone makes. Everyone tries to steal signs. The tapes would only help them in 3 games a year, the second match vs the division teams. There way better than those 3 teams anyway.