Originally posted on 04/25/2016:

Just to chime in about the Spygate stuff, a lot of people have this idea that the Pats were doing some super dirty flat out cheating. Couldn't be further from that. They were videotaping defensive signals. First off, you were allowed to do this. Everyone did it because why wouldn't you. Where the Pats went wrong if I recall was just doing it from the sidelines. The NFL had just changed the rule and said no taping from the sidelines, but that rule was misinterpreted by belichick who thought it referred to the use of the video for the the same game.

My point is, the whole thing about the "dirty, cheating pats" is nothing but a BS rep which is about 10% founded in reality and 90% bitterness toward them because of always doing things better than everyone and plus Belichick's apparent arrogance. Same deal with Deflategate. A QB adjusting the ball to his standards is such a nothing. No one would even have ever cared if certain owners and certain league officials didn't have an agenda from the get-go.

The biggest shame is that 95% of the Pats' success is because they work their asses off! From the top down. Great scouting, amazing coaches, choosing players who love the game and will make sacrifices to get better and help the team win. Guys who work all year long at their craft, take care of themselves, show up early, stay late, study film, work tirelessly to get better. BRADY is the quintessential example of that. And instead because of all this crap, casual fans associate he and the Pats with "cheating." It's a shame is what it is.