Barry Bonds and the New England Patriots and us

David,

If anything this separates the two situations..Everything is not black and white.. One situation (Bonds) has been knowingly cheating and more importantly has completely disgraced the game.. now what the Patriots did was much less damaging.. they way they went about it was in my eye's was more reprehensible.. now they did pay a price a heavy one like you discussed above? Bonds has skated through all of this till this point and may still get off..

The Patriots got caught breaking a rule..they paid the price.... but you can't say that any of the accomplishments from that point on have been any less impressive..

I can't wait to read any posts after 12/9/2007 :)

Bonds has been indicted for perjury and obstruction. Not for cheating, but ofr lying about it. Al Capone got nailed for tax evasion, so punishment is punishment, regardless of the offense.

I'm not the biggest football fan in the world, but I do recognize that the level of offense of the breaking of rules can vary. No one is suggesting that what the Patriots did is on the scope of the Black Sox scandal. I also have to agree with with your other posters - New England has been beating the snot out of other teams without the benefit of this extra (cheating) video, so maybe it's time to recognize that this is a really good team, as opposed to looking for any reason to tear down their accomplishments.

All teams scout other teams. Kirk Gibsons home run in the 88 Series was a result of good scouting on the Oakland A's, but he still had to put the bat on the ball. No body has ever suggested that because the Dodgers paid scouts to review video of how Eckersley pitches that that was cheating, just good scouting. The Patriots got to agressive with their video, and were punished for it. It's time to forgive, and move on. I'm still betting my son that New England will probably get tripped up by some 2-12 team towards the end of the season....
Phil

The Steelers' fan is coming out in you, David ;-P

Yes, Bonds and Belichick are incredibly arrogant winners who cheated and who divide people as a result. (Funny how San Franciscans love Bonds and New Englanders love Belichick ...)

But using steroids to set the ultimate baseball record is a little different than using spying to win a game the Patriots surely would have won anyway. Dontcha think?

I love baseball and have since I was a child. I am 52 now and what I see my favorite sport becoming is upsetting to me. Barry Bonds should be accountable for his actions and his destruction of the sport. It is not his race but his person that has brought him down. I don't know why the commissioner and San Diego allowed him to play injured so he could hit his homeruns. I have watched baseball a long time to know that no other player would be allowed to do this. He cost San Diego a chance at a world series because he could not run fast enough to catch a ball. My question is why was he allowed to continue to self destruct in front of everyone when others were held accountable? He could have gone to the Hall of fame without steroids but now he will be forever in the Hall of Shame.

I appreciate the spirit of David's post, but we should resist the temptation to look back in time toward a golden age, when sports were pure. Athletes and coaches have always cheated. Even before the days of multi-million-dollar salaries, players and coaches cheated to win. In fact, the situation today -- with 24-hour, slow-motion instant-replay coverage of sports -- is probably better than it has ever been.

Regarding the Patriots, it seems clear that they're earning this year's victories fair and square. But I do think that their previous Superbowl wins are tainted - or at least they could be. In each of those years, they won many close games, and they weren't the dominant team they are this season. They won two of their Superbowl titles on last-second field goals. If their videotaping of opposing teams' signals gave them even a tiny edge, it could certainly have swung the balance in a few of their close contests.