Bill Belechick has again damaged the NFL shield which Roger Goodell has sworn to protect.
My friend Ross Tucker who used to play for the Patriots, writes for SI.com and did a show with me on CN8, confirms reports that the New England coach was cheating by having players on Injured Reserve practice with the team. It's illegal.
Players who are on IR aren't supposed to practice with the football team. You may not think it's a big deal but why do they have the rule if people are able to break it without penalty.
What if any respect does Belichick have for the NFL, if knowing his status as the greatest coach of his era, he still risks damaging his own reputation and that of the Patriots and the NFL by cheating so brazenly?
Nearly all the sportswriters nationwide looked the other way on the sign stealing controversy. Everyone including the commissioner minimized it even though it was bigger than Belichick had admitted to doing.
What are they going to say now that a former Patriots player has confirmed that Belichick was breaking another rule?
If this were a player you would start hearing about how bad this was that the greatest player in the game is a cheater. You would hear about how this was setting such a bad example for the kids.
Now you only hear that from Senator Arlen Specter. Nearly all of the sports media people say it's no big deal.
Goodell is on the spot. He's going to have to investigate this. What does Belichick have to do to get suspended? He's definitely damaging the NFL's reputation. The commissioner has rightfully come down hard on players that have done the same.
