Is the bad press facing the NFL's 2007 New England Patriots fair or foul?

Foul

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by Paul Schilling

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In a simple statement the bad press that is aimed at the New England Patriots is foul and reeks of the main-stream media having nothing else to write about except for bad news. Furthermore, anyone who is remotely involved in sports will readily argue that New England was disciplined and severely punished for what is now common place in the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The televised coverage of NFL games is unparalleled. Therefore I have this question for anyone who has ever seen a game; have you ever noticed the fax machines on the sidelines? Moreover, how about a group of players huddled together staring at the "live" stop action photographs taken a mere seconds since they've left the field?

I would hasten to add that New England is now 9-0 and arguably one of the best teams in the history of the NFL. In fact, statistically this is precisely the case. Based on AFC Championship's appeared in and the relative ratio of wins and loses, the Patriots enjoy a whopping 833 percent rating which is higher than any other team.

We must never forget that it wasn't but one calendar year ago, many pundits and so-called experts believed that the Patriots may be the best team in the history of the game; moreover, certainly the "Team of the Decade." Realistically, the Patriots have won three of the last the last six Super Bowls and indeed look to carry on with their fourth.

Americans love an underdog during a competition; however, they will still always love winners and tend to vilify them for their successes. Oh how we loved to hate "America's Team" the Dallas Cowboys during the 1990s. Before then we loved to hate Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49'ers. Why? Simply because they were winners and the great folks of Buffalo and Denver saw their teams get hammered year-after-year.

Enou gh said: The Patriots are a good football team that wins. So why not vilify them? Fact of the matter is the Patriots did not do anything that every other team in the NFL, NCAA, and even high school football has done at one point or another.

As for me, in high school football we spotted and busted scouts filming our practices! In college the commotion was about what game tapes were being exchanged between school football programs. Scouting and picking off signals of the opposing teams is all part of the game. Camera's in the outfield to see what a catchers' signals to his pitcher, everyone from fans to coaches trying to read signs from the third or first base coach is accepted and commonplace in Major League Baseball.

The New England Patriots are a good football team. Remember, it took all the time left and a last drive for Indianapolis to beat them in last years AFC championship game. I will not take credit away from Peyton Manning or the Colts, they got it done. Inasmuch as the league has already severely disciplined and punished the Patriots for Polaroid snap shots, yes, I firmly believe that the Patriots are receiving unwarranted press that somehow makes them a lesser than great team. Therefore when all is said and done one must ask ourselves: Do the Patriots win because of snap shots or because they are a unit of players who have not jumped from team to team and remained loyal to one organization?

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