SPYGATE

SPYGATE, May 16, 2008

Earlier this week, former New England Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh met with both NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter. One of the major points that came out of the meeting with the commissioner was that Mr. Walsh stated that the Patriots did not video tape the St. Louis Rams walk-through prior to the Super Bowl. Mr. Walsh mentioned that he was in fact on the field during the walk through and told a Patriots assistant coach about a few of the formations he saw, including having star running back Marshall Faulk returning kicks. Commissioner Goodell following the meeting basically insinuated that the entire “Spygate” issue was done. The NFL took away a first round draft pick from the Patriots and fined both Coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots.
These actions did not seem to satisfy the senior Republican senator from Pennsylvania. Senator Specter is upset that Commissioner Goodell destroyed the tapes that the Patriots turned over to the league last fall. The Senator also believes that the NFL investigation was not independent and is now calling for a separate independent investigation similar to what Major League Baseball did with former Senator George Mitchell investigation into steroid use within baseball.
Doesn’t Congress have much more important things to work on other than whether or not certain NFL team’s video tape opposing coaches signals? There is a war on terror going on, the US economy has slowed, there is the mortgage crisis, and gasoline is pushing $4 per gallon. All of these are much more important issues that the congress should be focused on.
Instead, you have a single senator demanding yet another independent investigation. Why is Senator Specter doing this? Is it because the NFL, like other professional sports leagues, enjoys anti-trust exemptions? Or is it more likely because the Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC playoffs in 2001 and 2004? Is the Senator pushing this issue to appease his constituents? It seems to me that this in just another example of someone in Congress wasting the people’s time and money on an issue or project that potentially only benefits a few? It also seems to me that Senator Specter, and particularly his staff feels slighted in that the NFL didn’t cower in fear when they asked for information? All too often in Washington, staffers under the guise of their boss, act as if they are the most important person in the world. They act superior to everyone even if they have no idea what they are talking about. Senator Specter, focus on something that is important to the country and stop wasting time and money on this ridiculous belief that the NFL is covering up alleged cheating.