Why is U.S. Senator Arlen Spector Looking into the New England Patriots Video Tape Scandal?

February 01, 2008 by
Rolando Cruz  
Rolando Cruz
Rolando Cruz
  • Published Content: 353
  • Total Views: 429,873
  • Fans: 12
View Profile | Follow | Add to Favorites
Single page
Font Size
Read comments (9)
More topics
Senator Arlen Specter  |  Spygate  |  Senator  |  Arlen  |  Arlen Specter  |  Specter
Maybe it's the fact that I was born in a Communist country where sports and state where one in the same, or maybe it's my belief that my taxes should be put to better use. Whatever the reason maybe, I find very few instances where I believe that it's in the best interest of all
Why is U.S. Senator Arlen Spector Looking into the New England Patriots Video Tape Scandal?
parties involved to have the United States Congress probe into an area of professional sports. To me, it's almost un-American.

Yet here we are again, on the heels of Major League's Baseball's Mitchell Report, we hear that Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter wants to look into the infamous "Spygate" debacle that took place during the first week of the 2007 NFL season. For those who need to be reminded, "Spygate" is the name that has been given to the incident that involved the England Patriots">New England Patriots illegal video taping of game signals used by their rivals the New York Jets.

It seems that the good Senator is concern with the fact that the video tapes where destroyed, and that there were limited penalties involved in the matter, and has taken it upon himself to muse out loud about the antitrust exemption that the NFL enjoys. Whether or not there is a legitimate cause for concern does not distract from the fact that Senator Spector's announcement comes the week of the Super Bowl. If that in itself is not a clear case of grandstanding, I do not know what is.

Now on a good day, I am not one to agree with these "Big Brother" type of congressional investigation, but after the farce that was the Mitchell Report, I do not want Congress anywhere near the NFL. For those of you who missed our beloved Congress at work during the hearings that came after the Mitchell Report, lets just say that the committee often mispronounced the name of Commissioner Bud Selig and former major league players like Rafael Palmeiro. They also manage to mangle the name of the Chicago White Sox in reference to the 1919 scandal, as well as, a few fact and figures about the game in general So much for this nation's best and brightest and the preparation they put into the hearing.

Page: 1 2 Next »
 Print   Save Read comments (9)   Next piece
Related Video
   
RelatedRecommendedFeaturedMore By This Source
Senator Arlen Spector Wants Answers to Destruction of Spygate Tapes
National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell, in his annual State of the League Address, has once more brought up the issue of "spygate." Political pressure and involvement, as with the steroid controversy in Major League Baseball, has become common in sports.
By saul relative  |  Published 2/1/2008  |  Read more »
Thoughts on Spygate
Spygate isn't serious enough to warrant Congressional interference. If there's anything we can learn from the Clemens witch hunt it's that Warren Spector should keep his nose out of the NFL and let the league police itself as it has for many years.
By Peter Arnberg  |  Published 3/4/2008  |  Read more »
Spygate, Politics and Sports
The major sports leagues out there claim that they don't need any input from the government. Yet, they didn't feel quite the same way when they were asking for an anti-trust exemption.
By Newshound  |  Published 2/1/2008  |  Read more »
New England Patriots Purchase Hubble Telescope, Cheating Ensues
An article with information about how the New England Patriots bought the Hubble Telescope, probably so they can continue to cheat.
By Greased up Deaf Guy  |  Published 12/17/2007  |  Read more »
Arlen Specter's SpyGate Government Investigation is a Waste of Time
Judiciary Committee must be bored
By Tyler Mills  |  Published 2/1/2008  |  Read more »
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CHEAT, FOLLOW UP
In response to the thousands who read my original article about the New England Patriots cheating, spygate 2008
By R.D. CASTLE  |  Published 3/3/2008  |  Read more »
 
Comments 1 - 9 of 9  
Comments
Type in Your Comments Below

you are all loosers who have nothing better to do(same like our Dear Senator).Hm,senator,isn't that used to describe a lier or a thief.In my book it is.thay all promise so much to become senators and....Look at the economy you idiots!!!!!!! Senators make me sick.
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/23/2008 at 1:02:57 PM

Let's step back for a second shall we. This is the same Arlen Specter who helped construct the biggest cover up in U.S. history - the JFK murder - with his "magic bullet" theory? Now he has the audacity to question the destruction of tapes and evidence regarding a football game? You've got to be kidding me! If anyone should be questioned about a lack of credibility and honesty it's this guy. Roger Goodell is the best thing to happen to football in the past 25 years. His discipline of these overpaid criminals is long overdue.
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/14/2008 at 8:02:29 AM

My God some of you people are naive. There is exactly one reason why Spector wants to investigate: money. Specifically, his own campaign contributions. Comcast Cable is one of Spector's biggest contributors, and they've been in a long-running dispute with the NFL over broadcast rights. The NFL has a broadcast exemption to monopoly law that allows them to collectively negotiate broadcast contracts for all teams. Comcast doesn't like that and Spector is in their pocket financially. He already tried to end the monopoly altogether during the lame-duck session of 2006, when he was still chairman. It went nowhere, and this won't either.
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/07/2008 at 8:02:44 PM

LOL... Ah such love...hey boys and girls...if that is how you want to spend your tax money good for you...don't let me get in your way. Its not how I want mine spent. And Jon, about the "idiot" comment....I am going with the classic, "It takes one to know one defense"...or since you are acting like a child...maybe the "I am rubber and you are glue defense would be better"....lol...you are wrapped a bit too tight man. But thanks for dropping by, we have some nice parting gifts for you...: )
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/04/2008 at 5:02:32 PM

When you play competitive team sports, every week you watch hours of videotape on the opposing team's previous games. Gues what? On that tape, you can see a guy on the sideline sending in a signal, then you get to see the play that was just sent in to the huddle. Opposing team, videotape, studying plays.... I guess that's cheating? No, its a part of the game. For the same reason a quarterback decides to go "on two", the off/defensive coordinators should be sending in fake signals to throw off the other team (the better ones do).
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/04/2008 at 9:02:01 AM

Cause we have a right to the truth. The Patriots are guilty of cheating and they have been getting away with it. Hefty fine proves guilt and Goodell quickly swept it under the rug when action against this type of conduct should not be tolerated.
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/04/2008 at 7:02:40 AM

....Like somehow that disqualifies them from slamming baseball on its ear for steroid use. And he has no idea what the hell hes talking about, there is no seperation of sport and state. If you operate in a league of any kind you fall under federal and state laws, you can't start a badminton league that allows players to use cocaine and not expect some serious investigation at a federal level. So please stop writing, you're not cut out for it, you lack a full understanding of this country's laws and have an overall deficit in logic to apply what you know to the subject you are writing about.
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/04/2008 at 1:02:37 AM

Hey Rolondo Cruz guess what you're an idiot, the NFL is a billion dollar industry that is intricately tied to other billions of dollars in gambling through our gaming commissions. While i agree that there are more important issues at hand, this is still a very serious act of perfidy by the patriots. The attempt to cheat and alter the outcome of games is strictly prohibited and makes any contest the Patriots participated in illegal, if it is proven they cheated. Which everyone knows they did, but to what degree and in which games? In fact if you purchase a ticket you are guaranteed by a legally binding contract that the event you are seeing is not scripted, of course thats paraphrasing, but look at your NFL tickets read the small print and you will see a binding contract. The Patriots nullified that contract with millions of fans when they cheated. Oh also this guy is an awful writer, im mean whats the deal with how the senators miss pronounced baseball players names? .....
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/04/2008 at 1:02:23 AM

Hey Rolondo Cruz guess what you're an idiot, the NFL is a billion dollar industry that is intricately tied to other billions of dollars in gambling through our gaming commissions. While i agree that there are more important issues at hand, this is still a very serious act of perfidy by the patriots. The attempt to cheat and alter the outcome of games is strictly prohibited and makes any contest the Patriots participated in illegal, if it is proven they cheated. Which everyone knows they did, but to what degree and in which games? In fact if you purchase a ticket you are guaranteed by a legally binding contract that the event you are seeing is not scripted, of course thats paraphrasing, but look at your NFL tickets read the small print and you will see a binding contract. The Patriots nullified that contract with millions of fans when they cheated. Oh also this guy is an awful writer, im mean whats the deal with how the senators miss pronounced baseball players names? Like some
Add a Comment

Posted on 02/04/2008 at 1:02:55 AM

Comments 1 - 9 of 9 

Have more to say?
Become a Source on AC

Most Comments Today