ESPN SPIN: Given the ref scandal was this 22 year drought a good thing?

[JSD]

Just another point that's a little more on topic...

If the Celtics and Lakers had met during the '02 finals... like ESPN wonderfully predicted (when the Celtics were still down 2-1 I may add), I think the fans and media would have been all over that.

BUT... we'll have to wait and see how the sports world sees the championship teams during the Donaghy era before we make a conclusion about whether or not the 22 year drought was good timing

The Celtics were never down 2 - 1 in that series...


The timing is great no matter what. Plus, as I said, the other shoe probably won't drop ESPN is invested in the NBA

[Greg]

Your characterization of spygate as overblown because ESPN had an axe to grind against Bill Belichick is a little over the top as conspiracy theories go. 

OK, What is your theory? You think the Patriots "cheated"?

Also, You think scouting signals is compared to a ref on the take?

Explain why the ref scandal hasn't gotten 1/3 they attention

Yes the Patriots cheated.  But I agree with you, the whole "Spygate" thing was blown way out of proportion.  I can't believe that the media isn't all over the ref scandal.  In terms of effect... it's much worse.

I adamantly disagree with you on your first point but your larger point is interesting.

Well, I don't think you can deny that the Patriots "cheated," if you like to use that word.  I prefer to say violated video regulations... because we all know that the tapes had little on the games.  They were essentially scouting videos to help Belichick prep for games.  I believe that a lot of teams had the same type of information (again, it was the media's choice not to look into this), so the effect that the tapes did have, I think a lot of teams had the same.

Anyways, that's off topic... so I'll stop there.

[Greg]

Just another point that's a little more on topic...

If the Celtics and Lakers had met during the '02 finals... like ESPN wonderfully predicted (when the Celtics were still down 2-1 I may add), I think the fans and media would have been all over that.

BUT... we'll have to wait and see how the sports world sees the championship teams during the Donaghy era before we make a conclusion about whether or not the 22 year drought was good timing

The Celtics were never down 2 - 1 in that series...


The timing is great no matter what. Plus, as I said, the other shoe probably won't drop ESPN is invested in the NBA

Sorry... meant 3-2

[JSD]

Your characterization of spygate as overblown because ESPN had an axe to grind against Bill Belichick is a little over the top as conspiracy theories go. 

OK, What is your theory? You think the Patriots "cheated"?

Also, You think scouting signals is compared to a ref on the take?

Explain why the ref scandal hasn't gotten 1/3 they attention

Yes the Patriots cheated by the simple fact that members of the organization willingly and knowingly went against NFL regulations.

[JSD]

Your characterization of spygate as overblown because ESPN had an axe to grind against Bill Belichick is a little over the top as conspiracy theories go. 

OK, What is your theory? You think the Patriots "cheated"?

Also, You think scouting signals is compared to a ref on the take?

Explain why the ref scandal hasn't gotten 1/3 they attention

Yes the Patriots cheated by the simple fact that members of the organization willingly and knowingly went against NFL regulations.

The only thing the patriots did wrong in my opinion was have a camera man in a forbidden area. Was the Guy in camouflage? No, He was in full Pats gear! Did they sneak into a private room where these signals were being given? No.

Think about it!

The notion that they cheated is a joke.

A scout from any team can tape anything they want from the press box and/or the crowd without anyone ever knowing about it

I have some signals I taped on my camera phone for god sakes. The taping of signals was never an issue it was where the camera is (look it up, god knows I have)

The point of my thread is the double standard that ESPN displays at least once a month!

It sickens me.

[fmf2]

Getting back to my point earlier, I never wrote whether I personally thought the Patriots cheated or not. I just don't buy the motive you are attributing to ESPN. 

I think that ESPN gave that amount of coverage to Spygate because the Patriots have been an incredibly rare NFL dynasty, in an era where that is nearly impossible to achieve. When you are on top, you get more attention. Honestly, if the Phoenix Cardinals were under suspicion for the same type of situation, I doubt it would be as big a story. However, Bill Belichick is a household name. So, correct or false, a controversial story about him will get serious headlines.

Plus, this storyline was more shocking than an NBA scandal. Unfortunately, the NBA's reputation is such that too many few people have been surprised at hearing that an NBA ref was on the take.

[BballTim]

         As I was driving to work this morning I began thinking about David Stern and how a resignation is in order. How could this have happened? How could these kinds of accusations even have a leg to stand on? What an embarrassment for the league.
        The bitterness I have toward ESPN still lingers from the media hype of “Spygate”. The most overblown, “something out of nothing” story in the history of sports media. ESPN HAD A LOUD AND CLEAR AGENDA and I will never forgive them for that. ESPN demands total access everywhere they go, but didn’t get that preferential treatment from Bill and the Patriots. ESPN seized this minor offense and flexed their muscles with spin and fans of others teams who were looking for an excuse ate it up.
   I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop for almost a year now. A ref has tainted a decade of NBA basketball and now another ref is being indicated. Where is the call for asterisks and rings being returned? Where is the around the clock loop of experts saying the league is tainted? The only explanation is that ESPN has a stake, an investment and a loyalty to the NBA. That my friends is the power of the media who dictate this world.
       
      I'm grateful about one thing, this scandal took place in-between Celtics championships and nobody can look at any Celtics titles with a question mark. You can’t say that about the 2nd most historic franchise.

  The difference is the Patriots cheated but the Celtics didn't. The league would be cheating, not the Celtics or the Lakers, and neither team would have any control over the outcome or even knowledge that the outcome was rigged in their favor. You know, the way the league fixes the lottery, not the teams involved.

[JSD]

Getting back to my point earlier, I never wrote whether I personally thought the Patriots cheated or not. I just don't buy the motive you are attributing to ESPN. 

I think that ESPN gave that amount of coverage to Spygate because the Patriots have been an incredibly rare NFL dynasty, in an era where that is nearly impossible to achieve. When you are on top, you get more attention. Honestly, if the Phoenix Cardinals were under suspicion for the same type of situation, I doubt it would be as big a story. However, Bill Belichick is a household name. So, correct or false, a controversial story about him will get serious headlines.

Plus, this storyline was more shocking than an NBA scandal. Unfortunately, the NBA's reputation is such that too many few people have been surprised at hearing that an NBA ref was on the take.

More shocking? I don't buy it...

This article has a lot of good facts, must read
http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2008/05/why-spygate-is-the-most-disgraceful-episode-in-recent-sports-media-history

[wdleehi]

The Pats were caught breaking a rule.  They were punished.  It was news.  All sports media reported it to death. 




One official was caught breaking the rules.  He was punished.  All sports media reported it to death. 




There was a story there might be a tape of the Pats recording the Rams walk through.  It was reported to death.




There was a story about the one official pointing fingers at other officials.  It was reported to death.


Now there is a story of 150 phone calls between officials.  It was reported.   






I fail to see where anything was either ignored or underreported? 

[JSD]

         As I was driving to work this morning I began thinking about David Stern and how a resignation is in order. How could this have happened? How could these kinds of accusations even have a leg to stand on? What an embarrassment for the league.
        The bitterness I have toward ESPN still lingers from the media hype of “Spygate”. The most overblown, “something out of nothing” story in the history of sports media. ESPN HAD A LOUD AND CLEAR AGENDA and I will never forgive them for that. ESPN demands total access everywhere they go, but didn’t get that preferential treatment from Bill and the Patriots. ESPN seized this minor offense and flexed their muscles with spin and fans of others teams who were looking for an excuse ate it up.
   I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop for almost a year now. A ref has tainted a decade of NBA basketball and now another ref is being indicated. Where is the call for asterisks and rings being returned? Where is the around the clock loop of experts saying the league is tainted? The only explanation is that ESPN has a stake, an investment and a loyalty to the NBA. That my friends is the power of the media who dictate this world.
       
      I'm grateful about one thing, this scandal took place in-between Celtics championships and nobody can look at any Celtics titles with a question mark. You can’t say that about the 2nd most historic franchise.

  The difference is the Patriots cheated but the Celtics didn't. The league would be cheating, not the Celtics or the Lakers, and neither team would have any control over the outcome or even knowledge that the outcome was rigged in their favor. You know, the way the league fixes the lottery, not the teams involved.

They did not cheat, you are buying the crap that ESPN is selling you and you missed my point.

My point:

In a world that is dominated by sensationalism, exaggeration, rush to judgment and opinion. ESPN could have had a field day with the ref scandal but chose not to because they are invested in it.

With The Patriots, ESPN took a minor offense and turned it into a scandal.

Disgusting.

I will expose ESPN until the day I die. ESPN is not fair and unbiased they are fiction and entertainment.

Hmm, Entertainment… Isn’t that what the “E” in ESPN stands for?

[JSD]

The Pats were caught breaking a rule.  They were punished.  It was news.  All sports media reported it to death. 




One official was caught breaking the rules.  He was punished.  All sports media reported it to death. 




There was a story there might be a tape of the Pats recording the Rams walk through.  It was reported to death.




There was a story about the one official pointing fingers at other officials.  It was reported to death.


Now there is a story of 150 phone calls between officials.  It was reported.   






I fail to see where anything was either ignored or underreported? 

I agree, but not to the degree to what the Pats endured. You think the Ref scandal got even 1/3 the attention as “spygate”? You can't be serious.

Listen, I understand ESPN is a partner/customer of this site so this probably isn’t the best place to post my negative opinions but what’s true is true.

[wdleehi]

The Pats were caught breaking a rule.  They were punished.  It was news.  All sports media reported it to death. 




One official was caught breaking the rules.  He was punished.  All sports media reported it to death. 




There was a story there might be a tape of the Pats recording the Rams walk through.  It was reported to death.




There was a story about the one official pointing fingers at other officials.  It was reported to death.


Now there is a story of 150 phone calls between officials.  It was reported.   






I fail to see where anything was either ignored or underreported? 

I agree but not to the degree to what the Pats endured. You think the Ref scandal got even 1/3 the attention as the “spygate”? You can't be serious.

Listen, I understand ESPN is a partner/customer of this site so this probably isn’t the best place to post my negative opinions but what’s true is true.

Couple of thing.


NFL is bigger then the NBA.


A multiple time Super Bowl winner is bigger then an NBA official.





Both were reported to death. 

[JSD]

The Pats were caught breaking a rule.  They were punished.  It was news.  All sports media reported it to death. 




One official was caught breaking the rules.  He was punished.  All sports media reported it to death. 




There was a story there might be a tape of the Pats recording the Rams walk through.  It was reported to death.




There was a story about the one official pointing fingers at other officials.  It was reported to death.


Now there is a story of 150 phone calls between officials.  It was reported.   






I fail to see where anything was either ignored or underreported? 

I agree but not to the degree to what the Pats endured. You think the Ref scandal got even 1/3 the attention as the “spygate”? You can't be serious.

Listen, I understand ESPN is a partner/customer of this site so this probably isn’t the best place to post my negative opinions but what’s true is true.

Couple of thing.


NFL is bigger then the NBA.


A multiple time Super Bowl winner is bigger then an NBA official.





Both were reported to death. 

Couple of things back.


NBA is bigger then an NFL Team.


An NBA official manipulating games is bigger than a team scouting signals.



One was reported to death. the other swept under the rug because ESPN had an investment to protect.

The fact you're a Giants fan clouds your reality, It didn't happen to you so I don't think you were paying close enough attention.

[wdleehi]

The Pats were caught breaking a rule.  They were punished.  It was news.  All sports media reported it to death. 




One official was caught breaking the rules.  He was punished.  All sports media reported it to death. 




There was a story there might be a tape of the Pats recording the Rams walk through.  It was reported to death.




There was a story about the one official pointing fingers at other officials.  It was reported to death.


Now there is a story of 150 phone calls between officials.  It was reported.   






I fail to see where anything was either ignored or underreported? 

I agree but not to the degree to what the Pats endured. You think the Ref scandal got even 1/3 the attention as the “spygate”? You can't be serious.

Listen, I understand ESPN is a partner/customer of this site so this probably isn’t the best place to post my negative opinions but what’s true is true.

Couple of thing.


NFL is bigger then the NBA.


A multiple time Super Bowl winner is bigger then an NBA official.





Both were reported to death. 

Couple of things back.


NBA is bigger then an NFL Team.


An NBA official manipulating games is bigger than a team scouting signals.



One was reported to death. the other swept under the rug because ESPN had an investment to protect.

The fact you're a Giants fan clouds your reality, It didn't happen to you so I don't think you were paying close enough attention.

Evidence.


There is evidence that the Pats broke the rules.

There is evidence of one official breaking the rules.


There is no evidence of the NBA manipulating games. 

[wdleehi]

The Pats were caught breaking a rule.  They were punished.  It was news.  All sports media reported it to death. 




One official was caught breaking the rules.  He was punished.  All sports media reported it to death. 




There was a story there might be a tape of the Pats recording the Rams walk through.  It was reported to death.




There was a story about the one official pointing fingers at other officials.  It was reported to death.


Now there is a story of 150 phone calls between officials.  It was reported.   






I fail to see where anything was either ignored or underreported? 

I agree but not to the degree to what the Pats endured. You think the Ref scandal got even 1/3 the attention as the “spygate”? You can't be serious.

Listen, I understand ESPN is a partner/customer of this site so this probably isn’t the best place to post my negative opinions but what’s true is true.

Couple of thing.


NFL is bigger then the NBA.


A multiple time Super Bowl winner is bigger then an NBA official.





Both were reported to death. 

Couple of things back.


NBA is bigger then an NFL Team.


An NBA official manipulating games is bigger than a team scouting signals.



One was reported to death. the other swept under the rug because ESPN had an investment to protect.

The fact you're a Giants fan clouds your reality, It didn't happen to you so I don't think you were paying close enough attention.

Evidence.


There is evidence that the Pats broke the rules.

There is evidence of one official breaking the rules.


There is no evidence of the NBA manipulating games. 

A Super Bowl winning team is alway going to be bigger news then an NBA official.