Shawne Merriman Was the Wrong Choice to Discuss Patriots' Cheating Allegations - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

1. Speaking of incoherent, there's this:

The vast majority of players in the NFL have never been caught cheating, and if ESPN is going to bring in an active player to discuss other allegations of cheating, it would make much more sense to bring in one of the players from that vast majority, not one of the small minority who has cheated.

It's a small minority who have been caught cheating. We're not sure that it's a small minority who have cheated.

Somewhere between intentionally holding so the referees can't see it (which I bet almost all offensive blockers and defensive backs have done) and taking banned (and now illegal) performance enhancing drugs there's a line that separated cheating we sort of care about and cheating we absolutely care about. (Just for the record, I don't think the leagues should police steroids, but I also think that's for the owners and players to figure out.) I take it that the argument about Spygate is that it's on one side of the line or the other. As someone familiar with the line, Merriman can comment.

Of course, we don't have to agree with him.

Posted at 11:44AM on Mar 11th 2008 by Patrick Dolan Jr.

2. Merriman continues to assert that he took a tainted suppliment, and given the time of year he failed his test, there's reason to believe him. Results of these tests are given months after they're taken, and he only missed one. Don't forget, Rodney Harrison got popped for HGH, but I guess that doesn't count, 'cause he plays for an east coast team.
Up yours, ESPN!

Posted at 4:48PM on Mar 11th 2008 by PacoGerte

3. The continued hypocrasy of the NFL, its players, most of the commentators, and the bloggers. ESPN loves reporting every spygate allegation there is, but then brings in a known cheater as an "expert," and nobody say anything. they are all sitting around waiting for the next reason to point fingers at the Pats, without any kind of perspective.

Posted at 7:05PM on Mar 11th 2008 by joe wallace

4. Oh, and props to you, MDS. If I call you out, I should also give you credit for balanced reporting.

Posted at 7:23PM on Mar 11th 2008 by joe wallace

5. Come on!

An individual player taking an "enhancement drug"

Then comparing it to a COACH who deliberately took video of other teams in order to gain superiority (Cheat) during the current game(s) being played is ridicules.

All you folks trying to make what bilycreep did easier to swallow by comparing apples to rotting garbage are senseless.

The easiest way to take this is accept the fact the creep "CHEATED" deliberately and should be banned forever from the sport. Cause the bottom line is sooner or later you have to swallow it.

Posted at 9:17AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Bill Walters

6. Bill w., I KNOW you are smarter than you just sounded. I really do, so i will give you a mulligan on that one.

Taking ILLEGAL DRUGS to play better, and possibly make plays that make the difference in the game is different than taping 30 feet closer than is allowed by the rules? Oh, Bill, you are not really that stupid.

The Steelers TEAM DOCTOR got caught in a steroids ring, but yeah, you are right, steroids prescribed by the team doctor FOR YEARS is small change compared to videotaping someone's signals for seven minutes. Dude, you need a vacation. Your brain is not thinking straight, my friend.

Posted at 9:29PM on Mar 12th 2008 by joe wallace

7. yes! And where is that doctor today and did you hear everyone support him by saying "Its okay everybody does it" And speaking of smart I would hope as I assumed you were smarter than that. It is more than placement of a camera. Its what was gained and used by the leadership of the New England team to obtain an unfair advantage over their opponent----(CHEATING)

Swiftly and immediately that Dr was removed shows where the support of all this cheating rocking New England's world is endorsed from.

Posted at 5:20AM on Mar 13th 2008 by Bill Walters

8. I really don't care about merriamn, and, in fact, I have always believed his story. But you folks want it both ways. Merriman is found guilty of using a banned substance, and some of you say, "It was a mistake!" and, "He's tested negative since!" and, "And THAT was cheating, but THAT is not cheating!" I have never excused the taping because I said everyone does it. I have CONSISTANTLY called out haters who hide behind what they claim to be a righteous attitude, but change the rules when the argument doesn't fit them. To some of you, Merriman is not REALLY a cheater, but BB is; The Steelers aren't really cheaters, even if the team doctor is involved in steroids, because there is no evidence that members of the team took them, but the PATS are cheaters. because the coach LIED about it when he said he misinterpreted the rules. it goes on and on. You hate the pats and BB, you have invaded Patsblogs all year long calling them funny names, and insulting the fanbase, but then when things are thrown back at you, you say, "No, that's different!" Okay, let'have it YOUR way. The Pats are a disgraced franchise, who have cheated all along. They are the only team ever to have cheated, and no other gaining of advantage, even if punished, is as bad as this one. Not the Dolphins, or jets, or 49ers, or Broncos. seven minutes of tape and lots of innuendo is the worst thing that ever happened to the game. Merriman didn't cheat to gain an edge, he was framed. Sure, he has every right to talk of this issue. You all win. Your impeccable logic has finally won me over. LOL.

Posted at 9:57PM on Mar 14th 2008 by joe wallace

9. Merriman has taken drug tests over 20 times and passed everyone but one, he took a food supplement that was tainted, he sure didn't do it on purpose, because he knew he had to be tested. He failed the test and said it was his fault for not checking to be sure it was on the NFL approved supplement list, and he was suspended. Since that time he has passed every test, he has to live with the fact that he failed a drug test, he understands that.
The Patriots and their fans have to understand that they got caught cheating on purpose, it did give the Patriots a competitive edge in games or they wouldn't have done it. Bringing up Merriman as a cheater is a pretty lame attempt to slam a great young player, who took a tainted supplement by mistake, in my opinion.

Posted at 1:53AM on Mar 15th 2008 by Iron Mountain

10. Iron, you make my point. You like merriman, and there is a great deal to like. I like him, as well, and I believe him when he says he did it by mistake. But it must be admitted that using banned substances does, indeed, give one an advantage. Now, you choose to think he was either framed, or didn't know. Fine. BB claims that, the way the rule is written, he wasn't aware that he was breaking the rule. YOU somehow jump into the head of both, and conclude that you KNOW merrmiman didn't do this on purpose (and how would you know that? Do you follow him around?) but BB did, and the whole team did, and it's cheating. One is telling the truth, and one is lying, but you KNOW which is which, like some omnisicent being. The BOTH violated league rules, and intent is not an issue. They were both punished. If you want to claim that one is worse than another, we can dispute that until the cows come home. But if you say one is guilty, and one is completely innocent, then we don't have much more to say, because you make the point I have been making for eight months, now.

Posted at 7:38AM on Mar 15th 2008 by joe wallace

11. Joe BB said he "DID" know it was breaking the rule. Thats why comic commish made the fine so high.

Posted at 8:13AM on Mar 15th 2008 by Bill Walters

12. Bill W., you have an tenuous grasp of the facts, as usual, but that, again, makes my point. BB never said he knew it was against the rules. he said he has done it all along because his interpretation was that it was not illegal if you don't use it in THAT game. The commish disagreed, and thus, he was fined and the team punished.

You are probably the most prolific hater on the Pats blogs, and you still cling to half-truths that you want to believe. Next time, call the pats coach more cute perjorative names, and insult the fan base more, but try not to cite facts, because, like the rest of the haters, you either don't know them, or believe what is convenient for you.

Posted at 6:54PM on Mar 15th 2008 by joe wallace

13. joe your losing your mind. billy boy admitted he knew it was wrong, he admitted that although he knew it was wrong he allowed it to happen

Stick with your every team does it doesn't make you look a bad.

Posted at 7:48PM on Mar 15th 2008 by Bill Walters

14. Produce your evidence, Bill W...I want to see a direct quote from BB...I live in this region and listen to the only radio program on which he speaks, and I have heard every word he has said in the last two years....so, produce the quote and cite, or go back to badmouthing big ben.

Posted at 6:09PM on Mar 16th 2008 by joe wallace

15. Nope! You heard it and you know it. I'm not your associate.
I'll just remain as I have, saying the creep needs to answer for it and I'll be the first on here reminding you I said it would happen.

Posted at 6:37PM on Mar 16th 2008 by Bill Walters

16. But I will give you this joe

More than anything, Belichick is committed to winning. Frankly, it's all he cares about. Every minute of his time is weighed by its ability to effect a positive result. It is not unreasonable to compare Belichick to Niccolo Machiavelli, the Renaissance political philosopher. In his well-known work, "The Prince," Machiavelli argues that successful rulers, while remaining above reproach in the public eye, may sometimes cross the line into evil for the public good. In Belichick's mind, if the Patriots are a public trust, the ends justify the means.

Most teams spend considerable time trying to decipher the opposition's defensive signals, using conventional advance scouts and the study of broadcast footage. But that is slow and ploddingly inefficient work. Capturing those signals on film speeds up the process and eliminates the possibility of error. Belichick made a point of saying that the Patriots had not used the information gleaned from videotape in the same games it was shot. Although that hardly excuses the illegal practice, it prompted Belichick to claim that his mistake was in the "interpretation" of the rules.

When details of the signal-stealing emerged a few weeks ago, I thought of something Belichick once told me about Taylor. Despite his bouts with drug use and his sometimes messy personal life, Taylor always gave his best effort -- such that it sometimes was -- on the field.

"Lawrence completely sells out on every play," Belichick said. "He doesn't care about his body -- or anyone else's for that matter. He will do anything it takes to win. Anything.

"The same thing that makes him [an unlikable] human being," Belichick added in a telling aside, "makes him one of the greatest players who ever lived."

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I believe the same is true of Bill Belichick.

Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

Posted at 7:22PM on Mar 16th 2008 by Bill Walters

17. Gee detective I must have interpreted the law wrong. You mean it isn't okay to murder some one....but, but, but, but, so many others do it...that must make i right!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 7:25PM on Mar 16th 2008 by Bill Walters

18. First you state something as fact, and then say, "I am not going to prove it." That's rich.

Then you take quotes by BB from years ago which heap accolades on a player for trying hard on every play, and determine that BB cheats all the time, then, because he will do anything to win.

Then you CONTINUE to insist that people who say "everybody does it" are excusing the wrongdoing, and that is not what is being said at all. When people say everyone is doing it, they are saying that, while it may be wrong, stop being so damned indignant as though it is isolated and egregious. The pharisees of Isreal were called out for being hypocrites and haters and masking their own bad acts behind false piety. Like them, you and the others come in here, day after day, state half-truths as fact, deal in conjecture and innuendo, and refuse to reason logically without slandering and infantile name-calling. I WOULD say that you ought to be ashamed of yourself but apparently YOU feel that it is ok to do anything to win an argument, even if it involves lying and character assasination. Then you have the nerve to say you hate SOMEONE ELSE because, as you have concluded, they will do anything to win.

Does being a shallow hypocrite take up alot of energy? Maybe you should join a gym, instead.

Posted at 2:39PM on Mar 17th 2008 by joe wallace

19. joe

It isn't my words its posted who wrote it and when it was said.....right when BB admitted he cheated.

Your smoke screens since and accusations of OTHER teams doing the same thing are ABSURD.

They didn't do the same thing and their comments are ridiculing billycreep. No one in the NFL, peers, colleagues players past and present condone what billycreep did.

Pretext as you are so good at quoteing does you no good.

The first step is admittance joe and you will get better

Posted at 4:13PM on Mar 17th 2008 by Bill Walters

20. AGAIN you say he admitted, and AGAIN I say, show me the QUOTE that says BB admits he cheated! It's not so hard, Bill W., even for you! But just a few hours ago, you refused to produce it, because it doesn't exist. Producing evidence separates you from being a fool and being a legitimate prosecutor of issues like this. Hmm, given your track record, It is not hard to see what side of this YOU fall on.

I offer facts whaen I make these kinds of assertions, and you seem to have some kind of mental incapacity to correctly interpret information, from BB, from other sources, and even from me.

I don't claim to know what I don't know, BB, but I guess if ignorance is bliss, you are one happy guy.

Congrats, Pats haters, your elected President is Bill W. Please don't impeach him, he's too much fun right now.

Posted at 7:30PM on Mar 17th 2008 by joe wallace