Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ripped ESPN today for its coverage of the Patriots' Spygate scandal.Appearing on the Boston radio station WEEI, Brady suggested that the reason Patriotgate has stayed in the news is that the media in general and ESPN specifically are looking to fabricate a controversy.
"I think it's a way to really sell newspapers, and all the ESPN stations, they've got to fill the air, too," Brady said.
When it was pointed out to Brady that many of the ex-NFL players who work at ESPN were harshly critical of the Patriots and suggested that they gained a huge advantage from stealing signals, Brady said, "It's just kind of the environment right now, though. I think that's the way that guys make it. They just say the craziest things. That's what ESPN has become. ESPN, to me, is like MTV without the videos, ESPN is without the highlights."
ESPN is the 800-pound gorilla in American sports, and a lot of athletes wouldn't want to take the boys in Bristol on. But Brady is one of the few athletes popular enough to take on the Worldwide Leader and not have to worry about repercussions. It will be interesting to see whether ESPN reports Brady's comments.
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Seattle Seahawks' Matt Hasselbeck throws a pass as the Seahawks opened mini-camp at the team's practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' Matt Hasselbeck throws a pass as the Seahawks opened football mini-camp at their facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, left, calls signals during football mini-camp at the team's practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck stretches as the team opened mini-camp at their football practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck watches as the team opened mini-camp at their football practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' linebacker Julian Peterson, left, and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck run through drills as the NFL football team held minicamp at the team practice facility in Kirkland, Wash., on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, center, prepares to throw as the NFL football team held minicamp at the team practice facility in Kirkland, Wash., on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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** FILE ** In this July 27, 2006 file photo, Cleveland Browns linebacker Willie McGinest stretches during morning practice at the Browns football training camp in Berea, Ohio. Browns linebacker Willie McGinest says the 2008 season will be his last. McGinest told SI.com for a story Thursday, May 8, 2008, that he wants to finish his career on one last playoff run. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, left, puts his helmet as they opened mini-camp at the team's football practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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** FILE ** This July 26, 2007 file photo shows Michael Vick leaving the federal courthouse in Richmond, Va. A federal judge ordered imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick to repay more than $2.4 million to a Canadian bank for defaulting on a loan, Wednesday May 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, Pool, File)
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 32)
1. Dont ya love it when cheaters get self righteous?...But even a broken clock is right twice a day
Posted at 8:32PM on May 13th 2008 by carl
2. I do love it, especially when Don Shula (broke his contract and violated league rules) does it, and the 49ers (broke salary cap rules and won 2 Sb's) does it, and when Denver (same thing) does it; I love it when the Jets did it by stealing Parcells on the eve of the SB, and lost a first rounder for that, and then lost ANOTHER first rounder for stealing the Pats running back two years later, in violation of league rules. Oh, and the 49ers also broke the rules with Lance Briggs. Trying to steal one of the five best players in the league is not as bad as videotaping, though, so I can see your point. Wait! You didn't know about all these things! Could it be that ESPN didn't obsess about those things, like they do spygate? THAT's what he is talking about.
Get a grip.
Posted at 8:46PM on May 13th 2008 by joe wallace
3. Right on Brady....... everyone took shots at the Cowboys and Steelers when they were dominant. Now the Patriots turn. The PATS are the most domoniant team of this century, like the Red Sox, and everyone likes to shoot down a winner.
ESPN wouldn't have a story if someone had fabricated a story of the St. Louis Rams video taping the Pats walk-through. They have been losers ever since.
This year, the PATS will go 16-2 while the Giants 5-11. Brady will continue his talk on the field.
I bet the Boston newspapers and ESPN will NOT print a retraction or apology to the PATS.
Posted at 8:48PM on May 13th 2008 by Happy Monkey
4. "When it was pointed out to Brady that many of the ex-NFL players who work at ESPN were harshly critical of the Patriots and suggested that they gained a huge advantage from stealing signals..."
Ex-NFL players say the Patriots gained a huge advantage by scouting (more accurately scouting since it's done in the open) signals? You gotta be kidding me. How many times do you think anyone can learn something useful by studying the other teams' signals....which are probably changed constantly? It might happen once in a while which makes it worth some employee's time, but a "significant" advantage? I don't think so.
Moreover, the ex-NFL players must know that all teams can study other teams' signals. As Goodall pointed out, it was only the "vehicle" chosen by the Patriots ("videotaping from the sidelines") that was made illegal by a 2006 memo...but many teams study signals using other "vehicles".
Posted at 9:01PM on May 13th 2008 by billybob
5. Hey Now Right On Mr #12 That's what I like about you .Tom Your A Very Smart Young Man AN THE GREASTEST Q/B Every ONE OUT THERE Need's to get over the all S/G Bull ...The Patriot's Rock .....
The Bad Boy's From Boston Go Pat's
CCF South daytona Fla
Posted at 9:17PM on May 13th 2008 by Carla
6. Ok i will admit I WAS a Pats fan, but when i heard what a egotistical jerk that Tom Brady was & that they cheated i was like whatever i dont even care now that Ty Warren plays for them
Posted at 10:09PM on May 13th 2008 by alyse
7. I think this is hillarious. A cheater trying to tell off the biggest sports station in the world. I'm sure he wasn't crying when they praised him for his accomplishments. He needs to take the good with the bad and get over it.
Posted at 10:11PM on May 13th 2008 by Rudy
8. All this cheating puts into perspective how this team got so dominant...It's how a 6th rounder out of Michigan became the so called best QB. When you know what the defenses are doing it makes it easy to pick em apart. Just like Barry Bonds, this team deserves an astrisk next to all those SuperBowls. Isn't it funny that the year they stop cheating they lose the SuperBowl?? Coincidence? I think not.
Posted at 10:11PM on May 13th 2008 by Chris
9. Boo Hoooo Hooooo
Shut up just because you got caught cheating, you lost the superbowl(while cheating). Just shut up,
:)
Posted at 10:20PM on May 13th 2008 by Jakob
10. "All this cheating puts into perspective how this team got so dominant...It's how a 6th rounder out of Michigan became the so called best QB. When you know what the defenses are doing it makes it easy to pick em apart. Just like Barry Bonds, this team deserves an astrisk next to all those SuperBowls. Isn't it funny that the year they stop cheating they lose the SuperBowl?? Coincidence? I think not."
You are nuts Chris. Even if you know what the play is you still need to have the talent to EXECUTE! Brady IS one of the best in the game and 'Spygate' isn't going to take that away from him.
Posted at 10:20PM on May 13th 2008 by Tom
11. maybe now the jerk will go and take care of his kid instead of thinking that he is so great no one would question him hurrak for espn
Posted at 10:22PM on May 13th 2008 by Jeanie Beaty
12.
This isn't about Video Tapes... Its all about the Giants winning the Super Bowl ! Brady just can't play nice !
Posted at 10:23PM on May 13th 2008 by Mark Buonauro
13. Why is it that so many people focus on the first 8 minutes of the first game of the season last year and not the 17 games they won after that while under the microscope? think about it
Posted at 10:25PM on May 13th 2008 by John
14. Cheating? This is nothing new. Why is it that pitchers and catchers cover their mouthes when conversing on the mound. Someone reading their lips? How about the guy on second stealing the catcher's signals? It's been going on forever and will continue.
Posted at 10:25PM on May 13th 2008 by Dave
15. The program merely asked the ex-players that were present, what they thought of the tapes they viewed, and they gave their opinion. As they stated, a none professional could never detect the advantage of the tapes. But an ex-player and coaches could easily see what would help in defense formations.
The Patriots had their day in the sun, now someone else will step into the limelight.
What I think will happen that within five to ten years someone will publish a book and give details that we cannot at this point in time imagine.
Posted at 10:26PM on May 13th 2008 by Ramon Garcia
16. 6. Ok i will admit I WAS a Pats fan, but when i heard what a egotistical jerk that Tom Brady was & that they cheated i was like whatever i dont even care now that Ty Warren plays for them
Posted at 10:09PM on May 13th 2008 by alyse
A real Pats fan wouldn't stop being a fan because of egos and, come on now, cheating...If that's the case you can't be a fan of any team. You're ridiculous! OK, admit it, you never were a fan.
Posted at 10:27PM on May 13th 2008 by Tigerlily
17. EVERY0NE IN THE LEAGUE CHEATS!!!! Its just because the patriots are good that people actually took action against them.
Posted at 10:28PM on May 13th 2008 by Pats Fan
18. Well said Brady ! Lets see what the Giants do next year. lol
Posted at 10:29PM on May 13th 2008 by M&M
19. The 2007 Pats...the 43rd best team in NFL history...
Posted at 10:29PM on May 13th 2008 by Midnight
20. Spygate was both a mis-reported, and poorly reported event. Any information favorable to the Patriots was quickly dropped from stories, (anyone remember polaroids were ok of the same info) leaving the innuendo that the Patriots ran a master spy operation. Events that would put the patriots in a bad light were rehashed in later articles and the public misled. Added to this there are some pretty dumb and mean announcers and writers. It almost seemed that if it was a slow news day, just rehash some info injurious to the patriots.
Posted at 10:30PM on May 13th 2008 by srb