I wrote this as a thread for TalkSox.com and even though it is off topic, I thought I include it here. Truth be known, I imagine there will be many "off topic" posts during the Hot Stove season. -

Generally speaking, I'm not a huge Pats fan. I'm an Eagles fan, as hard as that usually is. I certainly enjoy watching the Pats this year. They are exciting and, most likely, historical in their 2007 domination. As such, my interest was peaked when I heard the talk on ESPN Radio about Don Shula's comments that, should the Pats go undefeated this year, the record should have an asterisk because of the "Spygate" sideline camera cheating infraction.

Don Shula said, referring to the fines and draft choice loss that the league imposed on the Pats:

"That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found," Shula said, according to the Daily News. "I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds' home run record."

In response, Mike Vrabel, pats linebacker, had this to say:

"I think that we try to go out there and play hard every week. And I don't think that guys are going to draw on an old retired coach and old washed up players to pump us up. We play hard. We try to go out there and play hard. That's our job every week is to go out there and play hard. To play for our team, my teammates, my coaches, the respect factor, that's what I try to go out and play for, and I think everybody else on our team does the same thing."

First, to compare what the Pats did in one game (because that was all that was "proven"), something that may or may not have made a difference, to Barry Bonds' half-career of steroid laden home runs , where the juice definitely affected the outcome, is like comparing a Cub Scout slap fight to World War II. Not even close.

Second, the punishment , as such, was the fines to the coach and franchise and the pending draft choice losses. That is the punishment. Bonds has received no punishments as yet, but either way, I believe the Pats have paid the piper sufficiently.

As far as Shula is concerned, what else should we expect? That undefeated Dolphins team is the only thing that Shula is really remembered for, other than being the coach who was so wonderful he couldn't win a Super Bowl with one of the top QB's of all time at the helm. Whenever a team starts off undefeated and then loses, Shula and Csonka and whomever else is left get together for a little d to congratulate themselves for the 35th or so time. I'd have more respect for Shula if he just came out and said, "Screw these guys! I love that record and I want to keep it all for myself!"

Vrabel? Well said. He wasn't vulgar or rude. He was honest.

And here's the kicker... This quote from USA today:

"[Shula] was still the coach of the Baltimore Colts at the end of the 1969 season, when then-Miami owner Joe Robbie approached him and signed Shula to a contract. The NFL charged the Dolphins with tampering and awarded their first-round pick to the Colts. Undaunted, Miami reached the Super Bowl in 1971, then rebounded from a loss to the Dallas Cowboys by winning the next two, including the perfect 17-0 campaign."

So, aside from being a bitter old fart, Shula is also a bit of a hypocrite.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 11/07/2007 10:21:00 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.