New England cheats again?

[jimnyc]

Probably not, but makes for a good story!

Supposedly the score board, in New England, was showing the downs "one off" for the entire final drive. Billy Cundiff, the kicker who botched the game for the Ravens, wasn't prepared to go on the field and kick as he thought it was only 3rd down.

Wouldn't surprise me if they did have something to do with it though!

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/why-billy-cundiff-rushed-fateful-field-goal-try-013101618.html

[ConHog]

Probably not, but makes for a good story!

Supposedly the score board, in New England, was showing the downs "one off" for the entire final drive. Billy Cundiff, the kicker who botched the game for the Ravens, wasn't prepared to go on the field and kick as he thought it was only 3rd down.

Wouldn't surprise me if they did have something to do with it though!

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/why-billy-cundiff-rushed-fateful-field-goal-try-013101618.html

I wouldn't be surprised if they did that, and I wouldn't be surprised if Cundriff couldn't count to 4 so without the number being shown he didn't know what down it was. :laugh:

[jimnyc]

I wouldn't be surprised if they did that, and I wouldn't be surprised if Cundriff couldn't count to 4 so without the number being shown he didn't know what down it was. :laugh:

Don't get me wrong, I HATE the Ravens, as they are in the same division as the Steelers, and virtually killed our season this year - but I think I hate the Patriots just as much. I'm sure whoever was in charge of the scoreboard is at the very least giggling this week.

[Abbey Marie]

If they get away with cheating in this Super Bowl, I may never watch football again. It's amazing to me that they were never suspended from the league.

[CSM]

aww cmon folks. I bet a nickel to a donut that the chain gang had the right down displayed. You know, the OFFICIAL controlled mechanism. I'm thinking that this is just so much blather rather than just admitting the kicker SUCKS!

[CSM]

If they get away with cheating in this Super Bowl, I may never watch football again. It's amazing to me that they were never suspended from the league.

I am guessing that if they suspended the Pats, there would be a whole lot of other teams right there with them.

[ConHog]

aww cmon folks. I bet a nickel to a donut that the chain gang had the right down displayed. You know, the OFFICIAL controlled mechanism. I'm thinking that this is just so much blather rather than just admitting the kicker SUCKS!

I may be wrong, but I believe the complaint was about the scoreboard, not the down marker on the field. But you'd be surprised at how many times the down marker is wrong. I watch a lot of football (most college) and they are often on the wrong down. That IS the officials, but the scoreboard is of course ran by an employee of the stadium which usually means a team employee.

[CSM]

I may be wrong, but I believe the complaint was about the scoreboard, not the down marker on the field. But you'd be surprised at how many times the down marker is wrong. I watch a lot of football (most college) and they are often on the wrong down. That IS the officials, but the scoreboard is of course ran by an employee of the stadium which usually means a team employee.

Just a guess on my part but it would seem to me that the OFFICIAL marker is the one on the field controlled by the OFFICIALS just as the OFFICIAL clock is the one in the hand of an OFFICIAL. Besides that, unless they were waking that kicker out of a sound sleep, the guy should have been ready to kick the darned field goal; period.

[jimnyc]

Just a guess on my part but it would seem to me that the OFFICIAL marker is the one on the field controlled by the OFFICIALS just as the OFFICIAL clock is the one in the hand of an OFFICIAL. Besides that, unless they were waking that kicker out of a sound sleep, the guy should have been ready to kick the darned field goal; period.

I agree with you about the official downs - and even more so, the Refs are the ones with the only "official" scorecard, time and downs... BUT, I'm speaking of the kicker, who is about 15 yards away from the field, keeping his mind away from the game and practicing his kicks. His only option at that point is to utilize the scoreboard.

[CSM]

I agree with you about the official downs - and even more so, the Refs are the ones with the only "official" scorecard, time and downs... BUT, I'm speaking of the kicker, who is about 15 yards away from the field, keeping his mind away from the game and practicing his kicks. His only option at that point is to utilize the scoreboard.


Yeah, so what was he practicing the kicks for? Next weeks soccer game, no doubt. It just doesn't wash. If he was focused on practicing his kicks, I would assume that regardless of what the scoreboard said, he would enter the playing field when told to by the coaches. Either the guy is truly a dumbass or whoever is whining about this is a dumbass or both.

[jimnyc]

Yeah, so what was he practicing the kicks for? Next weeks soccer game, no doubt. It just doesn't wash. If he was focused on practicing his kicks, I would assume that regardless of what the scoreboard said, he would enter the playing field when told to by the coaches. Either the guy is truly a dumbass or whoever is whining about this is a dumbass or both.

He WAS told by the coaches, but they thought he would be ready. You only have 40 seconds from the last play till the time you have to kick. ALL kickers monitor the scoreboards when warming up. But yes, the team must take responsibility too.

[CSM]

He WAS told by the coaches, but they thought he would be ready. You only have 40 seconds from the last play till the time you have to kick. ALL kickers monitor the scoreboards when warming up. But yes, the team must take responsibility too.


I dunno, but if all the practice the guy has done over the years he has been playing could be negated by such a simple tactic, it's probably time to get a new kicker! Heaven forbid he should get hit by a raindrop just as he puts his foot to the ball! he might have injured or killed somebody!

[ConHog]

I dunno, but if all the practice the guy has done over the years he has been playing could be negated by such a simple tactic, it's probably time to get a new kicker! Heaven forbid he should get hit by a raindrop just as he puts his foot to the ball! he might have injured or killed somebody!

Don't watch much football do you? Kickers are notorious melon heads. I mean seriously, who would think calling timeout right before a field goal attempt would get in a kicker's head? But it does. They are mental.

[CSM]

Don't watch much football do you? Kickers are notorious melon heads. I mean seriously, who would think calling timeout right before a field goal attempt would get in a kicker's head? But it does. They are mental.

Nope. I watch a game now and then but am not a fanatic in any sense of the word. I just cannot imagine having to utilize someone that fragile as part of a team. I guess it's the Army training in me.

[CSM]

P.S. : I really just like busting somebodies chops; nobody in particular you understand, just anyone who might think this particular scenario has any importance at all.

[ConHog]

Nope. I watch a game now and then but am not a fanatic in any sense of the word. I just cannot imagine having to utilize someone that fragile as part of a team. I guess it's the Army training in me.

Kickers are notoriously nuts. We had one at Arkansas who was a high school all american, he had a GREAT freshman year, then he shanked a 30 yard field goal attempt in the first game of his sophomore season and he never regained the ability to kcik again. Was just awful for the rest of his college career. Just got a mental block and couldn't get past it.

[jimnyc]

I dunno, but if all the practice the guy has done over the years he has been playing could be negated by such a simple tactic, it's probably time to get a new kicker! Heaven forbid he should get hit by a raindrop just as he puts his foot to the ball! he might have injured or killed somebody!

I agree that ultimately he is responsible, as are the coaches that need to ensure their players are ready. Still a bit odd, and considering NE's history, nothing would surprise me at this point.

[gabosaurus]

http://yajagoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/yj-RavenRefs.jpg

[jimnyc]

Too true, Gabs, too true! LOL

[Abbey Marie]

I am guessing that if they suspended the Pats, there would be a whole lot of other teams right there with them.

Very possibly, but the only team we know for sure has cheated is the Pats.

[ConHog]

Very possibly, but the only team we know for sure has cheated is the Pats.

They don't call them the New England Cheatriots for nothing.

[CSM]

Heh. There sure are a lot of sour grapes around here! If all it takes to win a football game is to upset the player through some rather minor tactic like using the wrong UNOFFICIAL display, we better make darned sure that the players don't get wind of whatever the talking heads in the booth are saying! Heck, we could make it all fair by just flipping the coin without playing the game at all and declare the winner based on the coin toss.

[jimnyc]

Heh. There sure are a lot of sour grapes around here! If all it takes to win a football game is to upset the player through some rather minor tactic like using the wrong UNOFFICIAL display, we better make darned sure that the players don't get wind of whatever the talking heads in the booth are saying! Heck, we could make it all fair by just flipping the coin without playing the game at all and declare the winner based on the coin toss.

I don't know about the sour grapes thing. I hate every team equally after the wild card games and wouldn't have cared less/more if NE won or lost. In fact, being that the Ravens are in my favorite teams division, I was more happy to see them get knocked out.

The "icing" of the kicker, doing whatever it takes to get in his head, has been a part of football since as long as I can remember. Whether it be a scoreboard, a timeout or a nasty defensive end - the idea is to have the kicker off of his game, even if just for a split second, as that's all it takes to have him miss sometimes.

But definitely not sour grapes, not for me anyway.

[CSM]

I don't know about the sour grapes thing. I hate every team equally after the wild card games and wouldn't have cared less/more if NE won or lost. In fact, being that the Ravens are in my favorite teams division, I was more happy to see them get knocked out.

The "icing" of the kicker, doing whatever it takes to get in his head, has been a part of football since as long as I can remember. Whether it be a scoreboard, a timeout or a nasty defensive end - the idea is to have the kicker off of his game, even if just for a split second, as that's all it takes to have him miss sometimes.

But definitely not sour grapes, not for me anyway.

Just messing with you guys (devil's advocate so to speak) as I am not a die hard sports fan unless it involves shooting/killing/skinning or gutting sme poor defenseless critter.

[jimnyc]

Just messing with you guys (devil's advocate so to speak) as I am not a die hard sports fan unless it involves shooting/killing/skinning or gutting sme poor defenseless critter.

Like I said in my OP, I don't think there was intent to cheat, and I don't think it truly made a difference in his kick, as it appeared he had plenty of time to line up and make the kick. He simply yanked it left and that was the game.

[ConHog]

no sour grapes here either. I don't even have an NFL team. I just acknowledge that the Patriots have in fact been caught cheating under Bill Billcheat.

[CSM]

no sour grapes here either. I don't even have an NFL team. I just acknowledge that the Patriots have in fact been caught cheating under Bill Billcheat.

But did they get caught actually cheating this season? If not, then is their winning in this particular game legitimate?

[ConHog]

But did they get caught actually cheating this season? If not, then is their winning in this particular game legitimate?

no, this was a few seasons back, but once a cheater always a cheater.

[CSM]

no, this was a few seasons back, but once a cheater always a cheater.

LOL! No second chances with you then huh?

[ConHog]

LOL! No second chances with you then huh?

Newp. Cheat on me once, shame on you. Cheat on me twice, shame on me.

[gabosaurus]

no sour grapes here either.

Sour grapes are the fruit by which all sports fans exist on. No need for apologies of any sort. :p

[ConHog]

Sour grapes are the fruit by which all sports fans exist on. No need for apologies of any sort. :p

Nope, seriously I am not at all invested in the NFL Just pointing out the obvious fact that the Patriots cheat.

[CSM]

Nope, seriously I am not at all invested in the NFL Just pointing out the obvious fact that the Patriots cheat.

Ahem, the only fact that you can assert is that the Patriots have cheated (and gotten caught) in the past. You have not proven that they are currently cheating to win games. Just sayin.

[ConHog]

Ahem, the only fact that you can assert is that the Patriots have cheated (and gotten caught) in the past. You have not proven that they are currently cheating to win games. Just sayin.

Oh , don't get me wrong, The Pats are a good team and no cheating hasn't gottten them to where they are now, but they HAVE been found guilty of it. I doubt they all the sudden went clean.

[Abbey Marie]

Oh , don't get me wrong, The Pats are a good team and no cheating hasn't gottten them to where they are now, but they HAVE been found guilty of it. I doubt they all the sudden went clean.

How can you state that having other teams' signals didn't get them where they are?

[ConHog]

How can you state that having other teams' signals didn't get them where they are?

I meant in the overall picture, they've been at the top for years. that's not all due to stealing signals.