I think we're comparing two completely different things here, one is a single act that endanger players safety and was really just downright about as dirty as it gets. It's the equivalent of a guy leaning out from the bench and catching someone with an elbow. The other is a much more high level and abstract form of cheating, and it lacks the potential injury aspect. They're both dirty tactics, but in very different ways. What makes the Jets situation extra bad is that it's a collection of antics from that team that fall in line with this kind of behavior.
I can swallow the spygate thing more easily simply due to the lack of immediate injury potential, that's a big deal for me. The biggest reason I don't look at the Pats the way I look at the Jets is that the players carry themselves like professionals, while the Jets carry themselves like the proud thugs that they are. Belichek is sleazy, but he's at least quiet about it. He's like that guy down the street who cheats on his taxes. Rex Ryan on the other hand is like that guy down the street who runs the meth lab and has a firebird up on blocks out front, scummy and proud to be scummy. Maybe it just comes down to the better PR department. I guess if my team lost a Super Bowl in part due to taping I'd feel differently, but as a Dolphins fan Super Bowl is a foreign word to me.
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