The New England Patriots got a slap on the wrist by only paying a total of $750,000 in personal and team fines.  They lost a first round draft pick if they make the playoffs but they already have San Francisco's pick.  Big deal.  If the NFL really wanted to come down on the Patriots (which they don't), they would have fined them like the Formula One McLaren Team had to pay $100 million and loss of constructors' (or manufacturers') points after they were caught spying.  Constructors' points are a big deal with the bragging rights and sponsorship gravitas that accompanies it.  

If the NFL wants to stomp out cheating, they need to come down even harder on the Patriots.  Give the big money fine to charity and award the Jets a victory or at least a tie.  If they don't, the appeals process is a joke and will only encourage future cheating.  Why are the Europeans taking the lead sports in cracking down on cheating in Formula One and the Why Barry Bonds is Lucky Not to Be in the Tour de France?  Are Americans sports federations whimps?  Or, does money trump everything including integrity in sports?  Probably a little of both. 

That said, I don't condone cheating.  I suspect that Eric Mangini has known about this for years and possibly even participated it when he a Patriot assistant.  I don't have any evidence of this yet but how would he known had he not done it himself? 

For a Boston - New York rivalry that is already pretty fierce, this adds fuel to the flames.  Bill Belichick is way over qualified to coach in the NFL; he should be Secretary of Defense.  SecDef (Secretary of Defense) Belichick would find Bin Laden in a week and the War on Terror would be won in a month.

Posted by the Tank in NY.