Slap on Belichick's Wrist

The NFL “punishment” imposed on Bill Belichick for cheating is a $500,000 fine and the loss of one, or two, low draft picks. What a joke. The NFL is trying to sell it as the same tough stance on management as players. “Roger Goodell's hard line on discipline, aimed so far at players, came down this time on a coach and a team,” says the NFL website.

 

The $500,000 is only 12.5% of Belichick’s annual $4 million salary. It’s not going to hurt him too much in the wallet. And the conditional draft picks sanction is downright bizarre. It means that the NFL didn’t want them to lose a draft pick any lower than the mid-20’s. And the fact that they still have the Niners #1 pick even if they have to forfeit their own means the net effect of the punishment is negligible. Either they will have two #1s or a #1, #2, and #3 in the upcoming draft. Goodell considers that a punishment?  Indeed, from a salary cap standpoint, the Patriots could actually benefit from losing their #2 and #3 since they will have to pay big money to sign two #1s. I doubt they would have the cap room to sign two #1s, and a #2, and a #3 – to say nothing of their picks in rounds 4-7.

 

What’s not clear is whether the fines were for the single incident involving the Jets or a larger conspiracy to cheat other teams/games. What is clear is that when push came to shove, Goodell didn’t have the balls to suspend Belichick and go against owner Robert Kraft. I can only assume from this ridiculous “investigation” (how neat and tidy that it was all completed in less than a week) and “punishment” is that the NFL must be concerned about this spying occurring in some of the Patriots’ high profile games (i.e., Super Bowls) and doesn’t want to look too closely into it lest it find disturbing evidence that would only further taint the Patriots’ three championships.