The "everyone does it" defense

[PatsFan2003]

I have posited this in response to another thread but I think it deserves its own conversation. It seems that some posters seem to think that because everyone deflates balls then the Patriots shouldn't be punished.

If we take that line of reasoning to its logical extreme, should we never punish a player who fails a drug test because plenty of other players fail as well and not everyone is caught?

What about offensive holding? Should that flag simply never be thrown again as a ref can find it on practically every play if he wanted to. Should offensive linemen simply be allowed to hold on every play even though it is clearly against the rules?

Punishments should be appropriate to the offense and not adjusted based on public opinion or the current state of the NFL front office.

Since offenses for holding are common, people shouldn't be fined excessively and/or suspended.

Same for stickum, stealing signals (electronic or otherwise) and the like.

 

[Wolverine830872]

Punishments should be appropriate to the offense and not adjusted based on public opinion or the current state of the NFL front office.

Since offenses for holding are common, people shouldn't be fined excessively and/or suspended.

Same for stickum, stealing signals (electronic or otherwise) and the like.

Agreed. The punishment should definitely fit the crime.

A rule was broken. The question then becomes, what is the appropriate punishment.

There are two common ways to determine an appropriate punishment: deterrence toward the person committing the crime, and deterrence to anyone else that may later commit the crime.

I think what a lot of Patriots fans are resting their hat on is that the organization didn't know about the breaking of the rules and therefore there is no reason to punish them as there is no deterrence that will increase the prevention of them breaking any rules in the future. That argument doesn't get you all the way home, however, as the league must divvy out a stiff enough of a penalty to send a message to the other 31 teams as well that they better well comply with the rulebook or else face stiff penalties.

The league should have at least enough discretion to determine what penalty would be enough to accomplish that goal.

 

[PatsFan2003]

Punishments should be appropriate to the offense and not adjusted based on public opinion or the current state of the NFL front office.

Agreed. The punishment should definitely fit the crime.

A rule was broken. The question then becomes, what is the appropriate punishment.

There are two common ways to determine an appropriate punishment: deterrence toward the person committing the crime, and deterrence to anyone else that may later commit the crime.

I disagree. I'm not against punishment but deterrence is often used to justify excessive penalties all the time.

Appropriate punishment should be based on how seriously the infraction negatively impacts the game.

(Not the specific game in question obviously since the Patriots CRUSHED the Colts but in general)

 

[Wolverine830872]

I disagree. I'm not against punishment but deterrence is often used to justify excessive penalties all the time.

Appropriate punishment should be based on how seriously the infraction negatively impacts the game.

(Not the specific game in question obviously since the Patriots CRUSHED the Colts but in general)

Again I agree with your basic premise. The league should nip this infractionin the bud so as to not send a message that bending the rules isn't a big deal. The integrity of the game must be maintained, or more importantly, the perception of that integrity.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

So essentially equipment to you means nothing in this game. I guess next time you go play in an actual game of football maybe you should play without a helmet or play with one from the 1950's and see why equipment has to meet a certain criteria.

I'd wager that if the ball used in the David Tyree catch in the SB turned out to be 2lbs underinflated that most NE fans would have had a whole different opinion about the merits of playing with a properly inflated football.

 

[GenJac]

Punishments should be appropriate to the offense and not adjusted based on public opinion or the current state of the NFL front office.

Since offenses for holding are common, people shouldn't be fined excessively and/or suspended.

Same for stickum, stealing signals (electronic or otherwise) and the like.

When you have an equipment manager on your team who prepares the footballs exactly the way your quarterback wants them prepared and he calls himself "the deflator" and your team has somehow bucked the trend of dropped passes and fumbles since the season when YOUR quarterback lobbied for a rule change that would allow quarterbacks to bring their own balls to games it is insane to somehow continue to think he himself had nothing to do with this ongoing cheating. GET OVER IT PATS FANS, YOUR QB CHEATED (for a long time) TO GAIN AN ADVANTAGE AND HE FINALLY GOT CAUGHT.

 

[redseat]

 

[Dude]

I'd wager that if the ball used in the David Tyree catch in the SB turned out to be 2lbs underinflated ....

Darn it, no wonder he was able to catch it on his helmet.