I don't see how this can be viewed as anything other than very damning to the Patriots, a tape revealing they stole both offensive and defensive signals. If you read the article carefully it shows how the tapes were cut and edited together to give the Pats a good sense of what plays the opposing team would call on a certain down. What it doesn't say is if these tapes were taken, say, before half-time, and then used by the Patriots in the second half. I'd like to see some statistician take a crack at examining the Patriots in the first and second halves of games over the past 10 years or so. It always seemed like certain teams could play them tough for a half but then they simply withered in the second half.
I think this is, in part, why its so easy to be cynical about sports these days. It took years after their hey-days to bring down Bonds and Clemens, but now the Patriots dynasty is going to be torn down before the paint is even dry.
p.s. Sham-nasty should be the subtitle of the new M. Night Shamalyan movie.
