Goodell hands out punishment on NE…Too little? Too much?

Roger Goodell has made up his mind. The penalty for the VideoGate cheating scandal has been issued, and tonight, NE Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a lot lighter in the wallet because of it. The NE Patriots however are not feeling as light. The question that will be discussed, dissected, and blogged about is was the penalty too much? Or not enough?

The fines dolled out by the new Commissioner are as follows:

Bill Belichick – $500,000.00 fine

The Patriots – $250,000.00 and loss of either 1: A first round draft pick contingent on the Patriots making the playoffs OR 2: A 2nd AND 3rd round pick contingent on the Pats not making the playoffs.

Now, in terms of the fines, the NFL leveed the largest amounts allowed by the leagues by-laws, in terms of Belichick. Now, in terms of the draft picks, there is

sure to be a large contingent of non-Pat fans, media types, and probably quite a few NFL players who will not be happy with this news.

Roger Goodell has made a point of trying to clean up the act of the NFL. Suspensions and fines have been common this off-season. So this could be seen by many as a slap on the wrist.

To be fair, in any other year, the penalty would appear to be worse than it does this year. Consider the fact that the Patriots are the front runners to win the AFC East. Thus the draft pick penalty is a first rounder. However, in next years draft the Patriots have 2 first round picks, and the pick that will likely be taken away is their later pick in the round. Hardly a punishment.

Let us say that roles were reversed and the Jets were taking on this penalty. A first round draft pick to them could mean a spot between 16 and 25. The pick would hurt them far more.

So in that sense, the punishment would be justified.  This is a situation that will set a precedent for years to come.  Especially under the watchful eye of Goodell.  The system works, to the extent of the law and the by-laws of the NFL.  Whether we like or understand them.   We may not feel that the punishment is just, but neither us, nor mainstream media have seen the video in question.  That is of course not to say that punishment is in fact justified.  I think it teeters on a gray line of perception.

I have to wonder what other penalties could have been available to Goodell to dole out had he thought a little harder and longer on the situation? For example, could he have issued a 1 year cap penalty that would reduce the teams working number? Or maybe draft pick reduction for two consecutive years or two years separated? Perhaps a reduction to their 7 original picks next year?

There will be a lot of questions regarding this punishment. However, regardless of whether we disagree with it, it will stand the way it is.

Bill Belichick can afford this fine, after all it was likely headed to his ex-wife anyways, so you know he really doesn’t care. Robert Kraft can afford his fine, and the Patriots can afford to lose a draft pick or two. The penalty that the Patriots will not lose, is their reputation and their respect. Regardless of what happens this year, or next, or the one after, no matter what happened in the 3 previous SB victories that the Patriots under Belichick won, they will now, in the mind of the fans, have a question mark beside their name. For the fans of the Patriots, even 3 Super Bowls will not take the sting out of the revelation that their team was caught cheating.

Roger Goodell could not levee a penalty that big.