2008 Woodie Awards
Videotapes are no different than steroids
Ben Hankins
Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: Sports
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When Jose Canseco's book "Juiced" hit the shelves in February of 2005, it looked like the beginning of the end of "rampant 'roids and smash hits" in Major League Baseball.
The "New York Times" best-seller was a major indictment for multiple sluggers in the modern MLB era and the beginning of a witch hunt for today's long-ball hitter.
Canseco not only took responsibility for his own wrongdoing of using performance-enhancing drugs, but accused former teammates and other prominent sluggers as well.
The book also led to intense scrutiny of the game by uncovering a monumental case of cheating on the field.
So a new witch hunt begins in professional sports, but this time in a different league.
It all began when National Football League security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from New England Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella after the Patriots' game against the New York Jets two Sundays ago. Estrella was suspected of illegally videotaping defensive signals by the Jets' coaching staff, according to league officials.
As coaches, players, media and fans waited for the hard-line NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to make his ruling against the Patriots and Head Coach Bill Belichick, many questions were thrown in the air.
How bad will the punishment be? Would the commissioner be as hard on Belichick as he had been in seperate cases with league players?
Goodell's ruling came with swiftness and tenacity as always. In addition to fining the Patriots $225,000, he fined Belichick $550,000.
The commissioner also promised to dock a first-round draft pick if the team makes the play-offs. If they miss the postseason, they will lose a second and third-round draft pick.
You can't argue with the punishment. Sure, a symbolic suspension for Belichick would have been nice, but Goodell's delivery was effective. It is what it is.
The main question: How often are these videotape incidents happening on NFL sidelines?
The "New York Times" best-seller was a major indictment for multiple sluggers in the modern MLB era and the beginning of a witch hunt for today's long-ball hitter.
Canseco not only took responsibility for his own wrongdoing of using performance-enhancing drugs, but accused former teammates and other prominent sluggers as well.
The book also led to intense scrutiny of the game by uncovering a monumental case of cheating on the field.
So a new witch hunt begins in professional sports, but this time in a different league.
It all began when National Football League security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from New England Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella after the Patriots' game against the New York Jets two Sundays ago. Estrella was suspected of illegally videotaping defensive signals by the Jets' coaching staff, according to league officials.
As coaches, players, media and fans waited for the hard-line NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to make his ruling against the Patriots and Head Coach Bill Belichick, many questions were thrown in the air.
How bad will the punishment be? Would the commissioner be as hard on Belichick as he had been in seperate cases with league players?
Goodell's ruling came with swiftness and tenacity as always. In addition to fining the Patriots $225,000, he fined Belichick $550,000.
The commissioner also promised to dock a first-round draft pick if the team makes the play-offs. If they miss the postseason, they will lose a second and third-round draft pick.
You can't argue with the punishment. Sure, a symbolic suspension for Belichick would have been nice, but Goodell's delivery was effective. It is what it is.
The main question: How often are these videotape incidents happening on NFL sidelines?