2002 AFC Championship Game?

I am wondering if anyone has checked Mr. Walsh's offshore bank accounts to see if there have been any recent transactions from the Kraft or Belichick family. I agree with you ace about having all those games forfeited which would in turn cause for them to forfeit their Super Bowl win.

As an extra punishment, they should ban Belichick and force Tom Brady to play for Miami. Then not only would we all see he is only as good as the system and the Patriots would be screwed like how they screwed us NFL fans out of what we believed to be legitimate football.

And Patriots fans wonder why non Pats fans hate the team so much!

If anyone has actually followed the story, instead of just jumping on a bandwagon, they will know the tapes were not used during the games. The tapes video taped the coaches signals and then the play clock to capture what the situation was. It was then matched up to the game tape which is received by both teams after the game. This was usually done on Thursday or Friday after the game. It was never looked at in the game. There was also cheerleaders on the tapes as well. The video taping was not illegal, where they were standing was. And remember, the Jets were caught taping the Patriots in their playoff game 2 years ago.

I think it is hilarious how all the Steelers fans are saying there was something fishy because there was no way a team could go from 5-11 to winning Super Bowls. Upsets happen all the time. The Patriots first win over the Rams was an upset, but the Giants win over the Pats was an upset. Turnarounds happen all the time. The Steelers went 6-10 in 2003 and then went 15-1 in 2004. Was that cheating? No, it was the Steelers playing better football, except they lost in the AFC Championship game to the Pats. Except for the finish, this is pretty much the same thing the Patriots did in 2000 and 2001. They went 5-11 and only went 11-5 in 2001. After missing in 2002 with a 9-7 record they then went 14-2, 14-2, 10-6, 12-4 and 16-0. Maybe they got better after the 5-11 record as Tom Brady matured and learned the system, Belichick got more comfortable with his players and their drafts and free agent signings were tops in the league.

Great points Canadian Pats Fan!

I've been following this story partially as a Pats fan (one of my two favorite teams since the late 70s) and as a football fan.  I read the reports that the 2002 Steelers game featured two -- count em, two -- shots of the scoreboard to get the down and time.  Not exactly game-changing stuff!  As I've always said, teams win based on on-the-field EXECUTION by their players, not videotape.  Yes, the Pats videotaped against league rules.  Yes, they were caught. Yes, they paid the price both in terms of league punishment and in terms of negative PR.

Let's move on!  Quit whining and crying, Steelers fans.  I have a lot of respect as a football fan and Catholic for the Rooney family and your team.  Don't make me lose that respect by being a bunch of sore losers 6 years after the Pats kicked your butts in that game.