Shula: Spygate would mar Pats' undefeated season

(http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2007/11/06/2007-11-06_don_shula_spygate_would_mar_pats_undefea.html)

Don Shula, the coach of the only perfect season in NFL history, believes the Patriots have a legitimate shot at running the table and joining his '72 Dolphins in going undefeated in the regular season and playoffs. But if they can pull it off, Shula insists the NFL needs to place an asterisk next to the Patriots in the record books because Bill Belichick got caught cheating in the Spygate scandal. Shula is naturally protective of the Dolphins' accomplishment and certainly wants that '72 team to stand alone. Long ago, he said, he learned that "rooting doesn't make anything happen. The Patriots look so good. I think they got a real shot at doing it." The Dolphins were 14-0 in the regular season and 3-0 in the playoffs, including the Super Bowl. If the Patriots don't lose, they will finish 19-0. Shula admires the Patriots' team, but then, without being asked, he said Spygate negatively impacts the way they should be perceived this season. "The Spygate thing has diminished what they've accomplished. You would hate to have that attached to your accomplishments. They've got it," Shula told the Daily News yesterday. "Belichick was fined $500,000, the team was fined $250,00 and they lost a first-round draft choice. That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found. "I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds' home run record. I guess it will be noted that the Patriots were fined and a No.1 draft choice was taken away during that year of accomplishment. The sad thing is Tom Brady looks so good, it doesn't look like he needs any help." -- NY Daily News

In a way I do hope the pats go 16-0 so I can stop hearing about the 72 dolphins and thier champagne cork poppin asses every year.

1972 Dolphins Team

THEN: Class of the NFL...winning games left and right and being the unstoppable force that they were. True athletes who played hard, worked hard and got their just reward.
NOW: A group of senile, dottering old fools who will do anything to protect the record...even if it means missing a spleen cleansing or the Lawrence Welk show....or even more dramatic, missing reruns of Matlock.

In that case, I wish the patsies onward to 16-0...otherwise, burn in hell.

I think it's classless on the part of Shula... the fact that he was on that team shows that he's out to smear the patriots and protect his "coveted" record. The toast, in a way, is bad sportsmanship at its best. Toasting to a team losing so you can pat yourself on the back one more year. I hope they realize that if the 72 dolphins were in their prime and playing today, they'd probably win 6 games and not be in the playoffs. How about some "humble soup" mr. shula?

That being said... what Mr. Shula said IS fact.. the Patriots WERE caught cheating. The questions are.. how long did they do it, and have they found ways to do it without getting caught?

As much as I dislike the Pats, they're clearly winning on talent and not trickery, so an asterisk isn't really necessary. I figured Don would be a little less whiny than that.

Maybe he's just cranky because he's been on that NutriSystem diet for too long.

If I remember rightly, the 72 Dolphins only played 2 teams that had a winning record that year, regular season.

I've never considered them a truly outstanding team, like the 1962 Packers, 1964 Browns, the 70's Steelers.

So what if they won every game? The greatest teams in NFL history never had that achievement and they're still considered outstanding. Take that, Shula!!!

PS At least the sports announcers don't call the 72 Dolphins the greatest team of all time like they've been calling the Patriots lately. Ha--it is to laugh. The 85 Bears would have PUNISHED them. The Patriots would not have scored even 10 points against those monsters.

Just think, this years Dolphins may have the honor of having the opposite record of the 72 dolphins. 0-16.

The Pats got caught cheating in the first half of the first game against the 1-8 Jets. Just as silly as it was for the Pats to cheat in that situation, it would be equally silly to discredit their accomplishment with an asterisk. Ball don't lie.

^

That being said... what Mr. Shula said IS fact.. the Patriots WERE caught cheating. The questions are.. how long did they do it, and have they found ways to do it without getting caught?

don't think that it really matters. baseball teams steal signs all of the time and the Patriots probably aren't the only team that has used cameras to steal their opponents' signals. The league has ruled on this issue and was there a question about whether the Patriots stole signs during their Super Bowl seasons, the league would have also ruled on that question. Of course if the Patriots go all of the way this year, you can bet that Colts and Dolphins fans will be the ones whining the loudest.