It's Time to Truly Punish the New England Patriots

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It's a story I've been keeping my eyes on since the NFL Playoffs this year, the whole "Deflategate" mess that has once again put the New England Patriots into the limelight for all the wrong reasons. Once more we have been waiting to see if the Patriots are a pack of cheaters and once more we find out, they most certainly are. 

Except this time the shocker was that golden boy Tom Brady is at the helm of it all and well, I think it's high time the NFL lowers its shoulder and hits this franchise with penalties and fines like it has never done before. After all, it's not like this isn't a precedent, this is a franchise that well...doesn't like to play by the rules. They were already found guilty of cheating in the Spygate scandal a few years back, and with this recent development it's clearly a commitment to doing whatever the hell they want when it comes to this franchise and the punishment needs to be epic because they didn't learn their lesson last time so why would they learn it now with a slap on the wrist. Of course the league is currently working on how best to punish the Pats and here is what I am hoping to see the NFL levy on this team.

1. The maximum fine available should be levied on the franchise as a whole, along with a four game suspension for Robert Kraft and the loss of three first round draft picks. If that sounds harsh, oh well. Kraft has overseen a franchise that has made some poor decisions and since he was unwilling to step in and make sure that his franchise no longer tries to do anything shady to win again, enjoy some time away from the facility. Also, yes, three first rounders. They already lost one last time but that's my point, there was a last time. This time the penalty needs to be that much more severe and losing important draft picks like first rounders should help. 

2. Tom Brady needs to be suspended for the entire 2016 season. Yes, that's right. I don't care about appeals that might shorten that, and I don't care if he has four Super Bowl rings...he freakin' cheated and to top it off he made the choice to not help out the investigation. The Saints players who bet on who could physically hurt other players saw incredible suspensions for their actions, so why not Tom? He should not be above the league or the game and look, he's the ringleader in all of this and honestly, anything less than a year is a joke.  

3. Bill Belichick also needs to be suspended for the entire 2016 season. Some will immediately say "wait a minute, the Wells report said he wasn't involved" and to me that matters jack. Let's not forget that Sean Payton, Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints spent a year away from the game when the NFL slammed the Saints for their actions as well...and he was also not involved. The reason for his suspension was simple, he was the Head Coach, he is in control of his team and his players. Bill was around the last time the franchise was found guilty of cheating and it was on his watch again that his team was found guilty of cheating. Let him spend some time away from the game as well.   

Fact of the matter is, this is embarrassing to both fans of the game and the league as a whole. To let a franchise continue to do whatever the hell it wants is completely unacceptable and I really do hope Roger Goodell hands down one of the ugliest punishments in league history to a franchise that just doesn't get the hint and as a reminder to the league that no one is above the integrity of the game, not even Champions. 

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