All the enablers who brushed it off and made jokes can eat crow.  The Patriots under Belichick are systemic cheaters, and Tom Brady is the worst kind of liar, the Mr. Smug outraged at any hints of impropriety and who won't cooperate with the investigation.  He should be banned from the game.

 

The NFL has essentially acted as an accomplice in these matters, by allowing the Patriots to continue in the playoffs after being caught, and by delaying the report for political reasons.  I don't expect the penalties to have much sting or to affect the way the Patriots view the game. 

 

Nor do I expect the NFL to do the logical thing and take the investigation to previous games and seasons.  There is no physical evidence, but there is statistical analysis showing clearly that the Patriots' turnovers in outdoor games and bad weather games decreased radically compared to the rest of the league, starting 6 or 7 years ago.  This was not some equipment boys doing Brady a favor for 1 game, but a Core Strategy spanning many years. 

 

Get ready for the slap on the wrist and for the incident never to be mentioned again by the league or the team.  Can't go tainting the most successful duo of cheaters in league history, can we? 

---