By Vincent Mercogliano

Integrity is supposed to be an essential part of athletic competition. We are taught from a young age to display sportsmanship and fairness despite our desire to succeed. The problem is that lately many of our role models who compete at the highest levels have those priorities backwards. And the rest of us are beginning to catch on to their deceptive ways. The most recent example came at the expense of one of the most successful sports figures of the new millennium. After Week 1, New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his team was fined $250,000 and stripped of either their 1st round draft pick or both their 2nd and 3rd round picks (depending on if they make the playoffs). The reason? They were caught during their contest with the New York Jets videotaping the Jets’ defensive signals. What’s the harm in stealing a team’s defensive plays? It gives the team, or in this case the Patriots, a major advantage. By videotaping the other team’s signals the Patriots offense and their All-Pro quarterback Tom Brady essentially know what the defense is going to do and can base what play they run on finding holes in the defense. For example, if Brady knows prior to the play that a safety is blitzing he knows he can attack the area the safety would normally be covering. Many former and current players have come out and said what the Patriots have been caught doing provides a significant advantage, concluding that if they had such knowledge before each play their rate of success would be improved drastically. This issue surely will have a lasting effect on the Patriots reputation, leading to questions about how long they have been practicing these prohibited procedures. Under Bill Belichick the Patriots have won three Super Bowls: ’01, ’03, and ’04. Were they stealing signals during those championship years? Unfortunately there is probably no way of knowing, but there have been instances in past seasons where there have been accusations. Last season the Green Bay Packers issued a complaint to the league concerning possible wrongful videotaping after their game against the Patriots. So it would be ignorant to think that it was a one time occurence. Regardless of how long the Patriots have been seeking an edge over their opponents, on a larger scale this represents another blemish for professional sports. Time and time again over recent years fans have been subjected to scandals involving athletes who attempted to boost their performance by any means necessary, even if it jeopardized the fairness and integrity of the game they are supposed to love. The most notable case of cheating has come in the form of performance enhancing drugs, better known as steroids. In baseball, in particular, many athletes, most notably home run champ Barry Bonds, have been accused of steroid use and it has led to a disenchanted fan base. Many fans feel let down by the fact that their role models felt the need to cheat, even if it meant sacrificing their principles. Perhaps even worse is the message that they send to younger generations. Athletics are at an ultra-competitive high and if a young athletic aspires to compete at a higher level, it’s a distinct possibility that they might seek a similar advantage. It’s fair to assume that even without The Patriots’ illicit methods, they would still have an excellent team and probably still have those rings on their fingers. They are clearly the team of this generation and this scandal will not change that perception. It will however have a lasting effect on the fan base. We are sadly reaching the point where any athletic achievement will go hand in hand with question marks. And if the Patriots of all teams are seeking an edge, who is to say they are the only team? The message to professional athletes needs to be clear. Play it fair or don’t play it at all. The problem will be getting them to listen.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick shakes hands with past apprentice and present foe, Eric Mangini. (Newsday.com)