Belichick Pays

Roger Goodell already has a reputation for being strict. He has already dealt with Pacman Jones and Micheal Vick, and now he needed to deal with Bill Belichick, who was spying on the New York Jets.

The New England coach was fined the NFL maximum of US$500,000 Thursday and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000 for stealing an opponent's defensive signals. Commissioner Roger Goodell also ordered the team to give up next year's first-round draft choice if it reaches the playoffs and second- and third-round picks if it doesn't.

When Belichick addressed the media yesterday, it was almost painful to watch. "All we're focusing on is the San Diego Chargers." That was his answer to everything. He seemed that he had gone days without sleep, and was hiding something.

The Patriots have been caught once before. Last November, during their 35-0 victory in Green Bay, the Packers caught the Pats shooting unauthorized video and told them to stop.

New England will now try to put this incident behind them and get ready for the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

Goodell Puts His Foot Down

In the few months that Roger Goodell has been commissioner of the NFL, he has shown that he is not afraid of making big moves. He already suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Pacman Jones for the entire 2007-08 NFL season, and he is already taking disciplinary action on Micheal Vick.

The QB from Atlanta has been been indicted for being at multiple dog fights in past years. Dogs would be trained to kill, and if a dog were to lose and survive, would be hung, electrocuted or shot. Vick's 1st court hearing is on the 1st day of Falcons' training camp.

Goodell made the 1st move of disciplinary action yesterday, ordering Vick to not report to training camp. To the Falcon faithful, taking action before Vick has been proven guilty may be a little pre-mature, but Goodell wrote a letter to Micheal Vick clearing that issue up.

"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell wrote in the letter to Vick.

Vick is just 1 of many sports athletes that have chosen illegal activities, than using their sports talents. Some examples of these people are Ricky Williams with marijuana and Pete Rose with gambling.

No matter what happens with this case though, Micheal Vick's good reputation is now forever gone.