I find it ironic that a league which has already integrated video technology into its everyday gameplay would tolerate spying and the stealing of signals when done using binoculars, polaroids and lip-readers, but not when using a video camera.

And not even just not when using a video camera but not when using a video camera in a location potentially accessible by coaching personnel during the game in order to gain an immediate competitive advantage. Filming signals from the stands and press box to be used ex post facto? Perfectly legal.

Philly columnist Rich Hoffman sums it up best:

Belichick did not do anything that lots and lots and lots of other coaches do – he just did it with a camera. He did not break some solemn code of integrity. What he did was violate a league directive that attempts to regulate the lack of integrity that has been a part of this sport forever.

The Patriots weren’t guilty of cheating so much as they were guilty of not cheating in the way the NFL rules and by-laws allow us to cheat. Seems to be a fine distinction.