Peter King, the reporter who covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated, NBC and HBO, said on Inside the NFL this week that Cowboys coach Wade Phillips had told him, "New England was caught cheating, and it is a black mark on their success."That would be just the kind of thing that Patriots coach Bill Belichick would put up on the proverbial bulletin board, and just the kind of thing to add even more hype to Sunday's already greatly hyped Cowboys-Patriots game.
But there's just one problem: Phillips says it isn't true:
"No, I didn't say that at all," Phillips said after Thursday's practice. "I think they would have won no matter what. I don't know. I have no idea if it even helped them. But they were a great football team, well coached. I don't see any way that they wouldn't have won what they did. I don't think that at all. I don't know why Peter would say that."King is standing by the report, and it's hard to know who to believe here. Phillips has a reputation for honesty and bland public statements, so it is a little hard to believe he'd first make a comment like that and then back off it. But of the two of them, King was presumably the one who was actually writing down what was said in the conversation. And really, would Peter King just make up a quote like that? I seriously doubt it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-12-2007 @ 9:30AM
Bill Walters said...
Doesn't matter if it was said or not. EVERYONE KNOWS the "cheating" took place,even those that deny it. Some (like myself) speak out loudly about it, others just let it take its course without vocalizing it. Bottom line cheating took place the better NFL teams will continue. Bilicheat and the Patriots have to live with the facts. And everyone will always wonder....Should they have won the SB's?
This is only going to get worse before it gets better.
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10-12-2007 @ 9:33AM
Kustie the Klown said...
Peter King is a class A gasbag. Does anyone care what he says?
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10-12-2007 @ 12:29PM
bggas400 said...
You people are amazing. It's NOT cheating. The signals are sent out in the open for all to see. It went against a memo sent out by the commisioner. You got 3 people sending in signals from the sidelines. It would be impossible to decipher that during game time. Bringing into question past superbowl victories is simply bein naive. Why not bring into question the credentials of the coaches that have left the Patriots to become head coaches. If you feel the Pats prior triumphs are tainted, then so are the coaches that were there when it was 'supposedly' going on?
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10-12-2007 @ 1:23PM
recashflow said...
Peter King must be worried that his bleoved Pats will have probles with the Cowboys. Why is a writer trying to stir up shit that would help motivate his favorite team? Clearly because he feels they need assistance. The Cowboys are gonna silence all critics. Here are 2 factoids.
1) Wade Phillips is 3-1 against the Belechick Pats as a head coach. He obviously game plans vey well for them
2) Last year the super bowl champs Colts came to Tecas Stadium an undefeated 9-0 and were heavy favorites.The Cowboys pushed them around and spanked them pretty good. This years Cowboy team is better than last years team and the Pats are not better than last years Colts team.
3) Score - Dalls 38 - Pats 27. Cold stone lock!
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10-12-2007 @ 1:33PM
Bill said...
Phillip's Chargers beat a Pats team decimated by injuries in 2005 with Duane Starks and Hank Poteat in the secondary as well as backups in the O and D line. You place way too much stock in previous matchups.
Pats beat Phillip's last year with Reche Caldwell as the prime receiver. Reche is so good, where's he playing today?
Too many Dallas fans are all hat, no cattle. If Dallas doesn't put pressure on Brady with their front 3 or 4, force turnovers, or run the ball controlling time of possession this game will turn into a Dallas national embarrassment.
Likely score......Pats 34 Dallas 16.
Bill
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10-12-2007 @ 1:38PM
Steve said...
I think Wade Phillips should be fined and suspended for either saying or denying the quotes attributed to him by Peter King. The NFL ethics committee should investigate him as well as the players union, and while were at it why not a congressional investigation. There is nothing worse than a he said, she said, no I didn't, yes you did situation. Peter King should win a Pulitzer for breaking this story and an apology should be offered to Bill Belicheat and his wife and his mistress.
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10-12-2007 @ 2:07PM
mattbaha said...
Cheaters never win. Brady should not get into the HoF before Romo.
Dal 27
NE 17
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10-12-2007 @ 4:55PM
Izzy said...
Good game between two over-rated teams. Patriots have beat up on mediocre-at-best teams. Last year the win against San Diego would have been impressive, but not this year. Same with the Cowboys. Beating up on mediocre teams. Bears aren't the Super Bowl team they were a year ago and the Bills gave the 'boys a scare in a game that should have been a blow out. Pats 27-20
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10-12-2007 @ 5:16PM
OD said...
Wow, Romo hasn't even started a full season and you're talking Hall of Fame. One of the most idiotic things I've read on here(and there have been many)
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10-13-2007 @ 12:52PM
joe wallace said...
tony Romo looks like he will be a fine quarterback. But Brady is already a Hall of Fame lock. Win a couple of BIG games, and don't fumble the snap, Tony, then we can TRY to compare.
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10-13-2007 @ 1:03PM
joe wallace said...
Some of you folks screaming about cheating have selctive hearing, but that doesn't surprise me, you will never admit that what your saying comes from some bias, or anything. Pete King says Wade said it. Wade said he didn't say it like that, and that King came in TRYING to get him to say something. But who do you believe? The so-called journalist who has written pieces critical of the patriots for the last four weeks, or a coach who has no axe to grind? No, you will believe King, right? Goodell was RIGHT when he found that the Pats violated the rules, but WRONG when he said that the violation had no impact on the game. He was RIGHT when he asked for more evidence from the Pats, but WRONG when he said he was satisfied, that there were no other infractions. Listen to how foolish some of you sound. It has now gone beyond being a joke. The Pats have won the last four games, without a camera, by the LARGEST margin in the history of football. But some of you are still screaming CHEATERS. Ha ha. Cut the juvenile name-calling, especially you, Cowboys fans, because your team is not exactly lily white. If you believe your asistant coach got banned substances for his medical condition, but don't believe the apparent truth about the videotaping incident, then you really need a reality check. Let's give it all a rest, and talk football, shall we?
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10-13-2007 @ 1:08PM
joe wallace said...
Oh, and btw, Peter King is NOT a Pats fan. He gets interviewd on a Boston radio station every week, but Peter is from New York, and a self-avowed Jets fan. get your facts straight, if you are going to make accusations. Oh, wait, peter doesn't, either. He got royally reemed by Bob Costas on this subject, than got another one ripped for him when he got interviewed on WEEI sport radio this week. it's amazing how these bloggers on here love to write pieces about things that are negative against the Pats, but not things that counter their bias. So, bloggers, I am calling you out. Get the transcripts of both interviews, and report THAT.
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10-13-2007 @ 2:21PM
Johnny 5 said...
The league has never said what the Pats did was cheating...it was frowned upon. Besides..the Pats wone 3 Super Bowls with 3 different teams while the Cowboys of the 90's won 3 with virtually the same team and one game was iffy against the Steelers. @ blown calls by the officials changed that game. Tony Romo doesnt deserve to even be in the same breath as Danny White let alone Tom Brady. Romo hasnt won one game that mattered! OVERATED BLOWHARD JERKOFF!
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