Former Panthers GM accuses Patriots of foul play in Super Bowl XXXVIII

[Capt. Obvious]

The Deflategate controversy is certainly a hot topic right now, and it seems everyone under the sun is giving their opinion about it. One interesting opinion, however, comes from former Panthers general manager Marty Hurney, who was with Carolina when it lost, 32-29, to New England in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Hurney, who is now a radio talk show host in Charlotte and ESPN NFL Insider, has been suspect of the Patriots for a long time.

"There isn't a day that goes by since [then] that I haven't questioned ... that there were some things done that might have been beyond the rules that may have given them a three-point advantage,'' Hurney said during his radio show, per ESPN. "And I can't prove anything, and that's why I'm very angry. And the anger has come back over the last couple of days that commissioner Roger Goodell decided to shred all of the evidence after Spygate because I think there were a lot of things in there that would bring closure to a lot of people.''

In 2007, it was revealed the Patriots were caught illegally taping sideline defensive signals from Jets coaches during the team's season opener. The Spygate controversy led to accusations such activity has been going on since 2000.

"There are people who swear to me that the Patriots taped our practice down in Houston during Super Bowl week," Hurney said. "I can't prove it. I don't know. And I hate talking like this because I feel like a bad loser, but it just gnaws at you and this latest incident brings it back up."

CBS

[Capt. Obvious]

1. “The great mystery of the whole SpyGate scandal was why Goodell destroyed the video evidence.”

“The great mystery of the whole SpyGate scandal was why Goodell destroyed the video evidence.”

The most forgotten part of the “SpyGate scandal” is the fact that Goodell played the videos on a loop for reporters at the press conference when he announced his punishment. The reporters got to watch the footage on a loop prior to Goodell’s stepping to the podium. (I will always remember this, because the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen cracked one of the better jokes in sports TV history. It was, essentially, “This is the first time ever that a journalist is watching a video in a hotel but doesn’t have to pay $9.99 an hour for it.” What a line, Rich.)

Perpetuating the idea that the footage never saw the light of day is something that is routinely brought up by obsessed Steelers fans who still feel cheated from 2001 and 2004 (even though the Patriots won in ’01 with a blocked field goal and punt return and ’04 in a 41-27 romp), not something that a professional writer ought to spread.

CBS

[mythology]

6. You really expect people to believe that every illegal video tape was shown on a loop?

Or did Goodell just show the video from the Jets game? The Packers security kicked a Patriots employee out for taping signals the year before the Patriots were caught against the Jets.

Additionally nobody saw the tapes the former Patriots employee Matt Walsh turned over the next year. Instead Goodell just said they were consistent with the video from the tapes from the spygate game.

Also a local Boston station (particularly the one that has the rights to the Patriots' games and post-game show, may not be the most unbiased of sources about if everything from Belichick's first trouble with the league was settled. I'm sure Belichick's mom would also tell you he's a swell person who would never ever cheat or do anything untoward.

[Capt. Obvious]

7. I don't care or expect anyone to believe anything

I just point and laugh.

[Narraback]

2. Hurney said. "I can't prove it. I don't know...

...And I hate talking like this because I feel like a bad loser, but it just gnaws at you and this latest incident brings it back up."

[bluedigger]

3. What's his opinion on Greg Hardy?

Seems like he would be better informed on that.

[niyad]

4. " has been suspect of the Patriots for a long time. " shouldn't that be SUSPICIOUS of"?

[LittleBlue]

5. The Patriots have been doing this since 2007 according to statistical analysis

The Patriots are on the far right, by far #1 in the NFL on fumbles because they deflate footballs. This might have been going on for 7 years.