TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are used by players to illegally improve athletic performance above what legal training and preparation can do.

Players who illegally improve their performance unfairly penalize players who follow the rules. They not only put those players at risk for physical injury, but they also affect their economic livelihood by impacting their perceived value and their ability to secure appropriately-valued playing contracts.

SEVERITY = 0.5 video cameras per punished incident. Includes all documented infractions from 1960 to present with this Wikipedia page as the primary source.

• G Eric Moore (1993)
• S Lyle West (1999)
• S Will Hill (2012)
• DT Jimmy Kennedy (2012)
• S Tyler Sash (2012)
• RB Andre Brown (2012)
• FB Nikita Whitlock (2016) - suspended 10 games

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? Yes

PUNISHMENT: Each player was suspended for four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#PEDSgate-1993

AWARDS EARNED: Everyone Was Doing It!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 7.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: The Giants fullback Merle Hapes and quarterback Frank Filchock both admitted to being offered $2,500 bribes from Alvin Paris to lose by more than the 10-point spread before the 1946 NFL championship game against the Bears.

Mayor William O'Dwyer had Jack Mara, Wellington Mara and Bert Bell informed of the police evidence against the two. Hours later, the four then met at Gracie Mansion and the mayor interviewed the players one at a time.

Under questioning, Hapes admitted being offered the cash before the game, and commissioner Bert Bell banned him from the championship. Filchock initially denied being offered it and didn't come clean until after the game, but probably wished he too had been banned, as he threw six interceptions in the Giants loss. Several hours later, Paris was arrested and confessed to bribing the players.

Hapes never played again, and Filchock played in only one more game, four years later for the Baltimore Colts. Neither was accused of accepting the bribe and neither was officially banned.

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? Yes

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Fixgate-1946

AWARDS EARNED: Cojones Ferreas!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 4.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: In his autobiography ''L. T.: Over the Edge'', former New York Giants All Pro and Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor admitted to routinely hiring escorts on the eve of games to entertain opposing running backs in order to weary their legs. ''They did a pretty good job,'' Taylor said. And, he admitted he smoked crack cocaine and was high on it during games. Also, he borrowed urine from his Giants teammates to trick N.F.L. drug testers.

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? No but ... it's more probable than not that this was cheating

PUNISHMENT: After the fact Taylor admitted to cheating on the NFL drug tests and using cocaine while playing. Not good.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Taylorgate-1981

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 4.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: From the Lodi News-Sentinel, October 15, 1956: "The New York Giants, still chuckling about the trick they pulled on their bitter rival, revealed today they stole Coach Paul Brown's radio signals Sunday while scoring their most one-sided triumph over the Cleveland Browns.

The Giants said they used a powerful receiver on their bench to intercept Brown's radio signals to quarterback George Ratterman and made good use of the informantion during their 21-9 victory at Cleveland.

Bob Topp, former Michigan end, was New York's chief "space cadet" as the team got on the beam in the electronics craze Brown started in the National Football League a few weeks ago by installing a radio receiver in Ratterman's helmet. Topp operated New York's receiver and passed Brown's calls to Tom Landry of the coaching staff."

VICTIM: Cleveland Browns

PUNISHED? No but ... it's more probable than not that this was cheating

PUNISHMENT: Stealing radio signals is illegal. Stealing defensive hand signals is not.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Spygate-1956

AWARDS EARNED: Cojones Ferreas!Goalie for the Dart Team!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 4.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: During their 2016 week 14 game against the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo illegally used a walkie-talkie to communicate with quarterback Eli Manning. By using the illegal communication device, McAdoo, was able to get around the 15-second cutoff imposed on the approved coach-to-player headsets.

The NFL fined the Giants $150,000 and McAdoo $50,000 for this cheating and levied a 2017 NFL draft penalty, moving the Giants' fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft to the back of the round, after all teams' compensatory draft picks.

NFL fined the Giants $150,000 and HC Ben McAdoo $50,000 for illegal use of walkie talkies during game vs.Cowboys.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 20, 2016

NFL also moved the Giants' fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft to the back of the fourth round, after all compensatory draft picks.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 20, 2016

VICTIM: Dallas Cowboys

PUNISHED? Yes

PUNISHMENT: The Giants were fined $200,000 and had their 2017 4th-round draft pick bumped to the end of the round.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#WalkieTalkiegate-2016

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 3.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: The New York Giants have a long history of being accused for injury-faking in an attempt to slow down games. The Giants defensive coordinator did not refuse or deny that he taught his defensive players to fake injuries to slow the pace of the game.

The Giants aren't alone in this cheat, as many teams in the league have employed the technique. The Giant just happen to be the most prolific and had one obvious incident caught on film.

In an attempt to stop the practice, in 2013 the NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams. NFL executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson said that fines and suspensions of coaches and players plus forfeited draft picks could be the result if a team is proven to have faked an injury to gain a competitive advantage.

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? No but ... it's more probable than not that this was cheating

PUNISHMENT: Watch this video again and decide for yourself if the Giants were cheating.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Crampgate-2011

AWARDS EARNED: Schoolyard Cheating!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 2.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: Eli Manning subverted the 2004 NFL draft to try to prevent the San Diego Chargers from selecting him number one overall as their franchise quarterback. Prior to the draft, Manning said that he would not play for the Chargers even if they selected him. The team did not grant Eli his wish and selected him anyways.

The Chargers later traded Manning to the Giants for their 4th overall pick, eventual Pro Bowl quarterback Phillip Rivers as well as future picks which netted them eventual Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman and eventual Pro Bowl kicker Nate Kaeding. In hindsight, that was a pretty good trade. I'd reject it in a fantasy league.

VICTIM: San Diego Chargers (Although they made out pretty well in the trade)

PUNISHED? No

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Eligate-2004

AWARDS EARNED: Cojones Ferreas!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 2.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: In early 2001, a column from the Toronto Globe and Mail included an item alleging that the Giants were under suspicion from the NFL for eavesdropping on conversations between the offensive staffs and quarterbacks of the Eagles and Vikings during their 2001 playoff victories. No league or team source was quoted and no specific violation was cited. The original article is no longer available, but is referenced here as well as in other places online.

According to the Globe and Mail, there were serious allegations running through the league that the New York Giants cheated in the playoffs by intercepting radio transmissions. According to the report, the concerns were brought to the attention of NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue after the Eagles claimed that the Giants were able to listen to the plays being sent via radio from coaches to their quarterback, Donovan McNabb. When the Giants heard the plays, they set up their defense accordingly with hand signals. Apparently similar allegations were being expressed by the Minnesota Vikings after being dominated by the Giants in their game.

According to the report, the NFL was feverishly trying to keep the issue quiet, what with the Giants having qualified for the Super Bowl [Ed. Note: Wait, what??? The NFL used to try to protect the integrity of Super Bowl participants???].

VICTIM: Philadelphia Eagles (Also the Minnesota Vikings)

PUNISHED? No but ... it's more probable than not that this was cheating

PUNISHMENT: Unlike typical Spygate cases where public signals are being watched and/or recorded, this is real-deal spying as intercepting your opponent's private radio signals is clearly illegal, forbidden and cheating. If this would have been proven, it would have easily been a 5.0-camera cheat and would have elevated to the top tier of the all time biggest NFL cheats. Luckily for the Giants, it never was.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Spygate-2001

AWARDS EARNED: Cojones Ferreas!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 1.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: The old Meadowlands -- home to the New York Giants and New York Jets - was notorious for gusty winds that seemed to blow in circular patterns, giving quarterbacks and kickers nightmares. The wind was bad enough on its own, but as the New York Times reported, some opponents accused the home teams of opening the stadium's tunnel doors to make the wild gusts even worse on the field at strategic times.

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? No but ... it's more probable than not that this was cheating

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Gustygate-1980

AWARDS EARNED: All Blowed Up!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 1.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: During the December 4, 2016 regular season game between the New York Giants and the Pittsburg Steelers, Giants cornerback Eli Apple recovered two Steelers' turnovers and noticed that the Steelers seemed to be playing with deflated footballs. Upon testing by the Giants' on their sideline, both footballs were found to be below the allowed lower limit of 12.5 PSI. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, one ball measured 11.4 PSI and the other 11.8 PSI.

Ironically, the act of testing the air pressure of a football is, in fact, expressly against NFL rules. The New England Patriots pointed this out in their rebuttal to commissioner Roger Goodell's Deflategate witch hunt.

According to the Patriots' rebuttal: "Once the game starts, neither team is allowed to gauge the footballs, pump them, or the like. That is solely the province of the referee, who is to be the 'sole judge' of whether footballs comply."

VICTIM: Pittsburgh Steelers

PUNISHED? No but ... it's more probable than not that this was cheating

PUNISHMENT: The Giants, like the 2014 Indianapolis Colts before them, flat out admitted that they broke this rule, but were not punished by the incompetent Goodell or his hapless band of league-office oompa loompas.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Gaugegate-2016

AWARDS EARNED: Avoid Media Scrutiny!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 1.0

TEAM: The New York Giants

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: During their December 22, 2016 regular season game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a network camera caught a New York Giants staff member using a cell phone on the sidelines, which is prohibited by NFL rules.

This is the NFL rule on sideline electronics:

“THIS PROHIBITION ALSO APPLIES TO THE USE OF ANY ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A CELL PHONE, SMART PHONE, TABLET DEVICE, OR ANY TYPE OF COMPUTER, WHETHER ONLINE OR STAND-ALONE, INCLUDING LAPTOP AND HAND-HELD COMPUTERS, IN THE COACHES’ BOOTHS, ON THE SIDELINES, IN THE LOCKER ROOM (AFTER KICKOFF), OR IN ANY OTHER CLUB-CONTROLLED AREA ON GAME DAY BEGINNING NINETY (90) MINUTES PRIOR TO KICKOFF AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE END OF THE GAME, INCLUDING HALFTIME (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LEAGUE-ISSUED TABLETS USED FOR COACHES’ STILL PHOTOS.

“TEAM DOCTORS AND MEMBERS OF THE ATHLETIC TRAINING STAFF ARE PERMITTED TO USE TABLET DEVICES, CELL PHONES, SMART PHONES, OR SIMILAR DEVICES WITHIN THE BENCH AREA AND LOCKER ROOM TO COMMUNICATE PLAYER INJURY INFORMATION, BUT MAY NOT COMMUNICATE COMPETITIVE OR STRATEGIC INFORMATION.

“CLUB FOOTBALL OPERATIONS STAFF MEMBERS ARE PERMITTED TO USE CELL PHONES OUTSIDE THE COACHES’ BOOTHS, BENCH AREAS, AND LOCKER ROOMS ONLY WHEN HANDLING NON-COMPETITIVE AND/OR NON-STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION.”

After reviewing the alleged cheating, the league determined that the cell phone use was permitted because the person using it was Ronnie Barnes, the team’s Senior Vice President, Medical Services and Head Athletic trainer.

VICTIM: Philadelphia Eagles

PUNISHED? No

PUNISHMENT: The cell phone use was permitted as the user was a member of athletic training staff.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#CellPhonegate-2016

AWARDS EARNED: Falsely Accused!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 0.0

TEAM: All 32 NFL Teams

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: Tampering with free agents is rampant, it's laughable and it is against the rules (PDF). It's so bad across every team in the league that the NFL had to create a three-day legal tampering period. However, tampering still regularly occurs long before that annual three-day window opens. On March 9, 2015 the league once again felt compelled to warn all 32 teams about not tampering.

Why is tampering considered a problem? Because tampering with players still under contract makes it difficult for clubs to re-sign their own talent. It also puts those few teams that actually follow NFL guidelines at a distinct disadvantage. In many cases, contract agreements are in place days before any negotiations are allowed to begin.

This isn't fair, it isn't legal, and it is blatant cheating by the teams who engage in the practice.

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? No but...

PUNISHMENT: NFL commissioner and former Jets public relations intern Roger Goodell is doing all he can to curtail and punish the "commonplace" practice, although it admits that there is so much tampering that it is hard to police it all.

The CheatPoints earned for this leaguewide cheat is for all of this team's tampering incidents that have gone undiscovered or unproven. If specific instances are discovered, they are punished on top of this leaguewide penalty.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Tampergate-1960

AWARDS EARNED:Everyone Was Doing It!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 4.0

TEAM: All 32 NFL Teams

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: it's a common complaint around the NFL. In late, close games, the helmet communicators of visiting teams suddenly "malfunction" and stop working. It has been accepted as standard practice in the league. Are you on the road and the game is close? Then you are going to have problems with your headset.

In recent years, the Patriots have accused the Colts of doing it and the Jaguars have made the same charge of the Patriots. The Redskins accused the Buccaneers of disabling their headsets, and Tampa Bay accused Dallas. The Giants openly bragged about doing it way back in 1956. The charges go on and on and on.

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? No

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Headsetgate-1980

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 4.0

TEAM: All 32 NFL Teams

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: Stealing your opponent's signals has always been common and never been illegal.

Said former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, "We had people that always tried to steal signals. Stealing someone's signals was a part of the game, and everyone attempted to do that." Admitted former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson: "When I came into the NFL, back in 1989, I talked to a Kansas City scout and he said, 'Here's what we do, we videotape the opposing team's signals and then we sync it up with the game film.' So I did it." Bragged, former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan: "Our guy keeps a pair of binoculars on their signal-callers every game, with any luck, we have their defensive signals figured out by halftime. Sometimes, by the end of the first quarter."

NFL commissioner and former Jets public relations intern Rodger Goodell confirmed this himself in 2008, saying that the issue was not stealing signals, that is allowed "and it is done quite widely." The issue is where and how you record them. If you chose to videotape them, then (after 2006) you have to do that from a league approved location. If you hire lip readers, they can do it from your coaches lap, if you want.

After 2006, examples of allowed videotaping locations are: the luxury boxes, media booths and other enclosed spaces. Expressly prohibited locations are the sidelines, the field, locker rooms, the coaches booth or any other place accessible to team coaches and staff. The point of the rule is to not allow the footage to be useful in the current game.

Prior to the September 6, 2006 memo and, 2007 follow up, from NFL head of football operations Ray Anderson, there was no league restriction on filming location, which is the reason the memo was sent.

Many NFL head coaches have downplayed the significance of the practice, saying that attempting to decipher opponent's signals was a long standing practice and entirely common throughout the league.

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? No

PUNISHMENT: NFL commissioner and former Jets public relations intern Rodger Goodell suggested that the responsibility was on teams to conceal their messages, not on the ones trying to steal them. During his news conference before the 2007 Super Bowl he said that any coach who did not expect signals to be stolen was "stupid."

Prior to 2006, every NFL team is assumed to have done it, but none of them broke a rule. You can't punish something that is not prohibited. Filming from the sidelines was not prohibited until 2006 and filming your opponent's signals from approved locations has never been prohibited, even today.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Spygate-1960

AWARDS EARNED:Everyone Was Doing It!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 0.0

TEAM: All 32 NFL Teams

SEVERITY:

SUMMARY: Sign an opponent's recently-cut player to your practice squad to get intel on their plays, signals and tactics. This is not illegal and is a leaguewide practice.

Said one player, who chose to remain anonymous as he was still in the league as of 2015, "If teams have an opening at a certain position, they might not be looking for perhaps the best player to fill it on their practice squad. Instead, they might go for someone who has access to the opposing team’s playbook."

“Let’s say we’re playing the Jaguars in seven days and you want to know more about their playbook. From time to time teams will sign people off of practice squads. You don’t have to put them on active roster so if there’s a need for more depth at linebacker and you’re playing Jacksonville, there would be more of a chance to sign a linebacker off the team you’re about to play’s practice squad and hoping that the person you’re about to sign will divulge information about the playbook.”

VICTIM: The entire league

PUNISHED? No

PUNISHMENT: Not illegal.

SHARE: http://YourTeamCheats.com/NYG#Scrapsgate-1960

AWARDS EARNED:Everyone Was Doing It!

CHEATPOINTS EARNED:+ 0.0