Frequently Asked Questions

Why did you create this site? Why is Spygate rated so low? Who's your favorite team? Are you butthurt? Everything you ever wanted to know about what goes into YourTeamCheats.com, organized neatly on a single page. You're so lucky.

1. Why do you reference NFL commissioner and former Jets public relations intern Roger Goodell by his full honorific title?

2. Why did you create this site?

3. Why do you give Spygate only 2.5 CheatPoints when it was clearly the biggest cheating scandal in the history of the NFL if not all of sports?

4. Why should I trust this site if I don't agree with any of your severity rankings?

5. Then why do you even include severity rankings?

6. Why are [TEAM 1], [TEAM 2] and [TEAM 3] at the top of the list? Is it because you hate them?

7. Where are you from?

8. Who are you?

9. Who is your favorite football team?

10. Why does everything seem biased in favor of [Team A]?

11. Why does everything end in *gate? That's stupid.

12. Why are some Spygates penalized more than others?

13. Why do you use cameras for severity rankings?

14. Why do you penalize [Team A] for [Cheat 1] when there was no concrete evidence that it ever happened?

15. Why do you rate [Cheat 1] higher than [Cheat 2]?

16. Why are 0-severity cheats listed?

17. What is your favorite NFL cheating scandal?

18. Are you butthurt?


1. Why do you reference NFL commissioner and former Jets public relations intern Roger Goodell by his full honorific title? (top)

Because I think it is hilarious (in a really, really sad kind of way) that he once worked in public relations. I also like to show his championship pedigree.

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2. Why did you create this site? (top)

1) To educate the uneducated. 2) To create a blunt tool for smashing comment trolls, and 3) To demonstrate what a fine job the NFL has done in fairly and consistently punishing all attacks on the "integrity of the game" regardless of which team executed them.

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3. Why do you give Spygate only 2.5 CheatPoints when it was clearly the biggest cheating scandal in the history of the NFL if not all of sports? (top)

Because it is nowhere near the biggest cheating scandal in the history of the NFL. It's all spelled out for you here.

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4. Why should I trust this site if I don't agree with any of your severity rankings? (top)

Because, regardless of severity rankings, these cheats were reported on in the media and are attached to each NFL team by sites like ESPN, CBS, NFL.com and Fox Sports. The existence of the cheat is objective, the severity ranking and commentary attached to it on this site are subjective.

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5. Then why do you even include severity rankings? (top)

Because I want to distinguish between small cheats like MIA: Mudgate and big ones like MIA: Tampergate (Shula*).

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6. Why are [TEAM 1], [TEAM 2] and [TEAM 3] at the top of the list? Is it because you hate them? (top)

No, it's because they cheat the most. Consequently, the media has reported on their cheating more than that of other NFL teams.

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7. Where are you from? (top)

Braavos

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8. Who are you? (top)

nobody

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9. Who is your favorite football team? (top)

The Calgary Stampeders (Hit 'em again, ye men of Calgary!), but only since the New Jersey Generals stopped playing. I did have former Jets superstar running back CJ?K on my fantasy team a few years ago and so was forced to pull for the Jets offense for a little bit. I hope I never have to experience that hell again.

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10. Why does everything seem biased in favor of [Team A]? (top)

This site reports the facts of the incidents as they were reported somewhere online. Maybe, just maybe, the bias is yours? Or perhaps it was in the reports you were fed by your local and national sports media? Yeah, that's definitely it.

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11. Why does everything end in *gate? That's stupid. (top)

I agree, but the media doesn't. I'm just trying to speak their language. Ballghazi would have been so much better.

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12. Why are some Spygates penalized more than others? (top)

Any admitted signal stealing is never punished because it is not illegal. Filming from the field instead of an approved location after September 2006 is punished, e.g., the Jets' Spygate is punished the same as the Patriots' Spygate, because they are the exact same infraction. Any Spygate involving the actual filming of a closed practice (Broncos) is punished a little harsher, as opponent practices are always off-limits.

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13. Why do you use cameras for severity rankings? (top)

Because the majority of casual NFL fans associate "NFL cheating" with "Spygate". Side Note: most casual NFL fans also have no idea what Spygate really was. They should read this summary page if they want to fix that.

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14. Why do you penalize [Team A] for [Cheat 1] when there was no concrete evidence that it ever happened? (top)

Because the NFL's "more probable than not" standard allowed me to. I agree, though, that it is a shitty way to determine guilt but that's the best we have right now.

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15. Why do you rate [Cheat 1] higher than [Cheat 2]? (top)

Because I think [Cheat 1] was either a bolder breaking of the rules or it provided more of a competitive advantage (potential or actual).

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16. Why are 0-severity cheats listed? (top)

For the historical record and to show that the cheat has been vetted and not simply overlooked. Notable zero-severity examples: MIA: Tampergate (Suh), NE: Formationgate, NE: Walkthroughgate, MIA: Spygate, PIT: Spygate, KC: Spygate, NYJ: Spygate, NO: Spygate, DAL: Spygate, PHI: Spygate, OAK: Spygate, DEN: Spygate ...

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17. What is your favorite NFL cheating scandal? (top)

Probably Arrowgate (2011) where the Jaguars painted some of the arrows on their field in the wrong direction. A new one from Buffalo, Gustygate (1978-82), is an up-and-comer though. Mostly because of the detail and pride that went into the confession.

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18. Are you butthurt? (top)

No, but thanks for your rectal fascination and concern. I do have an extreme allergy to hypocrisy though. Holier-than-thou types like Don Shula*, Shannon Sharpe* and Jerry Rice* who love to point out other team's "cheating" while ignoring the cheating they or their own teams did.

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