Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Cam or Cam Not?: Newton’s Patriots Prognosis - 7/1/2020

Episode Date: July 1, 2020

The excitement level in Patriots Nation is pretty high, as we await the arrival of new quarterback Cam Newton. Newton is largely expected to add a new dimension to the Patriots offense. However, will he be the new face of the franchise? Is this the New-ton Era in New England, or is this union headed to an anti-climactic conclusion? Joining host Mike D’Abate to discuss these very topics is fan-favorite Thomas ‘Murph’ Murphy. The duo also discuss the fallacy that is being derisively and unfairly labeled “Spygate 2.0.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful, and welcome to What Now Wednesday here on the Lockdown Patriots Podcast, your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

Welcome back to the pod, Pats fans. It is Wednesday, July 1st, and it should be noted that we are now officially in the second half of 2020. And considering the way the year has gone, folks, I'd say that's pretty good news. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your comments, your questions, and your feedback, always welcomed and strongly encouraged. Feel free to share that feedback with me at any time by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at M-D-A-B-A-T-E-F-P-C. And while you're out there traveling around through the Twitterverse,

please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. And I know I'm not saying anything that you don't already know, my Foxborough faithful, but Sunday evening's news regarding your New England Patriots, first the signing of new quarterback Cam Newton, and then having to digest the most recent NFL sanctions that have been levied on the Patriots as a result of the ridiculousness that is being labeled as Spygate 2.0. That, combined with Monday's reaction here on the pod, necessitated a day off just to recover. But we are back and back in a big way, folks.

Because as I stated earlier, today is what Now Wednesday here on Locked On Patriots. And as the great Don would say, I'll give you my reasons. First, now that we know it is all but official, pen to paper, that Cam Newton will be, at the very least, in the mix to start a quarterback for the Patriots this year, what now? The predominant amount of feedback that I've gotten from all of you on this subject is that you're excited. How wouldn't you be? Cam Newton is a former NFL MVP. Took his team to the Super Bowl. On the field, his athletic

prowess, when healthy, is almost second to none. Cam is a generational talent at the position. No one is denying that. But does Newton signing with New England indicate a departure from the way the Patriots are used to doing business on the field? For nearly 20 years, they've employed an offense that is catered around a true traditional pocket passer. And coincidentally, for the past 20 years, they have had the best to ever play the game at doing just that, Tom Brady. But as I've said many times here on the pod, Tom is down trespassing in Tampa Bay. He's not walking through those Gillette Stadium doors, folks. Who will be walking through those doors is Cam Newton. He'll also be joined by Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer,

Jamar Smith, and Brian Lewerke. A pretty full quarterback room and only a certain number of slots available to have on the 53-man roster. And folks, whether you were like me, proudly sitting atop the Stidham stump, or you had significant concerns regarding Jarrett's ability to lead this team, I can tell you from those that I've talked to in and around the organization, the Patriots still have a great deal of confidence in Jarrett's ability. The fact that they signed Cam Newton doesn't diminish that at all. Again, this is not a slight to stidham. Plain and simple, this was an opportunity in a very inexpensive manner to acquire a former NFL MVP, one that has had a great deal of success against your franchise. Yeah, Cam Newton is one of the very few quarterbacks that is

undefeated against the Patriots. Don't think that didn't factor into Bill Belichick's decision, folks. Bill practically invented the phrase, if you can't beat him, join him. But I don't think it was just Bill who had his eyes wide open when Cam all of a sudden became available for a price that was amenable to the Patriots. Josh McDaniels has long covered at a quarterback like this. And no, that's not a hot take, folks. I'm not saying that Josh McDaniels was sick of Tom Brady and simply wanted a new quarterback and Cam was the shiny new toy that was available. Not saying that at all. But when you're an offensive coordinator, one with the ingenuity

and the temerity to take the risks that Josh McDaniels has taken over the years, a quarterback like Cam Newton is someone that you dream of coaching. If you want to read through the tea leaves, and as I said on Monday's pod with Zach Blackerby as my guest, if you really want to read through the tea leaves here, folks, Josh McDaniels was reportedly lukewarm on the Carolina Panthers head coaching job because he knew that Cam wasn't going to be there. Well, he is here, and that leads me to Cam. I am seeing some sentiment out there that Cam Newton might be coming in here purely as Bill Belichick's way to motivate Jared Stidham. And I know that we all love to think of Bill as this master manipulator, this evil genius

that's ahead of the curve. Folks, unless I'm way off base here, I don't believe there's any chance that either Bill Belichick would bring in Cam Newton just to push Jared Stidham. And as for Cam Newton, I don't think he's coming into Foxborough with any preconceived notions of being a backup. He's here to compete to be the starter. In a lot of ways for Cam, it might be the starting job or bust. Now, might it light a small fire under Jarrett Stidham,

knowing that for at least a couple of months, most people believed he would be the starting quarterback here in New England, only to be supplanted by a former NFL MVP that hasn't played all that much in the last couple of seasons. That may not be so far-fetched. It might end up bringing out the best in Jarrett Stidham. Hell, it might end up bringing out the best in Cam Newton. And if you have these two guys playing at the top of their game, clicking on all cylinders, all of a sudden the Patriots quarterback room doesn't look too shabby, does it? But I believe to my core, to the

very best of my knowledge, that Cam is not being brought in as a pawn here. If any of you have ever seen the movie Miracle, starring Kurt Russell as the late great Herb Brooks of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, most of you are sports fans. I know most of you have seen it. If you haven't, I strongly encourage you to watch it. In fact, this weekend being the 4th of July weekend, might be a good idea to check it out. Patriotic movie, really feel-good movie. Russell is phenomenal as Herb Brooks. Again, folks, I highly recommend checking it out. One of my favorite sports movies of all time. But if you have seen it, and if you haven't, spoiler alert, but at one point, to motivate his players,

Herb Brooks brings in a hotshot goal scorer that he coached at the University of Minnesota named Tim Harrer. And basically, he's doing so on the 11th hour. The team is almost on the verge of heading to Lake Placid, and Brooks knows that Harrer being present on this team is automatically going to elevate the level of play and the level of competitiveness of a lot of the guys on the team, namely the team captain Mike Aruzzione. I'm not sure how much cinematic license they used in this movie, meaning that I'm not exactly sure how close Brooks was to adding Harrah to the team, or if he simply had him out there to be a red herring, but in the movie it implies he brought in a great player to motivate the guys he knew had the potential to be a red herring. But in the movie, it implies he brought in a great player

to motivate the guys he knew had the potential to be the future leaders of this team. The team banded together, were very vocal with Brooks about it. At one point, I think it was O'Callaghan and Arruzzione that both told her, Brooks, hey, we're family, don't break us up. At the end of the day, another spoiler alert here, folks, they ended up beating the Soviets and went on to win the gold medal. So why did I spend the last couple of minutes just describing a hockey movie here on Locked On Patriots?

Well, folks, believe it or not, there is some narrative out there that the Patriots signed Cam Newton simply to elevate Jarrett Stidham's competitiveness. And again, when I heard that narrative, it made me think of this scene in the movie. I can tell you that is absolutely not why Cam is here. Cam is here because he earned this spot. He is here because the Patriots are strongly considering making him their starting quarterback. If he's healthy and capable of being the Cam Newton that we've seen on the field prior to 2018, then this has the potential of being a

very exciting offense in New England. But not everybody is sold on Cam. Some have questioned his heart and his work ethic, which if you look at some of the video footage out there of him working out, and the most recent news tidbits surrounding him that he and Mohamed Sanu are working out together, then I think you can put any questions regarding Cam's motivation or his dedication to his team to rest. He's here to play, and he's here to win. But as I said Monday here on the pod, the last two seasons have not exactly been too kind to Cam when it comes to health-related issues.

He's had issues with his throwing shoulder, and most recently with his feet. All indications are that he's healthy and ready to go. In fact, his former coach Ron Rivera basically confirmed that when he saw some of the footage of Cam working out, said he looks as healthy as he's ever seen him, and that no one should be betting against him. That bodes well for Patriots fans. But are there still causes for concern? Well, folks, I think there are minor causes for concern. But in the spirit of being thorough, I thought it was time to seek some wisdom and counsel

on Cam Newton and the impact he will have on your New England Patriots. Some green wisdom and counsel. That's right, folks. Back for his weekly appearance here on the Locked On Patriots podcast is my good friend, the Count of Murphy, Fisto himself, Thomas Murphy. And we all know and love Murph. You know he's not going to hold back. He's going to give you his honest opinion on Cam Newton,

what it means for Jarrett Stidham, whether or not this is more of an indictment on Brian Hoyer rather than Jarrett himself, and whether Patriots fans might be a little premature in assuming that another Super Bowl is in that Belichickian crystal ball. And also, because Murph doesn't hold back, we're going to get his opinion on the fallacy that is Spygate 2.0. While he believes the latest sanctions against the Patriots are utterly ridiculous,

and whether or not this could end up being a motivating factor for the Pats as they head into 2020. Folks, a lot to get to today. So kick back, settle in, and prepare for the green wisdom and counsel of Thomas Murphy and myself when the Locked On Patriots podcast returns in just one moment. Pats fans, the excitement level in Patriots Nation is pretty high, awaiting the arrival of new quarterback Cam Newton and the new dimension that he is expected to add to this Patriots offense. But will he be the new face of the franchise? Is this a Newton era in New England?

Or is this union headed toward an anticlimactic conclusion? Well, my guest today has some wisdom and counsel to lend on this subject. In fact, you might call it some green wisdom and counsel. That's right, folks. Locked on Patriots fans, your favorite and mine, my benefactor in this business, the Count of Murphy Fisto, the legendary Thomas Murphy, is back for his weekly appearance here on Locked On

Patriots. Thank you so much for coming to me in friendship today, and thank you for joining me today, Don Murph. Always my pleasure, my friend. Always my pleasure. Lend whatever I may have in the recesses of my my dark and twisted mind but no no you know not a lot to talk about i don't know i don't know why

you asked me on today yeah i know it's just it's so you know just blasé here in new england i mean you know there's really nothing to talk about. There never really is anything to talk about. New England is such a dull market to cover. There isn't. So I guess to say it's been an interesting week in New England, really. It's only Wednesday, believe it or not, as well, if you can believe it. It feels so much longer since the news broke on Sunday night. There wasn't just player personnel news, though. The Patriots are a little lighter in the wallet and on the 2021 draft board.

Murph, the NFL is once again up to their more probable than not tricks, but we'll discuss that in our second segment, folks. First, again, I'm not sure if any of you have heard, but the Patriots have indeed signed a new quarterback. And I don't want to speak for you, my friend, but I didn't see this one coming. I was on the stidum stump and thought that the Patriots had made up their mind, but when it comes to Cam Newton, I guess the price was right, and in true Patriots fashion, this was a low-risk deal with a potential high reward. But now that a few hours have passed, some have expressed an opinion that this reward

might not be as high as most people think. Murph, when you look at this deal and Cam's potential fit in this offense, what are your thoughts on the Patriots choosing to bring him into the fold? My thoughts are of the ilk that, as you said, nobody saw this coming because, quite frankly, I didn't see Cam Newton signing for this amount of money, whether you consider it the bonus money or not. I didn't think that he would sign for $7 million a year if the entire $7 million was guaranteed, never mind an incentive-laden deal that basically pays him the league minimum.

I did not see that at all. As to whether or not he can fit in here to this system, sure, because all you're doing is walking over to the encyclopedia for Belichick and pulling a um, off the shelf. That's, that, that's what you're doing. This system morphs from not only from, from year to year or game to game, but, you know, set of downs to set of downs. Um, just because we, we didn't see Tom Brady run a read option doesn't mean that, you know, you can't do it out of whatever set that they're doing or use this playbook to Cam Newton's strengths. So that doesn't surprise me at all. I think he'd fit in here perfectly in that sense.

He's a very intelligent quarterback. He's not somebody that is not going to be able to come in here and pick up exactly what they're going to ask him to do. So, no, I'm not surprised on that. I'm just surprised that he inked for this deal, that he took this deal. And unfortunately, it seems for him, I don't think if there was another deal that was out there, whether or not he would have taken it or not. He has the opportunity to come in here and be a starter and cash in later down the line.

And I guess that was his thinking. And Bill's thinking was he's finally at a point where he'll sign for the money that I can offer him. And it's really a no-risk deal at all. Yeah, I agree. And again, folks, I know you're shocked that we agree, but I think you made some very interesting points. First of all, I do believe that this was a marriage of convenience rather than something that was either planned down the line or an indictment on Jarrett Stidham.

I know a lot of people want to believe that. Maybe the Patriots brain trust saw something in Jarrett that he wasn't ready to go out there and to play. I can tell you from the people that I've spoken to in the organization, they are high on this kid. They like his potential. I think what this does is it strengthens the quarterback room. I think it provides Jarrett with a little friendly and healthy competition for him. If Jarrett can somehow beat out a former NFL MVP for the starting position, what a feather in the cap that would be for him. I still believe all things being equal. If these two guys are clicking on all cylinders and training camp,

both playing to the maximum of their ability, I don't see how you don't give the starting nod to Cam Newton. If for no other reason, just the experience that he brings in the NFL and knowing how to play the game, maybe a little bit better than Jarrett does right now because of a lack of experience. But look, Cam's still an explosive player.

You mentioned what he can bring to the table on the field. Our good mutual friend, Steve Balistrieri had a brilliant column this week and he detailed the Patriots influx or infusion of some of those RPOs, those run-pass options that we've seen the Ravens perfect now with Lamar Jackson. We see the Chiefs throw those in and mix them in a little bit. Even the Texans are able to do that with Deshaun Watson. Some of the more mobile quarterbacks, I think that's how Cam can really stand out here. He's got an arm. He can definitely stretch the field. He loves to target his deep threats.

But I think where his dimension is going to change what the Patriots have done is rolling out, alleviating pressure in the pocket, making his reads and making the throws easier with an option to run there if there's nothing there down the field. So to me, that's where Cam is really going to be an asset to this team. And I think he does add that other dimension that a lot of people are talking about. But staying on that subject for just a moment, my friend, one thing that has really raised my eyebrow a little bit is that expectations surrounding the Patriots this year have risen with Cam's arrival already. And, you know, you've been vocal on your thoughts about his fit in New England, but some fans and media also seem to be ready to start printing Super Bowl tickets. I'm not going to steal your thunder here.

I want to get your thoughts first. In your infinite wisdom, my friend, do you think Patriots fans and maybe even the media are lulling themselves into a false sense of security when it comes to the team's success this year, simply because Cam Newton's now in the fold here. Yeah, I do. If you take a look at the line in Vegas, it hasn't moved one bit, not one. There's a reason for that. There's a reason these people live in giant towers because, you know, other people, you know, want to buy into things like this and bet money on it. No, I don't.

I don't think that this is an express ticket to the Super Bowl. I don't think it's even an express ticket to the playoffs. We haven't seen Cam Newton play healthy in a very, very long time. He's a man that has taken a tremendous beating because of the style of his play. That's one of the reasons that I don't like this style of quarterback. It's just at any given moment, you could be looking at a need for a backup that can do the exact same thing to keep your offense humming. And there aren't many of those guys out there. Cam is hurt.

He's banged up. He's a lot older than he used to be, and no, I'm not buying it. I'm not buying that this is a fix-all. I'm not buying the fact that the Patriots traded away, like some people are saying, gave away an MVP and brought another MVP in the same season, and it's just going to pick up where it left off. It's been a long time since Cam Newton was an MVP, people.

It's been a very long time. He had one fantastic year. Yeah, and, you know, it's five years ago, at least two surgeries, maybe three ago, and I've got to see it on the field. I really do. And the bottom line to me is he's either the starter people are talking about. I might be stepping on a future question. I'm sorry, but he's either going to come in here, win the starting job, or he's not going to be here. I really don't know if he can sit on the sidelines and hold a clipboard for a year and sit back and learn anything

or get healthier to the point where they will keep him around long term. He's got to win this job and take it from somebody that, quite frankly, that this team likes an awful lot. Just to digress, it was a um a matter of convenience uh it does make the the room deeper uh we'll see what he has when camps open and um and if he can take the uh the number one spot right now on my depth chart jared stidham is still the number one quarterback in new eng. And there are some that share your sentiment. We did hear from an unknown, and I always love these unknown sources,

but again, it's part of our business. We do understand it is a part of journalism, folks. So please don't roll your eyes every time you hear unknown sources. It's not always possible for us to name them every single time. But we did hear from an unknown AFC east or unnamed i should say not unknown but unnamed afc east prominent coach or figure that said that the patriots are very high on jared stidham and they remain as such and this will be a legitimate quarterback competition i agree with you i think it will be um i also agree with you that i believe that it's Cam's job to or Cam's intention to come in here and win the

starting job I don't see him being here just to push Jared Stidham I saw a little bit of that narrative come out on Sunday night and I think that's absolutely ridiculous to open the show today I compared it and you know little tongue-in-cheek folks I understand that but I compared it to the movie Miracle when you see Tim Herrera come in off the bus. And all of a sudden, Team USA is looking at it and going, what's he doing here? And Herb Brooks says, well, why shouldn't I give him a good look? He's a hell of a player. And it's like, oh, we're a family.

That's not what this is here, folks. It's not a Tim Herrera situation where Cam is just being brought in to light a fire under Jared Stidham. The Patriots obviously believe that if he's clicking on all cylinders, him meaning Cam Newton, he's going to give them the best chance to win this year. So I agree with you. I think there's still a lot of things that would have to be worked out. I think Cam still has to win the job before we anoint this offense being completely changed and molded into his image.

I think there's the potential for it without any question. And I live in optimism. Especially with the draft. Absolutely. Absolutely. And some of the weapons he has around him. Look, he's already working out. Reports indicate that he's working out with Mohamed Sanu.

He's got a relationship with Demir Bird, who I believe will now make this team without question if Cam is the quarterback because of the synergy those two have together. I think he fits well with Julian Edelman. We saw our good friend, Bionna Pair, put out a thread yesterday indicating that Cam Newton can get the ball to guys in the slot. That doesn't make Julian extinct in this offense by any stretch of the imagination. If anything, I think it only strengthens his position now because if he is going to be catching passes from a more experienced quarterback, it might make him that much more lethal when it comes to what he can do on the field.

Murph, one more question on Cam, and then we will move on, folks, to that ultimate, ultimate subject that just gets the ire of both me and my good friend on the other end of the microphones blood boiling. But right now, we'll stay with the positives and we'll stay with Cam Newton. The quarterback room right now, obviously, is going to house Cam, Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer, Jamar Smith, and Brian Lewerke. Conventional Belichickian wisdom, my friend, says that the Patriots rarely carry three quarterbacks. But I think there's a legitimate chance they might do that this year, especially if Cam makes the team. When one of them has the experience of Brian Hoyer primarily in this system, I think especially in a year like this, it makes him difficult to cut. Now that Cam is here, my friend, what does this actually mean for Brian Hoyer? Because I don't think enough people are talking about that as a potential storyline heading into training camp.

Right. It is a it is a huge storyline heading into training camp. And I I am of the that this year, above all others, with everything that we're dealing with, that the Patriots could and probably should carry three quarterbacks, but also on the opposite side, he doesn't like to do it. The safest thing is the fact that Brian Hoyer's cap is only a million dollars. They aren't going to save any more money than that if they do cut him. Is he worth more being the third guy in that room as opposed to getting that million dollars uh back that they might need to you know i'm not sure pay somebody else restructure someone else uh i i don't think so i think he's more

important to be a part of this team um to be the coach on the sideline, to keep working with Stidham. But on the flip side, if Cam is made the starter, I can see, I could definitely see Bill saying I can't carry three and letting him go. But I do think, personally, I do think that it will be a three quarterback room this year. Yeah, I mean, it's a legitimate argument, definitely. I mean, nobody values roster spots or has a better eye for roster spots than Bill Belichick. Maybe some are equal in terms of being able to do that, but I don't think anyone reads the roster better than Bill. He's done it so well here for 20 years. You've got to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

At the same time, I do agree that Brian will be on this team especially if Cam is on this team without any question even though a lot of people are looking at it as saying oh well this is going to push Brian out the door I think it only solidifies his position here because at the same time you need that continuity the scout team acumen and look I mean the Patriots are probably not looking forward to having to start Brian Hoyer in games. We watched him play in Indianapolis last year. It was lackluster, to say the least, folks. I don't think they were absolutely enamored with the thought of if Jarrett struggled that they were going to have to turn the ball over to Brian. He can get you a spot start here or two, but he's not going to be someone you want to ride for an extensive period of time.

I think having Cam in the fold now solidifies that, and I think it could be a very strong three-man quarterback room this year for the Patriots. Unfortunately, when it comes to guys like Jermar Smith and guys like Brian Lewerke, I think now it's either practice squad or buster, either one of those. I can't see either one of them beating out Brian Hoyer for the third backup position. But you never know. Smith has a very similar style to a young Cam. So maybe that's a good practice squad stash if they can get him on there.

You know, maybe there's something budding there. But we've talked pretty – it's possible. We'll see. And, you know, with training camp opening at the end of the month now, we'll definitely get more of a feel as to what this roster is going to look like once we see this team on the field and see how they're working out. We've talked pretty extensively about Cam Newton, my friend, and what it means for the Patriots. But like I said, to open your segment, it's not the only news from Foxborough that seemed to raise your ire on Sunday evening. The NFL pulled us all back in with some sanctions that were, how shall we say,

disproportionate to the crime. In just a moment, Murph will offer his thoughts on the latest incarnation of the fallacy that is Spygate 2.0. Here are the man's thoughts when the Lockdown Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, it is a Newton era here in Foxborough. Yeah, you know, I love my puns, folks. I can't deny it. Thomas Murphy joins me today to talk some Cam Newton and lend some wisdom and counsel. And we've done that, my friend. But there was another news drop on Sunday that caused Patriots Nation to raise a collective eyebrow. And in that vein, Murph, I'm so glad I get I get a chance to say this the New England Patriots dare I say need a man who has powerful friends they need a million dollars in cash 1.1

million dollars to be exact they need Don Murph those draft picks that you carry in your pocket like so many nickels and dimes Murph I saiday here on the pod that this seemed like a punishment for previous perceived indiscretions and putting my so let's all quote aside for just a second the emphasis here is on perceived what was your reaction to this ruling by the nfl My reaction was, you know, keeping it clean, WTH. What the hell? What? The entire offseason, all we've heard is that the league cannot tie so-and-so to football operations and yada, yada, yada,

and it's going to be this or that or the other thing. But this is not a 2.0 situation. It just isn't. The NFL, for whatever reason, for their lack of knowledge of science, their lack of continuity from team to team, has now taken an entire draft away from the New England Patriots people. An entire draft. One year is gone.

If you trade out one first-round pick, second-round pick, or whatever, it is an entire draft that the league has stripped from this team in its efforts to remove them from the conversation. And they just can't do it. And I wish they would learn that it's not going to help with this third round pick and the $1.1 million. It's just a joke. And one thing I wrote after the night after Deflategate freaking broke that no matter what you do as a New England Patriot, you have to do it better and cleaner than everyone else. And this is not a hand caught in the-in-the-cookie-jar thing again. This is just we have to show the world that we are tougher on the Patriots

than everybody else. And there are still people out there screaming that this wasn't enough of a penalty. It's a third-round pick. This is a substantial penalty for a team that did absolutely nothing wrong once again, whether it's Deflategate and you're working your way back into something, whether it's Spygate and you're talking about camera placement and not anything else because that's all it was, folks, was camera placement. It was where the bloody camera was.

And this is just like the most ridiculous thing ever. I believe the commissioner knows that no matter what he does, it is not going to placate anyone. He is he's already the ship has sailed as to whether or not he's a friend of Bob Kraft. So, you know, why not just keep going down that little river? And it's just so frustrating, Michael. It's just so frustrating. You think back with some of the things that they could have done with these draft picks, the trade downs and the trade outs and the players that could have been brought in,

and yet they still keep going to the Super Bowl, yet they still keep going to the AFC Championships. It's just the only thing that I can think of right now is the fact that he was sitting there in his tower on, where is it, Wall Street? Is it Wall Street that they're on? Yeah, very close to it, yeah. And said, well, there's not enough talk going on about the nfl right now so let's slap this on the patriots and we'll get people talking for the next you know at least three news cycles and then bill dropped a bomb on him and said well

screw you i'm gonna i'm gonna go see him sign cam newton and announce it on the same day and true belichickian something else sorry absolutely true belichickian fashion and look i'm in complete agreement you know he knew that this was this was coming down that day and that's why he announced on that day i'm not saying that's why the signing happened but that's why it was announced or leaked to the the press that it was it was about to happen oh absolutely i mean i don't think there's any question as to a Sunday night media news drop. Usually that's done on a Friday afternoon around 4 p.m. Come on, folks, we've been around long enough. We know exactly when the NFL likes to drop their bombshells to

do it on a Sunday night. Yeah, there was definitely strategic planning by the Patriots to announce that signing. Again, nobody's making a correlation between the two, but the announcement, yes, that was synergy and that was planned. Look, we're in complete agreement on this, complete agreement. Those that are standing on their soapbox and proclaiming themselves to be, I called on Monday, beacons of righteousness, look, it's just a smokescreen for hatred for a team that has dominated the league for the last 20 years. If you think that it's anything other than that when these people come out and say caught for cheating again they deserve to be nailed against the wall it's not you know it's not strong enough

i mean come on it's not strong enough bottom line to me murph and correct me if i'm wrong here but thank you thank you very much a team that they could have beaten while sleepwalking, they're not going to be spying on this club. The season for the New England Patriots was not in ruins beyond any stretch of the imagination. It's unfathomable to believe that they would put themselves in a precarious

position, send a guy wearing Kraft Productions material up into the press box and not think that he was going to be discovered when anybody can sit in the stands, take a cell phone camera out and be able to videotape the same thing. It's just an elaborate plot to do something that was ridiculous. But here's where I differ from a lot of people when it comes to the NFL being lenient on the Patriots. Once again, I think they threw the book at them. And here's my reasoning.

If you think the Patriots are guilty, you're going to dock them a first-round pick. You're not going to waste time with a third-rounder. You're not going to waste time with a smaller finder. It is a big find. But if you think they're guilty, and they're guilty of what they did the first time around, exactly.

You're going to dock them a first-round pick. This third-rounder is a backhanded attempt at appeasing the hardliners. And I said this on Monday. I mean the hardliners. It's the other owners, folks, that would love to see the Patriots disbanded and eliminated from the league. You know, that's not going to happen. So at this point, yes, I agree with you. I think it is egregious.

I think it's ridiculous. And, again, it's just transparent in my opinion. And any other team that gets caught doing this would have either gotten just a whistle past the graveyard or they would have gotten a minor slap on the wrist. There's no way I think the NFL would have employed a stripping of a draft pick from any other team but the Patriots. They're basically being penalized for, like I said before, previous perceptions. And unfortunately, it just seems to be, you know, following them around.

And it is a shame because I don't think they really deserve anything this time. Right. And the aggravating thing is that it doesn't happen this way for anybody else in the league with previous perceptions. It doesn't happen down in Baltimore. It doesn't happen this way for anybody else in the league with previous perceptions. It doesn't happen down in Baltimore. It doesn't happen in Pittsburgh. It doesn't happen in Seattle when they're continuously, you know, smacked for the same exact things that they've done before, whether it's practicing out of season or too many padded practices, whether it is manipulating the injury report, which is done time and time again by teams like

Pittsburgh and Seattle that I just mentioned. It's just straight hate. That's it. It is just straight hate and placating the mob as opposed to actually handing out any kind of justice in this whatsoever. This was not a cheating scandal. This was not a taping scandal. This was a couple of idiots that were in a press box and who didn't realize that they were seriously screwing up. And that's the Patriots' fault. Bill needs to, and Kraft Productions needs to make sure that these guys know exactly what they're going to do and exactly what they can't do when they're out there representing the New England Patriots. And yeah, I get that. But as I said before, you know, an entire draft has been taken away from the Bill Belichick

era, an entire draft. And he has still set the bar too high for anybody to even glimpse at without a pair of binoculars. You know, just stop. Just stop. And, you know, you've shot a shield enough, and it's just, it's disgusting, Michael. It's really disgusting. Yeah, again, I don't think I could have said it. I don't think I could have said it any more eloquently. And you know what? I'm not going to try. And I want to commend you, my friend, on your restraint

in this segment. Folks, I can tell you, Murph has a ton of respect for the family atmosphere that we bring to you here at Locked On Patriots. I'm sure more colorful language could have been shared. I'm sure it wanted to be shared by both sides, I assure you. Not just on Murph,

on mine as well. But we kept it as clean as we possibly could. But the sentiments are still there. It is outrage. It is difficulty when it comes to the Patriots now having to worry about the loss of a draft pick. And that is significant, folks. I mean, you're taking a third rounder away from the New England Patriots. That's a valuable trade piece.

That's a valuable trade piece. That's a valuable, you know, commodity. So in a lot of rungs, it really just is a shame, especially when the NFL cannot definitively say that there was any connection to the football operations. Again, more probable than not seems to be the burden of proof when it comes to New England. And I think it's disingenuous. But what are we going to do, my friend? It's life in Foxborough. And who knows? You know, there's nobody better than the hoodie at turning these things into motivational factors. I'm not saying it's going to be bulletin board material, but he might have an extra little,

you know, thorn in his paw this time around when it comes to, you know, the NFL and it comes to football ops. So maybe who knows? Maybe the Patriots do use this as a motivational factor. Last couple of times they were sanctioned in this fashion they followed it up with super bowl trips so i'm just saying i'm just saying they did possibility sometimes you wake the sleeping giant be careful what you wish for folks yeah buddy what can i say don't hope to bear absolutely you lend your wisdom and counsel, my friend. One more thing before I go is what number will Cam Newton be wearing?

Because Pat the Patriot already has number one. So what number will young Cam be done when camp opens? What will he have to give Pat to get that number? Because I don't think it should be done. Well, you know what? I will, again, I'm going to steal a quote from the Godfather. There are things being negotiated right now that'll answer all your questions and solve all your problems.

That's all I can tell you about my business. No, all kidding aside, folks. I agree with you. I think it's going to be tough for Pat to part with his number. It's such an iconic part of New England and whatnot. I think if there's anybody that he would do it for, it'll be Cam. We'll see. We'll see what happens. No indication

yet. We haven't had the introductory press conference or the number assignments or anything of that nature. Keep a sharp eye out, folks. We'll bring it to you right here on Locked On Patriots. And seeing as our good friend here has a weekly seat, it will be news and we will discuss it for any uh you know anyone that's thinking that we won't you know we will um folks again

you should already be following this man if you're not i don't know what you're doing but please do for any of our new listeners follow my good friend the count of murphy fisto on twitter at team earth 207 the columns, everything, including his monster keys that are always point, click, and learn material. And of course, Murph's work is always proudly found on DieHardBostonSportsFans.com. And never miss an episode of One Patriot's Place with Murph and our great mutual friend Steve Balistrieri. Thank you again, my good man.

Honored and humbled as always by your presence. Always my pleasure, bud. I can't wait for this little spot every week. It's always a great time. And thank you for having me back time and again. You're very, very welcome. Happy 4th of July, and we look forward to talking to you again next week, my friend.

And so, Patriots fans each and every time Murph takes the mic here on locked on Patriots. I know you feel a little wiser and a bit more counseled. And as I always do, I thank my green godfather from the bottom of my heart for joining me today here on the locked on Patriots podcast to talk a little cam Newton, talk a little spy gate 2.0 little Spygate 2.0, and we even snuck in an opinion or two

as to what number Cam might wear in New England. For the record, folks, I truly believe he'll wear number one. But, as I like to say, keep a sharp eye. But we are far from being done for the week here, folks. More insightful content is still on the horizon. So to ensure that you do not miss a single episode of Locked On Patriots, be sure to

subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Follow us on Spotify. And folks, you can always listen to Locked On Patriots right on your very own smart device. How do you do that? Very simple. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's podcast, now tell your smart device to play the latest episode of Locked On NFL.

Once again, I'm Mike Debate I thank my good friend Thomas Murphy for his time his wisdom and his insight today but most of all I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked into Locked On Patriots stay safe, stay well be the change you wish to see in the world have a great day everyone