Tank Spencer is the host of a weekly sports talk show, “The Sports Tank,” on Asheville’s News Radio WWNC (570-AM) that airs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Spencer also serves as WWNC’s news anchor, reporter and afternoon producer. This column features posts from his blog.

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The following was posted Sept. 10:

All throughout the offseason it’s been DeflateGate, DeflateGate, DeflateGate; and now this week we’re finding out more details about SpyGate. 

Are you aware that news broke eight years ago? 

I remember vividly because I was on my honeymoon in Boston the week SpyGate hit the fan. 

Why are we just now getting some of the details about the blatant rule breaking of the New England Patriots? 

You conspiracy theorists can (and will) spin your wheels over that.

The answer is simple: WINNING. America (especially Pats fans, apparently) and businesses like the NFL love a winner and they don’t care how it’s done.

News reports are that the DeflateGate penalties were a “make-up call” for the NFL botching the SpyGate investigation and penalties. I totally get and am fine with the attempt. Especially so, after hearing the Patriots were not only secretly filming opposing coaches’ signals and opponent walk-throughs, but coaches were also having low-level staffers steal play sheets from opponent locker rooms or sidelines. This apparently all took place 40-something times over a seven-year stretch. 

And yet we are asked  to believe by the offending franchise that the ball boys were not being directed to deflate footballs.

The Patriots organization and fans have done a laughable job of trying to play the victim over these scandals. You got caught... twice now. Admit it and move on.

But they can’t, it’s apparently too much in their nature.

Here is why I say the Pats don’t care:

Tonight is the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tonight the Super Bowl champions will raise their banner celebrating another tainted title.

Jonathan Kraft, Patriots president and son of owner Robert Kraft, told WBZ-FM last week that if Tom Brady were suspended for the opener, they wouldn’t raise the Super Bowl banner without him. He said they actually would’ve raised a banner listing Brady’s accomplishments… as a special F-U to the league. (I added that last part.)

That’s how my child reacts when he’s scolded for not using a fork at dinner. (Don’t like it? How about this!) As he grabs a bigger handful of macaroni and shoves it in his mouth, slowly. 

Maybe the NFL needs to give the Pats a good spanking once and for all and send them to their room for a while.