Examining Decision-Making Styles in MLB and NFL Cheating Scandals

1 Decision Making Styles Kashawn Hernandez Southern New Hampshire University Management of Sport Organization SPT-600 Dr. Palmero

2 Introduction The Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL) have been plagued by cheating scandals. Specifically, these allegations ended up creating several concerns among fans and other teams regarding the adherence to the rules by those participating in games as well as the principles of sportsmanship. Additionally, the comparison will speak on how the NFL, MLB, and team ownership handled their scandals individually, causing different reactions within their respective leagues, and fanbases. Also, these scandals have been catalysts towards changes within the leagues and the effect on how future incidents will be handled. In 2019, during the American League Championship (ALCS), the New York Yankees (NYY) were questioning the whistling from their opponents’ (Houston Astros) dugout. These whistles, according to NYY claims, had to do with sign stealing. These allegations came out in the light and were proven to be true when an Astros former pitcher came forward in an interview confirming cheating during the 2017 season. This confession brought on a large-scale investigation which led to the most devastating cheating scandal in modern day MLB history. When it comes to the NFL scandal in September 2007 the New England Patriots were caught cheating when their video assistant was filming during their game the New York Jets’ defensive coaches’ signals. In other words, this is better known today as Spygate. MLB The largest sign-stealing scandal in the history of baseball, a game that for more than a century treated the dark arts of cheating with a wink and nod, began with Major League Baseball embracing technology (Verducci, 2020). There were small instances of technology being used, but it was quickly stopped. However, the Astros were able to take advantage and create a way where technology being used for cheating was a form of art. When discovered, the MLB took

3 these allegations of cheating seriously using the consultative method by the Commissioner Rob Manfred who worked with the other senior MLB officials before making the final decision on the punishment for the Houston Astros organization. After this first allegation of illegal sign stealing was made, more teams and players ended up supporting the allegations being made against the Astros. Once the former Astros pitcher came forward admitting wrongdoing MLB’s only option was to open an investigation. When the investigation was completed, the finals decision on the punishment was the MLB suspended Astros manager AJ Hinch, and general manager Jeff Luhnow for a year, through the 2020 World Series. Additionally, the Astros lost their first and second-round draft picks in 2020 as well as 2021 and they were fined $5 million, which is the maximum amount allowed under the MLB Constitution. While players, organizations, and fans did not agree on the punishment being as rough as they wanted, they did agree on it being a steppingstone towards there being more stringent repercussions for future scandals. NFL Just like the MLB the NFL has also been rocked by a similar type of incident; this was done by the New England Patriots. Specifically, the Patriots signal-stealing was discovered during a 2007 regular-season game against the New York Jets. Instead of a consultative method the NFL used an autocratic decision-making process while making decisions related to Spygate. Even though this was the case they attempted to bypass the incident by not addressing it until April of 2008. This punishment was handed down prior to the investigation even being conducted. Robert Goodell ordered that all the evidence of cheating would be destroyed. According to Mike Reiss (2007), “the final ruling from the NFL is Bill Belichick has been fined $500,00 by the NFL. That is the maximum amount under the NFL Constitution and

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4 By-Laws for violating league policy last Sunday on the use of equipment to videotape an opposing team’s offensive or defensive signals. The Patriots have been fined $250,000 by the NFL. The Patriots will give up their first-round pick in 2008 if they make the playoffs. Belichick will not be suspended”. Results Overall, the idea of this paper is, the MLB ended up having better results because they handled the scandal immediately, in comparison to the NFL who delayed the scandal by the Patriots not only with Spygate, but with the infamous Deflategate, and the current Spygate 2.0. The NFL would have been looked at as a joke until they held the Patriots or any other team accountable for their crimes of cheating and this includes addressing the situation from the start. While the MLB as opposed to the NFL operated in a swift manner, there was and is still outrage among players, and fans in both leagues. There are those that argue that the MLB penalties for cheating were too light while the ones for the NFL and specifically, the Patriots are non-existent. The only way to combat cheating in today’s sports world is to have a disciplinary plan of action to prevent or even hold those accountable for doing it.

5 References  Acquavella,K. (2020, January 14).Red Sox's Alex Cora, implicated in MLB report on Astros'cheating scandal, will face penalties soon. CBSSports.com. https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/red-soxs-alex-cora-implicated-in- mlb-report-on-astros-cheating-scandal-will-face-penalties-soon/  Reiss,M. (2007).Final ruling - Reiss' pieces Boston.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20081011112029/www.boston.com/sports/ football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/09/final_ruling.html  Verducci, T. (2020, January 13). Why MLB issued historic punishment to Astros for sign stealing. Sports Illustrated. https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/01/13/houston-astros-cheating- punishment

6-1 Short Paper-Decision making styles

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