We need new names for our scandals, America.
President Donald Trump lashed out at the FBI early Wednesday morning on Twitter, responding to reports that the bureau used a confidential source within Trump’s campaign to determine whether his aides were colluding with the Russians during the 2016 presidential election.
This controversy has nothing to do with the sports world — or least it didn’t until Trump decided to label it with a familiar moniker.
SPYGATE could be one of the biggest political scandals in history!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 23, 2018
Sound familiar, New England Patriots fans?
The Patriots’ “Spygate” scandal refers to a 2007 incident in which New England head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and lost a first-round draft pick after the Patriots were caught filming the New York Jets’ defensive signals from an unauthorized location.
Yet Trump’s tweet usurped the Patriots’ scandal as the country’s No. 1 “Spygate,” forcing it to be re-branded as “Spygate (NFL).”
The political scandal is no laughing matter, but that didn’t stop the internet from making a few obvious jokes at the Patriots’ expense.
https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/999290618177302528
https://twitter.com/SamuelDominic23/status/999250823803801601
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 23, 2018
The President alleges Spygate is happening again. As such, Roger Goodell is taking more picks away from the Patriots on general principle.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 23, 2018
The Belichick stuff makes SO much more sense now. https://t.co/XIlSo2aZll
— Mike Cole (@MikeColeNESN) May 23, 2018
Mostly, the sports world just wants Trump — who has close ties to the Patriots — to clear up the name confusion.
No matter where you stand on the president or the Patriots, we can all agree that Trump can't call this Spygate right?
— Matt Vautour (@MattVautour424) May 23, 2018
Alas, what’s done is done, and Patriots fans will have to deal with that one annoying Jets fan making Spygate references for the considerable future.
