Villanova Coach Jay Wright On Deflate Gate: 'This One Really, Really Bothers Me'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) ---- Villanova head coach Jay Wright has been playing or coaching basketball for most of his life, and understands competitive sports and respect for the game as well as anyone.
On Wednesday, Wright was asked on the 94WIP Mike & Ike Show about "Deflate Gate", in which the New England Patriots are being investigated for deflating footballs before their AFC Championship game win last Sunday.
"I remember when they taped, when they video taped, I thought that was a little shaky whether that was legit or not, I don't know," Wright said of the 2007 Patriots scandal dubbed 'Spygate.' "But this one, that really, really bothers me because you are affecting the other athletes on the team and their ability to perform at their best. You want to compete against somebody's best."
Wright also admitted that he respects Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and even stole an inspirational quote of his.
"I'm really conflicted about that because I have so much respect for Bill Belichick and the way he runs his program," Wright said. "He has a saying in his locker room that we have stolen---like all of us coaches do---that says, 'You become us, we don't become you.' That's a big part of our program. So, there's a lot of things that he does that I really, really respect. This is something probably that I disrespect the most and that's dishonor---you know, not honoring the game and not having respect for the game. And putting winning above integrity and the game. I'm really, I'm conflicted about this."