Seven sports controversies: Is it cheating or getting an edge?

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his coach Bill Belichick say they don't know how the footballs their team used last weekend got deflated. Critics howl that it's just the latest example of the Pats breaking the rules. Brent talks to Sports Illustrated's Richard Dietsch about the team's history of bending the rules to get an edge, and things other teams and players have done to get ahead. 

Here are a few notable controversies in major league sports where teams, players or coaches have bent or broken the rules.

1. Spygate

The New England Patriots are no strangers to controversy. In 2007, the Pats were caught videotaping the New York Jets' signals from the sidelines during a game. The NFL fined the team $250,000 and docked them a first-round draft pick. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was slammed with a $500,000 fine, the largest ever financial penalty brought against a coach. 

2. "Tricking" the Ravens

In a game against the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month, the Patriots were called deceptive for constructing an unconventional offense featuring four linemen. A frustrated Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the last-minute switching of players eligible to catch the ball was "a trick type of a thing so that they don't give you the opportunity, the chance to make the proper substitutions. It's not something that anybody has ever done before. I'm sure the league is going to look at it and make some adjustments."

3. The Snowplow Game

​On a snowy day in December 1982, the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins were scoreless late in the fourth quarter. With less than 5 minutes remaining in the game, Patriots coach Ron Meyer ordered the snowplow operator to clear a spot specifically for kicker John Smith. The ball sailed through the uprights, and Smith led his team to victory. Dolphins head coach Don Shula raged against what he called the most unfair act in NFL history. The following year the NFL would ban snowplows during games. 

4. The Raiders' Stickum Scandal

​Stickum is an adhesive that NFL players used to apply to their hands to make it easier to catch the football and grab the jerseys of opponents. In the late '70s, other Los Angeles Raiders players used it but defensive end Lester Hayes would rub it all over his hands, arms and jersey. "You practically had to pry the ball loose from him whenever he got his hands on it," said a former Raiders linebacker. Hayes won Defensive Player of the Year in 1980 after intercepting 13 passes plus 5 more in the playoffs. Stickum was banned from the NFL in 1981.

5. The Spitball 

Spitball is an illegal baseball pitch where the ball's been doctored with saliva or Vaseline, making it fly through the air unpredictably. Gaylord Perry was famous for throwing spitballs throughout his career, eluding the officials and messing with the heads of batters who thought he was going to throw an erratic pitch, even when he wasn`t. 

6. Scottie Bowman and the lowered benches

Detroit Red Wing`s head coach Scotty Bowman has been accused of lowering the visiting team`s benches to make his opponents uncomfortable during playoff games. 

7. Illegal sticks

Sometimes offensive players used sticks that were curved beyond the NHL regulations which could give them an advantage on their slapshots. In game 2 of the 1993 Stanley Cup finals, LA Kings player Marty McSorley drew a penalty against the Montreal Canadiens because of his illegal stick. The Habs tied the game on the power play and went on to win in overtime.