PA. Senator ensures world won't forget Patriots' spying debacle

The dreaded asterisk to the Patriots' undefeated season just won't go away. The ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to explain why the league destroyed evidence related to spying by the Patriots, according to a report in the New York Times.

Sen. Arlen Specter
In the stretch of 12 days, from Sept. 9 to Sept. 20, the Patriots were caught filming the Jets' defensive signals in violation of NFL rules, ordered to hand over all tapes of illegal filming to the league office, fined $750,000 and made to forfeit a first-round draft pick.

Then the N.F.L. announced it had destroyed the evidence.

In a telephone interview Thursday morning, Senator Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania and ranking member of the committee, said that Goodell would eventually be called before the committee to address two issues: the league's antitrust exemption in relation to its television contract and the destruction of the tapes that revealed spying by the Patriots.

"That requires an explanation," Specter said. "The NFL has a very preferred status in our country with their antitrust exemption. The American people are entitled to be sure about the integrity of the game. It's analogous to the C.I.A. destruction of tapes. Or any time you have records destroyed."

Team security is always tight for Super Bowl Week and this year is no exception.

All in the family

She's just a rookie, and already Jordin Sparks is going further in the NFL than her father, the Associated Press reports

Only 2 1/2 months after the youngest "American Idol" winner released her debut album, the teen is set to perform the national anthem Sunday at the Super Bowl. In nine years as a pro cornerback, pop Phillippi Sparks, a former Giant, never reached the big game.

"I said, 'Dad, I'm singing at the Super Bowl,"' she said Thursday. "He said, 'At least one of us made it."'

And finally ....

What's a big game without a blimp? Newsday has the video report.