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by Gary "Gambz" Gambino

Several readers have taken me to task for my dissing of the San Antonio Spurs' alleged dynasty last spring. They are entitled to their opinions, as I am to mine.

This time, I fry yet another, bigger, fish: the New England Patriots, who very narrowly missed becoming the second undefeated team in NFL history by virtue of their 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII [42 for you University of Kentucky alumni out there].

There's one problem, though: Exactly how much of it is legit? You may remember the Spygate controversy back in the fall, where a Patriots employee was caught taping the Jets' defensive signals. In a move that many considered inadequate given the close relationship between Patriots owner Robert Kraft and league Commissioner Roger Goodell, the "Cheatriots" were fined $750,000 and stripped of one of their two first-round draft picks in 2008.

No forfeit of their tainted win against the Jets. No suspension for "Darth Vader" Bill Belichick. Maybe Goodell should have slapped both of Belichick's wrists instead of just one.

Of course, the Patriots have had one of the great seasons in NFL history. But the tapes the NFL confiscated from the Pats have been destroyed. As the "Church Lady" from Saturday Night Live always said when something suspicious was afoot, "How conveeeeeenient!"

Now Senator Arlen Specter, R-PA, an ardent Eagles fan, is demanding disclosure of what was on those tapes, and the NFL is playing games with the information.

Some may question the timing of the firestorm that Specter has created, but he is doing sports fans all across America a service. Be that as it may, three-quarters of respondents to an ESPN.com poll feel the government has no business butting into Spygate. People might think, "Why is Congress trying to get involved, when the economy is fading and we are fighting two wars?"

The answer is simple: Football has supplanted baseball -- and by the way, Congress is investigating that sport's steroids scandal and few are complaining -- as America's Pastime. And doesn't everybody want the games to be played fairly, under a uniform and objective set of rules? After the NBA Donaghy scandal, as well as baseball's roids mess, we need to know we are watching the NFL and not the WWE.

Is it appropriate for Specter to threaten the loss of football's antitrust exemption if the NFL doesn't play ball? I say yes. And until the American public has a grasp of how much the Patriots cheated, and for how long, this sorry episode will not be over.

The cheating might be nothing. Or, it might be significant, in terms of scope or length, or both. But we will never know the truth until the league stops stonewalling.

There is no doubt in my mind that the 2007 Patriots are among the greatest teams of all time. But until the truth -- the COMPLETE truth -- comes out about Spygate, let's hold off on those "dynasty" accolades.

And while I'm at it, congratulations to the Super Bowl XLII champion Giants. They deserved the victory. Who says good guys don't finish first?