Maine Gov. Paul LePage has officially stuck his foot in his mouth once again.

While it certainly doesn’t carry the weight of the governor’s previous comments, including “The Vaseline” comment, or “I’ll tell Obama to go to hell,” or the “kiss my butt” lines that attracted national attention in the past, he found a new way to once again alienate his own people.

He took on the region’s favorite football team.

In an Associated Press story Friday, the governor was asked about his views on DeflateGate, the controversy sweeping the nation about whether the New England Patriots deflated 11 of their 12 footballs during the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady both denied any knowledge of how the balls were deflated in separate press conferences last Thursday. The governor — a noted New York Giants fan — said the Patriots are a “less than ethical” franchise.

“What else can you expect, they have a track record,” LePage said.

In the story, LePage touched on the 2007 Spygate scandal (as many anti-Patriots fans are inclined to do), where the Patriots were caught filming the defensive signals of opposing teams. He also bashed owner Robert Kraft for almost moving the Patriots from Foxborough, Mass. to Hartford, Conn. after the 1999 season.

It may have been a quick answer to a quick question, but it’s one the governor should have put more thought into. Spygate did happen, albeit eight years ago. If you would like to call one instance in a team’s 54-year history a “track record,” be my guest.

Here’s what I know: Politicians should stick to politics. There’s much work to be done in this state, that is where his focus should lie. The only politicians who should speak on sports topics are ones who were former professional athletes. Bill Bradley, Steve Largent and Heath Shuler — all former athletes and former politicians — have weight that carries with sports topics.

There are rare exceptions. Sen. John McCain, for instance, has shown to be a well-read sports fan in interviews, particularly with the NFL and Major League Baseball. Condoleezza Rice has a strong knowledge of football, enough so that many believe she should have been NFL commissioner when Goodell was hired in 2006. President Obama has shown to be the most competent sports fan to live in the White House in a while (and yes, moreso than former Texas Rangers owner George W. Bush).

But the simple fact of the matter is this: If politicians are doing their jobs correctly, they shouldn’t have time to watch sports, anyway.

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