[NT!]

owsley,

i think you have to cheat in a way that gives you a serious edge that the opponent lacks any means to rectify or overcome. so, to me, both the pats' and the colts' alleged 'cheating' is fairly minor, because the edge gained, while meaningful, is not overwhelming, and remedies exist for the other team.

this is a very general definition and i'm sure there are points to quibble with, but i think it's a good starting point. basically,

importance of cheating is a function of (edge gained, recourse available to opponent).