Ban the Patriots

[Husky25]

I'm thinking that the reason why the NFL hasn't approached the Pats yet is because the NFL is realizing that the NFL needs to get its schitt together first. I find it entirely believable that referees don't stick a needle in every game ball making it impossible for the NFL to find any tampering in the chain of custody. When you can't determine a fixed point in time when the balls were verified in compliance, it kinda kills the rest of the investigation.

Complacency and indifference to policy cost billions of dollars in productivity across every industry.

The NFL was too quick in exonerating the refs, but imagine the integrity of the game charges if it came out that the refs didn't check the pressure and there was an incongruity between the pressure gauges? I consider the refs in this case to play the part of a police officer in a criminal case. I have been voir dired twice in my life and in both cases they first question the prosecuting attorney asked me is if I believe cops can make mistakes or always tell the truth. Obviously the answer is yes and no to those questions, respectively. They are human. So are referees. But what's in it for them to lie? It's not to set up the Patriots per se, but it's to deflect blame for not doing their job entirely. The officials are "All-Star" crews who don't work together in the regular season. It is just as possible for something to fall through the cracks (probably more) as it is for a rogue ball boy to stick a pin in the ball.

I also think there is a chance that when Peter King reported that the NFL was appalled earlier in the week, they could have been referring to the whistleblower. There is a possibility the NFL thinks this is akin to a baseball player rubbing out the back line of the batters box to get 4 additional inches to see the ball and make a decision to swing. It's a largely unenforced rule and an unenforced rule is no rule. Now the NFL is are retroactively trying to piece together their defense. I think the reason the NFL hasn't made anything officially public is because at the end of the day, the burden of proof is on the league and the evidence is far too circumstantial to formally punish the Patriots.

 

[ZooCougar]

NFL should take a draft pick or two or better yet, decrease their cap. Need to turn the page quickly. But I kind of hope it drags on and on and on. This is like the most interesting thing that happened in the NFL all season.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Doesn't jive scientifically. Still wouldn't be enough to make them drop that far.

Sure it could. Procedure, environmental changes, testing equipment and use. If done indoors just in re-inflating the balls, their temperature would be greater than RT.

 

[ZooCougar]

Fair enough. I cold have said "I'm guessing" or "I have a hunch" instead of "I'm thinking". I do have experience in other industries that investigate mishaps or activities and non-compliance due to indifferene and complacency almost always factors in to the equation.

Yes, and most of us have experiences with bosses and CEOs and know that they have a pretty good knowledge of the preferences and tendencies of their top performers.

 

[Husky25]

NFL should take a draft pick or two or better yet, decrease their cap. Need to turn the page quickly. But I kind of hope it drags on and on and on. This is like the most interesting thing that happened in the NFL all season.

Really? The Ray Rice scandal isn't interesting? The Peterson case didn't hold your attention? That stuff affects the lives of others. This is a football game. The two press conferences yesterday were shams of the journalistic process.

 

[ZooCougar]

Sure it could. Procedure, environmental changes, testing equipment and use. If done indoors just in re-inflating the balls, their temperature would be greater than RT.

It might be true if we were talking about a bigger item like a car tire. Not so with a football, two psi is too much.

 

[ZooCougar]

Really? The Ray Rice scandal isn't interesting? The Peterson case didn't hold your attention? That stuff affects the lives of others. This is a football game. The two press conferences yesterday were shams of the journalistic process.

No the Ray Rice thing was sad.

 

[Husky25]

No the Ray Rice thing was sad.

Sad and interesting are not mutually exclusive.

 

[kibblesnbits]

This is the worst piece of "journalism" I have ever read. This guy should be ashamed for assembling this piece of garbage.

The idea that a ball boy on the sidelines twelve times (11 1/2?) reached into the bag, found the pin and let the air out of a ball without it being pretty obvious he was up to something is pretty silly. Having leaked so much information on the Patriots' guilt the NFL can't backtrack now but they also can't build a case that shows how it was done. This will probably go on for weeks.

 

[ZooCougar]

Sad and interesting are not mutually exclusive.

For me they are.

 

[formerlurker]

This is the worst piece of "journalism" I have ever read. This guy should be ashamed for assembling this piece of garbage.

Pats fan, huh?

 

[Husky25]

For me they are.

That doesn't make sense, but whatever.

 

[Nostical]

Doesn't jive scientifically. Still wouldn't be enough to make them drop that far.

Please don't confuse me with facts.

 

[BHusky]

The issue with this controversy vs spygate is that there is no way the league can put the blame on any one person unless someone comes forward to confess or there is video evidence (no pun intended). There are 20 sets of hands that could have possibly touched those balls after an official review, so there is no way to say that it was Belicheck, Brady, the equipment manager, a 18 year old ball boy, the kicker, or even an official (Brad Johnson said he paid someone off to reduce the psi before his Superbowl appearance with Tampa) who did it. Anyone of those people could have had easy access to those balls before and during the first half of the game which makes pointing the blame at someone very hard other than the organization in general.

I have a few issues with how extreme this article is versus the Patriots. If is was such a "major violation" then why is the NFL penalty for this the equivalent of a player not wearing the proper uniform? They were going to suspend Marshawn Lynch and fine him up to $100k for ewearing gold cleats last week and the penalty for this major violation is set at just $25k. I know they may penalize the Pats more to prove a point, but that is the standard penalty currently.

I keep hearing aboutt he cold weather last Sunday, but wasnt it 50+ degrees in MA during the game which is basiclaly shorts and T shirt weather if you get that in January. Quite the opposite from the cold weather people keep referencing that made the Colts balls rock hard supposedly. And this delfation would solely be for the benefit of Brady throwing the ball and the author says it would have been tougher for Luck to throw his more inflated football. Whose to say that Luck is not like Aaron Rodgers who prefer the balls inflated to the maximum (or in Rodgers case more than the league max) level. If he likes the balls inflated more, then a deflated ball would actually have been a problem for him.

At the end fo the day Brady had a much better second half when the balls were supposedly back to normal and the Colts could not stop Blount with either ball.

And to put this on the same level as Bountygate losses all credibility. The Saints got caught red handed with audio of coaches telling players to physically injure opponents (i.e., take our Peterson by hitting him in the head) and there was proof of the money exchange for the intent to injure. This is during a time when the NFL was trying to minimize the violence because of all the head injury issues and question marks regarding the NFL's future because of it. Putting both on the same level is like trying to give the death penalty to a pick pocket.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

51 to start, archival weather info lower at half time. So far too much inconsistent info out there. Not a Pats fan but when did so many people became members of the Flat Earth Society?

 

[DefCONNOne]

The issue with this controversy vs spygate is that there is no way the league can put the blame on any one person unless someone comes forward to confess or there is video evidence (no pun intended). There are 20 sets of hands that could have possibly touched those balls after an official review, so there is no way to say that it was Belicheck, Brady, the equipment manager, a 18 year old ball boy, the kicker, or even an official (Brad Johnson said he paid someone off to reduce the psi before his Superbowl appearance with Tampa) who did it. Anyone of those people could have had easy access to those balls before and during the first half of the game which makes pointing the blame at someone very hard other than the organization in general.

I have a few issues with how extreme this article is versus the Patriots. If is was such a "major violation" then why is the NFL penalty for this the equivalent of a player not wearing the proper uniform? They were going to suspend Marshawn Lynch and fine him up to $100k for ewearing gold cleats last week and the penalty for this major violation is set at just $25k. I know they may penalize the Pats more to prove a point, but that is the standard penalty currently.

I keep hearing aboutt he cold weather last Sunday, but wasnt it 50+ degrees in MA during the game which is basiclaly shorts and T shirt weather if you get that in January. Quite the opposite from the cold weather people keep referencing that made the Colts balls rock hard supposedly. And this delfation would solely be for the benefit of Brady throwing the ball and the author says it would have been tougher for Luck to throw his more inflated football. Whose to say that Luck is not like Aaron Rodgers who prefer the balls inflated to the maximum (or in Rodgers case more than the league max) level. If he likes the balls inflated more, then a deflated ball would actually have been a problem for him.

At the end fo the day Brady had a much better second half when the balls were supposedly back to normal and the Colts could not stop Blount with either ball.

And to put this on the same level as Bountygate losses all credibility. The Saints got caught red handed with audio of coaches telling players to physically injure opponents (i.e., take our Peterson by hitting him in the head) and there was proof of the money exchange for the intent to injure. This is during a time when the NFL was trying to minimize the violence because of all the head injury issues and question marks regarding the NFL's future because of it. Putting both on the same level is like trying to give the death penalty to a pick pocket.

So, after writing all of the above, you're saying you condone cheating? Because that's what I'm taking away from your post.

 

[FrostyNuggets]

The timing of this is PERFECT. The faux outrage will be tiresome by the end of tomorrow's news cycle, by 11pm next Sunday night all of America will join hands singing "New England, The Patriots, and We".

 

[DefCONNOne]

The timing of this is PERFECT. The faux outrage will be tiresome by the end of tomorrow's news cycle, by 11pm next Sunday night all of America will join hands singing "New England, The Patriots, and We".

Yeah, why put rules in place when a 'class' orginazation like the Pats can just thumb there nose at the NFL and cheat to their hearts content. Whether its needed or not.

 

[Bonehead]

Sorry Buzz, I didn't get the memo that Deadspin wasn't cool anymore.

You do know Sega is old skool?



I didnt get the memo either by the way!

 

[J187Money]

Sure it could. Procedure, environmental changes, testing equipment and use. If done indoors just in re-inflating the balls, their temperature would be greater than RT.

It was 45 degrees out there. It wasn't cold enough for that much of a pressure drop.

 

[kibblesnbits]

So much for the "it was so obvious even a linebacker noticed" argument: http://www.indystar.com/story/sport...son-pro-bowl-deflated-ball-patriots/22183219/

 

[FartMan69]

You know what i find funny? How tons of us UConn fans call out Patriot fans for being egotistical and self absorbed. Do you all realize that this is how all non UConn fans see us as? Of course we deny it but we live in a mixed population of fan bases and of course the Giant fans are going to call out the Pats fans and vice versa.

The Patriots and UConn basketball are actually VERY similar when it comes to perception. UConn was a doormat in the Big East until a tough gritty coach who has a shady history (don't deny this, we broke rules) took over and dominated the national scene which angered the "blue blood" old hags of the P5 conferences. The Pats were AWFUL and aside from a couple magical SB runs they were "Red Sox with helmets." Guess what happened? New coach with questionable ethics dominates a league and runs over NFL royalty. I'm not saying their innocent or guilty but i just find it comical seeing the similarities in our fan bases.

 

[Stainmaster]

You know what i find funny? How tons of us UConn fans call out Patriot fans for being egotistical and self absorbed. Do you all realize that this is how all non UConn fans see us as? Of course we deny it but we live in a mixed population of fan bases and of course the Giant fans are going to call out the Pats fans and vice versa.

The Patriots and UConn basketball are actually VERY similar when it comes to perception. UConn was a doormat in the Big East until a tough gritty coach who has a shady history (don't deny this, we broke rules) took over and dominated the national scene which angered the "blue blood" old hags of the P5 conferences. The Pats were AWFUL and aside from a couple magical SB runs they were "Red Sox with helmets." Guess what happened? New coach with questionable ethics dominates a league and runs over NFL royalty. I'm not saying their innocent or guilty but i just find it comical seeing the similarities in our fan bases.

UCONN is saintly. How dare you!

 

[FartMan69]

UCONN is saintly. How dare you!

Lol i know I'm going to take heat for that one. It's beyond true though, right now I'm just waiting for The Giants fans to come and deny all of Calhoun's discretions just to strengthen their argument against the Pats.

 

[CL82]

So Bill Belichick said to his ball boy --let the air out of all the balls. It's so preposterous as to be laughable. There are no secrets, as TMZ's money has shown. I say the balls were inflated to the lowest permissible psi (as Brady prefers) and the cold reduced them further. The Colts psi was at the highest point so they deflated less and within the norm. That's your answer to the mystery.

Reasonable guess that's certainly requires less assumptions that the majority of the conspiracy theories that are being posted here.