Patriots being investigated for Deflating footballs.....(Mega Merge)

[Buck Showalter]

Yes, its very odd.. but its not proof of any wrong doing and hopefully this investigation runs its course and we can all get some answers so that this can have some closure.. because focusing on this for the 2 weeks leading up to the SB is pretty horrible, for the TEAM that has earned the right to play in this game.

ha, right 

which currently looks like a downer for the seahawks...

[Dr. Guildo]

Yes, its very odd.. but its not proof of any wrong doing and hopefully this investigation runs its course and we can all get some answers so that this can have some closure.. because focusing on this for the 2 weeks leading up to the SB is pretty horrible, for the fans and the teams that have earned the right to play in this game.

Well, one team should have played by the rules and then there wouldn't have been such a problem. I think that it is for that exact reason that the league needs to take action before the game by removing the two guys who made themselves, their team, and the league look like fools in the last couple of hours.

[jvan1973]

I will say this. Mort is the only one that reported that not the league itself. And nothing else has come out since then. As you said yourself, you have to prove it which is near impossible. Also it was horrific weather AND the Pats had their balls at the minimum to start. Lots going on here and suspicion is not proof. It's just not. Not sure what else to tell you.

they don't need proof. you've been told that multiple times and you continue to ignore it. Also mort wasn't the only to report it. Jay Glazer, the guy who broke spygate and Former head of officiating Jerry Austin also reported it

[jabbanobadda]

From a comms perspective.... .

Then tell us who deflate the 11 out of 12 balls.

Uh...like Bettis said, "who did it, Casper?" So there you have it...it was Casper. Case closed, let's move on.

[SteelCityColt]

Yes, its very odd.. but its not proof of any wrong doing and hopefully this investigation runs its course and we can all get some answers so that this can have some closure.. because focusing on this for the 2 weeks leading up to the SB is pretty horrible, for the fans and the teams that have earned the right to play in this game.

To the last part, that's kinda the whole reason for this fuss. The result is not in doubt, but once your integrity is in doubt then people will question your right.

My hunch is the league will stall this till post SB and pray the Pats don't win, because if they do win and any wrong doing is found its going to make the current media attention look like a hack writing in a one horse town on a slow news day.

[dw49]

I will say this. Mort is the only one that reported that not the league itself. And nothing else has come out since then. As you said yourself, you have to prove it which is near impossible. Also it was horrific weather AND the Pats had their balls at the minimum to start. Lots going on here and suspicion is not proof. It's just not. Not sure what else to tell you.

 

It is proven that someone let air out of the balls if the Colts were good and the Pats 2LB under. No one is denying that. Weather was not horrific .. not that cold at all. Plus I think it was the same on the Colts side of the field. Like I said .. they have proof the balls were tampered with. 

[ruksak]

I am having a difficult time understanding how anyone in their right mind could come away from that Press Conference thinking it somehow made things better or helped the Pats cause.       

 

I think it was clear to most everyone  HOW BAD this really is.

I think it says a lot about our sports culture in America. Very similar to political divisiveness between the left and the right, in regard to fans of different teams. 

[pocketAAdonkey]

When are you RATDONKEYS going to realize that it wasn't 2 lbs lighter and that it was .02 lbs lighter? THAT'S how much a ball with 2lbs PSI lighter means! Big Difference between 12.5 and 10.5 and 12.5 and 12.3, no? Also big difference between sour grapes and sour dog feces in your cases? You guys look real good right now. Especially your drug addict owner. Talk about class....Good luck watching the SB from home.

[amfootball]

they don't need proof. you've been told that multiple times and you continue to ignore it. Also mort wasn't the only to report it. Jay Glazer, the guy who broke spygate and Former head of officiating Jerry Austin also reported it

There is no way Bill AND Brady do those pressers if the league had anything on them.

 

Schefy already reported that the league has not found any tampering proof. The deflated balls is not proof.

[jabbanobadda]

I am telling you guys from a Comms perspective this over. Bill and Brady would have never denied anything if the league had anything on them.

 

Remember spygate? Bill admitted immediately. He knew the league had the goods.

Do you believe Tom Brady was telling the truth?

[JerodMayo51]

I feel let QB prep all balls, but they should be brought in to the officials at 10 lbs per square inch and let the Refs pump them up to 12.5, 13, or 13.5 psi depending on QB preference.  Then hold them until game time, and have a league monitor the bag and equipment guy during the game.

 

No argument from me here, I would agree with that and is obviously going to have to happen.  Brady said he would endorse any type of movement by the league to bolster this process and ensure that gameballs meet the required psi at all times...

 

Like he said.. he likes his balls a certain way.. every QB does.. he doesn't want his balls to be touched or played with (hehe) after hes picked them out... The equipment managers all know exactly how he likes them, so once hes selected his 12 he doesn't want them being altered in any, shape or form.. they're perfect when he hands them to the ref for inspection, thats the way he expects them in the game.

 

Maybe refs should inspect the balls right before game time, like 15 minutes before.. rather than waiting 2 hours 15 minutes.. and check them at the end of each quarter or something.. heck, you can have a guy standing right there on the sideline with a pressure gauge and check them immediately before they're circulated into the game..

 

theres a lot of ways they could improve this process to ensure that all balls meet regulation at all times in a game, if thats the route they choose to go

[jvan1973]

There is no way Bill AND Brady do those pressers if the league had anything on them.

Schefy already reported that the league has not found any tampering proof. The deflated balls is not proof.

don't need proof

Too often, competitive violations have gone unpunished because conclusive proof of the violation was lacking,” Goodell wrote in that memo. “I believe we should reconsider the standard of proof to be applied in such cases, and make it easier for a competitive violation to be established. And where a violation is shown, I intend to impose more stringent penalties on both the club and the responsible individual(s). I will also be prepared to make greater use of draft choice forfeiture in appropriate cases. I believe this will have the effect of deterring violations and making people more willing to report violations on a timely basis.”

[bababooey]

There is no way Bill AND Brady do those pressers if the league had anything on them.

 

Schefy already reported that the league has not found any tampering proof. The deflated balls is not proof.

So if the league had something on them like you say, no one would question the fact it's already 4 days later at minimum before they said anything?

[amfootball]

Bill and Brady could have done those pressers on Monday or Tuesday as they did not say anything other then they didn't know anything. Why wait to Thursday? Because the investigation is over and no proof. THey were prepped yesterday by their PR people I am sure after they found out. I would expect league findings later today or tomorrow morning.

[Nadine]

I have already told my kids about this and told them to wait for the investigation before condemning ... pretty much how I would want to be treated ...

Did you tell your kids that you only apply that rule to the Patriots? Because if it's not the Patriots, you lead the angry villagers

[GoColts8818]

General reaction to Brady's presser seems to be "we don't believe you".

Pats are setting up the equipment manager to take the fall.

[jvan1973]

No argument from me here, I would agree with that and is obviously going to have to happen. Brady said he would endorse any type of movement by the league to bolster this process and ensure that gameballs meet the required psi at all times...

Like he said.. he likes his balls a certain way.. every QB does.. he doesn't want his balls to be touched or played with (hehe) after hes picked them out... The equipment managers all know exactly how he likes them, so once hes selected his 12 he doesn't want them being altered in any, shape or form.. they're perfect when he hands them to the ref for inspection, thats the way he expects them in the game.

Maybe refs should inspect the balls right before game time, like 15 minutes before.. rather than waiting 2 hours 15 minutes.. and check them at the end of each quarter or something.. heck, you can have a guy standing right there on the sideline with a pressure gauge and check them immediately before they're circulated into the game..

theres a lot of ways they could improve this process to ensure that all balls meet regulation at all times in a game, if thats the route they choose to go

no, he said he can't tell difference in the balls Even though he said he likes them at exactly 12.5 psi a minute earlier

[JerodMayo51]

Because they've been caught cheating in the past and were just caught cheating again.

 

They weren't caught doing anything yet, there is an active investigation into this... You can be judge, jury and executioner if you want, but thats not proper due process in the face of allegations.. You have an investigation to get as many facts as possible and go from there.. what you and many fans on this board are doing is SPECULATING and suggesting draconian punishments that are completely off the rails based on that speculation and making statements as if they were 100% fact.

[amfootball]

General reaction to Brady's presser seems to be "we don't believe you".

Pats are setting up the equipment manager to take the fall.

Except Brady said the equipment managers did their job and have always  been great preparing his balls.

[OffensivelyPC]

There is no way Bill AND Brady do those pressers if the league had anything on them.

Schefy already reported that the league has not found any tampering proof. The deflated balls is not proof.

I guess they just deflated themselves.

[SouthernCal]

General reaction to Brady's presser seems to be "we don't believe you".

Pats are setting up the equipment manager to take the fall.

That's gonna be their move.

[Hoosier]

I am having a difficult time understanding how anyone in their right mind could come away from that Press Conference thinking it somehow made things better or helped the Pats cause.       

 

I think it was clear to most everyone  HOW BAD this really is.

It was like a defendant taking the stand against his attorney's strenuous objections.

[DoubleE Colt]

There is no way Bill AND Brady do those pressers if the league had anything on them.

Schefy already reported that the league has not found any tampering proof. The deflated balls is not proof.

Do you agree that once the officials approve the balls they then become the responsibility of the team?

[SouthernCal]

Except Brady said the equipment managers did their job and have always been great preparing his balls.

Then who deflated the balls?

[Buck Showalter]

Except Brady said the equipment managers did their job and have always  been great preparing his balls.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

[Gramz]

Bill and Brady could have done those pressers on Monday or Tuesday as they did not say anything other then they didn't know anything. Why wait to Thursday? Because the investigation is over and no proof. THey were prepped yesterday by their PR people I am sure after they found out. I would expect league findings later today or tomorrow morning.

I feel sorry for you.  And I don't mean this in a mean way...   I really do feel sorry for you.

 

I hope you are prepared for the fallout...

[jvan1973]

Except Brady said the equipment managers did their job and have always been great preparing his balls.

Yes, they let out the exact amount of air he likes in them

[Buck Showalter]

Except Brady said the equipment managers did their job and have always  been great preparing his balls.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

CANT...

 

STOP....

 

LAUGHING...

[RockThatBlue]

My boss put this on my desk today.

[amfootball]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

CANT...

 

STOP....

 

LAUGHING...

lol. I know. So many great ball jokes with this.

[ruksak]

Then who deflated the balls?

Immaculate Deflation 

[SteelCityColt]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

CANT...

 

STOP....

 

LAUGHING...

Breathe man!

[jabbanobadda]

I have already told my kids about this and told them to wait for the investigation before condemning ... pretty much how I would want to be treated ...

So basically you told your kids it's OK to cheat and lie as long as their is no proof. Nice.

[RockThatBlue]

Except Brady said the equipment managers did their job and have always been great preparing his balls.

I thought that was Gisels job...oops

[Girlzarefanstoo]

There is a principle in law investigations (yes, amfootball, there's that word again) called "Chain of Custody."

 

1.  The Patriots & Colts turned in their balls - by the way the balls are the same brand, no difference in the mfg. etc.

2.  The refs verified that their balls were in compliance and stamped them.

3.  The refs gave the balls back to each of the teams.

4.  The teams were given custody of said balls.

5.  At half time the refs rechecked the balls and determine that the Colts balls were still fine.

6.  11 of the Patriots balls had uniformly deflated 2 psi (16% deflation from the Patriots perferred 12.5 psi) and the 12th was also under the minimum.  (Assuming the reports are correct about these numbers)

7.  ONLY the Patriots had custody of those balls when they were not on the field and could have caused this deflation as the atmospheric conditions were affecting the same types of balls in the same venue under all the same conditions except for intent to alter.

 

*  ONLY the Patriots had any opportunity and/or motive for altering the balls. 

 

If all of the above is correct, and we'll know that soon, with the "clear chain of custody," it's more than circumstantial evidence and it's quite damning.  

[bababooey]

So basically you told your kids it's OK to cheat and lie as long as their is no proof. Nice.

That's Boston fans for ya.

[JerodMayo51]

But they didn't earn the right...

 

lol.. they were the #1 seed in the AFC.. they obliterated every single division leader throughout the year except for Green Bay.. they beat the Ravens, they absolutely annihilated the Colts (again) and have absolutely earned everything they've gotten thus far this year...  You can have whatever feelings you want about it, but the Pats are playing in the Super Bowl.. they proved they were the best team all year and they backed it up in 2 playoff games, now they just need to do it 1 more time and they'll be the World Champs... again.

 

 

They hate us cause they ain't us!

 

[Superman]

Unfortunately, no, I don't believe she is. :-( not on this subject anyway.

Just because one chooses to ignore the facts doesn't mean they are incapable of comprehending them.

[SouthernCal]

lol.. they were the #1 seed in the AFC.. they obliterated every single division leader throughout the year except for Green Bay.. they beat the Ravens, they absolutely annihilated the Colts (again) and have absolutely earned everything they've gotten thus far this year... You can have whatever feelings you want about it, but the Pats are playing in the Super Bowl.. they proved they were the best team all year and they backed it up in 2 playoff games, now they just need to do it 1 more time and they'll be the World Champs... again.

They hate us cause they ain't us!

You're up against Seattle

[JerodMayo51]

I don't feel bad for the Patriots. Don't want people to talk about cheating? Don't cheat. 

 

There is no evidence leaked yet that the Patriots did anything that relates to cheating. Thats just people like you speculating because you hate them so much, you WANT them to be found cheating..  Anything to take away the pain of what happened on Sunday on national television.