Deflate-Gate: Here We Go Again

Patstopia said:

My main problem is every time we get to the super bowl, this crap happens. A reporter writes a story and even if proven wrong nobody stops talking about it. It's time for the NFL to step up and dismiss this BS as soon as possible. We were good soldiers for spygate, we sat back for the taping practices stories. And did the NFL have our backs....NO, they hung us out on the limb to die.
Step up NFL and squash this crap NOW! Before it fills 2 weeks of void with the stench of a BS story. And please squash the story's author also. Just to make someone somewhere accountable for these story's they concoct!

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I hope they squash it soon also as i don't want to be hearing about it on TV for 2 flippin weeks. I was so excited and pumped after yeasterdays game and now this crap just ruins it for me.

dales804 said:

What? The refs are responsible for making sure the balls are inflated to between 12.5 - 13.5 psi. They do this 2.5 hours before a game. Each team gives the ref 12 balls to check. If they're not in that range, the ref inflates them so they are.

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Plus as Scott Zolak said "An underinflated ball makes it harder to throw a spiral." I just hope this goes away fast.

We're on to Seattle....

Brady'sArmy said:

it's also stupid to act like those chatter don't exist. Narratives define reality and the fact that Brady and Belichick's storied career will be littered with these charges is irksome to say the least.

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Seven years ago, I would've agreed with you whole-heartedly. Now, I have no shyts left to give about opinions I do not value. I have very little respect for the media, and even less respect for sports media. I just don't give a crap what they have to say, or what Jets or Colts or Broncos fans have to say. It's like trying to reason with a child, or an animal. You can't get frustrated when it doesn't work.

Give me ring #4 and let the haters hate.

Meanwhile, deep beneath the NFL league offices...



"What happened, you got tired of watching the refs pump up other balls? You couldn't stand it anymore, and you decided to let out a little air? Maybe you didn't mean to, it just happened, right? Hey, if it was an accident, we can help you out, maybe talk to the judge for you, but you need to work with us. Tell us who else was involved. Was it Spalding?"

Just win the Super Bowl and all the haters can stuff it.

PatriotSeven said:

I'm not inferring it. The rule states it doesn't it? We are also responsible for inflating them, to proper pressure, prior to giving them to the referees, yes? The referees only test for the correct pressure or weight. If I'm understanding correctly, unlike the kicking balls, these don't come straight from the manufacturer. We provide them. Each team also plays with their own balls. So if the ball in question, was one of ours, and there is any issue with properly inflated balls, we're the first they are going to question.

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That makes no sense. We provided them TO BE TESTED by the refs. The refs tested them and said they were fine.

BradyManny said:

Seven years ago, I would've agreed with you whole-heartedly. Now, I have no shyts left to give about opinions I do not value. I have very little respect for the media, and even less respect for sports media. I just don't give a crap what they have to say, or what Jets or Colts or Broncos fans have to say. It's like trying to reason with a child, or an animal. You can't get frustrated when it doesn't work.

Give me ring #4 and let the haters hate.

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It's like being successful at your job. Some of your co-workers will envy you....so as you walk around the office, just keep that big sh*t-eating grin on your face and all will be well!

dales804 said:

What? The refs are responsible for making sure the balls are inflated to between 12.5 - 13.5 psi. They do this 2.5 hours before a game. Each team gives the ref 12 balls to check. If they're not in that range, the ref inflates them so they are.

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It's pretty simple. If I take a step back, and interpret this rule as it's written, it seems to me that we bear the responsibility of providing and playing with correctly inflated balls, as are the refs, and they are the ones responsible for performing the checks prior the game start and during to make sure we are in compliance. If they perform checks during the game, then it also means the NFL believes its possible for a ball to be deflated during the game, whether by natural means or otherwise.

It's not just a matter of...woops we're ignorant...because we provide the balls and because to me this sounds more like we also have that responsibility.

A lot of people here are wanting to imply we bear no responsibility for playing with improperly inflated balls, only the refs do. I'm not sure that's the case.

NJPatsfan26 said:

But if this were true, the Pats were winning the game soundly so the only advantage it would have brought would be for the colts.

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Colts use their own balls. And at the half it was close.

I think we'd all be happier if we just accepted the fact that most of the media and fans of other teams will always look down on us as cheaters. Nothing will ever change their minds, so what's the point in even letting it bother you?

We going to the Bowl BABY!!!

PatriotSeven said:

It's pretty simple. If I take a step back, and interpret this rule as it's written, it seems to me that we bear the responsibility of providing and playing with correctly inflated balls, as are the refs, and they are the ones responsible for performing the checks prior the game start and during to make sure we are in compliance. If they perform checks during the game, then it also means the NFL believes its possible for a ball to be deflated during the game, whether by natural means or otherwise.

It's not just a matter of...woops we're ignorant...because we provide the balls and because to me this sounds more like we also have that responsibility.

A lot of people here are wanting to imply we bear no responsibility for playing with improperly inflated balls, only the refs do. I'm not sure that's the case.

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The refs are responsible for double checking the inflation. After they do that, they hold onto the balls until just prior to the start of the game. At that time, the balls are giving to the teams' ball attendants.

In other words, unless the ball boys were deflating footballs, the responsibility would be on the referees.

PatriotSeven said:

It's pretty simple. If I take a step back, and interpret this rule as it's written, it seems to me that we bear the responsibility of providing and playing with correctly inflated balls, as are the refs, and they are the ones responsible for performing the checks prior the game start and during to make sure we are in compliance. If they perform checks during the game, then it also means the NFL believes its possible for a ball to be deflated during the game, whether by natural means or otherwise.

It's not just a matter of...woops we're ignorant...because we provide the balls and because to me this sounds more like we also have that responsibility.

A lot of people here are wanting to imply we bear no responsibility for playing with improperly inflated balls, only the refs do. I'm not sure that's the case.

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Again who would benefit from this? We were killing them the entire game.

PatriotSeven said:

It's pretty simple. If I take a step back, and interpret this rule as it's written, it seems to me that we bear the responsibility of providing and playing with correctly inflated balls, as are the refs, and they are the ones responsible for performing the checks prior the game start and during to make sure we are in compliance. If they perform checks during the game, then it also means the NFL believes its possible for a ball to be deflated during the game, whether by natural means or otherwise.

It's not just a matter of...woops we're ignorant...because we provide the balls and because to me this sounds more like we also have that responsibility.

A lot of people here are wanting to imply we bear no responsibility for playing with improperly inflated balls, only the refs do. I'm not sure that's the case.

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How are we 'responsible for' maintain air pressure in a football?
Unless you are implying that someone snuck into the bag ball with a needle after the ref inspected it you are making no sense.
Its been demonstrated on this site that temperature can affect the pressure in the ball. I assume damage or defect could as well. The fact that there is a rule does not mean it was put in to combat tin foil hat theories of cheating.

Once again a team that is soundly beaten makes some sort of ridiculous accusation against the Pats.

I hope BB has a Clintonesque scrorced earth type file that he dumps out on the league office...

PatriotSeven said:

It's pretty simple. If I take a step back, and interpret this rule as it's written, it seems to me that we bear the responsibility of providing and playing with correctly inflated balls, as are the refs, and they are the ones responsible for performing the checks prior the game start and during to make sure we are in compliance. If they perform checks during the game, then it also means the NFL believes its possible for a ball to be deflated during the game, whether by natural means or otherwise.

It's not just a matter of...woops we're ignorant...because we provide the balls and because to me this sounds more like we also have that responsibility.

A lot of people here are wanting to imply we bear no responsibility for playing with improperly inflated balls, only the refs do. I'm not sure that's the case.

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Pats provide balls. Once the referees check them then the pats have done their job.
Short of having an attendant let air out or a player I guess the pats have no even theoretical culpability. Maybe if they put a pinhole leak in a ball...but did it say the referees put them in a sink? Is that to make sure they're not leaking?

NJPatsfan26 said:

Again who would benefit from this? We were killing them the entire game.

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Not the whole game. It was 17 to 7 at halftime. Plus if they were deflated it would have been done possibly before the game even started.

Darrone said:

Meanwhile, deep beneath the NFL league offices...

"What happened, you got tired of watching the refs pump up other balls? You couldn't stand it anymore, and you decided to let out a little air? Maybe you didn't mean to, it just happened, right? Hey, if it was an accident, we can help you out, maybe talk to the judge for you, but you need to work with us. Tell us who else was involved. Was it Spalding?"

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Just for you!!!

Deus Irae said:

The refs are responsible for double checking the inflation. After they do that, they hold onto the balls until just prior to the start of the game. At that time, the balls are giving to the teams' ball attendants.

In other words, unless the ball boys were deflating footballs, the responsibility would be on the referees.

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It seems to me the NFL entrusts the teams to provide and play with properly inflated balls and they have referees to check for compliance. Just because they have refs to check for compliance, doesn't remove the burden of responsibility entirely from the team, and throughout the game. If the refs fail to check, it's on them. If they check and the ball is not in compliance, it's on US.

If what you are saying is true, and I'm only going by your explanation, and the refs checked prior to the game and it checked out ok, but then the ball is in the hands of OUR team's ball boys, and later in the game it's no longer in compliance...then I think that's pretty damn obvious why they would imply we are responsible.

If the Carolina Panthers are capable of heating balls on the sideline, at some point, our team is also capable of handling those footballs as well.

All I'm saying, I think the line that it is impossible or that we bear no responsibility even if the balls are found to be improperly inflated, because it's out of our hands is just denial at this point. It just doesn't seem to be true.

PatriotSeven said:

It seems to me the NFL entrusts the teams to provide and play with properly inflated balls and they have referees to check for compliance. Just because they have refs to check for compliance, doesn't remove the burden of responsibility entirely from the team, and throughout the game. If the refs fail to check, it's on them. If they check and the ball is not in compliance, it's on US.

If what you are saying is true, and I'm only going by your explanation, and the refs checked prior to the game and it checked out ok, but then the ball is in the hands of OUR team's ball boys, and later in the game it's no longer in compliance...then I think that's pretty damn obvious why they would imply we are responsible.

If the Carolina Panthers are capable of heating balls on the sideline, at some point, our team is also capable of handling those footballs as well.

All I'm saying, I think the line that it is impossible or that we bear no responsibility even if the balls are found to be improperly inflated, because it's out of our hands is just denial at this point. It just doesn't seem to be true.

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So lets just ignore that this happens often, and jump right to the conspiracy theory.