ESPN: 11 of 12 footballs under inflated by 2 pounds of air.

Another interesting read posted in the other thread and on twitter, seems like it's a common practice...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/not-f...nager-everyone-cheats-deflates-184104713.html

From all I've read it sounds like Brady would know more about this than BB, lol...

kennyb said:

We're they 11.2 or 11.0?

30 degree difference in initial temp vs. Game temp can lower the psi by about 1.5 or so. Maybe a little less.

Weird that the last ball wasn't the same psi.

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The last ball may not have been used much. A pounding from being used heavily in the run game will naturally force air out of a ball, however "impermeable," it is. A ball used heavily in the pass game will remain relatively unmolested by the external pounding which a "run game" ball would see.

Mix this in with the cold weather...and the refs "checking" the ball, while the ball is under care of nfl employees...stfu everyone

Edit to add: with one ball being pulled in game, I'd find it much more plausible one of twelve were under inflated. How you can accurately test this a few days removed is absurd from a scientific stand point. There is no consistency, no scientific process ensuring specific handling, no consistent form of accurate measuring.

There is the tampering charge. There was also an epic AFCCG beat down that not even the refs could stop. So here we are with a opiate addict induced witch hunt, gaining legs a second time with no banned sources. Maybe Jim "oxy" Irsay screwed up the quote while leaking to ESPN.

**** this whole thing. How and where are the balls tested? What is the procedure ensuring their integrity in the two plus hours after? Who has access on the sidelines? Why isn't this more highly regulated, if it is a possible advantage point? SMFH

Sorry guys, I was completely on board with everyone defending the Pats on this issue. But I think deep down we all know that this season is tainted no matter what happens from here on out. In fact, pretty much all the accomplishments of this team are tainted from now on. After Spygate, no matter how little significance it had on actual game play. Our records were tainted...and now this! There is no way I can possibly see us ever being able to overcome this issue, again even knowing how irrelevant this actually was to the outcome of the game. I mean Blount outscored the Colts by himself!!!

But this pretty much ends any legitimacy we had for all our accomplishments....and it pains me beyond any explanation to say it...THIS WAS THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAPPENED DURING A MAGICAL SEASON...I AM DONE!!!

I just have to laugh at this entire thing. What else can you do?

Patradomous said:

IF IF And only IF they can directly tie this to Belichick. Kraft needs to fire him immediately to save the reputation of him and his franchise. I hate to say it but its true.
I pray this isn't tied to BB directley.

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And Brady too! He had to be in on it! Explains why a 6th round pick could have such success. Both should be banned for life and all the games they coached or played in forfeited!

I can't stand it!

letekro said:

I just have to laugh at this entire thing. What else can you do?

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Like Brady laughed it off on Monday

Hard not to come to some pretty damning conclusions here. A. 11 of 12 balls being underinflated is pretty strong evidence that it's systematic and not accidental, B. if they lost that weight after the ref's inspection, it's likely that someone from the team let the air out.

Note that Belichick didn't scoff at the accusations. He said he'd "cooperate."

The more I think about it the more upset I get. The Patriots' legacy was totally tarnished by Spygate, there was no room for bending rules after that. This is something that's CLEARLY illegal according to the rule book and would be used to get an undue competitive advantage during a game. If Belichick did have knowledge of this, you start to think that maybe he has some real-life psychological problems. The whole act he pulls up there on stage with the stand-offishness and social awkwardness might actually reflect someone who is a bit messed up...if he knowingly played fast and loose with the rules after Spygate, IN THE PLAYOFFS no less, that's a mark that he might never recover from. There was just no margin for error here and he had to know that. This feels irresponsible to the fan base, the team, and the sport, even if it's -- like Spygate -- not the reason they won.

I know a lot of you dudes are going to bury your heads here and wish this thing away but at some point you have to use reason and take an objective look at the situation. IF there was ball tampering by the Patriots...and let's be honest, it does really appear that way, the legacy of this team now becomes cheating rather than success in the minds of everyone outside Boston.

jesus....no point in trying to defend this.

I suspect that the NFL needs more reliable pressure gauges.

@nfl So we get to play the game again or nah?

— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) January 21, 2015

If New England was to be DQ'd.. We'd be their replacements right??... I should probably lay off these strawberry margs

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 21, 2015


If BB is guilty, I ask WHY THE F**K would he do such thing? Kept Taping after the Memo. Doing something so insignificant to raise eyebrows?!

Would TB notice it? WHY wouldn't he do something about it?!


Dolts got a PROPER BEAT DOWN and now they think they have the right to talk SMACK?!
Dolts suck and now they think they should advance?!
You kidding me?! They are a joke! Deflated balls to get them to show they do not have any again in front of the whole world in the biggest game of the year?!?!!?


This is so damn hard to swallow.

Grizzafted said:

Hard not to come to some pretty damning conclusions here. A. 11 of 12 balls being underinflated is pretty strong evidence that it's systematic and not accidental, B. if they lost that weight after the ref's inspection, it's likely that someone from the team let the air out.

Note that Belichick didn't scoff at the accusations. He said he'd "cooperate."

The more I think about it the more upset I get. The Patriots' legacy was totally tarnished by Spygate, there was no room for bending rules after that. This is something that's CLEARLY illegal according to the rule book and would be used to get an undue competitive advantage during a game. If Belichick did have knowledge of this, you start to think that maybe he has some real-life psychological problems. The whole act he pulls up there on stage with the stand-offishness and social awkwardness might actually reflect someone who is a bit messed up...if he knowingly played fast and loose with the rules after Spygate, IN THE PLAYOFFS no less, that's a mark that he might never recover from. There was just no margin for error here and he had to know that. This feels irresponsible to the fan base, the team, and the sport, even if it's -- like Spygate -- not the reason they won.

I know a lot of you dudes are going to bury your heads here and wish this thing away but at some point you have to use reason and take an objective look at the situation. IF there was ball tampering by the Patriots...and let's be honest, it does really appear that way, the legacy of this team now becomes cheating rather than success in the minds of everyone outside Boston.

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Thx to Pats for thinking the rules do not apply to them if they are guilty which appeared to be so.

robbomango said:

Another interesting read posted in the other thread and on twitter, seems like it's a common practice...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/not-f...nager-everyone-cheats-deflates-184104713.html

From all I've read it sounds like Brady would know more about this than BB, lol...

Click to expand...

Sadly since it's the Patriots it's as usual getting blown out of proportion and they'll get screwed over it.

Grizzafted said:

Hard not to come to some pretty damning conclusions here. A. 11 of 12 balls being underinflated is pretty strong evidence that it's systematic and not accidental, B. if they lost that weight after the ref's inspection, it's likely that someone from the team let the air out.

Note that Belichick didn't scoff at the accusations. He said he'd "cooperate."

The more I think about it the more upset I get. The Patriots' legacy was totally tarnished by Spygate, there was no room for bending rules after that. This is something that's CLEARLY illegal according to the rule book and would be used to get an undue competitive advantage during a game. If Belichick did have knowledge of this, you start to think that maybe he has some real-life psychological problems. The whole act he pulls up there on stage with the stand-offishness and social awkwardness might actually reflect someone who is a bit messed up...if he knowingly played fast and loose with the rules after Spygate, IN THE PLAYOFFS no less, that's a mark that he might never recover from. There was just no margin for error here and he had to know that. This feels irresponsible to the fan base, the team, and the sport, even if it's -- like Spygate -- not the reason they won.

I know a lot of you dudes are going to bury your heads here and wish this thing away but at some point you have to use reason and take an objective look at the situation. IF there was ball tampering by the Patriots...and let's be honest, it does really appear that way, the legacy of this team now becomes cheating rather than success in the minds of everyone outside Boston.

Click to expand...

Psychological problems lmao

A billionaire walks into a .99 store and steals a candy bar with 1000000000in cash in his pockets. Why?

HoF coach
HoF QB
Great team for the past what, 10-12 seasons?
Smashed the fugg out of the colts.
Headed to another SuperBowl.

My question is why does BB feel he needs to do these things? Does he have the Winona Ryder sickness, just can't help himself. I just don't get it. You just wrecked the colts and made the Super Bowl but he just couldn't keep his fingers out of the cookie jar... Why does he do this?

sanvara said:

Why does the league even allow balls to be manipulated and spec'd by the teams? Everyone just use the same footballs that come from the league. Maybe this will put an end to that.

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That — and the way the air temp affects PSI — is why I don't get how any of this is such a big deal. Between nature and the league protocol, the door is already open to so many variables.

Oh man!

This could be another opportunity for Roger "God"dell to bust some "balls".

The Pats bring some interesting elements to the game of football. As I see it there are three possibilities:
(1) The Pats outright cheated and found a way for the ball attendant or someone else to deflate the balls after they were inspected.
(2) The Pats stretched the rules by inflating the balls with hot air so that they would initially comply but lose significant PSI in those weather conditions. (At least one meteorologist said that for every 10 degree temp drop, a ball could lose 1 psi.)
(3) The referee failed to do his job or in his judgment the balls were compliant. The rules state, "The Referee shall be the sole judge as to whether all balls offered for play comply with these specifications. A pump is to be furnished by the home club, and the balls shall remain under the supervision of the Referee until they are delivered to the ball attendant just prior to the start of the game."

Number (1) is the worst case obviously. If the Pats outright cheated, this will put not only BB under a cloud of suspicion, but Brady as well. Brady said in 2011 he likes deflated footballs, so one would assume he has a lot of say in how the balls are handled. In that case, the NFL would have to do something pretty drastic to restore the integrity of the game, and accept that the Superbowl would be tainted.

Number (2) and (3) aren't so bad. If the Pats complied with the letter of the rules but not the spirit of the rules, then the matter falls on the NFL for not having precise enough rules and on the refs for not doing a better check on the balls.

It's worth keeping in mind that the Vikings earlier in the year used heaters to warm their footballs (and were later simply told not to do it again) and Aaron Rodgers said he uses overinflated balls, so this has not been an issue that the NFL took with great seriousness until now.

My guess is that the NFL has no choice but to defend the Pats. The only way to protect the integrity of the game and ensure the profitability of the Superbowl is to say that the Pats followed the rules and the rules will need to be tightened for next season. Remember, the NFL is a business. It is not a system of justice. It will act in the interest of the game first, not right or wrong.

At any rate, I'll take a slightly tainted title over none at all. I think most fans would.

Look it's something we have most likely done for a long time because it's what Brady likes. It most likely been done for such a long time no one really pays much attention to it. We probably, when it rains or its really cold submit balls under PSI and leave it to the refs to then change all 12. Its what Aaron Rodgers does in over inflating. Why would they do that unless sometimes... THEY GET THROUGH? Brady most likely doesn't really care too much if they make it through or not as was seen by us playing better after re-inflation.

The only off thing would be post inspection deflation. That is the only thing the league is trying to prove. They don't care about the under inflated ball in the least as they have probably seen this before. Usually its handled in house because it wouldn't leak unless it was the Patriots. So they asked the Refs and they said they checked them so the league has no choice but to go through and make sure there isn't a post inspection breech.

Patradomous said:

I hope there is a good explanation for this. I hope its negligence on the refs part.

However on the extreme, because this no longer a joke. IF IF And only IF they can directly tie this to Belichick. Kraft needs to fire him immediately to save the reputation of him and his franchise. I hate to say it but its true.
I pray this isn't tied to BB directley.

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There was no need to underinflate the footballs. NE has Indys number and clearly is the better team.

This calls into question the entire 2014 season.

Question. If the Patriots were the ones who deflated these balls, why wouldn't they have inflated them before the NFL people showed up? they had time. They could have reinflated them on Monday or right after the game to hide it. They didn't, because they didn't know about it. My point here is, if you do something deceitful and you want to get away with it, you hide it while you have a chance. BB will get the blame for this of course, but I blame the Refs and whoever is responsible for making sure those footballs are inflated properly. They didn't do their jobs properly. As for the Colts, I find it odd that they are the only team complaining. How many teams did the Pats play against this year and only this one has a problem?
Long sigh. This did not affect the outcome of the game. The Colts had their own footballs to play with. They have only themselves to blame for sucking.