Schefter: Has Heard Speculation Colts might have deflated the footballs

It seems likely that, before turning a football in with accusations of low pressure, the Colts would have measured the pressure -- which is done by partially deflating it.

It also seems plausible that a ball used in the game be at a different temperature and pressure than similarly prepared balls kept on the sideline.

Based on those two factors, while I can see a clear path to full exoneration of the Pats, I find it a little hard to imagine that the Colts will be punished for their role.

PATS16N0 said:

I would like to know what "one tick" under regulation meant. Since PSI seems to be measured in tenths (?) I assumed we were potentially talking about the other balls being in the neighborhood of 12.3, 12.4, 12.2, etc. If they meant -1 PSI, I assume they would of said that, instead of "a tick under."

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If you watched the video of the report, he expands on it. He basically says just at the 12.5 PSI line, but a little under. So probably in the 12.3-12.4 PSI range.

Don Kipines said:

You're doing the same thing people did when they rushed to judgment because of Spygate. Irsay's drug problem and Jackson's pizza-guy arrest don't add up to tampering with a football.

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I didn't claim that it did. I said they lack integrity and that thinking criminals would do something criminal doesn't require a huge stretch of the imagination.

There are no facts in this story yet, just bits and pieces of totally unconfirmed information. The only thing speculating on that kind of info does is take the sting out of it for the Colts if it turns out to be true that they tampered with a ball. If you want them to look as bad as possible if they do turn out to be guilty, it doesn't make sense to create sympathy now by accusing them before the facts are in.

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But there ARE some facts to this story.

Fact 1. D'Qwell Jackson was credited with noticing the ball was "deflated" (a linebacker, noticing a deflated ball from being in his possession for 20 seconds, when our QB did not).

Fact 2. D'Qwell Jackson said the above was absolute ********.

Fact 3. The Colts General Manager didn't want to admit to prompting this investigation.

Fact 4. The Colts General Manager apparently did prompt this investigation.

Fact 5. Brady and Belichick have flat out denied having any idea how the ball could have been deflated, and Brady said he noticed no difference (of all the parties involved here so far, Brady and Belichick are the ones with actual integrity, rather than a `plead the 5th` GM presiding over a team full of criminals for a criminal owner).

Fact 6. Robert Kraft is so convinced of Brady and Belichick's complete innocence that he put his reputation on the line before the entire nation and demanded an apology when this witch hunt reveals no wrong doing.

If there is a guilty party, it is looking more and more like it is in Indianapolis, who are apparently scared to even admit they prompted this entire fiasco.

Fencer said:

It seems likely that, before turning a football in with accusations of low pressure, the Colts would have measured the pressure -- which is done by partially deflating it.

It also seems plausible that a ball used in the game be at a different temperature and pressure than similarly prepared balls kept on the sideline.

Based on those two factors, while I can see a clear path to full exoneration of the Pats, I find it a little hard to imagine that the Colts will be punished for their role.

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Except I don't think teams can have a pressure gauge on the sidelines. Once the balls are inspected, they cannot be altered in any way. Why would you have a pressure gauge on the sidelines then? If they did, that would actually lead to more questions than an answer to why the intercepted ball could be more deflated than others.

There might be a less sinister explanation: Maybe Grigson was tipped off (by the Ravens?) about possible inflation issues with the Patriots balls so when D'Qwell brought a Patriots ball to the sidelines he or someone in the Colts organization clumsily tried to test the pressure in the ball and ended up inadvertently letting air out thus changing it from something like 12.1 to 10. When you test the pressure, some air must be let out--maybe they were ham-handed when they tried to do it.

Rob0729 said:

Except I don't think teams can have a pressure gauge on the sidelines. Once the balls are inspected, they cannot be altered in any way. Why would you have a pressure gauge on the sidelines then? If they did, that would actually lead to more questions than an answer to why the intercepted ball could be more deflated than others.

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Good point.

So if the Colts DID stick any kind of needle in, they were doing something shady right there.

If that's the case with gauging PSI, doesn't that alone account for the "tick under" on the other balls?
Is a football that measures 12.3 (hypothetically) a football that was above 12.5 PSI prior to the test?

Don Kipines said:

Obviously people can believe what they want, but I would hope Patriots fans take the moral high ground here and wait until a named source reports some verifiable information before we all jump to conclusions about the Colts or Ravens or whoever.

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Named source reports some verifiable information from who exactly, and what is their anti Patriot agenda? This crap has been going on for 8 years.

JJDChE said:

I find it funny that all these Pats fans that were crying to the heavens about the media treating the team unfairly are now just fine doing the same to the Colts with absolutely no evidence. Actually, it's sad more than funny.

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Yeah, it's the old what's good for the goose is good for the gander principle. If you're going to sling mud over rumors, get ready to have it slung back. You think Pats fans would give flying **** if the Colts didn't start this witch hunt and call for suspensions and fines?

If the Colts get some media attention now that the rumor mill isn't tilting in their favor I say they cry me a ****ing river.

Colts fans before Rappaport:

"Suspend Belichick! Remove them from the Super Bowl! Give us draft picks!"

Colts fans after Rappaport:

"Man, this is dumb, who cares. Let's just end the investigation. Just give them a small fine. Please end the investigation. Please"

Bobsyouruncle said:

Yeah, it's the old what's good for the goose is good for the gander principle. If you're going to sling mud over rumors, get ready to have it slung back. You think Pats fans would give flying **** if the Colts didn't start this witch hunt and call for suspensions and fines?

If the Colts get some media attention now that the rumor mill isn't tilting in their favor I say they cry me a ****ing river.

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great, let's just prove pats fans are just as bad as the rest of the baseless mudslingers. Spectacular idea.

/sarcasm

JJDChE said:

great, let's just prove pats fans are just as bad as the rest of the baseless mudslingers. Spectacular idea.

/sarcasm

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Good, I'm glad you came around. It's definitely a brilliant idea.

I wouldn't call speculation about who deflated the one ball in Colts possession as the same type of accusation as 7 days worth of national attention. With people calling Brady and Belichick liars and cheaters.

I wouldn't call it the same as national press conferences that are asking Brady how he can explain to the children how he could cheat!

I dont consider it the same to ruin the reputation of the entire team and owner.

I wouldn't consider it the same because it would never get that far. Nobody will give a **** if the Colts and Ravens conspired. Nobody will call them names, smear their reputations call them whores. Talk about there legacy. They will be laughed at and forgotten about in a day. Give it a wink and a nod, with a boys will be boys chuckle.

It is always better to destroy someone at the top of the hill than roll over someone at the bottom already.

JJDChE said:

great, let's just prove pats fans are just as bad as the rest of the baseless mudslingers. Spectacular idea.

/sarcasm

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I'm not sure where you get the idea that what ESPN is offering is baseless. Belichick offered scientific theory from Carnegie Mellon, and ESPN countered with Bill Nye the Science Guy and proclaimed victory. The stupid is so strong it's imposible to argue with, but not baseless.

This sounds like a Hollywood B movie...krist...

PATS16N0 said:

If that's the case with gauging PSI, doesn't that alone account for the "tick under" on the other balls?
Is a football that measures 12.3 (hypothetically) a football that was above 12.5 PSI prior to the test?

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Yes. I've seen reports ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 a PSI as the price of taking an extra measurement.

That said, it would surely depend on the device used, and perhaps also on the technique used in applying the device. I have no idea how much (in)consistency there is in those factors.

JJDChE said:

great, let's just prove pats fans are just as bad as the rest of the baseless mudslingers. Spectacular idea.

/sarcasm

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Baseless? I hope that's what you meant by sarcasm... Thanks for the fan police act though.

PATS16N0 said:

I would like to know what "one tick" under regulation meant. Since PSI seems to be measured in tenths (?) I assumed we were potentially talking about the other balls being in the neighborhood of 12.3, 12.4, 12.2, etc. If they meant -1 PSI, I assume they would of said that, instead of "a tick under."

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Actually, when that leak came out, it claimed that 4 or 5 balls were, I think in the neighborhood of .8-1 psi down, and the rest were just a tick. Since 1 psi is well within what the environmental conditions could have caused, but I mention it because it's getting said a lot now that every ball except the one Indy had were 'just a tick down' and that isn't -entirely- correct. Of course, they don't seem to have any freaking documentation of anything in this ****storm, so who knows?

JJDChE said:

I find it funny that all these Pats fans that were crying to the heavens about the media treating the team unfairly are now just fine doing the same to the Colts with absolutely no evidence. Actually, it's sad more than funny.

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Actually it's more funny than sad.

Whatever happens, next year will be the real FU tour of the Patriots. This Super Bowl was just a freaking prequel to the firestorm that the Patriots will reign on their opponents. GO PATS!