Predict the Outcome of the Investigation

Poll for predictions, feel free to elaborate

I don't know what to think. There's been conflicting leaked reports everywhere. All I know is our team won the Super Bowl.

Not sure if I voted with the logic of what should happen, or the logic of what will happen.

No matter what happens, I really hope that there is good media coverage and that the Commish has a lengthy press conference with lots of questions and intelligent answers, not political doublespeak. I feel like as long as their is a record of facts, then I can move on (or nitpick it to death).

Goodell has already made his decision. Pats will receive some punishment greater than the Jets receive for Tampering. The investigation is only window dressing.

I voted for a small fine. What I'm starting to believe DID happen is the one outlier football was further deflated on the Colts sideline--whether by accident through multiple measurements or on purpose--but the league won't want to open a massive can of worms, they'd rather bury this asap.

So they'll say there was no evidence of tampering, rule that the balls were measured to be under inflated and therefore warrant a fine of 25K, nothing more, and let it die. The haters will latch onto the fine as 'cheating', life will go on and the Pats will shove another SB win up the haters asses in a year

How can you fine the Pats for under inflated footballs when the drop in temperature causes it?
Will every club playing in cold weather subsequently get fined?
Insanity!

I voted that the laws of physics acquit us.
I'm naive I know. Just fell off the turnip truck.

Goodell will do what his mission has been since the start...try to tear the Patriots apart by fining and taking building block draft picks...Kensil's "report" will figure prominently in Goodell's public pronouncement.

The feds will then initiate an investigation into NFL offices going back to 2006, spurred on by complaints from tax paying citizens that have already been logged, pre Goodell's "decision" The feds will crawl up Goodell's chocolata cavern like a horde of bespectacled bean counters and begin a forensic audit of NFL offices as well as a comprehensive data compilation of all electronic communications made between Goodell and Kensil at crucial points in their 9 year "career" as judge , jury, executioner of the NFL and its teams>

The stunning and stark revelation of the massive conflict of interest between former high ranking corporate officials of the New York Jets and direct competitors within their own division will be laid bare and evaluated for criminal wrong doing. In time Roger Goodell, Jim Kensil and those other lower ranking conspirators will be drawn up on charges, hauled into federal district court, face those charges, found guilty on all charges and sentenced to stiff terms in federal prison.

At which point I will send each and every one of these scumbags a yearly calendar of US Highways paved with chocolate with a note saying "All The Best, *****".

I think we will get fined. I really doubt the league will go after the colts even if theyre somehow involved because they'll try to bury it and if they exonerate the Pats they'll make themselves look like morons. I assume a small fine but I think Kraft and the Pats will fight it. According to the two most reliable NFL insiders (not headline chasers) Ian Rapaport and Adam Schefter the nfl seems to be having a tough time actually proving the Pats did it.

I think there will be a decision which concludes that there is no definitive proof of guilt or lack of same. If there is even a $5 dollar fine, I think Kraft will go bugf###, as he should. Accepting any sanction without objecting/appealing is tantamount to an admission of guilt. In that case, Brady, Belichick and Kraft look like liars, cheats and frauds for their public denials. This crap about a small fine and moving on is BS.

Show416 said:

I think we will get fined. I really doubt the league will go after the colts even if theyre somehow involved because they'll try to bury it and if they exonerate the Pats they'll make themselves look like morons. I assume a small fine but I think Kraft and the Pats will fight it. According to the two most reliable NFL insiders (not headline chasers) Ian Rapaport and Adam Schefter the nfl seems to be having a tough time actually proving the Pats did it.

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Sucks that it's hard to prove a negative. . . .

They obviously can't find strong evidence or it would be over by now. Atlanta and Cleveland's investigation facts came out quickly. Pats stalled. In a Justice system it would be thrown out. But this is BIG time power play politics going on here. On one side we gave a Commissioner on very shaky ground that needed a power move to right his ship, and the most influential Owner whom has had enough of his Sheriff actions on his team's legacy. Goodell is screwed if he does or doesn't. His decision will be based solely on his future with the league. I think he is gauging internally which way he will garner more support for his survival. That is the way he will decide. This has become not about ball boy's, psi, or absolute pressure. This is a internal power struggle going on. My guess. He finds that he had to do the investigation because it was reported to him. After doing the investigation he cannot find any wrongdoing, but does not feel an apology is in order because He was just doing his job. No fines but no apology.

Goodell can not be having nice thoughts about drunken Irsay who put him in the dangerous position of having pissed off his strongest and most powerful supporter.

After the national media firestorms following BB & Brady's press conferences, the Patriots brand was vilified. But after Kraft's vocal challenge to the NFL speech I would be astounded if Kraft accepted any fine however small. It would be an admission of guilt by the faces of the franchise.

Totally agree. I think he thought he had something on the Pats. He needed a big power play to try and right his ship. What better way than to go up against the NFL's most hated coach. A scab that is still open. He thought Kraft would continue to protect the shield. When the bogus leaks happened It blew up in his face. Now he has a respected owner that went from ally to enemy in a few short moments. Call for a thorough investigation(even though there is nothing to be investigated). Bide for time to let it and Kraft settle down. I agree that he cannot fine Kraft or it will get really messy for an immediate release as Commisioner. So that translates to NO wrongdoing. But if he apologizes it makes him weak and incompetent (which he is). But it is his only choice for some self dignity

Without a smoking gun I can't see how pats accept any punishment. Hope kraft continues to stick up for his team. Hope he learned from 2007 and what the damage to his team image was. I'm hoping for a fair outcome. Maybe naive but still believe in some kind of due process in the NFL

I'll say what I said in the other thread. The NFL will admit they found nothing but will quite intentionally word it in a way to smear NE. They will then point to the at least one under-pressure ball and fine NE $25-50K.

If that happens I want Kraft to refuse to pay and force the league to formally sue him for it. Or if they just offset it from payments made to the team out of TV money or what else, I want Kraft to sue to get it back.

I understand that the league constitution and the covenants to not sue make either of those actions a lost cause, but I want Kraft to do it as a protest/to prove a point.

rlcarr said:

The NFL will admit they found nothing but will quite intentionally word it in a way to smear NE. They will then point to the at least one under-pressure ball and fine NE $25-50K.

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Wait! Point to the ONE ball, you mean the ONE ball that was away in the possession of the Colts and was "tampered" with by them measuring its psi lord knows how many times before crying to mommy, I mean the refs?

The NFL said the findings of the Wells investigation would be made public. Have to believe that Wells will report facts and not innuendo. Kraft has voiced strong displeasure with the entire episode. Don't believe he will accept any minor punishment.

The NFL will try to bury this without implicating any person or organization.

Nothing less than a full exoneration.

Complete with ridiculing the media for not knowing basic high school level science.

An apology to the Patriots.

A press conference with an articulate science person who explains in detail why the patriots balls lost a small amount of pressure and the colts balls lost less or none or whatever (most likely because the colts balls were colder upon initial pressure test). A full video demonstration of a ball being subjected to moisture and losing pressure.

A video and admission that the colts let air out of the patriots balls to make their case more persuasive to the refs.

The colts #1 draft choice this year.

kennyb said:

Nothing less than a full exoneration.

Complete with ridiculing the media for not knowing basic high school level science.

An apology to the Patriots.

A press conference with an articulate science person who explains in detail why the patriots balls lost a small amount of pressure and the colts balls lost less or none or whatever (most likely because the colts balls were colder upon initial pressure test). A full video demonstration of a ball being subjected to moisture and losing pressure.

A video and admission that the colts let air out of the patriots balls to make their case more persuasive to the refs.

The colts #1 draft choice this year.

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I would love for all that to happen. This whole episode is beyond what is right and due process. In a court of law we would get all of that. This is big time money politics going on. They opened a can of worms they regret doing. This is now about 32 owners wanting to protect the shield. A Commissioner's future hanging on a thread (please fire him), and one teams legacy and honor. Wells is hired by the NFL so don't expect complete transparency. He will find what is needed and look the other way on others. Remember he is an attorney. Want's to be hired again by NFL for future cases. This is not about black and white issues anymore. It is about the grey area's that the NFL can present to save face