Which gauge was used? The Non Logo or the Logo?

I wrote about this yesterday in another thread, but it got buried when Kraft's rebuttal was released.

Exponent determined the non logo gauge was most likely used because it was closer to the master gauge and thus probably closer to the gauges the Patriots and Colts used. This makes sense upon first reading, but it is so flawed.

They found that the non logo gauge was 0.07 below the master and the logo gauge was 0.31 higher than the master. So the non logo was 0.24 closer to the master. If we were to slide the master scale down just 0.12, it would fall exactly in the middle. 0.12 psi translates to 2.4 degrees F. So if the master gauge measurement was done in a room just 2.5 F higher than the room that the logo and non logo gauge measurements were taken, that measurement would fall closer to the logo gauge.

In other words, if the Pats and Colts balls were set in a room more than 2.4 F warmer than the pregame officials locker room, the logo gauge would fall more in line with those measurements than the non logo gauge assuming the Colts and Pats used gauges that were perfectly calibrated. Also, since the logo gauge was 0.31 higher, it would have been in line if the prep room was 6.2 F higher. But since Jastremski sets them to 12.6 not the 12.5 that Anderson recalls, you can subtract 2 degrees. So the logo gauge would be perfectly in line if the prep room was just 4.2 F higher. The pregame room where Anderson gauged the balls was 67-71F. If the Pats and Colts locker rooms were 69.5-73.5 F, then the logo gauge would gave been more in line with each team's psi settings. Keep in mind the half time officials locker room was set at 71-74, so is it not unlikely that the Colts and Pats locker rooms where the balls were prepared was also set to 71-74 thus making it more likely that the logo gauge was in fact used.

Further, if Jastremski rubbed the balls down prior to setting them, they would be artificially high at the time (something he may not think about). It would then drop in pressure by the time the ref checked them again, this would favor the logo gauge. As per the report, "Jastremski told us that he set the pressure level to 12.6 psi after each ball was gloved".

I find it odd, no deceptive, that the Exponent and the Wells report would both write about how the preparation of the footballs would be irrelevant. Page 50 footnote 26 and section VII C pages 119&120. They concluded that since the ball preparation was done more than an hour before Anderson measured them, that the balls would be in equilibrium and therefore irrelevant to explain the drop in temperature by half time. While that is true, it is absolutely relevant when analyzing which gauge Walt Anderson used.

Exponent dedicated a lot of effort to determine which gauge was used by comparing them to a master gauge, but that is completely irrelevant. They way to determine which gauge was used would be to replicate the process Jastremski (or the Colt's ball boy for that matter) used to rub down and set the air pressure of the balls in a room of the same temperature. It is suspicious that they chose not to do this obvious method, but the irrelevant method of the master gauge. Perhaps, they did and it did not give them the result they wanted so they explored other methods until they found the one that gave them the answers they were seeking. I suppose this would be consistent analysis from the same company that found second hand smoke does not cause cancer as well as many of their other disturbing findings.

"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH GAUGE WAS USED!" -Ted Wells Associate Lorin something or other.

Well, if we are to believe that Walt Anderson's recollection that the pre-game measurements of the Patriots balls (which he did not write down) were within regulation at about 12.5 psi is accurate, then I would say that we should believe his recollection of which gauge he used (the Logo gauge) is accurate as well.

I know that that is not helpful to the "Wells" investigation because that would put the balls squarely within the ideal gas law range for the conditions, but be that as it may.

The more I think about this the more I think that Anderson knows which gauge he used. If you bring two gauges you most likely have one that you normally use and one for a backup. If that is the case then he'd have paid attention to which one he used and would be fairly certain about his recollection on this. Probably Wells leaned hard on Anderson to get him to admit that it was possible that he used the non-logo gauge. I wonder if Anderson will be a witness in any of the appeals.

Also the bent needle of the logo gauge makes it look well-used, probably the gauge he always uses.

jeffro said:

The more I think about this the more I think that Anderson knows which gauge he used. If you bring two gauges you most likely have one that you normally use and one for a backup. If that is the case then he'd have paid attention to which one he used and would be fairly certain about his recollection on this. Probably Wells leaned hard on Anderson to get him to admit that it was possible that he used the non-logo gauge. I wonder if Anderson will be a witness in any of the appeals.

Click to expand...

Plus one had a long bent needle and the other a short straight needle. If you measured 48 balls with one, you would remember.