NFL and Steelers respond to Patriots fans: "Roethlisberger didn't have a cell phone on the sideline"

Froob · Oct 2, 2015

I bet Steelers could even get away with firing Andrew Beckett because he had aids.

Bruins29 · Oct 2, 2015

robbomango · Oct 2, 2015

It looked nothing like a loose arm band...

A Defiant Goose · Oct 2, 2015

NashuaPats said:
I don't know that it's a phone, but it sure does not look like a wrist band. The NFL's explanation came very quickly. It reminds me of the NFL's explanation of the crowd noise skipping in Indy. They had an explanation within hours of the story going viral even though it did not match up with video/audio. They were all too eager to put the story to rest with the first possible explanation offered up and obviously did not vet it. Far different story from how they have treated accusations against the Pats.

Exactly. It very well could be nothing, and we could put our pitchforks and torches away until next time. But it sure seems like someone woke up this morning and said "Hey Pittsburgh, wtf?" "It's an armband, not a phone," "Oh ok then." And no second thoughts were made. Almost like it should have been with DeflateGate. "Hey these balls were underinflated" "Yea, but it's probably cause of the cold weather. Move along."

memento · Oct 2, 2015

About this whole "looking guilty business" -- it's just confirmation bias. It's a red herring like Brady "destroying" his cell phone. If you already believe he's guilty it's further evidence to make you feel right, but it's not really evidence in the first place.

strngplyr · Oct 2, 2015

NashuaPats said:
I don't know that it's a phone, but it sure does not look like a wrist band. The NFL's explanation came very quickly. It reminds me of the NFL's explanation of the crowd noise skipping in Indy. They had an explanation within hours of the story going viral even though it did not match up with video/audio. They were all too eager to put the story to rest with the first possible explanation offered up and obviously did not vet it. Far different story from how they have treated accusations against the Pats.

This. It's not a phone but i don't believe it's a play sheet, either. Made this from one of the higher res clips:

The "buttons" (glare) are hidden under his thumb and then when he moves his thumb they begin sliding along the edge and morphing into one button, they're not symetrical and the "phone" is bent in some shots.

robbomango · Oct 2, 2015

shmessy · Oct 2, 2015

BelichickFan said:
Sure gets it in his pocket quick and looks very guilty.

Holy crap - - after putting it back, his head is nervously swivelling around like he's Barney Fife!!!!

Funny, when I saw this live last night, I was sort of tired and said to my son "Hah, they caught that meathead on national TV being bored on the sidelines and playing on his cellphone".

I was so tired I didn't even consider how that it was illegal!

That being said, I cannot tell from these shots whether it is a cellphone or not.

I expect a full and complete investigation, though

Froob · Oct 2, 2015

It's like the yellow or black and blue dress all over again.

Clonamery · Oct 2, 2015

memento said:
About this whole "looking guilty business" -- it's just confirmation bias. It's a red herring like Brady "destroying" his cell phone. If you already believe he's guilty it's further evidence to make you feel right, but it's not really evidence in the first place.

I thought it looked like someone who knew the play and was nervous whether it would work. Looks at the clock, big screen, etc.

I'd rather him be cheating but either way if the Steelers suffer some scrutiny, oh well...

NashuaPats · Oct 2, 2015

A Defiant Goose said:
Exactly. It very well could be nothing, and we could put our pitchforks and torches away until next time. But it sure seems like someone woke up this morning and said "Hey Pittsburgh, wtf?" "It's an armband, not a phone," "Oh ok then." And no second thoughts were made. Almost like it should have been with DeflateGate. "Hey these balls were underinflated" "Yea, but it's probably cause of the cold weather. Move along."

Yup, with deflategate they were right to be initially concerned the night of the game, but by Monday morning people were calculating the ideal gas law. They should have said, "Oh, the IGL explains 1.1? Well, the balls were only down an average of 1.0 per one of the gauges. No issue here." As we all know that did not happen. With this case, they should have asked to see Ben's wrist band and checked it against the video. I doubt they had time to do that. They took Pittsburgh's word and killed the story.

Clonamery · Oct 2, 2015

strngplyr said:
This. It's not a phone but i don't believe it's a play sheet, either. Made this from one of the higher res clips:

The "buttons" (glare) are hidden under his thumb and then when he moves his thumb they begin sliding along the edge and morphing into one button, they're not symetrical and the "phone" is bent in some shots.

He's using his fingers to find the plays then mouthing the words. The fact that he's had a dozen concussions should factor into it.

Fixit · Oct 2, 2015

robbomango said:

I have that same armband. I keep a stick of gum in the key slot.

memento · Oct 2, 2015

Clonamery said:
I thought it looked like someone who knew the play and was nervous whether it would work. Looks at the clock, big screen, etc.

I'd rather him be cheating but either way if the Steelers suffer some scrutiny, oh well...

I saw the threads and I was ready to go with it, but I'm not convinced. Even if the videos were convincing I'd expect it to go over like Buffalo's trainhorn. Now it seems closer to the video of the Colts' ballboy fighting for the dropped ball on the sideline.

Galeb · Oct 2, 2015

It sure looks like it's flexing in newest pic.

chasa · Oct 2, 2015

Clonamery said:
It's glare off the plastic cover.

unless someone was pointing a flashlight specifically at that tiny space, then im calling BS, if it was a glare it would have moved along the phone as he changed it's angle.

shmessy · Oct 2, 2015

Clonamery said:
He's using his fingers to find the plays then mouthing the words. The fact that he's had a dozen concussions should factor into it.

He evidently called those two brilliant 4th downs last night.

Froob · Oct 2, 2015

chasa said:
unless someone was pointing a flashlight specifically at that tiny space, then im calling BS, if it was a glare it would have moved along the phone as he changed it's angle.

Is there an ideal glare law that backs that up?

WinstonSmith · Oct 2, 2015

It looks exactly like the latest high-tech steroid masking agent dispenser, which looks similar to an armband/cellphone.

letekro · Oct 2, 2015

I'm sure even Ben's two brain cells could convene and determine it would be a bad idea to look at his cellphone on the sideline in front of 20 million people.

NFL and Steelers respond to Patriots fans: "Roethlisberger didn't have a cell phone on the sideline"

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