2/18/2015: Schefter Blows Up ESPN's Earlier Story

[hwc]

How does this solve deflategate?

An NFL official was stealing approved balls DURING THE GAME causing other NFL officials to substite other balls into the game rotation. Remember, it was pouring rain, so they needed a full complement of balls when a dry one was needed for just about every snap.

 

[patfanken]

Nothing at all on NFL.com. Any of you who have the NFLN, have they said anything at all on their evening shows?. I've applauded them for not jumping on the OTL story, but now I think its time they step up and do some commentary, not only about the story, but the shoddy job done by their competitors at ESPN.

 

[NJPatsfan26]

from Reddit

pastamagician 93 points 2 hours ago*

OK this explains everything. The Patriots underinflated the balls before the game, and the officials only gave it a squeeze test instead of using a pressure gauge so they didn't notice. The Patriots then had a ball boy deliberately deflate 11 of their 12 game balls in the bathroom outside the officials' locker to give Tom Brady an even greater advantage at passing the ball and so that they would never fumble. Then one league official stole a kicking ball to sell, and he gave another unauthorized kicking ball to McNally. McNally knew that the new kicking ball was unauthorized, but he figured it would give the Colts a disadvantage, so he tried to pass it off as genuine to the officials, who noticed it was fake, which made the officials suspicious that the Patriots were doctoring their own balls. In the meantime, Brady threw an interception to D'Qwell Jackson, who noticed that the game ball was underinflated because of a combination of the ball boy's efforts and the cold weather. D'Qwell Jackson handed it off to an equipment manager, who gave it to Grigson, who had conspired with Harbaugh and Kensil to run a sting operation to catch the Patriots in deflating the balls. But in order to make sure the Patriots got in trouble, before handing the intercepted ball over to Kensil, Grigson further deflated the intercepted ball. And also the Colts overinflated their balls above 13.5 PSI before the game so that they would fall within the correct pressure range when the balls were measured at half time as part of the conspiracy sting, which the officials again did not notice because of the squeeze test's inaccuracy. Kensil assembled the Patriots' balls and individually measured and inflated them two times: once in the second quarter where most balls were between a few ticks and 1 PSI under 12.5 PSI, and this resulted in a Colts' ball being used by the Patriots' offense while the Patriots' balls were unavailable, and once again during half time in the officials' locker room where balls were 2 PSI under 12.5 PSI, which resulted in a delay at the beginning of the third quarter.

nice run down

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Kelly Naqi needs to get her butt in front of the camera and say "my report was wrong and Mr. McNally did nothing wrong. I am sorry."

Then she gets canned.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

How does this solve deflategate?

Makes it irrelevant.

Ball underinflated? Okay was it the unapproved one the league official introduced.

Underinflated from what? Numbers weren't written down, so I guess we'll just take the word of corrupt officials stealing balls that they totally followed all the protocols for proper inflation. You know, when they weren't stealing and trying to cover up they were straight as an arrow.

 

[ausbacker]

How can there be "concrete proof" absolving someone of something that never happened? Like Kraft said, I think that absent concrete proof something DID happen implicating the Patriots, the league needs to slap its own wrist and issue a formal apology. Preferably, this apology will be formalized in a photo op of R. Stokoe Goodell and Jim Irsay on their hands and knees literally kissing the bare asses of Kraft, Belichick and Brady.

The Wells Report.

 

[Kdo5]

Nothing at all on NFL.com. Any of you who have the NFLN, have they said anything at all on their evening shows?. I've applauded them for not jumping on the OTL story, but now I think its time they step up and do some commentary, not only about the story, but the shoddy job done by their competitors at ESPN.

To be fair NFL.com wasn't doing a ton of reporting on Deflate-gate at its height.

 

[Froob]

This is the biggest **** up since Peter Griffin chose the mystery box over the boat.

 

[Tunescribe]

The Wells Report.

The Wells Report easily could say the investigation was inconclusive. In which case all the haters and mediot speculators could feel justified.

 

[Froob]

The Wells Report.

Does Ted Wells even exist? Find out on next week's leak! Duh duh duh!

 

[Deus Irae]

Does Ted Wells even exist? Find out on next week's leak! Duh duh duh!

Yes, he's the guy who decided, for the entire United States, that locker room banter is evil.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

An NFL official was stealing approved balls DURING THE GAME causing other NFL officials to substite other balls into the game rotation. Remember, it was pouring rain, so they needed a full complement of balls when a dry one was needed for just about every snap.

didn't they have 12 backup balls for bad weather games?

 

[ausbacker]

The Wells Report easily could say the investigation was inconclusive. In which case all the haters and mediot speculators could feel justified.

It could but outside of an independent external investigation, it's all we will have.

 

[patfanken]

The Wells Report easily could say the investigation was inconclusive. In which case all the haters and mediot speculators could feel justified.

And that's my biggest fear. However I am heartened by today's events. The tide seems to be turning bit, and while I'm not ready to claim total victory, I see a light in the distance. \

llt will be interesting to see how this story is reported over the next few days. We know one thing. Jim McNally is breathing easier to day.

 

[Dr Pain]

So I am a reff who will steal a $100 ball during the AFC championship game which was supposed to go to charity but I can be trusted not to take a $100k bribe to fix a game? NFL has big problems and this should be the story now. (I know I am dreaming)

 

[Froob]

Yes, he's the guy who decided, for the entire United States, that locker room banter is evil.

My sources familiar with the league office's train of thought think it's possible that Ted Wells is a 36 year old fry cook in Nevada. Until somebody proves otherwise that's who he is.

 

[Tunescribe]

So I am a reff who will steal a $100 ball during the AFC championship game which was supposed to go to charity but I can be trusted not to take a $100k bribe to fix a game? NFL has big problems and this should be the story now. (I know I am dreaming)

I believe the ball handlers/NFL employees referred to in this case were not actual game referees.

 

[JMC00]

To be fair NFL.com wasn't doing a ton of reporting on Deflate-gate at its height.

The only really thing from NFL.com since this thing started has been Rapoport's report that only 1 ball was 2 PSI under the rest were just a few ticks under.

 

[Jlaff]

So I am a reff who will steal a $100 ball during the AFC championship game which was supposed to go to charity but I can be trusted not to take a $100k bribe to fix a game? NFL has big problems and this should be the story now. (I know I am dreaming)

That's what I said! Why isn't this being picked up as the biggest issue to come out of this?

 

[Tunescribe]

My sources familiar with the league office's train of thought think it's possible that Ted Wells is a 36 year old fry cook in Nevada. Until somebody proves otherwise that's who he is.

Aha!