Deflate-Gate: Here We Go Again

[SunsOutGunsOut]

I do hope BB writes a book one day and tells everyone his story about Spygate, Deflategate, his relationship with the Jets, and Goodell, and basically blast all the ****twigs that ever caused these events to spiral out of control.

I would be like the iphone yahoos n wait in line 4 days4 that book

 

[scott99]

At least you guys don't live in NYC. What I have to deal with. It's like I personally committed all the Patriots' crimes. I'm seriously considering heading back to Boston for the Super Bowl (I grew up there). Was considering making the trip to my first Super Bowl, but just don't think I have it in me anymore.

Weird. In my office I have Jets and Giants fans, and most of them are saying "this all about air in footballs ? Gimme a ****in break". Meaning they think Deflategate is a joke. One of my coworkers thinks this is complete ******** and is showing me articles he's finding ripping apart deflategate, and he's a GIANT'S fan !! So basically the only grief I'm getting is seeing the local papers.

 

[Todd Bradley]

I wish ESPN would put this poll up:

Who's a bigger villain?
Bernie Madoff or Bill Belichick

I guarantee the result would comically be Bill.

 

[Patriots1364life]

At least you guys don't live in NYC. What I have to deal with. It's like I personally committed all the Patriots' crimes. I'm seriously considering heading back to Boston for the Super Bowl (I grew up there). Was considering making the trip to my first Super Bowl, but just don't think I have it in me anymore.

Bro i am in nyc so i am taking the heat as well.I cant turn on the sports radio station and hearing fat francesa and joe benigno whose a jest fan.I gotta hear it from giants fans as well.Its torture

 

[skri65]

I have a computer science background. I never thought internet connectivity and increased access to information could really stunt our collective ability to critically think.

I was wrong.

 

[Kdo5]

That's one of the most disappointing aspects. The fact that we should be discussing individual matchups, injuries, etc.

Hell, while no other team's fanbase are going to feel sorry for us, we've waited awhile for this opportunity just the same, and going through this absolutely sucks. I'm not going to lie--the way I feel right now I think I may have rather seen a loss Sunday if it meant avoiding all of this (understanding that it wouldn't have mattered). Going through this sucks ass on a big-time level, especially for a second time.

Sadly this is how I feel. No doubt I'd rather have lost Sunday then had this controversy blow up. I feel as though 14 years of fond memories have been ruined and stomped on in the past day.

 

[robbomango]

I'm not sure if you people in New England have any idea, but this is a HUGE story outside of New England. How it has managed to gain a life of its own like this is crazy.

I live in LA, and no less than 4 different people brought it up: a bank teller, grocery guy, boss, etc. And it's not "hey did you hear about the deflated balls?" but "Can you believe the Patriots cheated to get into the superbowl?"

There is a near universal assumption at this point that (a) the Patriots are guilty of a most heinous crime, and (b) they should not be in the super bowl at all.

Same here, I live in OR, it's a massive witch hunt. People just repeating blurbs they've heard on TV, "Patriots cheated! Patriots cheated! Patriots cheated!", my head hurts. This is probably going to be an ugly hate ridden SB crowd, a sea of green, booing and screaming obscenities, lol.

 

[catent]

It's not as easy as it sounds,
plus rules about the ball boys:

The referee "shall be the sole judge as to whether all balls offered for play comply with these specifications" and the balls "remain under the supervision of the Referee until they are delivered to the ball attendant just prior to the start of the game," according to Rule 2, Section 1.

A person with intimate knowledge of the process told USA TODAY Sports the ball attendant is a uniformed official – generally the same person each week at a given stadium – who comes to the locker room to pick up the balls and takes them to the officials' locker room for testing.

The ball attendant delivers the balls to the ball boys – usually four provided by the home team and two traveling with the visiting team – who make sure their quarterback's preferred balls get into the game, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

At halftime, the balls return to the officials' locker room, the person said. So, if proper protocol is followed, the only opportunity to manipulate the balls is minutes before kickoff or during the game on the sideline, where there's a risk of anyone in the stadium and dozens of TV cameras seeing it.

Asked how long it takes to change and measure the pressure of a football, the person said, "Ten seconds. But if they were all exactly 2 pounds under? It would be almost impossible to get them exactly all the same weight or the same psi.

"That, or you'd have to be really good at knowing exactly where to pull the needle. And then what if you take too much out? How are you going to pump it back up on the field? You can't. You need a ball pump to do it. That's what's even more weird about it. Too many moving parts."


http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...tballs-may-not-as-easy-as-it-sounds/22113343/

Yeah, when I read that I tend to think we're fine.

It would seem nearly impossible to have the ball attendant alter the balls, right? It would seem s/he is a paid member of the NFL. And there's zero chance this was done on the sideline. There's no way you could get all 11 footballs to such a precise, uniform number.

So the only way this happened is if something was done to the footballs during that incredibly small window of time after they've been given the ball attendant, but before the game starts. Do they have the footballs in the locker room at that stage? If so, then it's plausible (but still unlikely given that it would seem that the ball attendant is independent of the team). If they're provided to the ball attendant on the field I can't possibly see how we'll be found culpable.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I have a computer science background. I never thought internet connectivity and increased access to information could really stunt our collective ability to critically think.

I was wrong.

It's the relative anonymity that brings out the worst in people.

If there were a law requiring that people post with their real names and identities (e.g., "John Doe from Worcester, MA"), I think you'd see a vastly different Internet. [Not saying I support this, merely that it would change things.]

 

[NJPatsfan26]

Yeah, when I read that I tend to think we're fine.

It would seem nearly impossible to have the ball attendant alter the balls, right? It would seem s/he is a paid member of the NFL. And there's zero chance this was done on the sideline. There's no way you could get all 11 footballs to such a precise, uniform number.

So the only way this happened is if something was done to the footballs during that incredibly small window of time after they've been given the balls, but before the game starts. Do they have the footballs in the locker room at that stage? If so, then it's plausible (but still unlikely given that it would seem that the ball attendant is independent of the team). If they're provided to the ball attendant on the field I can't possibly see how we'll be found culpable.

one word

GODell

 

[pheenix11]

I don't know why everyone is all over Belichick, if anyone had the balls deflated it was between Brady & the ball boy. The QB has the final say on the condition of the balls.

 

[tombonneau]

I see your point, but it sounds a bit like spy gate where Goodell actually came right out and said that it gave the team "no competitive advantage," yet not one person heard anything like that. They all just heard the guilty parts, which is what my personal concern is this time as well.

This is much less nefarious and much more innocuous. Hell if the league changed the rule that you could tape signals after spygate I bet only a handful of coaches would even bother. You think john fox is that thorough.

For ball psi though, every team would be behind expanding the range so they could all vote for it and all Pats are guilty of is arrogant BB thumbing his nose at league not gaining a big advantage.

 

[blackglass3]

Weird. In my office I have Jets and Giants fans, and most of them are saying "this all about air in footballs ? Gimme a ****in break". Meaning they think Deflategate is a joke. One of my coworkers thinks this is complete ******** and is showing me articles he's finding ripping apart deflategate, and he's a GIANT'S fan !! So basically the only grief I'm getting is seeing the local papers.

I work with a mix of people, being in the military and working side by side with contractors. Everyone here mostly thinks it's crap (at least that's what they say to me) and anyone giving me a hard time is doing it jokingly. Of course, I am sort of helpful in disarming them before they can even get going...one young airman (Steeler fan, but not a jerk about it) asked me today "Hey TSgt L, what are we doing for Sports Day on Friday?" I answered without missing a beat "Ultimate Deflated Football". I was proud of myself after that one.

 

[Patriot Missile]

"Talk to the NFL."

"Talk to the NFL."

"Wilson is one helluva quarterback."

"Talk to the NFL."

"Talk to the NFL."

"I'm proud of our young guys."

"Talk to the NFL."

"Talk to the NFL."

You forgot "it's a league matter"

 

[Joey007]

Sadly this is how I feel. No doubt I'd rather have lost Sunday then had this controversy blow up. I feel as though 14 years of fond memories have been ruined and stomped on in the past day.

Good ****ing God.

We are talking about slightly deflated footballs that have been proven to have NO impact whatsoever on the game, and were switched out by the second half. And no evidence has been shown that we have been doing this for an extended period of time.

And now 14 years of fond memories have been ruined and stomped on. Boo ****ing hoo.

 

[NJPatsfan26]

I don't know why everyone is all over Belichick, if anyone had the balls deflated it was between Brady & the ball boy. The QB has the final say on the condition of the balls.

because its Belichick and because its well Belichick

thats the only reason

 

[Todd Bradley]

I would be like the iphone yahoos n wait in line 4 days4 that book

Nah, you wouldn't have to wait.

Someone would deflate the tires of a transport truck, film the pages and leak it.

Anyway....

At least Sherman and the Seahawks are taking the high road and laughing this off as well.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/201...ff-new-england-patriots-deflategate-no-effect

 

[Fansince77]

Bro i am in nyc so i am taking the heat as well.I cant turn on the sports radio station and hearing fat francesa and joe benigno whose a jest fan.I gotta hear it from giants fans as well.Its torture

You do have the power over what Radio stations and TV stations you watch/hear...its really not that hard unless you enjoy the torture on some level?...Puck the haters!....So glad we don`t have to worry about this kinda stuff in Hockey, no air in the puck.

Wondering whats left for the haters to think of? Lets re-visit..Video tape, players too close to sideline, warming balls during really cold games, illegal formations, jumping on top of linemen to block field goals, underinflated Balls...what did I miss and whats next?

 

[MoreBellhorn]

I wish ESPN would put this poll up:

Who's a bigger villain?
Bernie Madoff or Bill Belichick

I guarantee the result would comically be Bill.

They did a similar poll after the Donald Sterling fiasco. Something along the lines of, "Who's the most hated sports figure in the country." Aaron Hernandez was in the poll and he didn't get the most votes. Sterling did. There's something seriously wrong with people.

 

[libra957]

Indy have been complaining since that November meeting so the NFL wants to find out since when Brady has been using under inflated balls,can this be the secret to the Patriots winning so much since 2007? because owners are clearly pissed.