Deflate-Gate: Here We Go Again

[BradyManny]

Just turned on ESPN to hear Schefter. He says that he doesn't get the sense that Bill had any knowledge or involvement and that unless there is CLEAR evidence linking Him to the situation there may not be any significant punishment.

That's the thing - it seems like the NFL has its mind made up on what caused the PSI drop - and the length of this investigation into a rather simple, trivial thing is due to trying to pin that cause down. Maybe they are coming up short on evidence, and a flogging in the court of public opinion aside, isn't that all that matters?

If Belichick doesn't think the NFL can prove the Patriots did something from first measurement to half-time, then he's not going to fall on his sword today. I'd expect more "we're onto Seattle."

 

[Jackson 2]

The leaks to Mort; the NFL having possibly been alerted--either in November by the Colts or two weeks ago by the Ravens--of deflated footballs and sitting on that news, trapping the Pats; the lack of ANY news or updates, allowing the media to run wild with this.

So my nightmare right now: the NFL is flat-out done with Belichick and this is their way of doing it. They'll announce in the next 20 minutes--or even during BB's press conference--and leave him hanging out to dry.

It's an absurd thought, but that's what happens when you have three days of silence on such a stupid issue and nothing but BS whispers.

ANYTHING is possible with this league and it's bumbling leader. I've said it before and I'll say it again: he's neither morally nor, more importantly, intellectually capable of performing his job. Bluntly, he's a dope with no moral compass.

 

[condon84]

Can anybody bring me up to speed on all of the juicy deets that may have emerged overnight? I'm trying to keep up with this until the final report comes out but I'm trying not to immerse myself in it because it's depressing. Any new twists and turns I need to be aware of?

Belichick may have been hiding Bin Laden all along. He's gonna address that this morning.

 

[Gronkowski123]

Just turned on ESPN to hear Schefter. He says that he doesn't get the sense that Bill had any knowledge or involvement and that unless there is CLEAR evidence linking Him to the situation there may not be any significant punishment.

good if this is true, then belichick should file a lawsuit against the new york papers for trying to destroy his name, im dead serious. it's slander....

 

[Gronkowski123]

Belichick may have been hiding Bin Laden all along. He's gonna address that this morning.

some dude on fox said belichick was responsible for setting up hernandez.
i actually laughed out loud when i heard it.

 

[lurker1965]

So Belichick found a way to get to the balls in an NFL employees care unnoticed. Somebody call Penn and Teller. Wait, are they paid by the league or the home team? If the home team, that Colts regular season game was in Indianapolis where Schefter claims they first noticed would have Colts employees a ball boys. How much would the opposing coach have to pay you to give him an advantage against the Patriots?

 

[Jackson 2]

Belichick may have been hiding Bin Laden all along. He's gonna address that this morning.

No, Belichick actually IS Bin Laden.

 

[shmessy]

Mike Loyko agreed with what I posted last night. I think the discrepancy is Glazer probably asked around but the other reports is about NFL worker bee scout types chatting in the stands and no-one gives a crap.

Glazer is a joke for many years - - a self promoting, MMA steroided up joke. He's in the entertainment business and it is all about him. He spent the past few weeks incessantly tweeting that Schefter and others were stealing his "scoops".

With him, it isn't about the story, it is about Jay Glazer.

So I take anything he puts out with a huge grain of salt - - basically, I look again for confirmation from a trustable source.

The SEVERAL reporters at the senior Bowl in Mobile (the "worker bee types") have reported that 'not a single coach or scout' has said that this is anything approaching serious. Glazers words were more general and, thus, reflect his feelings.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Can anybody bring me up to speed on all of the juicy deets that may have emerged overnight? I'm trying to keep up with this until the final report comes out but I'm trying not to immerse myself in it because it's depressing. Any new twists and turns I need to be aware of?

None

 

[BelichickFan]

Loyko said this last night about Glazer's report compared to his (Loyko's) report :

Mike Loyko @NEPD_Loyko · 11h 11 hours ago
People sending me Glazers report to refute mine. I'm sure Glazer is talking to all his boys Tomlin, Fox, etc. all I was saying is that..

Mike Loyko @NEPD_Loyko · 11h 11 hours ago
Not one scout, personnel guy seemed to give one **** about Deflategate today and many thought the fact it was an issue is laughable.

 

[BradyManny]

Can anybody bring me up to speed on all of the juicy deets that may have emerged overnight? I'm trying to keep up with this until the final report comes out but I'm trying not to immerse myself in it because it's depressing. Any new twists and turns I need to be aware of?

Seriously though - no, from what I can tell, nothing came out. Let's just say, this investigation is not as exciting as The Wire. I'm ready to move onto Seattle.

 

[Patters]

By taking so long, the NFL has turned the main story of the week into whether or not the Pats are cheaters. The story is headlining sites like Huffington Post, and drawing all sorts of attention outside of people who even watch football. It's getting people interested. A Superbowl that's a battle of good vs. evil is far more profitable than one that is a battle of the Seahawks vs. the Pats.

Plus, the Pats already have a large hate base, of people who are jealous of their success, of people who are still obsessed with Spygate, of people who can't stand the storybook life of Brady or the unfriendliness of Belichick. The NFL is feeding the trolls, and oddly that includes us who have collectively made over 5000 posts on this subject in this and other threads (more posts than for the AFC championship game). We love it. We hate it.

The good news is that the Pats are very insular and really don't care what other people think. The Pats are out to win, and in the end a Superbowl trophy, a Superbowl ring, the glory, the endorsements, the fame, the money, the legacy, etc. more than outweigh anything else. The players know this. Win the Superbowl, and no matter what people may say, you still won the championship.

The bad news is, Maybe the Pats really did cheat. Maybe this form of cheating has been going on for awhile. Maybe there will be an asterisk after our victories. Maybe the Pats will get a serious penalty -- loss of draft picks or suspensions or worse. Right now all we can do is hope that the Pats did not break the rules, did not do anything too outrageous, and that Brady is capable of playing with a football that is 12.5-13.5 psi, because that's what he'll have in Superbowl, no doubt.

But, if the Pats broke the rules, I think most of us will settle for a Superbowl win and an asterisk, even if that asterisk doesn't feel so good.

 

[condon84]

some dude on fox said belichick was responsible for setting up hernandez.
i actually laughed out loud when i heard it.

All because Hernandez spilled a drink on BB from what I heard.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Can anybody bring me up to speed on all of the juicy deets that may have emerged overnight? I'm trying to keep up with this until the final report comes out but I'm trying not to immerse myself in it because it's depressing. Any new twists and turns I need to be aware of?

Apparently the societal system has broken down and Marshall Law will be declared as anarchy now reigns over football PSI desrcepancies.

 

[Marko]

So I'm listening to and reading all of the crap that is going on around this mess and there is some speculation that the Ravens told the Colts or the league to check the footballs. Then I thought, ok, the team who seems borderline psychotic in its belief that the Patriots get special treatment and cheat is not so much the Jets as it is the Ravens.
The week prior to the game not only do the Ravens get beaten, but Harbaugh humiliates himself by trying to imply that the Patriots cheated, but only ends up further demonstrating how badly he was out coached. Knowing what happened to Mangini, and realizing the Colts still have the Patriots to play, he calls his old coach and the league and says check the balls. This way Jim escapes the optics of a sore loser going down the same path that made him look bad the prior week, and allows him to stay out of the "rat" role that Mangini earned. Meanwhile there are rumors from his players and the media that the Ravens were suspicious as well, yet Harbaugh comes out with a statement that they saw nothing unusual.
This is also the same Ravens team that had the commissioner so wrapped around their finger that they could basically tell him what punishment to give Ray Rice for the elevator beating, and he just blindly followed. Is it possible that they know he saw the video from the elevator and basically have him over a barrel?

 

[Jackson 2]

By taking so long, the NFL has turned the main story of the week into whether or not the Pats are cheaters. The story is headlining sites like Huffington Post, and drawing all sorts of attention outside of people who even watch football. It's getting people interested. A Superbowl that's a battle of good vs. evil is far more profitable than one that is a battle of the Seahawks vs. the Pats.

Plus, the Pats already have a large hate base, of people who are jealous of their success, of people who are still obsessed with Spygate, of people who can't stand the storybook life of Brady or the unfriendliness of Belichick. The NFL is feeding the trolls, and oddly that includes us who have collectively made over 5000 posts on this subject in this and other threads (more posts than for the AFC championship game). We love it. We hate it.

The good news is that the Pats are very insular and really don't care what other people think. The Pats are out to win, and in the end a Superbowl trophy, a Superbowl ring, the glory, the endorsements, the fame, the money, the legacy, etc. more than outweigh anything else. The players know this. Win the Superbowl, and no matter what people may say, you still won the championship.

The bad news is, Maybe the Pats really did cheat. Maybe this form of cheating has been going on for awhile. Maybe there will be an asterisk after our victories. Maybe the Pats will get a serious penalty -- loss of draft picks or suspensions or worse. Right now all we can do is hope that the Pats did not break the rules, did not do anything too outrageous, and that Brady is capable of playing with a football that is 12.5-13.5 psi, because that's what he'll have in Superbowl, no doubt.

But, if the Pats broke the rules, I think most of us will settle for a Superbowl win and an asterisk, even if that asterisk doesn't feel so good.

Sorry, but I'm not OK with asterisks unless the Steelers and Broncos get them also. No offense, but I find your suggestion offensive.

 

[Double TE]

It's beginning to look like its very possible that Tom and the ballboy worked all the balls in and Tom found one he really like that was under-inflated and told the ballboy that he liked it exactly like that. The ballboy then measured it with a pressure gauge and deflated the other balls to that exact PSI. He brought them to the refs who gave them the "squeeze" test and said they were good to go. The ballboy could have known Tom's preference for a while. If I'm a quarterback and there's never been a problem with the PSI of the balls before what do I care what the actual measurement is? Under this scenario, neither the coach nor the QB know they are submitting "illegal" balls.

Not saying this hypothetical is correct, but it does seem plausible. The problem is, Belichick and the Patriots are already seen as cheaters by most of the country so why not bring them down and make it about the Patriots rather than refs shirking their duties?

This is my theory exactly!!!!!!!!!

 

[letekro]

F the ravens

 

[SunsOutGunsOut]

Man .. I had the over/under at 100 pages the other day ..lol .. I took the under .. so wrong

 

[Marqui]

Adam Schefter on SportsCenter basically saying that unless "direct evidence" is found implicating Belichek, there more than likely won't be any consequences for him, as he apparently knew nothing about nothing. Then the equipment manager was mentioned, the implication being that of a lone wolf operation.