MagicMarker
Third String But Playing on Special Teams
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2004
- Messages
- 523
- Reaction score
- 619
Let's play a game! Who (next by name, but general area) are the leakers in this deflate gate mess?
Ready?
1. Who told Chris Mortenson about the balls being 2 psi low?
It was almost certainly someone in the league office. Mort said it was a league source and the letter from the league the Patriots got repeated the same numbers. I don't have a name, but it would be in the Kensil/Vincent camp who were at Foxboro and just KNOW it happened.
2. Who told Ian Rappaport the balls were only a few ticks under on the Saturday before the Super Bowl?
Again, it had to be the league office. The Patriots didn't learn this information until March. It gives the first sign that someone in the league office thought something fishy was going on. The leads me to believe there is some disagreement in the league office about this and there might have been some interesting emails going around.
3. Who leaked to ESPN's Kelly Naqi about the kicking balls and the balls going into the bathroom?
Once again, it had to be someone in the league office. Possibly in the group that leaked item #1. The fact that
4. Who immediately leaked to Adam Schefter the rest of the story about the kicking balls and MacNally only going into the bathroom for 100 seconds? Not sure about this one. Could be the same source as #2, or it could be the Patriots. The rebuttal came out so fast, it's clear someone was upset about the story and might have reached out to Schefter, rather than him digging it out.
5. Who leaked to Adam Schefter that Brady was very convincing in the appeal? Speculation a couple of days later was that someone in Brady's camp (Yee or Kessler maybe) might have leaked that info. Schefter is a better reporter than that to write that if it was obviously in someone's cap. Might be someone in the league office who has tried to correct wrong information.
6. Who followed up Schefter by saying Brady still wasn't forthcoming? Again, I think we're in the group of league officials that are convinced Brady is guilty, and who leaked for Mort and Kelly. As far as not being forthcoming, they believe any less than a confession by Brady means he's not being forthcoming.
7. Why have there been no leaks about what Roger Goodell is thinking? Probably because nobody knows except Roger and maybe he doesn't even know. He really wants this to go away -- if Brady would accept two games or one game, that would be perfect for him. Now that the Brady camp is saying "no way", he doesn't know what to do.
8. Other non-leaks - notice that nobody on the record or off the record is defending the Wells Report anymore? Even Wells didn't call another press conference to defend it. Roger himself has left himself an opening where he can accept it or disavow it. Still, I'm surprised nobody has leaked either way what the league office feels about the Wells report.
Ready?
1. Who told Chris Mortenson about the balls being 2 psi low?
It was almost certainly someone in the league office. Mort said it was a league source and the letter from the league the Patriots got repeated the same numbers. I don't have a name, but it would be in the Kensil/Vincent camp who were at Foxboro and just KNOW it happened.
2. Who told Ian Rappaport the balls were only a few ticks under on the Saturday before the Super Bowl?
Again, it had to be the league office. The Patriots didn't learn this information until March. It gives the first sign that someone in the league office thought something fishy was going on. The leads me to believe there is some disagreement in the league office about this and there might have been some interesting emails going around.
3. Who leaked to ESPN's Kelly Naqi about the kicking balls and the balls going into the bathroom?
Once again, it had to be someone in the league office. Possibly in the group that leaked item #1. The fact that
4. Who immediately leaked to Adam Schefter the rest of the story about the kicking balls and MacNally only going into the bathroom for 100 seconds? Not sure about this one. Could be the same source as #2, or it could be the Patriots. The rebuttal came out so fast, it's clear someone was upset about the story and might have reached out to Schefter, rather than him digging it out.
5. Who leaked to Adam Schefter that Brady was very convincing in the appeal? Speculation a couple of days later was that someone in Brady's camp (Yee or Kessler maybe) might have leaked that info. Schefter is a better reporter than that to write that if it was obviously in someone's cap. Might be someone in the league office who has tried to correct wrong information.
6. Who followed up Schefter by saying Brady still wasn't forthcoming? Again, I think we're in the group of league officials that are convinced Brady is guilty, and who leaked for Mort and Kelly. As far as not being forthcoming, they believe any less than a confession by Brady means he's not being forthcoming.
7. Why have there been no leaks about what Roger Goodell is thinking? Probably because nobody knows except Roger and maybe he doesn't even know. He really wants this to go away -- if Brady would accept two games or one game, that would be perfect for him. Now that the Brady camp is saying "no way", he doesn't know what to do.
8. Other non-leaks - notice that nobody on the record or off the record is defending the Wells Report anymore? Even Wells didn't call another press conference to defend it. Roger himself has left himself an opening where he can accept it or disavow it. Still, I'm surprised nobody has leaked either way what the league office feels about the Wells report.
