I'll have to admit I'm pretty conflicted right now, because the indications seem to point to some level of "tacit cheating" that has been allowed to perpetuate within the Patriot's organization.
Does this behavior have a significant impact on the outcomes of these games? Probably not, which makes it all the more frustrating for those of us who identify with our teams....and in doing so, expect the same standards of honor/ethics/professionalism that we live by in our every-day lives.
Nevertheless, some additional perspective to consider:
1) Does anyone wonder why the kicking balls are provided by the NFL itself, kept in the absolute control of the refs over the total duration of the game, and utilized by both teams....whereas the game balls are allowed to be "groomed" over the course of months by the individual QBs/Teams, with little to no rules pertaining to such grooming, other than the psi window (12.5 - 13.5), which must be met prior to the game?? And don't we now suspect that those pre-game "inspections" are not rigorously/routinely/uniformly carried out across the League? Wouldn't it be relatively easy for the game balls to be in the control of the same NFL employee who currently has custody of those kicking balls? How big is a bag of 12 footballs? How big is a bag of 6 footballs? Doesn't this constitute a concession by the NFL that they are putting an emphasis on the entertainment value of the game by allowing its QBs to optimize their ability on offense? Therefore, unless the NFL can demonstrate a consistent and rigorous attention to detail on this issue, I don't see how they can remove themselves from the overall culpability on this matter. This doesn't absolve the Patriots, however.
2) We already have significant evidence that current QBs (both Mannings, Rogers) have been allowed to influence the NFL's stance on the subject of footballs, and their desired characteristics, which goes to the lack of consistency by the NFL. The Vikings/Panthers example can also be cited. If the NFL can't demonstrate consistency in their leadership posture, it makes any disciplinary action (that they may impose) suspect.
3) I think that the NFL should conduct a survey....to include current and past referees, current and past QBs/coaches in the league, and the NFL itself...to determine the acceptable standard/characteristics for its game balls, a standard that addresses both grooming practices and pressure windows. With regard to the pressure window, maybe a range of 11 - 14 psi should be embraced, thereby allowing each QB/Team the latitude to tailor its balls to correspond with the expected environmental conditions. In fact, it could be said that the outdoor teams...especially those outdoor teams that experience a broad range of weather conditions over the course of the playing season, are at a distinct disadvantage to those teams in more "weather-friendly" geographic regions.
Brandon Browner ✔ @bbrowner27
