Deflate-Gate: Here We Go Again

[Kdo5]

I hope this ends tomorrow.I want the pats to fight this if they get a stiff penalty

Well they've failed there. Either they are putting up a fight behind the scenes or Kraft is letting us go down in flames.

 

[upstater1]

One thing about Kraft here. Spygate backfird spectacularly in his face, in a way he never imagined. He's been living Spygate hell for 7 years. He may only have another 10 years on this earth. Hopefully, he learned a lesson about what happens to people who don't stand up for themselves.

 

[upstater1]

More reading between the lines, always dangerous - but one read on it: if the NFL was tipped off in November, didn't tell the Patriots anything and then measured the balls at half-time in the AFCCG - that's not an investigation, that's an ambush. Sheriff Goodell will have his guns blazing. If this is the case, this also flies in the face of the "this is bad for the NFL, the NFL doesn't want this to be an issue" stuff (yes, @Rob0729 ) I'm looking at you again. They could've settled this in November, or told the Pats to knock it off at the time.

That's a lot of conjecture right there, but a million pages in, figured what difference does it make.

If this were true, I would think they would have caught a ballboy or employee redhanded.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

More reading between the lines, always dangerous - but one read on it: if the NFL was tipped off in November, didn't tell the Patriots anything and then measured the balls at half-time in the AFCCG - that's not an investigation, that's an ambush. Sheriff Goodell will have his guns blazing. If this is the case, this also flies in the face of the "this is bad for the NFL, the NFL doesn't want this to be an issue" stuff (yes, @Rob0729 ) I'm looking at you again. They could've settled this in November, or told the Pats to knock it off at the time.

That's a lot of conjecture right there, but a million pages in, figured what difference does it make.

That's the thing, though. . . . Why would you want this ****storm during the run up to the Super Bowl?

Of course, as someone else pointed out, if it's true that this has been in the works since November, then the NFL can eat s*** about respecting integrity.

 

[Todd Bradley]

No one will buy option 2, because everyone in America hates the New England Patriots. Believe it or not, most people in America think Goodell let the New England Patriots off lightly for Spygate. Therefore, this may be an opportunity for Goodell to flex his moral **** before America by making an example out of the New England Patriots, the HC of the NEP in particular.

EDIT: A moral ****, I might add, that has been questioned since his lame response to the scandals back in September. Roger has to prove his ethical manhood, fast.

No one bought that the NFL and Goodell didn't see the Ray Rice tape, but somehow we're all getting along just fine. You put together a new rule and a "No More" campaign and suddenly it's stuff of the past.

The Patriots being in the middle of another controversy hurts the NFL more than Goodell being able to meat down punishment against a prior offender. You say there was no wrong, rearrange a rule when it comes to the handling of game balls and wooosh, like magic, it's gone.

 

[deters]

More reading between the lines, always dangerous - but one read on it: if the NFL was tipped off in November, didn't tell the Patriots anything and then measured the balls at half-time in the AFCCG - that's not an investigation, that's an ambush. Sheriff Goodell will have his guns blazing. If this is the case, this also flies in the face of the "this is bad for the NFL, the NFL doesn't want this to be an issue" stuff (yes, @Rob0729 ) I'm looking at you again. They could've settled this in November, or told the Pats to knock it off at the time.

That's a lot of conjecture right there, but a million pages in, figured what difference does it make.

Good point. If the NFL knew they were doing this in November, but waited until the AFCCG to call them out on it, that is worse for the league than the Pats. That story would be huge and most certainly cost the league money as well as **** for Brains getting fired.

 

[Wrath Mania]

More reading between the lines, always dangerous - but one read on it: if the NFL was tipped off in November, didn't tell the Patriots anything and then measured the balls at half-time in the AFCCG - that's not an investigation, that's an ambush. Sheriff Goodell will have his guns blazing. If this is the case, this also flies in the face of the "this is bad for the NFL, the NFL doesn't want this to be an issue" stuff (yes, @Rob0729 ) I'm looking at you again. They could've settled this in November, or told the Pats to knock it off at the time.

That's a lot of conjecture right there, but a million pages in, figured what difference does it make.

I honestly can't think of anything that would make more people APPLAUD the league and Roger Goodell than the complete annihilation of Bill Belichick.

"Yeah, he bungled a lot, he even pretended not to know Ray Rice beat up his wife... but man, he finally nailed Belichick. I gotta give him that."

 

[Patriots1364life]

More reading between the lines, always dangerous - but one read on it: if the NFL was tipped off in November, didn't tell the Patriots anything and then measured the balls at half-time in the AFCCG - that's not an investigation, that's an ambush. Sheriff Goodell will have his guns blazing. If this is the case, this also flies in the face of the "this is bad for the NFL, the NFL doesn't want this to be an issue" stuff (yes, @Rob0729 ) I'm looking at you again. They could've settled this in November, or told the Pats to knock it off at the time.

That's a lot of conjecture right there, but a million pages in, figured what difference does it make.

Well if they where warned then that speaks volume of bill's arrogance

 

[Gronk]

Well that is what is still in contention: were they under-inflated and refs didn't care, or were they willfully deflated?

Part of the delay in this could be that if the refs are at fault for bad inspection, Goodell and the league really need to plan their own damage control. For them it's easy to just hang BB and the Pats.

Well that's why the league needs to say something official soon. I can't even keep track of what's total speculation, what's a semi-"official" leak (Florio? Mort?), and what if anything has actually been determined via this investigation.

Sources may have said the balls were in the legal range at inspection, which implies the balls were tampered with. What that doesn't tell is if the balls passed an "official", but somewhat non-chalant inspection that has been alluded to by some, including Aaron Rodgers. Or if they passed an inspection where they were meticulously measured using a pressure gauge with psi measurements that are recorded in some standard NFL procedure. My guess is they pretty much let the balls through unless there's some ridiculous outlier and this has always been the case, and always been done, and the Colts management found a taker in Ballghazi Bob Kravitz to run with their pathetic "scandal."

Reposted from Deadspin:
Now is the time for screaming, and settling old scores, and reveling in a scandal that's goofy but genuinely revealing of the tenuous web of gentlemen's agreements that allows the NFL to even function. The fractally expanding rulebook is impossible to follow to the letter, so players and teams and officials have carved out an unwritten shadow rulebook, with its own, more realistic bounds of acceptability. Linemen are allowed to get away with a modicum of holding. The Seahawks secondary can commit pass interference on every single play. Tom Brady can **** with his footballs. The NFL's existence is predicated on winks and nods, and it's hilarious (if worrying) that the whole thing can collapse thanks to one bitter team appealing the letter of the law.

 

[tombonneau]

One thing about Kraft here. Spygate backfird spectacularly in his face, in a way he never imagined. He's been living Spygate hell for 7 years. He may only have another 10 years on this earth. Hopefully, he learned a lesson about what happens to people who don't stand up for themselves.

Has he really been living in hell? I don't have numbers in front of me, but I'd imagine NE Patriots value in 2007 to 2015 stacks up pretty well with the value of every other NFL team. Probably a lot more so.

 

[fnordcircle]

If the league handed down a heavy punishment without clear evidence what legal recourse would the Patriots have (in civil court or whatever) to challenge the punishment?

 

[BradyManny]

That's the thing, though. . . . Why would you want this ****storm during the run up to the Super Bowl?

Of course, as someone else pointed out, if it's true that this has been in the works since November, then the NFL can eat s*** about respecting integrity.

As I've been saying all week - I don't think this media ****storm is bad for the NFL. Show me one sentence of bad press the NFL has gotten. It's all Brady, Belichick, Kraft, Pats. As far as Goodell is concerned, it gives him a chance to flex his muscles on the biggest stage, undo the harm done by not punishing the Ravens properly - and create a huge diversion from what would've otherwise been the biggest non-football angle surrounding the Super Bowl: domestic violence. This is Goodell's way to set the media day agenda for all non-sports reporters and pump himself up as judge, jury, executioner again.

 

[Wrath Mania]

No one bought that the NFL and Goodell didn't see the Ray Rice tape, but somehow we're all getting along just fine. You put together a new rule and a "No More" campaign and suddenly it's stuff of the past.

The Patriots being in the middle of another controversy hurts the NFL more than Goodell being able to meat down punishment against a prior offender. You say there was no wrong, rearrange a rule when it comes to the handling of game balls and wooosh, like magic, it's gone.

You are being very naive with how much the average sports fan hates the Patriots. In the average fan's mind, the hatred of the Patriots goes well beyond concern for domestic violence. This hatred is rationalized with "they cheat" and "Belichick is evil." Punishing BB severely would be a tremendous PR move by Roger Goodell. It doesn't hurt that he and BB despise one another.

Again, again... the question is whether Kraft is letting BB twist in the wind this time.

 

[festy1986]

"While you're naked and jacking it in San Diego, don't ask me for help"

That's what Mr kraft should say to Roger Goodell if he doesn't make this story die tonight.

 

[tombonneau]

Well that's why the league needs to say something official soon. I can't even keep track of what's total speculation, what's a semi-"official" leak (Florio? Mort?), and what if anything has actually been determined via this investigation.

Sources may have said the balls were in the legal range at inspection, which implies the balls were tampered with. What that doesn't tell is if the balls passed an "official", but somewhat non-chalant inspection that has been alluded to by some, including Aaron Rodgers. Or if they passed an inspection where they were meticulously measured using a pressure gauge with psi measurements that are recorded in some standard NFL procedure. My guess is they pretty much let the balls through unless there's some ridiculous outlier and this has always been the case, and always been done, and the Colts management found a taker in Ballghazi Bob Kravitz.

Reposted from Deadspin:
Now is the time for screaming, and settling old scores, and reveling in a scandal that's goofy but genuinely revealing of the tenuous web of gentlemen's agreements that allows the NFL to even function. The fractally expanding rulebook is impossible to follow to the letter, so players and teams and officials have carved out an unwritten shadow rulebook, with its own, more realistic bounds of acceptability. Linemen are allowed to get away with a modicum of holding. The Seahawks secondary can commit pass interference on every single play. Tom Brady can **** with his footballs. The NFL's existence is predicated on winks and nods, and it's hilarious (if worrying) that the whole thing can collapse thanks to one bitter team appealing the letter of the law.

Here's the thing. If they did pass a nonchalant inspection BUT the refs were tipped off by Colts as one report claims and were going to measure them at halftime, that makes no sense. You'd measure on the spot and have them inflate them.

So if that really is the case, and they were tipped off before hand, that means they likely would measured them for proper psi and the Pats subsequently deflated them. But again, if they properly measured, you'd think that would have come out by now.

 

[Dr Pain]

"While you're naked and jacking it in San Diego, don't ask me for help"

That's what Mr kraft should say to Roger Goodell if he doesn't make this story die tonight.

You, Kyle and Stan

 

[karguy85]

Regardless of whether the patriots committed any wrongdoing, the way the league has handled this is reprehensible. Why alienate the fans of the second most valuable franchise?

 

[Wheelman]

I don't know if this has been answered but I have a question.

After the refs re-inflated the balls to proper specification during half time, did they check the balls again after the game ended?

 

[flasox27]

More reading between the lines, always dangerous - but one read on it: if the NFL was tipped off in November, didn't tell the Patriots anything and then measured the balls at half-time in the AFCCG - that's not an investigation, that's an ambush. Sheriff Goodell will have his guns blazing. If this is the case, this also flies in the face of the "this is bad for the NFL, the NFL doesn't want this to be an issue" stuff (yes, @Rob0729 ) I'm looking at you again. They could've settled this in November, or told the Pats to knock it off at the time.

That's a lot of conjecture right there, but a million pages in, figured what difference does it make.

This scenario would make the Ref's look bad since they approved the Pats balls at the start of the game supposedly after measuring them. For the balls to be under inflated at half time either they were originally measured wrong, switched or tampered with, or deflated by the weather.

 

[tombonneau]

Has he really been living in hell? I don't have numbers in front of me, but I'd imagine NE Patriots value in 2007 to 2015 stacks up pretty well with the value of every other NFL team. Probably a lot more so.

Answering my own question:

http://www.statista.com/statistics/194482/franchise-value-of-the-new-england-patriots-since-2006/

Pats went from $1.2B in 2007 to $2.6B in 2014. Kraft is just fine with Spygate.