For the Press, a Conceptual Summary of Deflategate - no math

[turkeyneck]

I'd like to backtrack on this deflate-gate business. Let's start with the rule:

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/5_2013_Ball.pdf

Setting aside a lot of blah, blah, blah, the key bit, from Section 1 of Rule 2, is:

"The ball shall be made up of an inflated (12 1/2 to 13 1/2 pounds) urethane bladder enclosed in a pebble grained, leather case..."

This is where the 12.5-13.5 psi figure comes from.

Now, in Section 2 of that same rule, we have:

"Each team will make 12 primary balls available for testing by the referee two hours and 15 minutes prior to the starting time of the game to meet league requirements."

The "league requirements" are brand, color, weight, shape, size, texture - and the pressure noted above.

Now, back to Section 1 of the same rule:

"The Referee shall be the sole judge as to whether all balls offered for play comply with these specifications."

Now, the key thing is Rule 2 requires that the balls be inflated to 12.5-13.5 psi 2 1/4 hours before the game. It says nothing about them remaining so for the duration of the game. The Rule does not address the effects of weather conditions on the ball in any respect except in this fashion, in Section 2 again:

"In case of rain or a wet, muddy or slippery field, a playable ball shall be used at the request of the offensive team's center."

Nothing is said about inflation during the game. Nothing is said about inflation at all except for that one check 2 1/4 hours before the game.

Now, we know from common childhood experience of trying to dribble a cold basketball outdoors in January, that the temperature affects the inflaton of a ball. Widely published calculations and experiments have amply demonstrated that effect on footballs.

If the NFL contemplates an interpretation, beyond the actual text, of Rule 2 such as:

"the home team shall be responsible for ensuring that no football be affected by natural phenomena during the course of the game"

then they are acting like King Canute commanding the sea not to rise. What they require is not possible.

That the NFL, encountering an underinflated ball during a game, would not firstly consider weather effects, would not secondly consider defect in the ball, but would immediately leap to and widely broadcast the supposition that cheating had occurred is both pig ignorant and wantonly malicious.

 

[Pats_AZ]

Not to mention if a team was responsible to maintain the psi range during the game they would have to deliberately break the rules as they state that they are not to be altered once approved by officials.

 

[turkeyneck]

Not to mention if a team was responsible to maintain the psi range during the game they would have to deliberately break the rules as they state that they are not to be altered once approved by officials.

That comes under Catch 22 of Rule 2.

 

[Dr Pain]

But Aaron Rodgers is the only one to admit he intentionally breaks the PSI rules so the Packers must be penalized.

 

[turkeyneck]

Not to mention if a team was responsible to maintain the psi range during the game they would have to deliberately break the rules as they state that they are not to be altered once approved by officials.

right. The root cause of this is that the NFL has a rule that doesn't address physical reality that balls will lose pressure in cold/wet weather and doesn't say squat about what should be done if a ball is under pressure during a game. The rule needs to be fixed. The NFL should say so and let it go at that.