There'd be no scandals if others knew the rules

[JoeSixPat]

Bear with me a moment and feel free to contribute to the theme

It occured to me there's a common element with pretty much every Patriots scandal.

Others don't know the rules. The other team's coaches don't know the rules... the players on other teams don't know the rules, the officials often don't know their own rules, and Blandino and Goodell certainly don't know their own rules - of course they can interpret them however they please according to their court filing.

Add on if anything occurs to anyone

1.) Spygate: New rule, that Belichick noted a gaping loophole in - no sideline taping for the purposes of that game day. Belichick wasn't going to use it on that game day. Goodell was not amused to be shown to have left a gaping loophole. He and most ignorant fans, not knowing that signal taping was and remains legal, were outraged. Numerous coaches and others said much ado about nothing - but an urban myth is born because the majority of fans delude themselves that signal filming is cheating.

2.) FrameGate: Aside from the fact that this was a vindictive hatchet job this "scandal" had its roots in Brady telling the officials what the rule was - NOT 16.0 PSI. Then Brady had the temerity to tell Harbaugh to learn the rules. In both cases neither the coach or officials knew the rule - and indeed the officials didn't even record the PSI (and despite their "best recollection" that no deflation occurred, Goodell arbitrarily decided they were remembering

3.) JetsHumiliationGate: Some how the fact that the Jets head of security didn't know the rules and thus attempted to blow the whistle on Patriots sideline personnel, this will add to the urban myth of the Patriots as "cheaters" as most of the Haters lack reading comprehension (case in point - the urban myth of filming Ram walk throughs)

I'm sure there's others - but there is indeed a common thread.

Belichick and Brady know the rules

Everyone else doesn't

When they outsmart everyone by playing within the rules, coaches, players and fans cry foul

It's a pretty clear pattern

 

[JoeSixPat]

Tom Brady says Patriots gave NFL refs a copy of PSI rule in October - CBSSports.com

An interesting re-read from the Testimony where Brady details the extent to which he and the team went to illustrate the rules to the officials because they had over-inflated the footballs previously.

Now - whether that pissed someone off and it helped contribute to the sting I don't know - but it certainly doesn't make sense that someone who was planning a sneaky scheme to deflate footballs would go OUT of his way to REMIND the officials to CHECK THE PSI before the game to make sure it's in compliance

 

[RobertWeathers]

"The NFL is league of rules. The rules are the foundation of ensuring that professional football is based on integrity and facilitates and environment of fair play. The rules apply to all teams and players equally."

-Roger Goodell.

Give me a mother___ing break.

 

[NashuaPats]

And if the NFL understood 9th grade science, framegate would have never been a thing.

 

[anditsgood]

Perhaps there are too many idiotic rules, to appease the whiners and losers

 

[Clonamery]

Seems like certain people don't want to know the rules to suit their own agenda.

 

[JoeSixPat]

One thing just occurred to me. If you read that CBS story above it's about how Brady was playing to the wet conditions on that occasion, utilizing some untreated but completely legal PSI footballs so that the water aided the grip in the conditions - completely naturally - without the leather conditioner that can alter the feel.

That would have made them FEEL softer when wet. Obviously the Refs were going by feel as well - and since they felt softer they simply pumped them up without even checking (again - Refs themselves not knowing or following the rules).

Brady was then informed the balls were heavily inflated (16 PSI), which he believes occurred before the game by officials.

"I thought possibly the referees added balls -- added air to the balls, just because maybe they squeezed them, felt that these balls feel soft and just, you know, squeezed air into the ball," Brady said.

So that's how those balls got to 16 PSI and why Brady was PISSED because they didn't feel like intended or expected. Gotta wonder how many other times over the years this happened too. So of course Brady has the Pats ball staff actually SHOW the refs the rule and the rest is history.

NOW with the NFL and Refs being completely anal retentive over PSI, my guess is that they actually are checking (but will likely not record for posterity before and after) the PSI of the footballs

Ironically, thanks to FrameGate, it looks like Brady can now count on consistently legally inflated footballs - which is what he WASN'T getting before and what he wanted, regardless of the fact that he might use an untreated ball that feels softer in the rain, etc.

This MIGHT explain why Brady seems to be having a consitent touch and success in his game this season, ironically. I mean - it's not just success - he's on pace to have a record breaking year at 5,500

No doubt he's pumped and pissed - but for ONCE there's some confidence that the footballs are always where Brady wanted them in the first place. 12.5 PSI to 13.5 PSI - and most definitely NOT 16.0 PSI.

 

[RayClay]

Bear with me a moment and feel free to contribute to the theme

It occured to me there's a common element with pretty much every Patriots scandal.

Others don't know the rules. The other team's coaches don't know the rules... the players on other teams don't know the rules, the officials often don't know their own rules, and Blandino and Goodell certainly don't know their own rules - of course they can interpret them however they please according to their court filing.

Add on if anything occurs to anyone

1.) Spygate: New rule, that Belichick noted a gaping loophole in - no sideline taping for the purposes of that game day. Belichick wasn't going to use it on that game day. Goodell was not amused to be shown to have left a gaping loophole. He and most ignorant fans, not knowing that signal taping was and remains legal, were outraged. Numerous coaches and others said much ado about nothing - but an urban myth is born because the majority of fans delude themselves that signal filming is cheating.

2.) FrameGate: Aside from the fact that this was a vindictive hatchet job this "scandal" had its roots in Brady telling the officials what the rule was - NOT 16.0 PSI. Then Brady had the temerity to tell Harbaugh to learn the rules. In both cases neither the coach or officials knew the rule - and indeed the officials didn't even record the PSI (and despite their "best recollection" that no deflation occurred, Goodell arbitrarily decided they were remembering

3.) JetsHumiliationGate: Some how the fact that the Jets head of security didn't know the rules and thus attempted to blow the whistle on Patriots sideline personnel, this will add to the urban myth of the Patriots as "cheaters" as most of the Haters lack reading comprehension (case in point - the urban myth of filming Ram walk throughs)

I'm sure there's others - but there is indeed a common thread.

Belichick and Brady know the rules

Everyone else doesn't

When they outsmart everyone by playing within the rules, coaches, players and fans cry foul

It's a pretty clear pattern

How was Belichick going to prove he wasn't using it that day? Fore someoan who is so prepared, that seems a lapse.

 

[SVN]

Nothing to do with the rules. They just cant figure out how the pats win without 10+ HOFers on their team for 15 yrs with teams changing everywhere. Reflects the quality of coaching and players in the league who are not in the same class as BB so they assume it must be something nefarious.

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

We "RULE" the MFL!!!

 

[DarrylS]

How about the tackle eligible rule last year, when the p...ssies from Baltimore whined and cried and got the rules changed..

Or SB 36 when Ty Law et al beat the crap out of Marshal Faulk and the other Rams Receivers, Warner and Faulk are still all butthurt about the wood that the Patriots laid on them.. they changed the rule after that game too....

BB knows the rules, and if there is a question the braintrust (Ernie Adams et al) will whisper in his ear..

 

[RayClay]

How was Belichick going to prove he wasn't using it that day? Fore someoan who is so prepared, that seems a lapse.

Not that the whole thing wasn't a crock of crap, but there was a memo.

 

[flasox27]

Not that the whole thing wasn't a crock of crap, but there was a memo.

The memo was an erroneous interpretation of the actual rule. The rule could only be changed by the rules committee which it wasn't. The fact was that BB had a legitimate point and Kraft for whatever reason thought that supporting Goodell was more important than supporting BB. So the destruction of the Pats reputation began and it hasn't stopped since.

 

[LivinLovin&Breathin_Brady]

Nothing to do with the rules. They just cant figure out how the pats win without 10+ HOFers on their team for 15 yrs with teams changing everywhere. Reflects the quality of coaching and players in the league who are not in the same class as BB so they assume it must be something nefarious.

Those haters know that the Pats only need one HOFer and so the league went out if their way to discredit him, so that the new breed of fans and following generations of fans will be convinced that Montana is the GOAT and Brady cheated his way to 6 rings with softer rules.

There are fans younger than me trying to make arguments for Montana and I'm like "you've never even seen him play, though." They're just repeating ish they read online or heard on NFL networks Top 10 list. This brainwashing and bs offends me at times.

 

[JoeSixPat]

How was Belichick going to prove he wasn't using it that day? Fore someoan who is so prepared, that seems a lapse.

It would be impossible to take the 1st half play calling, analyze it, interpret it, apply it and implement it all during halftime

No one can prove he WAS going to use it that day - given all of those facts - that's for sure

All that really matters is that Goodell HATES to be shown that he left a loophole that Belichick took advantage of

 

[RayClay]

The memo was an erroneous interpretation of the actual rule. The rule could only be changed by the rules committee which it wasn't. The fact was that BB had a legitimate point and Kraft for whatever reason thought that supporting Goodell was more important than supporting BB. So the destruction of the Pats reputation began and it hasn't stopped since.

Well, apparently, since Belichick doesn't run the league, he was the erroneus one.

That's what sucks about being the ruler or not, the ruler gets to interpret the rules, so if you aren't sure, maybe you need to get clarification, since there must have been some reason they sent a memo.

My boss at work is wrong all the time, but I make sure I understand a policy memo if he sends one.

Again, I know it's a crock caused by a creepy ex coach and the corrupt commissioner, but they were taping in an area that was specifically noted on a memo.

Lots of people in jail were right according to the law. Others not in jail were wrong, but had good lawyers and are free.

If it's your interpretation against the corrupt commissioners, who's going to win?

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

It would be impossible to take the 1st half play calling, analyze it, interpret it, apply it and implement it all during halftime

No one can prove he WAS going to use it that day - given all of those facts - that's for sure

All that really matters is that Goodell HATES to be shown that he left a loophole that Belichick took advantage of

There really was no loophole, but you are right that Goodell didn't know the rules.

Filming signals wasn't illegal then or now. Goodell made that up, there was no new rule.

This is probably the most thorough article of what the rules actually said, and what Goodell claimed they said.

The Truth About Spygate: Punishing Success and Promoting Parity

 

[Rhodey]

Bear with me a moment and feel free to contribute to the theme

It occured to me there's a common element with pretty much every Patriots scandal.

Others don't know the rules. The other team's coaches don't know the rules... the players on other teams don't know the rules, the officials often don't know their own rules, and Blandino and Goodell certainly don't know their own rules - of course they can interpret them however they please according to their court filing.

Add on if anything occurs to anyone

1.) Spygate: New rule, that Belichick noted a gaping loophole in - no sideline taping for the purposes of that game day. Belichick wasn't going to use it on that game day. Goodell was not amused to be shown to have left a gaping loophole. He and most ignorant fans, not knowing that signal taping was and remains legal, were outraged. Numerous coaches and others said much ado about nothing - but an urban myth is born because the majority of fans delude themselves that signal filming is cheating.

2.) FrameGate: Aside from the fact that this was a vindictive hatchet job this "scandal" had its roots in Brady telling the officials what the rule was - NOT 16.0 PSI. Then Brady had the temerity to tell Harbaugh to learn the rules. In both cases neither the coach or officials knew the rule - and indeed the officials didn't even record the PSI (and despite their "best recollection" that no deflation occurred, Goodell arbitrarily decided they were remembering

3.) JetsHumiliationGate: Some how the fact that the Jets head of security didn't know the rules and thus attempted to blow the whistle on Patriots sideline personnel, this will add to the urban myth of the Patriots as "cheaters" as most of the Haters lack reading comprehension (case in point - the urban myth of filming Ram walk throughs)

I'm sure there's others - but there is indeed a common thread.

Belichick and Brady know the rules

Everyone else doesn't

When they outsmart everyone by playing within the rules, coaches, players and fans cry foul

It's a pretty clear pattern

Ignorance is the enemy of humankind.

 

[archstanton543]

The memo was an erroneous interpretation of the actual rule. The rule could only be changed by the rules committee which it wasn't. The fact was that BB had a legitimate point and Kraft for whatever reason thought that supporting Goodell was more important than supporting BB. So the destruction of the Pats reputation began and it hasn't stopped since.

If he didn't understand the memo all he had to do was call the League office and get a clarification.

 

[flasox27]

Well, apparently, since Belichick doesn't run the league, he was the erroneus one.

That's what sucks about being the ruler or not, the ruler gets to interpret the rules, so if you aren't sure, maybe you need to get clarification, since there must have been some reason they sent a memo.

My boss at work is wrong all the time, but I make sure I understand a policy memo if he sends one.

Again, I know it's a crock caused by a creepy ex coach and the corrupt commissioner, but they were taping in an area that was specifically noted on a memo.

Lots of people in jail were right according to the law. Others not in jail were wrong, but had good lawyers and are free.

n against the corrupt commissioners, who's going to win?

Keep in mind that other teams including the 49ers and Broncos had committed more serious violations of the salary cap than filming from the wrong spot and their punishment was only a third round pick. They didn't have their reputation completely destroyed either. Maybe if your boss who is also the boss of the person determining the punishment had supported him and pointed out the extraordinary severity of the punishment and had explained the reason for the penalty, things would have been different. However we will never know but we know what happen because he didn't.