Deflate-gate? Report: Patriots being investigated for using deflated footballs

[Papageorgio]

I find it all suspect, I see those officials squeezing them, I would think a two pound difference would be noticeable. Just saying, I can tell when a basketball or football are over or under inflated pretty quickly.

That's because it probably was not noticeable. The whole thing is retarded and is being blown out of proportion by the haters, as per usual.

Ever gone to the fair and tried to shoot hoops? The balls are way over inflated and it makes them hard to make baskets. If a basketball is under inflated it is tough to dribble.

Without the correct air pressure the ball responds differently. Same with a football.

I do think the ballboy at the direction of the team deflated balls on the sideline, with everything that goes on at the sidelines, you can deflate a ball pretty easily without it going noticed.

 

[Alex.]

I find it all suspect, I see those officials squeezing them, I would think a two pound difference would be noticeable. Just saying, I can tell when a basketball or football are over or under inflated pretty quickly.

IIRC Brady stated he could not feel the difference which lead lead Jerome Bettis to have this reaction.

So then you think the refs knew about it all along?

What the refs did has been established previously in this thread.

 

[mack20]

Chuck Pagano knows that the pressure in the balls had ZERO to do with who won that football game. He's too classy an individual to use that as an excuse for losing that game.

Even John Harbaugh backed off on his claim that the Patriots were breaking the rules with their tackle eligible formation. Why? Because he knew that it wasn't illegal and he knew that claiming it was would only make him look like a whiny loser.

What does breaking the rules have to do with who won the AFC Championship game?

Sean Peyton was suspended a year for just being the coach on a team that supposedly had a bounty on other teams players. He just looked the other way. How many games did New Orleans win because of that?

Tom Brady obviously decided to break the rules in instructing the equipment manager the characteristics he wanted in a game-ready prepared football. Tom Brady knows what the rules are in the allowable pressure of an OFFICIAL NFL football. Both Tom and Bill have bragged on TV interviews that they thoroughly know all the rules and that's what gives them an advantage preparing for games with other teams.

Now Tom claims he knows nothin about nothin. Bill knows nothin about nothin.

Cant wait till the Pats kick the shit outta Seattle who should have lost the last game

The Patriots coaching staff throws the Ravens a curve ball with a "tackle eligible" formation that Harbaugh doesn't know how to counteract...and suddenly the Patriots are "cheaters"? Hey, it's the Patriots...people like Alex don't need anything else. Bill Belichick is Darth Vader in a hoodie and Foxboro Stadium is the Death Star.

The Pats used a trick pure and simple. There is a convention to how games are run. Other then special teams players have no reason to report ineligible. So yeah it was within the rules but there is a reason that people wear the numbers they do.

Come on, wearing a receiver number and lining up in the slot, that is just trickery which they used once. They tried it against the colts and it didn't work. It only worked because they took advantage of the rules and bent them.

Actually, it did work against the Colts. I could also claim that the Seahawks used trickery to win (fake field goal), but I'm not an idiot about it.

 

[mack20]

I find it all suspect, I see those officials squeezing them, I would think a two pound difference would be noticeable. Just saying, I can tell when a basketball or football are over or under inflated pretty quickly.

That's because it probably was not noticeable. The whole thing is retarded and is being blown out of proportion by the haters, as per usual.

Ever gone to the fair and tried to shoot hoops? The balls are way over inflated and it makes them hard to make baskets. If a basketball is under inflated it is tough to dribble.

Without the correct air pressure the ball responds differently. Same with a football.

I do think the ballboy at the direction of the team deflated balls on the sideline, with everything that goes on at the sidelines, you can deflate a ball pretty easily without it going noticed.

What is the specific difference in feel between a football inflated to 10.5 psi and one inflated to 12.5 psi?

 

[mack20]

I find it all suspect, I see those officials squeezing them, I would think a two pound difference would be noticeable. Just saying, I can tell when a basketball or football are over or under inflated pretty quickly.

IIRC Brady stated he could not feel the difference which lead lead Jerome Bettis to have this reaction.

So then you think the refs knew about it all along?

What the refs did has been established previously in this thread.

Has it?

 

[Papageorgio]

I find it all suspect, I see those officials squeezing them, I would think a two pound difference would be noticeable. Just saying, I can tell when a basketball or football are over or under inflated pretty quickly.

IIRC Brady stated he could not feel the difference which lead lead Jerome Bettis to have this reaction.

So then you think the refs knew about it all along?

What the refs did has been established previously in this thread.

Please Alex, just because you say they were to busy to notice doesn't make it so.

I don't think you are being honest.

I can tell if a football is over or under inflated just by squeezing it, I tried it yesterday. You take 10%-20% of the air out of a football, believe me you can tell. It doesn't sting as much when you catch, if you squeeze it there is give. The refs had to know and that is an issue the NFL has to look into.

In football games you see refs squeezing the football, they have to feel it, I can't imagine a novice like myself can and yet you claim a professional such as a ref can't.

You are BSing. Especially if you want the brand and integrity to be upheld as you claim.

 

[Theowl32]

The results of the AFC championship game is totally irrelevant to this story. That has nothing to do with this story.

IF a baseball player is caught corking their bat, no one brings up the result of the game. If a pitcher doctors the ball, the issue is not the result of the game.


If you are a golfer, you know if you do ANYTHING to the equipment or do ANYTHING that violated any of the rules DELIBERATELY you are ostracized from the sport.

The issue IS NOT what the Pats did to the Colts. The issue is they violated the rules. The footballs being inflated to a league standard is the rule. Period.

Is it ticky tack? I tend to think so. However, if they are going to say it is perfectly fine to fuck with the footballs, then do not make it a rule. Do not even inspect the footballs. Not before the game, not at halftime.

The point is there was a rule and the Pats deliberately altered the footballs. That is the ONLY ISSUE. Anyone bringing up the 45-7 score is bringing a fallacy to the debate.

Unless someone is expecting me to assume that Patriots never did this before. I am pretty sure it is perfectly ok for me to assume they have been doing this for a while. Years even.

 

[Alex.]

I find it all suspect, I see those officials squeezing them, I would think a two pound difference would be noticeable. Just saying, I can tell when a basketball or football are over or under inflated pretty quickly.

IIRC Brady stated he could not feel the difference which lead lead Jerome Bettis to have this reaction.

So then you think the refs knew about it all along?

What the refs did has been established previously in this thread.

Please Alex, just because you say they were to busy to notice doesn't make it so.

I don't think you are being honest.

I can tell if a football is over or under inflated just by squeezing it, I tried it yesterday. You take 10%-20% of the air out of a football, believe me you can tell. It doesn't sting as much when you catch, if you squeeze it there is give. The refs had to know and that is an issue the NFL has to look into.

In football games you see refs squeezing the football, they have to feel it, I can't imagine a novice like myself can and yet you claim a professional such as a ref can't.

You are BSing. Especially if you want the brand and integrity to be upheld as you claim.

I never said that

 

[Theowl32]

Already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion... ossum!

The NFL's investigation will conclude that the allegations are false. And then you haters will claim that was fixed too.

suck it, losers.

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

 

[Papageorgio]

I find it all suspect, I see those officials squeezing them, I would think a two pound difference would be noticeable. Just saying, I can tell when a basketball or football are over or under inflated pretty quickly.

IIRC Brady stated he could not feel the difference which lead lead Jerome Bettis to have this reaction.

So then you think the refs knew about it all along?

What the refs did has been established previously in this thread.

Please Alex, just because you say they were to busy to notice doesn't make it so.

I don't think you are being honest.

I can tell if a football is over or under inflated just by squeezing it, I tried it yesterday. You take 10%-20% of the air out of a football, believe me you can tell. It doesn't sting as much when you catch, if you squeeze it there is give. The refs had to know and that is an issue the NFL has to look into.

In football games you see refs squeezing the football, they have to feel it, I can't imagine a novice like myself can and yet you claim a professional such as a ref can't.

You are BSing. Especially if you want the brand and integrity to be upheld as you claim.

I never said that

I'm saying the refs need to be investigated, it is like saying Brady didn't know the ball were under inflated. They had to know, they handle balls from both sidelines, if they couldn't tell the difference then there was know difference and we know that isn't true.

 

[rightwinger]

IIRC Brady stated he could not feel the difference which lead lead Jerome Bettis to have this reaction.

So then you think the refs knew about it all along?

What the refs did has been established previously in this thread.

Please Alex, just because you say they were to busy to notice doesn't make it so.

I don't think you are being honest.

I can tell if a football is over or under inflated just by squeezing it, I tried it yesterday. You take 10%-20% of the air out of a football, believe me you can tell. It doesn't sting as much when you catch, if you squeeze it there is give. The refs had to know and that is an issue the NFL has to look into.

In football games you see refs squeezing the football, they have to feel it, I can't imagine a novice like myself can and yet you claim a professional such as a ref can't.

You are BSing. Especially if you want the brand and integrity to be upheld as you claim.

I never said that

I'm saying the refs need to be investigated, it is like saying Brady didn't know the ball were under inflated. They had to know, they handle balls from both sidelines, if they couldn't tell the difference then there was know difference and we know that isn't true.

Any veteran QB can tell if a ball is underinflated just by handling it. Brady knows how a ball should feel

That said, is he obligated to report it?

 

[mack20]

Already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion... ossum!

The NFL's investigation will conclude that the allegations are false. And then you haters will claim that was fixed too.

suck it, losers.

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

Oh nice, I hadn't seen that the NFL made an official statement on the matter. Would you mind linking to it?

 

[Theowl32]

Already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion... ossum!

The NFL's investigation will conclude that the allegations are false. And then you haters will claim that was fixed too.

suck it, losers.

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

Oh nice, I hadn't seen that the NFL made an official statement on the matter. Would you mind linking to it?

Is that your explanation for the 11 deflated balls? Are you saying there was not a rule? I cannot tell.

Again, this has nothing to with the result of the game. It has to do with violating the rules. Patriots did it.

Their press conferences yesterday should have been boiled down to one statement.

"I do not know."

Could have saved us a lot of time.

This whole thing is going to fall on some scapegoat. I am predicting the ball boy.

ESPN has reported that during New England’s 45-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, 11 of the Patriots’ 12 game balls were under-inflated by 2 pounds of air pressure. Rules call for 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch when the officials gauge the balls two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff and any other time during the game.

Former NFL official Gerry Austin told ESPN yesterday that the Patriots’ 12th ball was also under-inflated but not by 2 pounds. Austin also said all 12 of the Colts’ balls were properly inflated when they were measured at halftime.

Maybe to you, that is not official.

 

[mack20]

Already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion... ossum!

The NFL's investigation will conclude that the allegations are false. And then you haters will claim that was fixed too.

suck it, losers.

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

Oh nice, I hadn't seen that the NFL made an official statement on the matter. Would you mind linking to it?

Is that your explanation for the 11 deflated balls? Are you saying there was not a rule? I cannot tell.

Again, this has nothing to with the result of the game. It has to do with violating the rules. Patriots did it.

Their press conferences yesterday should have been boiled down to one statement.

"I do not know."

Could have saved us a lot of time.

This whole thing is going to fall on some scapegoat. I am predicting the ball boy.

ESPN has reported that during New England’s 45-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, 11 of the Patriots’ 12 game balls were under-inflated by 2 pounds of air pressure. Rules call for 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch when the officials gauge the balls two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff and any other time during the game.

Former NFL official Gerry Austin told ESPN yesterday that the Patriots’ 12th ball was also under-inflated but not by 2 pounds. Austin also said all 12 of the Colts’ balls were properly inflated when they were measured at halftime.

Maybe to you, that is not official.

ESPN and a former NFL official? Nope, that is not, in fact, an official statement from the NFL, as far as I'm concerned. It shouldn't be as far as you're concerned either.

 

[Theowl32]

Already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion... ossum!

The NFL's investigation will conclude that the allegations are false. And then you haters will claim that was fixed too.

suck it, losers.

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

Oh nice, I hadn't seen that the NFL made an official statement on the matter. Would you mind linking to it?

Is that your explanation for the 11 deflated balls? Are you saying there was not a rule? I cannot tell.

Again, this has nothing to with the result of the game. It has to do with violating the rules. Patriots did it.

Their press conferences yesterday should have been boiled down to one statement.

"I do not know."

Could have saved us a lot of time.

This whole thing is going to fall on some scapegoat. I am predicting the ball boy.

ESPN has reported that during New England’s 45-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, 11 of the Patriots’ 12 game balls were under-inflated by 2 pounds of air pressure. Rules call for 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch when the officials gauge the balls two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff and any other time during the game.

Former NFL official Gerry Austin told ESPN yesterday that the Patriots’ 12th ball was also under-inflated but not by 2 pounds. Austin also said all 12 of the Colts’ balls were properly inflated when they were measured at halftime.

Maybe to you, that is not official.

ESPN and a former NFL official? Nope, that is not, in fact, an official statement from the NFL, as far as I'm concerned. It shouldn't be as far as you're concerned either.

Ahhhh, so are you saying they did not have deflated balls, and are you saying there is no rule and the referees did not replace them at half time?

Is, this your claim? It is only being reported and so therefore it did not actually happen until the NFL acknowledges that it happened?

Or.....

Are you all saying if it is true, then it is not a big deal? I personally think that is what you are saying. That would of course mean a baseball player ought to be able to alter their bats and cork them. I think pitchers ought to be able to whatever they want to do with the balls. I mean so long as we think altering official balls and changing it from the stated standard is no big deal, then why not?

Or is it that you think like many think that this all about picking the poor Patriots?

Should golfers be able to alter their equipment? I mean, why have any rules if the rules are not really a big deal.

----------

Pats fans are funny. Were the Saints picked on when they suspended their coach for a year? Were the Ravens picked on after the commissioner decided to suspend Ray Rice indefinitely after he had already decided on the punishment?

The Pats were not "picked on" for spy gate. They are not being "picked on" now. There are rules, they violated them deliberately. Period. There is no gray area. It is black and white.

 

[mack20]

Already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion... ossum!

The NFL's investigation will conclude that the allegations are false. And then you haters will claim that was fixed too.

suck it, losers.

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

Oh nice, I hadn't seen that the NFL made an official statement on the matter. Would you mind linking to it?

Is that your explanation for the 11 deflated balls? Are you saying there was not a rule? I cannot tell.

Again, this has nothing to with the result of the game. It has to do with violating the rules. Patriots did it.

Their press conferences yesterday should have been boiled down to one statement.

"I do not know."

Could have saved us a lot of time.

This whole thing is going to fall on some scapegoat. I am predicting the ball boy.

ESPN has reported that during New England’s 45-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, 11 of the Patriots’ 12 game balls were under-inflated by 2 pounds of air pressure. Rules call for 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch when the officials gauge the balls two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff and any other time during the game.

Former NFL official Gerry Austin told ESPN yesterday that the Patriots’ 12th ball was also under-inflated but not by 2 pounds. Austin also said all 12 of the Colts’ balls were properly inflated when they were measured at halftime.

Maybe to you, that is not official.

ESPN and a former NFL official? Nope, that is not, in fact, an official statement from the NFL, as far as I'm concerned. It shouldn't be as far as you're concerned either.

Ahhhh, so are you saying they did not have deflated balls, and are you saying there is no rule and the referees did not replace them at half time?

Is, this your claim? It is only being reported and so therefore it did not actually happen until the NFL acknowledges that it happened?

Or.....

Are you all saying if it is true, then it is not a big deal? I personally think that is what you are saying. That would of course mean a baseball player ought to be able to alter their bats and cork them. I think pitchers ought to be able to whatever they want to do with the balls. I mean so long as we think altering official balls and changing it from the stated standard is no big deal, then why not?

Or is it that you think like many think that this all about picking the poor Patriots?

Should golfers be able to alter their equipment? I mean, why have any rules if the rules are not really a big deal.

----------

Pats fans are funny. Were the Saints picked on when they suspended their coach for a year? Were the Ravens picked on after the commissioner decided to suspend Ray Rice indefinitely after he had already decided on the punishment?

The Pats were not "picked on" for spy gate. They are not being "picked on" now. There are rules, they violated them deliberately. Period. There is no gray area. It is black and white.

I actually wasn't saying any of those things. Full disclosure: I don't think it's a big deal and I think that this week has been a fucking joke.

What I was saying is that until the NFL makes an official statement, we don't have any concrete facts to proceed with. A lot of the reporting has been contradicted. I think it's fair to say that the balls were under inflated, but until we know what the NFL has found we don't actually know how they got that way. Schefter reported the other day that the NFL was having trouble linking the Patriots to anything. There are reports that the NFL set up a sting operation, which, if true, would be fucking ridiculous.

And my personal opinion on the matter isn't fact. Neither is yours. Having said that, I have a hard time believing that Brady and Belichick would deny it so vehemently if there was any chance they would be proven wrong. This is a team known for stonewalling the media at every turn. Keeping their mouths shut might not have endeared the media toward them, but it would've been par for the course. IIRC, during Spygate Belichick never claimed he didn't do it, just that he believed it was within the rules, which the NFL disagreed with.

 

[mack20]

Already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion... ossum!

The NFL's investigation will conclude that the allegations are false. And then you haters will claim that was fixed too.

suck it, losers.

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

Oh nice, I hadn't seen that the NFL made an official statement on the matter. Would you mind linking to it?

Is that your explanation for the 11 deflated balls? Are you saying there was not a rule? I cannot tell.

Again, this has nothing to with the result of the game. It has to do with violating the rules. Patriots did it.

Their press conferences yesterday should have been boiled down to one statement.

"I do not know."

Could have saved us a lot of time.

This whole thing is going to fall on some scapegoat. I am predicting the ball boy.

ESPN has reported that during New England’s 45-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, 11 of the Patriots’ 12 game balls were under-inflated by 2 pounds of air pressure. Rules call for 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch when the officials gauge the balls two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff and any other time during the game.

Former NFL official Gerry Austin told ESPN yesterday that the Patriots’ 12th ball was also under-inflated but not by 2 pounds. Austin also said all 12 of the Colts’ balls were properly inflated when they were measured at halftime.

Maybe to you, that is not official.

ESPN and a former NFL official? Nope, that is not, in fact, an official statement from the NFL, as far as I'm concerned. It shouldn't be as far as you're concerned either.

Ahhhh, so are you saying they did not have deflated balls, and are you saying there is no rule and the referees did not replace them at half time?

Is, this your claim? It is only being reported and so therefore it did not actually happen until the NFL acknowledges that it happened?

Or.....

Are you all saying if it is true, then it is not a big deal? I personally think that is what you are saying. That would of course mean a baseball player ought to be able to alter their bats and cork them. I think pitchers ought to be able to whatever they want to do with the balls. I mean so long as we think altering official balls and changing it from the stated standard is no big deal, then why not?

Or is it that you think like many think that this all about picking the poor Patriots?

Should golfers be able to alter their equipment? I mean, why have any rules if the rules are not really a big deal.

----------

Pats fans are funny. Were the Saints picked on when they suspended their coach for a year? Were the Ravens picked on after the commissioner decided to suspend Ray Rice indefinitely after he had already decided on the punishment?

The Pats were not "picked on" for spy gate. They are not being "picked on" now. There are rules, they violated them deliberately. Period. There is no gray area. It is black and white.

Also, um yeah, the way that Goodell handled Bountygate and Ray Rice has been a complete joke. Goodell is a piece of crap commissioner.

 

[Oldstyle]

Which brings us back to a game where you have officials handling balls on virtually every single play of the game and none of THEM senses anything wrong with the Patriot's footballs! How is that possible? Is the officiating crew secretly all New England fans who were on the take?

Listen, this is not speculation or accusation. The NFL has confirmed that the Patriots were using deflated footballs. It is fact. That you are trying to argue that it might not be true is further evidence of your entirely delusional perspective on this subject.

Yes, that is a "fact"! What is not established fact however is how those balls came to BE deflated.

So let me see if I understand how this plays out...you maintain that the Colts are suspicious of the Patriots using illegal balls from way back in November.

During that Nov. 16 game, Colts safety Mike Adams twice intercepted quarterback Tom Brady and gave the balls to the Colts' equipment manager to save. Both times there were concerns about the balls feeling under-inflated, sources earlier this season had told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Those sources also said that the Colts raised concerns to the league, which was aware of the issue going into this Sunday's AFC Championship game.

Deflate-gate Indianapolis Colts Raised Concerns in November About Under-Inflated New England Patriots Balls - ABC News

BUT DURING THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THEIR SEASON...THE GAME THAT WILL DECIDE IF THEY GO TO THE SUPER BOWL...THEY DON'T RAISE THE ISSUE WITH THE OFFICIALS UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE HALFTIME?

Actually, they raised the issue with the league, not the on-the-field officials. And you have no idea whether the Colts mentioned anything to the officials before the game.

So let me see if I'm understanding this...you now claim from unnamed "sources" that the Colts raised concerns about under-inflated balls earlier in the season with the league yet in the AFC Championship game...the most important game of the Colt's season to that date...nobody raised that issue with the on the field officials? The league didn't? The Colts didn't? Why do I find that to be the most unbelievable scenario I've EVER heard? It would be akin to a baseball team believing that an opposing pitcher was doctoring the ball in some games during the regular season but when that pitcher took the mound during game seven...which will decide who goes to the World Series...they forget to mention that to the umpires and forget to have the ball checked that's in the game! You REALLY buy that story? I mean REALLY!!!

 

[Theowl32]

Are you saying the 11 balls that were found to be deflated was a lie? I think you ought to know, that is a fact in evidence.

How, did the Pats balls get deflated while none of the Colts were.

Is there a plausible explanation for that? Name it.

Oh nice, I hadn't seen that the NFL made an official statement on the matter. Would you mind linking to it?

Is that your explanation for the 11 deflated balls? Are you saying there was not a rule? I cannot tell.

Again, this has nothing to with the result of the game. It has to do with violating the rules. Patriots did it.

Their press conferences yesterday should have been boiled down to one statement.

"I do not know."

Could have saved us a lot of time.

This whole thing is going to fall on some scapegoat. I am predicting the ball boy.

ESPN has reported that during New England’s 45-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, 11 of the Patriots’ 12 game balls were under-inflated by 2 pounds of air pressure. Rules call for 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch when the officials gauge the balls two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff and any other time during the game.

Former NFL official Gerry Austin told ESPN yesterday that the Patriots’ 12th ball was also under-inflated but not by 2 pounds. Austin also said all 12 of the Colts’ balls were properly inflated when they were measured at halftime.

Maybe to you, that is not official.

ESPN and a former NFL official? Nope, that is not, in fact, an official statement from the NFL, as far as I'm concerned. It shouldn't be as far as you're concerned either.

Ahhhh, so are you saying they did not have deflated balls, and are you saying there is no rule and the referees did not replace them at half time?

Is, this your claim? It is only being reported and so therefore it did not actually happen until the NFL acknowledges that it happened?

Or.....

Are you all saying if it is true, then it is not a big deal? I personally think that is what you are saying. That would of course mean a baseball player ought to be able to alter their bats and cork them. I think pitchers ought to be able to whatever they want to do with the balls. I mean so long as we think altering official balls and changing it from the stated standard is no big deal, then why not?

Or is it that you think like many think that this all about picking the poor Patriots?

Should golfers be able to alter their equipment? I mean, why have any rules if the rules are not really a big deal.

----------

Pats fans are funny. Were the Saints picked on when they suspended their coach for a year? Were the Ravens picked on after the commissioner decided to suspend Ray Rice indefinitely after he had already decided on the punishment?

The Pats were not "picked on" for spy gate. They are not being "picked on" now. There are rules, they violated them deliberately. Period. There is no gray area. It is black and white.

I actually wasn't saying any of those things. Full disclosure: I don't think it's a big deal and I think that this week has been a fucking joke.

What I was saying is that until the NFL makes an official statement, we don't have any concrete facts to proceed with. A lot of the reporting has been contradicted. I think it's fair to say that the balls were under inflated, but until we know what the NFL has found we don't actually know how they got that way. Schefter reported the other day that the NFL was having trouble linking the Patriots to anything. There are reports that the NFL set up a sting operation, which, if true, would be fucking ridiculous.

And my personal opinion on the matter isn't fact. Neither is yours. Having said that, I have a hard time believing that Brady and Belichick would deny it so vehemently if there was any chance they would be proven wrong. This is a team known for stonewalling the media at every turn. Keeping their mouths shut might not have endeared the media toward them, but it would've been par for the course. IIRC, during Spygate Belichick never claimed he didn't do it, just that he believed it was within the rules, which the NFL disagreed with.

Official or unofficial statement does not mean we cannot express an opinion. My point is there is an argument that is an actual fallacy that it had nothing to do with the result of the AFC Championship game.

That seems to be the JUSTIFICATION for the violation of the rule. Deliberate violation btw. There is no justification.

The NFL will not make official statement until AFTER the super bowl. The NFL is a business, and that is the way it will be handled. I cannot stand Goodell, but his job to be the guy to take arrows for the owners.

Now, there were elements of spygate that were not within the rules. The fact the Mangini is the one that reported it is also telling, considering he knew what the effects of the taping was. He took part in it after all when he was with the Pats staff. If, it was not really a big deal and it had no effect at all, then I doubt Mangini would have cared all that much.

The Pats right now have a reputation that they brought in themselves. I certainly do not buy into the notion that they had no idea. I also do not think they only did it against the Colts.

Is it a big giant deal? No. It really isn't. Then again, it is a violation, and something will need to be done.

Make no mistake, this will effect the Pats in the SB one of two ways. Either the distraction will be so great that they will be playing a horrific game. Or, it will really inspire Brady to have a great game, ala when people were writing him off after the Chiefs game this year.

 

[Oldstyle]

Since every quarterback in the league appears to have a preference over the ball that "they" play with...my question to those of you that maintain that because the Colt's balls were legal when checked...that somehow proves that the Patriot's balls were purposely deflated below league standards...is how do you know what Andrew Luck's preference is for pressure?

You really are desperately stretching. It doesn't matter what Luck's preference is. The fact of the matter is that the Patriots were using deflated footballs. At best.....and in and of itself this is truly a ridiculous stretch....but at the very, very, very, best your hypothesis implies gross incompetence by the Patriots' equipment personnel for failing to maintain the correct pressure. But anyone with a halfway functioning brain can put two-and-two together. There is now an established pattern of behavior of the Patriots using deflated footballs. Not only that, but your hypothesis that Tom Brady has been repeatedly using footballs that have been anything other than exactly the way he wanted them is more fantastic than a hobbit story.

All that's been "established" is that Tom Brady prefers the ball to be under-inflated. THAT is his pattern of behavior! Aaron Roger's pattern of behavior is that he likes an over-inflated ball. Does that make Roger's guilty?

There has been ZERO proof provided that Tom Brady had anything to do with the condition of those balls other than his preference to have the balls as under-inflated as possible! There is ZERO proof that anyone tampered with the balls once they were taken from a locked area and given to the ball boys five minutes before game time! You've got a nationally televised game watched by millions with literally dozens of TV cameras scrutinizing every inch of that field. You've got side line reporters. You've got thousands of fans in the stands taking pictures of what's in front of them. Yet with all of that taking place...I haven't seen one incriminating picture of someone affiliated with the Patriots deflating game balls on the sidelines. How can that be?