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  • Pats at it Again ?

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

    By Eric Edholm 4 hours ago Shutdown Corner


    The NFL will investigate the possibility that the New England Patriots deflated footballs during the AFC championship game, which they won 45-7 over the Indianapolis Colts, according to Bob Kravitz of WTHR.com.
    It rained constantly on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass., which made gripping the ball challenging. Obviously, a less-inflated ball is easier to grip than a fully inflated one.
    The league has guidelines on how much pressure the ball must have — between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch, weighing between 14 and 15 ounces.
    Kravitz says the fine could be a stiff one if the Patriots are found guilty.
    There was a delay before the third-quarter-opening kickoff that might have included game officials investigating the balls the Patriots were using.
    Although there hasn't been an NFL team accused or found guilty of this recently, former USC head coach Lane Kiffin — who, coicindentally, was named the front-runner in several reports to become the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator — was accused of doing the same against Oregon in 2012 before losing his job during that season.
    The Patriots have faced accusations that they've skirted the rules for years, and they were penalized for spying on the New York Jets during the 2007 season with the loss of a first-round draft pick and a hefty fine paid not by the team but by Bill Belichick himself.
    We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

  • #2
    What is it with that guy? I guess Belichick believes that if you're not cheating then you ain't trying?

    I admit to (still) believing that there was funny business going on at the Eagles/Pats Super Bowl too.

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    • #3
      Dirt bags. It's one thing to be smarter than others about the rules, it's another to just cheat.

      Comment


      • #4
        I hate the Patriots as much as the next guy, but this story seems odd.

        and clearly it had no impact on the game, because:

        1. The Colts just are not good
        2. The Patriots ran it down the Colts D's throats
        3. The grip didn't seem to help the Colts O in any way
        4. It was 45-7. No need to cheat when the other team just can't play outdoors in elements anyway

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        • #5
          Originally posted by dawkins20 View Post
          3. The grip didn't seem to help the Colts O in any way
          The Colts were using balls THEY provided, which were NOT underinflated.

          That's the weird part to me: Who came up with the idea that each team would provide the balls for their own offense? I guess they figured no one would ever stoop the level of the Patriots and doctor the balls.

          No, it made no difference in this game because the Colts were just terrible, but it COULD HAVE made a difference, and if they were doing it, it was breaking the rules and they should be held accountable for it.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by YourPalChrisMal View Post
            The Colts were using balls THEY provided, which were NOT underinflated.

            That's the weird part to me: Who came up with the idea that each team would provide the balls for their own offense? I guess they figured no one would ever stoop the level of the Patriots and doctor the balls.

            No, it made no difference in this game because the Colts were just terrible, but it COULD HAVE made a difference, and if they were doing it, it was breaking the rules and they should be held accountable for it.
            I'm guessing that you get 1 pound of air to play with (12 1/2- 13/12) and the Pats took them all the way down to 10 1/2. I imagine different QBs like different feels. You would think a ref would notice the difference.
            "Hey Giants, who's your Daddy?"

            Comment


            • #7
              Absolutely the ref should notice. The refs have to check the ball before the game to make sure it is legit. The refs just blow this off like a lot of things.
              I agree that the ball wouldn't make a difference in this game but it would in a game like Sea/GB. I, as well as many others, have no idea why they don't use the same ball. It doesn't matter if you like balls with pig skin or you like balls with cow skin; it doesn't matter if you like hard balls or soft balls, it doesn't matter if you like balls at all. A pitcher throws a ball he doesn't like in to the ump and uses the next one. That same ball he threw back might be the next one up and it is okay for him or the next pitcher gets it. Play with the balls you are given. If there is a real problem the ref can throw it out and bring in a new one
              Wait until next year is a terrible philosophy
              Hope is not a strategy
              RIP

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              • #8
                Whether deflating the ball effected the out come of this game, is in my mind irrelevant. The issue to me is the integrity of the game. There are many indications that this was not an isolated incident. Both Indy and Balt had previously raised concerns about NE playing with deflated balls.

                Not surprisingly, given the track record of owner's water boy Goodell, the NFL apparently did nothing in response to the complaints. Apparently they did not even see fit to give the officials a heads up to be alert to discrepancies in the condition of balls. So it is not only NE that seems indifferent to the integrity of thegame. All year long we've witnessed Goodell and his lock step stooges step repeatedly on their dicks in the interest of expediency and profits rather than act on principle or even good common sense.

                And to those fans who dismiss this cheating with comments like, "If you ain't cheatin' you ain't tryin'!", I say FUCK YOU! It is this attitude that is contributing to the moral decay and lack of civility in our country.

                My father taught my 2 brothers and me that there is nothing more important to a man than that he be trustworthy. No one would ever confuse me with a 'choir boy' but I do live by couple of fairly hard guidelines...you don't lie to people and you don't cheat them.

                Unlike many on this board, until this week I had liked the Pats, Tom Brady and even Bill B. Not anymore. They've dishonored themselves by 1st cheating and today by brazenly lying about it.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by YourPalChrisMal View Post
                  The Colts were using balls THEY provided, which were NOT underinflated.

                  That's the weird part to me: Who came up with the idea that each team would provide the balls for their own offense? I guess they figured no one would ever stoop the level of the Patriots and doctor the balls.
                  Art Rooney seems perplexed by the 'two sets of balls' rule as well:

                  (from PFT)

                  Steelers president Art Rooney II is one of those wondering why a league that micromanages the color of shoes and the height of socks doesn’t make sure that such a key piece of equipment is standardized for all involved.

                  “The one thing I would say is this rule where we use two different sets of balls is relatively new, and frankly I’m not sure why we came to this conclusion."

                  ------

                  "Relatively new" means under Goodell. IMO, it's just another gimmick to juice the offense.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by tinopuno View Post
                    Art Rooney seems perplexed by the 'two sets of balls' rule as well:

                    (from PFT)

                    Steelers president Art Rooney II is one of those wondering why a league that micromanages the color of shoes and the height of socks doesn’t make sure that such a key piece of equipment is standardized for all involved.

                    “The one thing I would say is this rule where we use two different sets of balls is relatively new, and frankly I’m not sure why we came to this conclusion."

                    ------

                    "Relatively new" means under Goodell. IMO, it's just another gimmick to juice the offense.
                    This suggests to me again that there is room for play and thru Pats went overboard. It also suggests that they do it all the time. It also seems as though Brady is behind it. Let's see how he reacts in the SB. Does the pressure that he got caught get to him, or does he say I can do it with any ball and light it up?
                    "Hey Giants, who's your Daddy?"

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      The Patriots haven't won anything since they have been caught cheating. It seems that the only way they can win is to skirt the rules that the other has to follow. I really had no interest in watching this SB since I hate both teams. I'm starting to feel like I might want to watch it to see how Brady plays when he faces a good team in a huge game and he isn't allowed to cheat. I probably won't watch it all but I might tune in to see some of it - hoping to see him get his due.
                      Official Driver of the Eagles Bandwagon!!!
                      Bleedin' Green since birth!

                      "Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many." - Mike Willey

                      ”Enjoy The Ride!!!” - Bob Marcus

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                      • #12
                        While I think it's really really (really...really really) dumb that last night's national news led with Deflate-gate as their top story, the Patriots do look like they're guilty with all this. I don't think it affected this particular game - the Colts were getting crushed - but it leaves me shaking my head. I mean....

                        - Bill Belichick comes across as a liar when he says that, in practices, he makes sure that the footballs are as tough to handle as possible (inflated to the max, slippery, whatever), and then says that he doesn't know anything about how footballs are handled before the game.

                        - From what I've been reading by NFL players who've spoken on the subject, Brady's lying when he says that he didn't know about it. It's his livelihood, he handles footballs on every play, he can feel that they're underinflated. They also said that Belichick honestly might not have known; talking to the equipment guys is something for guys under Belichick, not the HC himself. So that means it was another coach or player (and apparently, the most likely player would've been Brady).

                        - if Brady and Belichick are lying when they say that they didn't know, then they're tossing the equipment guys under the bus. That just seems cowardly.

                        - I know that, supposedly "if you're not cheating you're not trying," but did Brady really have that little confidence in his own passing, and in his receivers, that he felt the need to do this? I mean...again, just really lame, another petty thing that the Patriots did to get an edge.
                        "Philly fans are great....It's the only place where you pull up on the bus and you've got the grandfather, the grandmother, the kids and the grandkids - everybody flicking you off. At other stadiums, they give you the thumbs-down. Here, they give you the middle finger.”
                        — Michael Strahan

                        "No one likes us, no one likes us, no one likes us, we don’t care, we’re from Philly, F—-ing Philly, No one likes us, we don’t care!”
                        - Jason Kelce with the best championship speech ever

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Something lost in all of this is that a deflated ball is much easier for RBs to carry without fumbling. If the game plan was to run 30-40 times, then it would make sense for them to take the air out, especially when it's cold and wet.
                          If you're the Pats, and you know that you're the better team, you would feel the only way the Colts could beat you is if they won the turnover battle. If you lessen the chance of fumbles, then that probably won't happen.
                          Canada's #1 Eagles fan.

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                          • #14
                            I agree the impact on this particular game is negligible. But the continued skirting of the rules that the Patriots have done during Belicheat's tenure is inexcusable. Rodger had better grow a set of balls and tell Kraft that he had better get his team in line and keep them there. The way to do that is a $10 million fine, loss of draft picks and a suspension of Belecherat with a warning that the next infraction will get him banned from the league. There are far too many cheating scandals involving this team for anything less than a hardline. If I had to wager on it, I'd say that I have better odds of being named the Eagles new GM than I do of seeing Goodell do anything close to what I outlined here. And when the slap on the wrist comes down from Old Rodger, it will be one more step toward the NFL exit for me. Their blatant greed and lack of integrity are making me lose interest in the game. I doubt I'm alone in this feeling - I hope I'm at the forefront of a mass exodus that restores my faith in the general public.
                            Official Driver of the Eagles Bandwagon!!!
                            Bleedin' Green since birth!

                            "Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many." - Mike Willey

                            ”Enjoy The Ride!!!” - Bob Marcus

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Just wait to see how over the top the network goes with the coverage and how many times they mention it during the game. Just one more reason I probably watch reruns of American Pickers instead of the game.
                              We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

                              Comment

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