Patriots Deflate-Gate?

[amill87]

I almost feel bad for Patriots fans. This was the Super Bowl that could've moved them on from Spy Gate.

But Belicheck couldn't help himself and now there will always be a "yeah but..." attached to this season for the Patriots, whether it affected any outcomes or not, it will forever be their legacy.

 

[vonstout]

If it's found out that this is wide spread systemic through out the NFL then the Colts owe the NFL and fans an apology for singling out the Pats and selfishly wanting to tarnish the Super Bowl for their own personal vendetta they have against the Pats.

Another example of: "Everyone is allowed to cheat except the Pats."

I'm not sure where you are coming from that "it's a wide spread systematic thing". Give examples of others cheating that aren't referencing things in the past like the silicone on jerseys. I'm sure all teams were doing that. The penalties the league handed out for spygate (fines) aren't affective. Suspending Belicheat for the SB and/or all of next year would mean something. Taking away high draft picks for several years would mean something. The fact that everyone agrees it probably didn't change the outcome of the AFCCG doesn't matter. They knowingly cheated.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I'm not sure where you are coming from that "it's a wide spread systematic thing". The penalties the league handed out for spygate (fines) aren't affective. Suspending Belicheat for the SB and/or all of next year would mean something. Taking away high draft picks for several years would mean something. The fact that everyone agrees it probably didn't change the outcome of the AFCCG doesn't matter. They knowingly cheated.

If there's one owner who's more buddy buddy with Goodell over another, it's Kraft. So it'll be interesting to see the penalty for this.

After spygate, it should be a hefty fine and loss of at least one draft pick. But I doubt it, probably just a big fine.....which means nothing to an NFL owner that has money falling out of their pockets.

 

[amill87]

I'm not sure where you are coming from that "it's a wide spread systematic thing". The penalties the league handed out for spygate (fines) aren't affective. Suspending Belicheat for the SB and/or all of next year would mean something. Taking away high draft picks for several years would mean something. The fact that everyone agrees it probably didn't change the outcome of the AFCCG doesn't matter. They knowingly cheated.

If there's one owner who's more buddy buddy with Goodell over another, it's Kraft. So it'll be interesting to see the penalty for this.

After spygate, it should be a hefty fine and loss of at least one draft pick. But I doubt it, probably just a big fine.....which means nothing to an NFL owner that has money falling out of their pockets.

A fine like the one given out after spygate? Which was 100k (same amount Lynch is fined for not talking to the media).

it's a damn joke. The reason Belichick did this was because he knows the league would give him a slap on the wrist and go about their business.

In my eyes, how is this not as serious as the bounties? A lot of people (including local radio here, which is odd) are trying to play it off as nothing. If it was nothing, why would the Patriots do it?

If it came out that the Seahawks did this, i would be extremely pissed. And I guarantee the narrative would be different. So how come the final score of a game determines how serious the cheating affect is?

 

[Pats fan1]

It's almost as if the Colts knew they would lose this game and instead of game planning to try to beat the Pats they showed up as detectives to try to find anything they could to catch the Pats.

Stop cheating and you won't have to worry about this stuff.

IMO it's not a big deal, but I'm pissed because now all the networks are talking about your dumb team cheating again instead of a great SB matchup with my Hawks.

Bucs QB Johnson paid to have footballs altered before SB 37...
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/bucs ... 37/2214490

Tell your local media to report on your teams cheating and stop covering it over and stop obsessing over the Patriots.

It's wide spread systemic. Many fans know this, many coaches know this, may refs and former officials know this.

Funny how former NFL coaches said they would video tape and do all other things like Jimmy Johnson admitted, but people just want to focus and obsess over the Patriots and hold them to different standards than other teams.

Former NFL official Mike Pereira says it's cheating but it goes on in the league...
http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/ ... -1.9829649

I wouldn't be surprised if the NFL comes out either later this week and in the next coming months we're going to get reports showing many teams are doing this.

The teams are given the balls so they can scuff them up or do whatever they want to them as long as they pass inspection by the refs before the game. There is nothing wrong with that. Taking the balls after the final inspection and deflating them is flat out cheating. The kicking balls aren't scuffed up because they want them to be slick, which can cause problems for the other team when they try to catch the ball. I don't believe what Brad Johnson did violated any rules. Not so for Belicheat.

Your second link talks about cheating in the league in general and how they addressed things in the past. This is the first time anyone has been caught deflating the football as far as I know. And it's the second time the Pats have done it in the playoffs. There's no way they can make them forfeit the AFCCG because it would be too difficult, but they should suspend Belicheat for the SB and next year and take away draft picks next year. The fines they hand out don't mean squat to these guys. They've already proved that from Sypgate.

There is no proof that anyone in the Pats' organization purposely and intentionally altered the footballs. This is the big grey area. The question is: "Who altered the footballs before the game?" Someone did.

And yes, there is a possibility some ball boy jerk fan boy screwed with the balls to give the Pats an edge behind the coaching staff's back. I mean Edward Snowden leaked thousands of classified documents from the NSA. A ball boy can screw with a football to be a selfish jerk.

 

[homerun1970]

Yeah that ball boy jerk it really benefits him not that jerk wearing 12 and his coach. Do you think many ball boys have the gall to do something like that without Tom wanting a softer ball or someone informing them its a competitive advantage. It cant be the coaches wanting an advantage telling said ball boy hey let air out?

 

[bigtrain21]

It's almost as if the Colts knew they would lose this game and instead of game planning to try to beat the Pats they showed up as detectives to try to find anything they could to catch the Pats.

Stop cheating and you won't have to worry about this stuff.

IMO it's not a big deal, but I'm pissed because now all the networks are talking about your dumb team cheating again instead of a great SB matchup with my Hawks.

Bucs QB Johnson paid to have footballs altered before SB 37...
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/bucs ... 37/2214490

Tell your local media to report on your teams cheating and stop covering it over and stop obsessing over the Patriots.

It's wide spread systemic. Many fans know this, many coaches know this, may refs and former officials know this.

Funny how former NFL coaches said they would video tape and do all other things like Jimmy Johnson admitted, but people just want to focus and obsess over the Patriots and hold them to different standards than other teams.

Former NFL official Mike Pereira says it's cheating but it goes on in the league...
http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/ ... -1.9829649

I wouldn't be surprised if the NFL comes out either later this week and in the next coming months we're going to get reports showing many teams are doing this.

The teams are given the balls so they can scuff them up or do whatever they want to them as long as they pass inspection by the refs before the game. There is nothing wrong with that. Taking the balls after the final inspection and deflating them is flat out cheating. The kicking balls aren't scuffed up because they want them to be slick, which can cause problems for the other team when they try to catch the ball. I don't believe what Brad Johnson did violated any rules. Not so for Belicheat.

Your second link talks about cheating in the league in general and how they addressed things in the past. This is the first time anyone has been caught deflating the football as far as I know. And it's the second time the Pats have done it in the playoffs. There's no way they can make them forfeit the AFCCG because it would be too difficult, but they should suspend Belicheat for the SB and next year and take away draft picks next year. The fines they hand out don't mean squat to these guys. They've already proved that from Sypgate.

There is no proof that anyone in the Pats' organization purposely and intentionally altered the footballs. This is the big grey area. The question is: "Who altered the footballs before the game?" Someone did.

And yes, there is a possibility some ball boy jerk fan boy screwed with the balls to give the Pats an edge behind the coaching staff's back. I mean Edward Snowden leaked thousands of classified documents from the NSA. A ball boy can screw with a football to be a selfish jerk.

You think a ball boy would tamper with the ball without bring told to?

 

[amill87]

There is no proof that anyone in the Pats' organization purposely and intentionally altered the footballs. This is the big grey area. The question is: "Who altered the footballs before the game?" Someone did.

And yes, there is a possibility some ball boy jerk fan boy screwed with the balls to give the Pats an edge behind the coaching staff's back. I mean Edward Snowden leaked thousands of classified documents from the NSA. A ball boy can screw with a football to be a selfish jerk.

Micheal Bradley bought up a good point yesterday, no one from the Pats really denied anything.

Vince WIlfork just went "oh haha, I don't touch the football". Everyone danced around it, no one flat out said, we don't cheat and it didn't happen.

Look, I get what Patriot fans must be feeling right now. There is no way this could happen to you again. But out all of the possibilities of a ball boy on any other team, it just happened to be the ball boy of a team who has a history of bending and flat out breaking rules?

 

[Pats fan1]

"IF" Belichick knew about this and let it keep happening then he's a sociopath and classless and a cheat.

And how selfish of him to do this to his players and coaching staff.

When you're preparing for the Super Bowl you need to dedicate 100% of your attention to creating the game plan and get your players 100% focused on the game. NOW all week the coaches and players' minds could be effected by this.

Yeah, this could have a big impact on the Pats' play during the game psychologically.

 

[Phteven]

First thing I thought after hearing Brady answer the question about the underinflated balls is that he never did answer the question. He gave a very awkward, fake laugh and said, "“I think I’ve heard it all at this point. Oh, God. It’s ridiculous. That’s the last of my worries. I don’t even respond to stuff like this.”

I turned to my wife, who said, "That's a dude who's hiding something." He never said anything remotely like, "we didn't do that."

I predict that a ball boy or someone low in the organization will fall on his sword to protect the team and accept full accountability for any wrongdoing. He will be fired or resign, and that will be that. Maybe a fine, but no one will be suspended once the scapegoat is sacrificed.

 

[amill87]

First thing I thought after hearing Brady answer the question about the underinflated balls is that he never did answer the question. He gave a very awkward, fake laugh and said, "“I think I’ve heard it all at this point. Oh, God. It’s ridiculous. That’s the last of my worries. I don’t even respond to stuff like this.”

I turned to my wife, who said, "That's a dude who's hiding something." He never said anything remotely like, "we didn't do that."

I predict that a ball boy or someone low in the organization will fall on his sword to protect the team and accept full accountability for any wrongdoing. He will be fired or resign, and that will be that. Maybe a fine, but no one will be suspended once the scapegoat is sacrificed.

Exactly.

What sucks even more is I've heard some say Seahawk fans just want the Patriots to be penalized to help the Seahawks but I don't want a super bowl with an asterisk.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

First thing I thought after hearing Brady answer the question about the underinflated balls is that he never did answer the question. He gave a very awkward, fake laugh and said, "“I think I’ve heard it all at this point. Oh, God. It’s ridiculous. That’s the last of my worries. I don’t even respond to stuff like this.”

I turned to my wife, who said, "That's a dude who's hiding something." He never said anything remotely like, "we didn't do that."

I predict that a ball boy or someone low in the organization will fall on his sword to protect the team and accept full accountability for any wrongdoing. He will be fired or resign, and that will be that. Maybe a fine, but no one will be suspended once the scapegoat is sacrificed.

Exactly.

What sucks even more is I've heard some say Seahawk fans just want the Patriots to be penalized to help the Seahawks but I don't want a super bowl with an asterisk.

Whatever punishment comes down won't affect the Superbowl. It's going to be some kind of fine(s) then maybe a suspension of some kind for Belicheck and/or loss of draft pick(s) at the very worst.

 

[mikeak]

I love it - come here and say if my team cheated outright then I won't support them anymore

Followed by a bunch of backtracking about how the team didn't really know and how everyone cheats and blah blah blah

Why not admit it - you don't care how you win as long as you win

 

[Pats fan1]

Does deflate gate help or hurt the Pats.....help or hurt the Seahawks?

Last year the Seahawks thrived on the Sherman outburst controversy. Now it's all quiet out of Seattle, no one is talking about Seattle, the players are quiet and get to be the good guys.

The Patriots are the bad guys. They can either use this as motivation or let it get to them. I think they'll play mad. That can be good or bad. When you play mad or with a chip on your shoulder you can allow your emotions to take over and can make dumb penalties (personal fouls, off sides, pass interference etc.)

Knowing the arrogance or Brady and Belichick they'll want to prove to the world they're legit and run up the score. If the Pats are up 38 to 7 in the 4th quarter with 5 minutes to go, the Pats will throw on 3rd down.

 

[Pats fan1]

This Super Bowl has some similarities with the 2007 Super Bowl with Spy Gate, but spy gate happened after the first game of the season where it was released after the Jets game.

This Super Bowl....the controversy is 2 weeks before the Super Bowl.

It's about how Belichick and the coaching staff get their team mentally focused on this game.

 

[homerun1970]

Up 38 to 7 on the #1 NFC Seed and #1 NFL defense what stops are pulled out in this daydream? It could be a rallying cry for the Pats but your dream scenario discounts the Seahawks completely. Go ahead and play mad Seattle likes to play punch and punch back ask the other teams in the NFCW. Heck just watch the intro for last years superbowl.

 

[mikeak]

How about it hurts them? Brady hasn't thrown a properly inflated ball for years and will have fumbling problems and issues with the ball slipping out.

As Edelman said "the balls didn't feel any different than usual"

What I heard was 2lbs less which is about 15-20%........ that isn't a little bit AND the balls were re-tested in halftime and air was put back into them and then magically dissapeared only in those balls that NE had on their sideline.

 

[Phteven]

How about it hurts them? Brady hasn't thrown a properly inflated ball for years and will have fumbling problems and issues with the ball slipping out.

As Edelman said "the balls didn't feel any different than usual"

What I heard was 2lbs less which is about 15-20%........ that isn't a little bit AND the balls were re-tested in halftime and air was put back into them and then magically dissapeared only in those balls that NE had on their sideline.

This. Even years ago, Brady mentioned liking an under inflated ball. If the Pats are used to using an underinflated ball on offense, it's going to make a difference in a bad way for them.

 

[Chapow]

I think Belichick will use this as motivation to get his players even more motivated for this game to prove a point. This will light a fire under them...

What?

They got caught cheating. Most people find that sort of thing more embarrassing than motivating.

Nobody likes getting caught knowingly doing something wrong/cheating.

 

[Pats fan1]

How about it hurts them? Brady hasn't thrown a properly inflated ball for years and will have fumbling problems and issues with the ball slipping out.

As Edelman said "the balls didn't feel any different than usual"

What I heard was 2lbs less which is about 15-20%........ that isn't a little bit AND the balls were re-tested in halftime and air was put back into them and then magically dissapeared only in those balls that NE had on their sideline.

A new report out says the illegal deflated balls were taken out of the game at half time and in the 2nd half the Pats' used their back up footballs that were not deflated. The Pats played better in the second half in colder rainier weather.

What is the legal limit on the lower end of deflation that you can set the PSI at on a football? And how far under the lowest legal limit were the Pats' footballs?

And this should have less effect indoors in a climate controlled environment. Indoors will benefit the Patriots' offense and up tempo no huddle system.

Here's the thing. Brady is one of the greatest QB's to ever play the game and one of the most accurate. He doesn't need perfect accuracy to throw down field since he rarely ever throws down field bombs, heck he rarely throws it past 25 yards, so the PSI doesn't have much effect on the little dinks and dunks Brady throws.

lol @ thinking Brady will be throwing up ducks if the ball isn't perfectly inflated to his liking. I doubt Brady will be launching 40 to 50 yard bombs down field and if he does into double coverage he's a moron or he finds an open WR who broke through the Seahawks' secondary.

I doubt the Pats' footballs were so under the legal limit that it's a difference for Brady and the WR's.

And if this does slow down the Pats' offense then this game is more equal and the Pats won't be putting up 34 or more points. They can still win this game by putting up 24 to 28 which they can do. No one is stopping Gronk unless the Seahawks go for a dirty cheap shot.

If the Seahawks can barely beat the Packers at home where the Packers really blew the game by their own mistakes who controlled the game for 95% of the game and the Pats put up 34 on the Ravens and 40+ on the Colts the edge goes to the Pats.

The Seahawks' D is overrated. They got no pressure on Rodgers for many parts of the game and the Packers played a conservative offensive game. Instead of going for it on 4th down inside the 10 they decided to kick field goals. Belichick won't be kicking field goals when the Pats are inside their 35.

And two key Seahawks's defensive players are injured. I don't think Sherman and Thomas will be 100%. I hope they are. I want everyone on both teams at 100%.

The Seahawks are not a blitzing team. They rush 4 guys consistently on every play, the Pats play up tempo and spread out those D's like they did against the Lions' D. The Seahawks do not have the front 7 on D as the Jets, Bills and Dolphins do.