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Super Contributor
Posts: 449
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

The NFL won't do anything.

Remember, in the beginning they only gave Ray Rice a 2 game suspension for BEATING his girlfriend unconscious and dragging her through hotel lobby.

There's no way that Roger Goodell will do anything about this ball situation.

Frankly, Goodell is the one with "under-inflated balls". Until, and unless, Goodell grows a pair the NFL will continue to look the other way when these kinds of things happen.

It's all about the $$$$ and NFL will not do anything to stop the Super Bowl from happening.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 773
Registered: ‎06-25-2014

Re: Why? New England Patriots

"The Patriots swapped out their 12 original game balls for 12 backup balls at halftime of their 45-7 win in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, a source told WEEI.com on Wednesday, and each of those replacements reportedly was tested and approved by officials before being put into play. That testing finished up just moments before New England was set to begin its first series of the third quarter, per WEEI’s source. The Patriots dominated the Colts in the second half, outscoring them 28-0 to turn a tight contest into a blowout"

http://nesn.com/2015/01/report-patriots-used-ref-approved-backup-balls-in-second-half-vs-colts/

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"Is this really a big deal?


In itself, no. There is no chance that underinflated balls impacted the outcome of the AFC Championship Game. For the NFL, as with most things, it's about perception. Rules and policies are in place not only to ensure fair play, but to maintain trust. Fans must believe what they're seeing is honest and forthright competition, as removed as possible from subversive acts that would imply nonorganic winners and losers.

Are the Patriots being unfairly targeted?

Quite frankly, the league's 31 other teams do not give the Patriots much benefit of the doubt after the 2007 spying incident. These feelings could be based on jealousy, or simply an unwillingness to accept the Patriots' sustained success on its face. Others might follow the belief of the scorned wife: Once a cheater, always a cheater."

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/159490/faq-nfl-investigating-wheter-patriots-deflated-g...

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It's crazy that this is such an uproar over the fact that footballs are manipulated. Note- every QB has their favorite way that they like their footballs. Some prefer it under-inflated, like Tom Brady, where as other like it over inflated, like Aaron Rodgers. It's a known process that some QB's will manipulate footballs before the game. Putting them in ovens, dirt, golf ball cleaners, etc. Brad Johnson shelled out $7,500 to have footballs "scuffed up" to make them easier to throw. You can google Eli Manning's way of how he likes his footballs.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,243
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

On 1/21/2015 brandiwine said:
On 1/21/2015 Chrystaltree said:

I'll wait for the results of the investigation, it's hard to believe they would resort to such a ridiculous move when they have a history of shenanigans. They wouldn't have anything to gain from it. I wonder why the refs didn't spot it when they are supposed to inspect the balls before the game. Time will tell but one thing is for certain, they didn't win that game and win it as decisively as they did because the balls were underinflated.


It was a stupid thing to do. That being said cheating is still cheating. My understanding is that the balls were checked by the ref's prior to the game and all was fine. It was at half time that the ref's checked again and the Pats balls were deflated giving them an advantage of ball control during the bad weather. The PSI was well under the NFL regulations. Also, many who have been players said when a ref picks up a ball during a game it's impossible to tell what the PSI is. The weight doesn't change that much and with the cold you wouldn't feel a difference.

A trainer said the same thing to me: that with the cold, the ref might not feel the difference.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,752
Registered: ‎03-15-2014

Re: Why? New England Patriots

So unfortunate that Brady and Belichick have chosen to tarnish their legacies again.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,168
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

I don't see how they can know now, several days later, exactly what level of inflation each ball had during the game. They blew away the Colts and this sounds like sour grapes. If the ball was so obviously underinflated. shame on players for not challenging it and on the refs for not being more attentive.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,255
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

On 1/21/2015 lovesrecess said:

I don't see how they can know now, several days later, exactly what level of inflation each ball had during the game. They blew away the Colts and this sounds like sour grapes. If the ball was so obviously underinflated. shame on players for not challenging it and on the refs for not being more attentive.

all of the colts footballs were found to be inflated correctly.......11 out of 12 patriots footballs were underinflated. it sure sounds suspicious to me!

ESPN Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City reported that the Patriots' footballs were tested at the half, reinflated at that time when they were found to be low, then put back in play for the second half, and then tested again after the game. The report did not reveal the results of the test following the game. All of the balls the Colts used met standards, according to the report.

Meamwhile, a source told WEEI.com that the Patriots used 12 backup balls for the second half against the Colts after issues were found with most of the originals. Patriots spokesman Stacey James confirmed that the team had 24 balls total available, WEEI reported.

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/12202450/nfl-says-new-england-patriots-had-inflated-footbal...


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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,920
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

Sneaky, dodgy. The other team deserves to go to the S. B.. The balls were deflated after the refs checked them.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,170
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

Got a quick question about this. I am not a sports fan. I don't follow football but I happened to hear about the "cheating." IT IS A BALL, DOESN'T IT GET SHARED FROM PERSON TO PERSON as the game progresses. If one team has a deflated ball to start doesn't the other team catch it or recover it or touch it or something like that. Does every team bring their own ball and when it is played on the field making it a two ball game at all times. That makes no sense. If one team has an advantage when it is IN HAND doesn't the other team play with the same ball?

Regular Contributor
Posts: 174
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

On 1/21/2015 lovesrecess said:

I don't see how they can know now, several days later, exactly what level of inflation each ball had during the game. They blew away the Colts and this sounds like sour grapes. If the ball was so obviously underinflated. shame on players for not challenging it and on the refs for not being more attentive.

Am I hearing you say it's ok to cheat if you don't get caught and instead of displaying team/coach integrity, it's up to others to "discover" and end your dishonesty?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,255
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why? New England Patriots

On 1/21/2015 bonnielu said:

Got a quick question about this. I am not a sports fan. I don't follow football but I happened to hear about the "cheating." IT IS A BALL, DOESN'T IT GET SHARED FROM PERSON TO PERSON as the game progresses. If one team has a deflated ball to start doesn't the other team catch it or recover it or touch it or something like that. Does every team bring their own ball and when it is played on the field making it a two ball game at all times. That makes no sense. If one team has an advantage when it is IN HAND doesn't the other team play with the same ball?

the OFFENSE of the patriots have/use their own balls and the OFFENSE of the colts have/use their own balls when they are out on the field. there are also different balls for kicking/punting also i believe.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein